If you saw "Night at the Museum" and the recent sequel "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," you probably won't think of a museum in quite the same way for a while. For us, now it's hard not to walk past statues, paintings, and exhibits and wonder what the real story is...not to mention what happens when the place is closed! And we think that's a good thing. These movies are jam-packed with action, suspense, adventure, and laughs for sure. But they're also a fun way to meet some history and culture.
Now, "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" is out on Blu-ray and DVD so this is a great choice for movie night with friends or your family. There's definitely more going on in this sequel -- including a bit of romance between Larry (Ben Stiller) and legendary aviator Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams). This story line sort of replaces the one from the first movie where Larry is trying to reconnect with his son Nicky (played by Jake Cherry), which was something many young viewers could relate to.
Recently, IML talked to 13-year-old Jake about these films, life as a tween actor, and his plans to make movies of his own!
IML: Can you tell us about your "Night at the Museum" character, Nicky, in your own words?
Jake: Well, in the first movie, I didn't believe my father and I basically thought he was a doofus! I didn't believe him when he said everything in the museum came alive. And then I found out the truth and helped save the day, and now in the second movie, all the things in the museum are being shipped away to the Smithsonian because the Museum of Natural History is getting all these new features. It's basically my job to help Larry to get them all back.
IML: That's something familiar to a lot of us -- thinking our parents are doofuses. How does the relationship between you and your dad in the movie change?
Jake: I guess it changes because although in the first movie I didn't believe him for a while, in this movie I'm his right hand man, right there by his side, on the phone, trying to help him when everything goes wrong.
IML: What was your favorite scene in the sequel?
Jake: I'd have to say my fave scene was when they were in the painting. That was the coolest scene ever! How they did it in black and white was pretty funny, and that's a famous painting too.
IML: What was the hardest scene to film?
Jake: Well...they were all pretty fun and I don't think of them as being hard. Probably working with the animals. Because they were animals! But they were really trained so well, I was just amazed by them.
IML: If you could go back in time to any period, which one would you choose?
Jake: I'd probably go back to the 70's because that's when my mom and dad grew up. Everybody was so free and rebellious. I'd love to see what my mom looked like wearing weird clothes, riding in vans!
IML: What are your own favorite movies?
Jake: "Catch Me If you Can" is actually my favorite movie ever. Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors, and of course there's Leonardo DiCaprio. They're both fantastic actors. I also really like "Toy Story"; I grew up with that movie. I can't wait until the third one comes out!
IML: What would be your dream project?
Jake: Basically just working with Tom Hanks. Or a zombie movie. Or a buddy road trip movie, a comedy like that would be fun.
IML: Okay, so in the zombie movie, would you play a zombie or somebody fighting the zombies?
Jake: I'd probably play a human but run away from the zombies. I was actually thinking of making my own movie that's a knockoff of "Home Alone." "Zombie Alone"! Where me and a few other random kids are the only kids and the adults are the zombies, and we have to kill all the adults. I have a video camera and wrote two scripts for it already, like a web series.
IML: It sounds like you're picking up some things from being on the set with directors and producers! You're in 7th grade. How do you manage school and work?
Jake: Well, I'm homeschooled, which is great. I can go to California or work and still keep up with my school. All I have to do is bring my books. It's so easy. I'm working on the exact same things I would in regular school. Actually, some people say you get smarter in homeschool and I'm hoping that's true.
IML: Your brother Andrew is also an actor. Do you guys have any sibling rivalry around that? Or does it make you closer?
Jake: We're far enough apart in age so that I have my things and he has his own things. Sometimes we're lucky and we get to be in the same project. Which is great, because I'm not on my own, I already have my brother there.
IML: Can you tell us a little about your next movie, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"?
Jake: This kid is thrown into this world of magic that he's never known about before. It's really cool. There are so many special effects and action sequences. I think it's going to be one of the coolest movies of the year.
IML: Sounds like it! What was the best part about shooting that?
Jake: I worked with Nicolas Cage and he's also one of my favorite actors!
