Ty Simpkins Talks Filming 'Jurassic World' & Working With Chris Pratt! (JJJ Interview)

Ty Simpkins Talks Filming 'Jurassic World' & Working With Chris Pratt! (JJJ Interview)

Check out this brand new interview with the super talented Ty Simpkins!

The 13-year-old actor stars in the highly-anticipated summer blockbuster Jurassic World, which hits theaters FRIDAY, June 12!

JJJ caught up with Ty to get the scoop on what it was like working with Chris Pratt and Nick Robinson, how he got the role, and more. Check it:

JustJaredJr.com: Tell us about how you got involved with the movie! What was your audition process like?

Ty Simpkins: In 2011, Colin [Trevorrow, director] Skyped me when I was in Tennessee with my sister on a film project she was on. It was the day after the Iron Man 3 premiere, so I was already very excited from that. I remember being excited for that phone call. We were all a bit in shock, but then the project got pushed for like a year I think. I later met Colin in person at the Insidious 2 premiere, which also seemed unreal because the after-party was at Universal Studious and when we met, the Jurassic ride was literally right there. Then all of a sudden I got a call to do a chemistry read with Nick Robinson. We went to the casting house and Nick came in, we went into the room, and acted out some scenes together.

Click inside to read the rest of our interview with Ty Simpkins

JustJaredJr.com Interview – Ty Simpkins

JJJ: When did you first see the original Jurassic Park film and how what did you like most about it?

TS: I first saw it when I was very young on VHS at home, but I don’t really remember it. It was one of those movies my brother and sister watched all the time so it was always on and I just grew up with it. I did actually see it on the big screen about a year and a half ago when it came out in 3D. We saw it in IMAX and it was awesome…it was so scary. It’s the best film! My favorite part is I think everyone’s favorite…when the T-Rex attacks the car with Tim and Lex – awesome and suspenseful.

JJJ: You work closely with Nick in the film. Did you guys know each other beforehand or get to bond before filming?

TS: We actually didn’t know each other. I watched his film Kings of Summer before we met and when we did, it was funny because he thought I had the job and I thought he had the job, so we were both like trying to impress one another. As it turned out, we both had the job and we didn’t know it. We bonded a lot in Hawaii. We went swimming and surfing and hiking almost everyday. We got really close. He’s a great big brother.

JJJ: Tell us about your character!

TS: Gray is your typical 12-year-old kid with a huge amount of energy and curiosity. He wants to do all this stuff and enjoy the park like he did when he was little. He is like a kid in a toy store and they say the toys are all free, have what you want, only then the toys turn on you and you are like, “Oh crap!”

JJJ: Chris Pratt is obviously one of the biggest movie stars right now. What were you most surprised to learn about him?

TS: Chris is the nicest guy you will ever meet and if he makes a promise, he keeps it. He’s a family guy and a home person. He loves his baby Jack and is the kind of dad probably every kid in America wants their dad to be like, and not just because he’s Starlord.

JJJ: If you were stuck on an island with dangerous creatures, what would be your strategy for surviving?

TS: RUN!

JJJ: We hear you filmed some sequences at an abandoned theme park. What was that like?

TS: A lot of fun. The production wouldn’t let me explore too far due to the dangers inside of abandoned theme parks. (I’m not talking about possessed clowns or anything.) Actually, we were by swamps filled with huge snakes and alligators. I had a bike on set and everyday I would go on long bike rides in the park actually looking for alligators. I never saw one at the park. Lots of frogs though.

JJJ: What was your favorite moment from filming (on or off set)?

TS: There are so many to choose from its so hard, but maybe the stuff with Chris, Bryce, Nick, and the raptors on Jurassic World main street. Off set, Hawaii stuff was amazing, so much water and swimming. I took sailing lessons for my PE class, I was always outside. NOLA wasn’t as much fun for me. There wasn’t a whole lot for me to do there, but all the crew had fun. Thankfully, we had a pool. It was really hot and I took a glass blowing class, which was cool. Thankfully in NOLA I was on set everyday and to me just being on set is the best, there is always so much to do. Plus I had my bike so that was great! Nick and I kept planning on how we were going to sneak onto the Terminator set because I wanted to meet Arnold [Schwarzenegger]. They filmed next door. We tried, but couldn’t get on.

JJJ: You’ve worked with Robert Downey Jr., Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Gosling, and other huge stars. Who is next on your dream list of co-stars?

TS: I actually never met Ryan Gosling, so he can stay on the list. I would really like to meet JJ Abrams, Harrison Ford, Johnny Depp, Emma Watson, Simon Pegg, and all the Avengers.

JJJ: Finally – how do you balance school and working so much? And what do you like to do for fun?

TS: First thing is I have a great school with very supportive teachers. Second thing is I have an amazing studio teacher who travels with me. Honestly, its a lot of hard work because I love being on set, but I know how important school is and I know I have to do well in school if the school is going to continue to be supportive. School isn’t always easy for me, so its really hard work. but I want to do well. For fun, I love to play video games, draw, I Fence, and just hang out with my family and friends. I love to go to the movies.

Don’t forget to check out Jurassic World in theaters Friday!

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