C.J. Valleroy – Unbroken

Q) What are the recent projects you are working on?

A) I worked on Unbroken and Angelina Jolie directed it. Earlier this year I also worked on “Deadtime Stories,” as a guest star on the Nickelodeon show. I have done some commercials and have some things in the works now.

Q) You mentioned being in the movie Unbroken. How did you get to be a part of the film?

A) Like every audition, you have to try out. I auditioned for it and after that I got a call asking if I had a passport. A week later, they asked me if I had more tapes of myself. So, we sent out a couple more tapes and then after a while they told me I got it.

Q) Please tell us about your role in the movie as Young Louie.

A) It’s a rough kid who smokes, drinks and steals. He likes to create trouble, but puts up a wall to his family. The only one he really listens to is his older brother because he is an amazing kid and is on the honor roll. One day, when Pete (John D’Leo) was at his practice, Louie got in trouble so he jumped the fence and ran. Louie saw how fast he was and realized with all this trouble he needs to leave it behind and this is where he needs to be. Pete told Louie that he needs to try out for the team if he really, really tries. Louie went out and gave it his all, but didn’t think he could win. He tries out and in the end he wins against the best runners on the team. They realized he could do this! Pete tells him not to be a kid on the street and to be a kid that actually does something.

Q) What were some of your most memorable moments from filming?

A) I was on set and I was growing…I didn’t realize I was going to have a growth spurt! When I got to Australia, I was about five feet tall. For the film, my “older brother” needed to be taller than me. On one of the sets a month later, when we were still shooting, the actor playing Pete was 5’2 and I was 5’3 by then! Angelina [Jolie] comes over and says, “Oh no!” So, you’ll see in the movie Pete sitting on a bike and actually two people were holding the bike. He had to stand on the bike to look taller for one of the scenes. It was very funny and very cool!  When you’re on set, you kind of bond with the people and get the tension going. I just had this amazing chemistry and I felt like me and Johnny were connected in a way. We were always on set and offset making jokes and talking about life. It was very cool!

Q) What was it like having Angelina Jolie as a director?

A) Angelina was a very hands-on director. She was amazing! We were doing a scene and she asked, “How do you guys want to do it?” So, we did it a few times how we wanted to do it and then we did it a few times the way other people wanted to do it. We had a couple suggestions and she said we could try it. We did it a couple times and it was pretty amazing! When I was on set, it felt so real with me and Pete. Angie is an amazing person, inside and out! She would ask us if we knew what we were doing and if we had an understanding of it. She would tell us what we needed to do. She would also ask if we liked it and we would give suggestions.

Q) What is it about Louie’s story that people can connect with?

A) Louie, himself, is a realistic hero. He actually fought death and won!

Q) You are a part of social media. Are you looking forward to the instant fan feedback you will receive when the movie premieres?

A) I can’t wait! I can’t wait to talk to fans and have a fun time. I want to see what they like about the movie and get their feedback on it. I can’t wait to have a fanbase! Fans are the ones who are supporting me and taking me to the next level. So, I just can’t wait!

Q) Is there anything else about the film you want to share with people?

A) When the movie comes out, it’s all about never giving up. Never settle for something you don’t want. When kids and families see this, they should say, “If he can do this, I can do this. If he didn’t give up, I’m never going to give up!” It’s about never giving up and never settling. It’s never letting the bullies win. If you want something, go out and grab it! Throughout Louie’s ride, he’s been bullied. He didn’t know what God was. He realized that running was something he could do and going to the war he thought it was necessary. Afterwards, he realized this was what he wanted to do. When he was captured, he realized he isn’t going to give up and if not, he would die trying. It’s about not settling and always going after your dreams!