IML: It sounds like with each project you get to work with somebody really cool. We hope we get to see you in more movies, and your own movie someday!
Jake: Thanks!
Now, "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" is out on Blu-ray and DVD so this is a great choice for movie night with friends or your family. There's definitely more going on in this sequel -- including a bit of romance between Larry (Ben Stiller) and legendary aviator Amelia Earhart (Amy Adams). This story line sort of replaces the one from the first movie where Larry is trying to reconnect with his son Nicky (played by Jake Cherry), which was something many young viewers could relate to. Recently, IML talked to 13-year-old Jake about these films, life as a tween actor, and his plans to make movies of his own!
IML: Can you tell us about your "Night at the Museum" character, Nicky, in your own words?
Jake: Well, in the first movie, I didn't believe my father and I basically thought he was a doofus! I didn't believe him when he said everything in the museum came alive. And then I found out the truth and helped save the day, and now in the second movie, all the things in the museum are being shipped away to the Smithsonian because the Museum of Natural History is getting all these new features. It's basically my job to help Larry to get them all back.
IML: That's something familiar to a lot of us -- thinking our parents are doofuses. How does the relationship between you and your dad in the movie change?
Jake: I guess it changes because although in the first movie I didn't believe him for a while, in this movie I'm his right hand man, right there by his side, on the phone, trying to help him when everything goes wrong.
IML: What was your favorite scene in the sequel?
Jake: I'd have to say my fave scene was when they were in the painting. That was the coolest scene ever! How they did it in black and white was pretty funny, and that's a famous painting too.
IML: What was the hardest scene to film?
Jake: Well...they were all pretty fun and I don't think of them as being hard. Probably working with the animals. Because they were animals! But they were really trained so well, I was just amazed by them. IML: If you could go back in time to any period, which one would you choose?
Jake: I'd probably go back to the 70's because that's when my mom and dad grew up. Everybody was so free and rebellious. I'd love to see what my mom looked like wearing weird clothes, riding in vans!
IML: What are your own favorite movies?
Jake: "Catch Me If you Can" is actually my favorite movie ever. Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors, and of course there's Leonardo DiCaprio. They're both fantastic actors. I also really like "Toy Story"; I grew up with that movie. I can't wait until the third one comes out!
IML: What would be your dream project?
Jake: Basically just working with Tom Hanks. Or a zombie movie. Or a buddy road trip movie, a comedy like that would be fun.
IML: Okay, so in the zombie movie, would you play a zombie or somebody fighting the zombies?
Jake: I'd probably play a human but run away from the zombies. I was actually thinking of making my own movie that's a knockoff of "Home Alone." "Zombie Alone"! Where me and a few other random kids are the only kids and the adults are the zombies, and we have to kill all the adults. I have a video camera and wrote two scripts for it already, like a web series.
IML: It sounds like you're picking up some things from being on the set with directors and producers! You're in 7th grade. How do you manage school and work?
Jake: Well, I'm homeschooled, which is great. I can go to California or work and still keep up with my school. All I have to do is bring my books. It's so easy. I'm working on the exact same things I would in regular school. Actually, some people say you get smarter in homeschool and I'm hoping that's true.
IML: Your brother Andrew is also an actor. Do you guys have any sibling rivalry around that? Or does it make you closer?
Jake: We're far enough apart in age so that I have my things and he has his own things. Sometimes we're lucky and we get to be in the same project. Which is great, because I'm not on my own, I already have my brother there.
IML: Can you tell us a little about your next movie, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"?
Jake: This kid is thrown into this world of magic that he's never known about before. It's really cool. There are so many special effects and action sequences. I think it's going to be one of the coolest movies of the year.
IML: Sounds like it! What was the best part about shooting that?
Jake: I worked with Nicolas Cage and he's also one of my favorite actors!
IML: It sounds like with each project you get to work with somebody really cool. We hope we get to see you in more movies, and your own movie someday!
Jake: Thanks!
