Meet Arthur Conti, Jenna Ortega’s Scene Partner and “Date from Hell” in ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ 

[This story contains spoilers for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.]

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star Arthur Conti went from zero to sixty in report time. The English actor turned the equal of a highschool musical into illustration, which led to a two-line day on Home of the Dragon and an acclaimed efficiency at London’s Park Theatre. Towards the top of his run on stage in Winner’s Curse, he put himself on tape for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Tim Burton and Michael Keaton’s 1988 style mashup, Beetlejuice. Unexpectedly, Conti quickly discovered himself in the center of a Zoom callback with Burton and the city’s newly anointed celebrity, Jenna Ortega.

Inside two hours, Conti formally landed the position of Jeremy Frazier, who Ortega’s character, Astrid Deetz, would finally seek advice from as her “date from hell.” Astrid — having been estranged from her mom, Lydia (Winona Ryder), because the divorce and demise of her father Richard (Santiago Cabrera) — reluctantly joins the Deetz household on a visit to Winter River, Connecticut in order to bury her grandpa Charles Deetz. When her mom’s TV present producer/boyfriend, Rory (Justin Theroux), turns the funeral into an engagement social gathering, an aggravated Astrid flees her household’s well-known ghost home by bicycle.

After almost inflicting a multi-vehicle accident, Astrid crashes her bike into Jeremy’s yard the place he occurred to be studying Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment in a treehouse. The pair then bond over his studying materials earlier than he affords an open-ended invitation for her to return the subsequent day. Whereas some viewers instantly observed that one thing wasn’t fairly proper about Jeremy, their follow-up scene the place Astrid takes inventory of his ‘90s vinyl and guide assortment all however confirms his standing as a ghost. Nevertheless, even Conti himself missed a key clue upon his first learn of the script.

“When I was first reading the script, I didn’t know he was a ghost at first. I must have skipped over the Handbook for the Recently Deceased part. If you’ve seen the first film and you see that he’s got one of those, then you’d immediately go, ‘Oh, okay,’” Conti tells The Hollywood Reporter. “So I don’t think they were really trying to hide the ghost part, but if you haven’t seen the first one, then it will be a twist, I suppose.”

Jeremy’s treacherous plan is quickly revealed, as he deceived Astrid into buying and selling her life in order that he can regain his personal through some paperwork in the afterlife. Lydia then seeks out Betelgeuse’s assist in rescuing her daughter, and in a uncommon second of decency, he follows by way of in an on-brand means by sentencing Jeremy to everlasting damnation. 

“The last thing that [Michael Keaton] filmed was sending me to hell. So, afterwards, I was just like, ‘Is there any way I could go say hi to Michael?’ So we had a little chat, and he was very nice,” Conti recollects.

After her latest feedback that expressed disappointment over youthful generations’ lack of cinephilia, Conti takes a lot consolation in the truth that Ryder gave him her stamp of approval.

“I do watch films, so I was in her good books. That’s a relief,” Conti says. “I didn’t say this enough to her, but she was so nice. She was always very complimentary about me, and then I’d hear that she’d said nice things about me to other people. So just having her sort of endorsement really helped me out when I was feeling a bit of imposter syndrome next to all these massive stars.”

Under, throughout a latest spoiler dialog with THR, Conti explains why his sooner or later alongside Ser Criston Cole on the Home of the Dragon set was extraordinarily helpful as a warm-up for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

So how would you describe the life and instances of Arthur Conti previous to this audition coming alongside? 

I had principally simply left highschool. I obtained my agent from a faculty musical after he got here to see me. I wished to be an actor by that time, and whereas I solely did two or three drama faculty auditions, I didn’t get in. So I obtained turned down, however I believed, “I’m still going to give it a year. I’ve got an agent, and I’m just going to go out for things and see how that goes.” I first did a play in London [in the winter of 2023], and then I auditioned for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. So the remaining is historical past? I really don’t need to say the remaining is historical past. (Laughs.)

Yeah, at your age, it’s most likely too quickly for that line. 

(Laughs.) Yeah, I believe so, too.

Did the casting course of have a whole lot of hoops, in addition to a studying with Jenna Ortega?

It didn’t, really. There have been minimal steps. It was a self-tape, and then I obtained despatched the script. So I learn the script, I liked it and I obtained very over-excited about it. After which I had one recall with Jenna. Tim was additionally on there, and then I came upon two hours later that I obtained the half. It was a really stunning second as a result of the entire thing got here out of nowhere. So it was a really massive factor to get my head round, however extremely thrilling. 

Did you and Jenna learn the “where have you been all my life?” scene throughout that callback? 

No, we did the one when she comes inside Jeremy’s home for the primary time, and he says, “Why don’t you come over? We could order pizza and give out candy, but only if you want to.” After which we learn the second scene in his room when he’s obtained all of the decorations up, so it was these two.

Jeremy is launched as a teen studying Dostoevsky in a treehouse. He’s additionally dressed like somebody from a bygone period, though that type by no means actually goes out of style. Was the thought to make his ghostly state of affairs fairly apparent proper out of the gate?

Once I was first studying the script, I didn’t know he was a ghost at first. I should have passed over the Handbook for the Not too long ago Deceased half. For those who’ve seen the primary movie and you see that he’s obtained a type of, you then’d instantly go, “Oh, okay.” It’s dramatic irony when the viewers is aware of one thing that the characters don’t. So I don’t assume they have been actually attempting to cover the ghost half, however in case you haven’t seen the primary one, then it is going to be a twist, I suppose. You get a double twist, which is all the time good.

However, in the yr 2024, to have a teen learn Crime and Punishment in a treehouse, that was an instantaneous crimson flag for me.

I’m embarrassingly dangerous at studying. I hate saying that as a result of I sound like such a screenager, however I’m not good at studying until I’m on a airplane. I can learn on a airplane, however I’ve not learn Crime and Punishment. I briefly considered it. I believed, “Should I be method? Will this enhance my performance?” However then I made a decision that it most likely wouldn’t make that a lot distinction. (Laughs.) 

Usually, although, I’m glad that Tim didn’t flip Jeremy’s ghostly standing into some extended twist. He revealed who and what he’s inside 25 minutes. 

Yeah, we didn’t actually discuss that. I didn’t have a lot say over the script or the way in which issues have been written, nevertheless it’s good while you get a twist [sooner or later]. It does a whole lot of be just right for you in a means. Folks go, “Ooh!” and then they learn into your character extra. The viewers may decide up on issues in hindsight that I’ll or could not have really been attempting to do, however they’ll have a look at that and go, “Oh, maybe he was deceiving her when he was acting like that.”

However I’m with you. I’m glad that they revealed it rapidly, as a result of it makes that second instantly extra thrilling. It’s like, “Oh shit!” and then Lydia runs again to his home. So I used to be actually pleased with that entire sequence.

He murdered his dad and mom 23 years earlier. Was it ever established why he killed his dad and mom? Or is he only a psychopath?

He’s only a psychopath! (Laughs.) It’d be horrible if there was really some subtext in the script that I’ve utterly forgotten about, however I don’t know why he murdered his dad and mom. He have to be only a psychopath. He’s a loner who wished to be on his personal, perhaps. However the bizarre factor is that his dad and mom are nonetheless very good to him when Jeremy and Astrid come inside the home. He was like, “Mom, I’m just going to be upstairs with a friend.” And she or he was like, “Okay, have fun,” regardless that he pressured a whisk by way of her eye. So it’s an fascinating dynamic between him and his dad and mom, and I’m not fairly certain what to make of it.

To dupe Astrid into buying and selling her life for his, he’s clearly a psychopath.

Yeah, he’s a manipulative, manipulative man. 

Jenna is in the midst of a profession ascent. Might you sense a whole lot of that hustle and bustle that comes with film stardom? Was there a whole lot of exercise round her more often than not? 

I’m amazed how properly she handles it. If I had that a lot occurring, I might simply be a wreck on a regular basis. However she’s amazingly levelheaded, and she doesn’t give off that vibe in any respect, actually. Usually, she’s a really calming presence on set, and she’s extremely hardworking. I don’t know the way she takes on that a lot work. She’s by no means not busy. She’s all the time doing one thing, and it’s superb. I simply don’t have the work ethic that she has. Possibly I’ll study it, nevertheless it amazes me how a lot work she does and how a lot effort she places into the whole lot. 

You get to indicate and inform future generations of Contis that Michael Keaton’s Betelgeuse despatched you to hell on display. Did you get to work together with him a lot on the day? 

Not a lot, however I did somewhat bit, yeah. I used to be very shy round everyone as a result of everybody in the solid has an enormous title. I used to be like, “Hello.” (Conti delivered the phrase whats up in comedically feeble style.) However they’re all so good and so candy, and it was a really nurturing surroundings. However Michael was pretty. We filmed that scene fairly rapidly, and it was his final day, really. The very last thing that he filmed was sending me to hell. So, afterwards, I used to be identical to, “Is there any way I could go say hi to Michael?”

“Thank you for sending me to hell, Mr. Keaton.”

(Laughs.) “Thank you! That was lovely.” So we had somewhat chat, and he was very good, however there wasn’t a lot interplay. I then obtained to satisfy everybody once more and discuss much more on the Venice and London premieres.

As you stated, it’s a extremely adorned solid, so did you observe and pocket as a lot as you could possibly from afar?

I did, however I nonetheless didn’t come into contact with many of the solid. Mainly, all of my scenes have been with Jenna, and she’s simply really easy to behave with. She’s so good that it makes your job very straightforward, and we obtained on very well. In order that was good, however perhaps I ought to have requested extra questions. You additionally don’t need to be like, “What’s something you wish you knew at the beginning?” So I sort of wished to play it cool. Possibly that was foolish and prevented me from studying extra, however everybody was very good. Winona, particularly. I didn’t say this sufficient to her, however she was so good. She was all the time very complimentary about me, and then I’d hear that she’d stated good issues about me to different individuals. So simply having her form of endorsement actually helped me out once I was feeling a little bit of imposter syndrome subsequent to all these huge stars.

Apparently, Winona is all of the extra impressed by younger actors if they really watch movies. Some quotes of hers have been going round these days. 

Yeah, she stated she was aggravated at youthful individuals who don’t watch movies.

Particularly in the event that they’d ask concerning the runtime first.  

I do watch movies, so I used to be in her good books. That’s a aid.

Now all of it is smart. Anyway, did Tim provide you with any eye-opening notes that you simply’ll take with you?

He provides you a whole lot of free reign, actually. He wouldn’t give me efficiency notes. It might be like, “Could you stand there? Could you get to that line a bit quicker and stop going … ?” I used to be attempting to be overly naturalistic on the whole lot. (Conti demonstrates this by including filler phrases like um and ah.) So these have been the one issues that he would say, however usually, he leaves you to it. It’s a remarkably laid again environment for such a giant manufacturing. It might have been very anxious and actually intense, nevertheless it was a really laid again and very environment friendly environment that he created. I don’t know the way he does it. He’s so spectacular as a director. So I used to be left to my very own gadgets to an extent, and it was somewhat nerve-wracking, particularly as my first movie. I used to be like, “Am I doing the right thing?” However on the similar time, it does provide you with a certain quantity of confidence that Tim Burton trusts you to do what you assume is finest. 

Yeah, it’s nuts that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is just your second on-camera job. In hindsight, have been you glad to have spent a day on Home of the Dragon earlier than diving into the deep finish of the pool?

If I hadn’t had that day on Dragon, I might’ve buckled underneath the stress. It was essentially the most invaluable expertise ever. I did sooner or later of filming on Home of the Dragon, and I’m in it for like 10 seconds. I had two strains, nevertheless it was such a superb expertise. I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, nevertheless it was filmed in the identical studio as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. So I’d been there already, and it’s the place I did many of the taking pictures for Beetlejuice. They’re each prequel-sequels to one thing very beloved and watched by a number of individuals. They each had all these massive extravagant units in these fantastical worlds. So, thank God, I had that have. It might’ve been too overwhelming, in any other case.

I assume this may solely apply to the treehouse scene and the outside scene when Astrid will get dropped off on Halloween, however did you shoot any of that stuff in East Corinth, Vermont the place the entire film’s iconic filming areas are?

Jeremy’s home was in a suburb of Boston. I shot there for about 4 days, which was 5 months after the remainder of it [in London]. This was after the strike, so we had a protracted break earlier than we did that [treehouse] scene.

I genuinely consider that Bob gave a heartbreaking efficiency in this film. 

It’s true. It’s crushing what they did to Bob. He’s the largest star in it. 

Have been you capable of have a second with him whereas exploring the afterlife set? 

I by no means noticed him. I noticed some pretty ghosts and some man with a python round him and an escape artist in this little tank, however I by no means got here into contact with Bob. It’s too dangerous. I might have liked to satisfy him.

Total, while you mirror on this expertise many a long time from now, what day will you possible recall first? 

It was a day earlier than I used to be even filming something. I got here in to do a hair factor in the hair and make-up trailer, and Winona and Jenna have been there. It was about two weeks after I’d obtained the half, and earlier than that, it was simply unthinkable. It’s been such a steep studying curve and such a factor to get accustomed to, as a result of I didn’t assume that one thing of this measurement was going to occur for a very long time. So I used to be simply considering how insane it was that I used to be there and the way it all occurred. So disbelief, pleasure and pleasure is how I might sum up the entire thing.

Lastly, what dream do you need to put out into the universe?

I need to do the whole lot, however there’s a pair issues. I’ve all the time wished to be in a sci-fi factor. I grew up watching Alien and Star Wars, in order that’s all the time been a little bit of a dream and an eventual purpose. However I need to do every kind of genres. My favorites are typically mixtures of scary and off-putting and humorous. I liked The Curse with Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone. So I’d like to do one thing with that sort of tone. I additionally love Ruben Ösland and Ari Aster. I really like Beau Is Afraid. So something experimental, humorous and bizarre tends to be what I like to observe, and being in one thing like that might be superb.

Nicely, in the meantime, I’ll allow you to get again to studying Crime and Punishment.

(Laughs.) Yeah, I’ve obtained to get on that.

***Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now taking part in in film theaters.