Key Highlights
- Josh Hutcherson plays Dylan in the HBO series “I Love LA,” a role that has earned him internet boyfriend status.
- The actor discusses his experience joining an established cast and playing a normal guy in a world of over-the-top characters.
- Hutcherson shares insights into his character’s allure, explaining why Dylan is seen as a lovable and attractive figure among the group.
- He also talks about working with the “Very Online” cast and maintaining his offline persona amidst their online presence.
The Offline Guy in an Online World: Josh Hutcherson’s New Role in “I Love LA”
Josh Hutcherson, known for his roles in blockbuster films like The Hunger Games and The Kids Are All Right, is taking on a different kind of character in the HBO series I Love LA. In this comedy, he plays Dylan, a straight-laced guy in a group of over-the-top friends. Hutcherson discusses his experience joining an established cast and how playing such a role feels like coming back to basics.
“I realized that I haven’t played a normal guy in a normal, real-life reality since I was 15 in The Kids Are All Right,” says Hutcherson. “It’s been really fun to get back to the basics and just be a dude in the world having fun and fucking shit up.”
Joining an Established Cast
When asked about how he navigated joining a well-established cast, Hutcherson advises diving right into it: “You dive in head first and ask questions later. It’s an insanely fun, dynamic, crazy group of people, who thankfully I love, and they welcomed me with open arms.”
The Allure of Dylan
When Men’s Health asked about the appeal of his character Dylan, Hutcherson explained: “I think the allure of Dylan is that he’s just a good guy. He’s not problematic. He’s a sprinkle of cringey, but in a lovable way.
And I think the way he loves and supports Maya and her crazy misadventures is admirable.”
Dylan’s relationship with his partner, Maya, also adds depth to the character: “They just have this amazing sexual chemistry, even though they’ve been together for years. And as the show continues, they might be at odds in certain ways and at certain points, but they still have that chemistry.”
Navigating the Online World
While Hutcherson is around the same age as most of his castmates, he has had a long career in Hollywood. “They might look up to me a little bit, as someone who’s been around the block a time or two,” says Hutcherson. However, he relishes taking on the role of the “punching bag” for his co-stars: “I love taking on that role. I’m comfortable there.”
He adds, “The internet definitely sees Dylan as boyfriend material. And it’s impressive to hear how Rachel can have such a clear creative point of view without being rigid in its execution.”
A Return to Basics
Hutcherson is also excited for the sequel to Five Nights at Freddy’s, which was based on a popular video game series. “I was pretty blown away,” he says. “Going into the sequel, we very easily could have just made the same movie again. But we really took it upon ourselves—especially Scott Cawthon, the game creator, Emma Tammi, the director, and Blumhouse—to make something that was special for the fans, that was not just repackaging the same thing in a different box.”
He concludes: “We were able to make a much scarier movie, a much more action-filled movie, a movie that has so many easter eggs for die-hard fans, but that new audiences will also love because it’s just a great scary movie.”
