Julian Dennison Talks “Godzilla vs. Kong” and Starring Alongside Millie Bobby Brown
New Zealand actor Julian Dennison has a wildly impressive resume for an 18-year-old. His breakout role in Taika Waititi’s sensational 2016 film Hunt for the Wilderpeople put him on the map, while a supporting role in Deadpool 2 only further cemented his place as a young actor to watch.
Now, Dennison stars alongside Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown and Brian Tyree Henry in Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong. This latest instalment in Legendary’s MonsterVerse sees the two Titans square off in an epic battle.
As Dennison tells Student Edge over the phone, he wasn’t a superfan of Godzilla or King Kong before he scored the role, but he’s got loads of respect for the gigantic monsters now.
“Obviously, Godzilla and King Kong are such well-known characters,” he says.
“I’d watched Peter Jackson’s King Kong, Kong: Skull Island and the 2014 Godzilla, and I knew who they were, but I wasn’t really a diehard fan.”
When we ask him to pick between the two creatures, Dennison admits that he’d probably side with Godzilla.
“I really like Godzilla. He’s a giant lizard, what could you not like about him? I love King Kong as well, he’s a rad guy; super nice dude in person.”
Dennison plays Josh Valentine in the film, the funny and down-to-earth friend of Maddison Russell—portrayed by Brown—who reprises her role from 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters.
The actor points out how nice it was to have a fellow teenager as a co-star.
“It was good fun working with someone kind of similar to my age as well,” he says.
“In a lot of my films I was the only kid on set, so it was good having someone to relate to.
“Off set, we went on the rollercoasters because we were shooting at [Village Roadshow Studios] on the Gold Coast.”
While Dennison highlights that working on a blockbuster project like Godzilla vs. Kong was very different from Hunt for the Wilderpeople, there were still some similarities.
“There’s still a camera, there’s still producers. I guess it’s just the scale and the amount of people who are working to create the film,” he says.
“On Hunt for the Wilderpeople, there was a lot of improvisation, but it was the same on this film as well. There was improvising with Millie and Bernie.
“The experience was interesting and big and new, but I learnt that film is the same wherever, whenever, and it’s all about making and telling stories.”
Still, Dennison believes that all his acting experiences have helped him grow both personally and professionally.
“I feel like I’ve grown, ‘cos you age, you know. I’ve matured in life I guess,” he says.
“It’s all about creating a solid foundation for me and knowing what to say yes or no to.”
In fact, he explains how he has recently taken the plunge and moved out of home with a few close mates.
“Now I’m thinking for myself in a way and enjoying being a young adult,” he says.
“I’ve just moved out of home and I’m living life.”
If Dennison could give any advice to other young actors, he’d encourage them to surround themselves with people that they trust.
“Be yourself and make sure you have a strong team around you,” he says.
“So many people try to be a person that they’re not. Make sure the people around you are supporting you—you don’t want anyone who’s fake.”
Godzilla vs. Kong lands in Australian cinemas today. It’s rated M for science fiction themes and action violence.
Header Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures
