Finn Wittrock Teases Downtown Owl Role and Why His Character Was So Challenging

Downtown Owl star Finn Wittrock teased his role in the project and explained why his character was so challenging. Coach Laidlaw is not a good dude and that adds to the intrigue for the latest Sony Pictures film. ComicBook.com had the chance to speak with Wittrock about the movie and his past prospects to be a Green Lantern. While that would have probably been fun, it’s clear that the star had his work cut out for him with Coach Laidlaw. Simply put, he’s kind of a scumbag. But, that’s not exactly breaking new ground for Wittrock’s filmography. Despite that fact, the actor still had to learn exactly what made this character so despicable to effectively depict what was going on during Downtown Owl.

“Because there is a lot going on. I don’t know if you know, I played a lot of… I won’t say not likable, but hopefully, you know I played plenty of antagonists in my time,” Wittrock admitted. “But somehow this guy, I disliked the most. Which I learned, as a wonderful kind of acting lesson is that, you don’t have to like the character you’re playing. It was a wonderful education for me because I kind of deeply hated him and I had to figure out why I hated him.” 

“Actually, that kind of antipathy can open something up in you. Like, ‘what is it about me that hates this guy so much?’ Cause he does some really despicable things and is a very irresponsible man,” he added. “But also out of nowhere, it is described in the book and you see a little of the movie, just will start weeping uncontrollably. So, who is this screwed up? I won’t give too much away in the telling of it, but not very morally upright guy. How does he interact and how do you kind of find humanity within that? Without just being the stereotypical villain?”

What Is Downtown Owl About?

Here’s what Sony Pictures had to say about the new movie: “Avoiding life in Milwaukee, Julia Rabia (Lily Rabe), moves to the Reagan-era town of Owl, North Dakota for a temporary high school teaching job. But when Owl turns out to be a wonderland of second-string poets, smoldering Marlboro Men, and a social hierarchy that echoes high school, Julia isn’t sure if she’s come to town to get away from home or to find it. Based on the novel by Chuck Klosterman.”

Downtown Owl features performances by Lily Rabe, Ed Harris, Vanessa Hudgens, August Blanco Rosenstein, Jack Dylan Grazer, Arianna Jaffier with Finn Wittrock and Henry Golding. 

Downtown Owl is available to buy or rent on Digital now.

Have you seen this one yet? Do you agree about his character? Check out all the pop culture discussion on social media at @ComicBook!