ON THE SERIOUS SIDE: We asked Declan to give us his insights into his character of Beethoven and why he was attracted the role.
"Beethoven is an interesting character, which of course is what everyone probably says, but he stood out to me the first time I read the script. Initially I didn't know which character I'd be reading for, and I was hoping it would be Beethoven. My second choice was Lucy because I've been looking for an excuse to shave my legs. Beethoven just wants to be left alone. He's a recluse. He's had an awful life, and when he needed his friends most, they turned their backs on him and began a campaign of harassment. So, maybe he's sort of an asshole sometimes, but who wouldn't be in that situation? I wanted to play Beethoven because I was exactly like him in high school. I was never molested. I am not gay. I had a few (4, if we're counting) friends. So it's not exactly the same, but I definitely ate lunch in the bathroom a lot. I just wanted to be left alone. If someone I'd never met wanted to talk to me in class, presumably to strike up a friendship or at least some sort of alliance, I would respond with something purposefully off-putting or flatly dismissive. Enough of these people have been jerks to me for me to shut down and become insular. That's what I thought then, and that's what Beethoven thinks. Of course, I got out. I blocked a lot of people on Facebook and paid a whole lotta money for some serious f-ing therapy, but I'm here today. Beethoven doesn't get out, which is the great tragedy of his character." - Declan Gallagher
AND ON THE FLIP SIDE: HERE IS OUR LIVE INTERVIEW!
"Beethoven is an interesting character, which of course is what everyone probably says, but he stood out to me the first time I read the script. Initially I didn't know which character I'd be reading for, and I was hoping it would be Beethoven. My second choice was Lucy because I've been looking for an excuse to shave my legs. Beethoven just wants to be left alone. He's a recluse. He's had an awful life, and when he needed his friends most, they turned their backs on him and began a campaign of harassment. So, maybe he's sort of an asshole sometimes, but who wouldn't be in that situation? I wanted to play Beethoven because I was exactly like him in high school. I was never molested. I am not gay. I had a few (4, if we're counting) friends. So it's not exactly the same, but I definitely ate lunch in the bathroom a lot. I just wanted to be left alone. If someone I'd never met wanted to talk to me in class, presumably to strike up a friendship or at least some sort of alliance, I would respond with something purposefully off-putting or flatly dismissive. Enough of these people have been jerks to me for me to shut down and become insular. That's what I thought then, and that's what Beethoven thinks. Of course, I got out. I blocked a lot of people on Facebook and paid a whole lotta money for some serious f-ing therapy, but I'm here today. Beethoven doesn't get out, which is the great tragedy of his character." - Declan Gallagher
AND ON THE FLIP SIDE: HERE IS OUR LIVE INTERVIEW!