From: Irish Independent

Jim Sturgess divided critics with Across The Universe, but with 21 hitting number one in the US, it seems that now is his moment. Like most men of a certain age who possess a lot of vinyl, I was pretty excited when I heard that Julie Taymor (the woman behind Titus and Frida) was directing a musical based on the works of The Beatles.

And then I saw Across The Universe. And I felt like punching everyone involved in it.

Especially Bono, when he comes trouncing through as Dr Robert, squeezing the life out of ‘I Am The Walrus’.

The only two people I didn’t want to throttle were the leads, the sweet-as-apple-pie 20-year-old Evan Rachel Wood, who plays Lucy, and 26-year-old Londoner, Jim Sturgess.

The latter has been making quite an impression on Hollywood in the past 12 months, Across The Universe helping him get noticed, his role as George Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl raising his profile ever so slightly, and now there’s true-life, Vegas-set crime thriller 21, which hit number one in the US upon its release last week.

Naturally enough, Jim Sturgess is a happy young man right now. But surely a bit surprised too?

“How could I not be surprised, just on a personal level? With regard to the numbers side of it, the signs were there early on that it was going to do well.

“I think the fact that it’s a good film means it’ll be around for a while too, which is, obviously, much more important.�

To push himself further into the role of mathematics whiz kid Ben Campbell, Sturgess went so far as to head to Vegas and try to get himself into some trouble.

“I needed to feel how Ben would have felt, so, I just put myself in harm’s way. You just start doing all the obvious stuff, like tipping your ear a lot, scratching your nose, in the hope that one of these places would hand you over to the police.

I think the problem was, we were only playing with $5 chips . . .�

Surviving that may have been one thing, but weathering the storm of negative reviews which followed Across The Universe must have been quite another.

“That movie really divided people, but I think that’s a good thing, you know. It wasn’t some soft-focus musical designed just to please MOR fans, or whatever. It was a brave film for Julie to make, and I think those who love Across The Universe really, really love it.

Which, to me, is better than having loads and loads of people who thought it was just okay. Or nice.�

With Wayne Kramer’s immigrant drama Crossing Over coming up, alongside Harrison Ford and Sean Penn, surely he must be a little bit starstruck?

“Sure, you can’t but be aware of the body of work of both these men, and how they’ve been part of film culture for so long.

“One part of your brain wants to be utterly professional – you know, get on with your job, impress these giants – and another part of your brain just wants to ask them loads of questions about the great movies they’ve made. I tried to find a happy balance between those two approaches . . .�

Also on the cards is Kari Skogland’s Fifty Dead Men Walking.

“That was a tough one, dealing with a highly sensitive subject. I think the recent peace that’s descended upon Northern Ireland means we’re ready now to deal with those times, to explore the many stories that went on just below the surface. It’s a fascinating story, and I think Kori did an incredible job, by concentrating on the truth.