SPLAT PACK

When we catch up via Zoom with Jack Champion, his life has changed beyond comprehension: from unknown Virginia-born teen to being seen on giant screens around the world as the loin-clothed human kid Spider, raised by the native Na’vi, in Avatar: The Way of Water. Since making a big splash (in Pandora), the 18-year-old actor has also appeared in Avengers: Endgame and now bagged himself the role of nerdy-but-not-so-nice, Ethan, in Scream VI, the latest instalment of the iconic slasher franchise. Riding the momentum from his star-making turns, here he tells us about scream queens and creepy hairless cat costumes.

Shirt **Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello**

So, you’re a huge fan of the Scream movies, which is a stroke of luck, because you’re in the latest one! Did all your dreams come true at once when you got the role?

Oh yeah for sure! When I met the producer William Sherak and the directors, they were the nicest, most passionate people I’ve ever met for a project, and I knew if I got the role, it would be a dream come true. I would say it’s always been a bucket list thing, but I would never have thought it could be on my bucket list, because it’s such an awesome, crazy project to be a part of, and I’m so grateful.

Tell us about your character?

I play Ethan Landry, who is the roommate of Chad, the survivor from Scream 5, and they’re attending Blackmore College which is in New York, and Ethan is a shy, kind of dorky character.

Did you have to learn to scream for the role?

Haha! No, it’s kind of one of those things where you just have to go for it, and hope it works out!

How did you prepare for the character of Ethan then, did you have anyone in mind to reference from?

I guess when you’re doing a Scream movie, every other character that’s gone before you is so iconic, that you try not to steal or copy anything from them. You just take little bits from your favourites and then add those into your own character, that you’ve made unique to you, and try and get that perfect blend.

**[On filming Scream VI] “I had to constantly remind myself that I was at work, and not to fan out!”**

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Were you fanboy’ing when you stepped on to the set for the first time?

Oh man, it was absolutely crazy! I would be on set with Jenna, Mason, Jasmine, all these people who I saw in Scream 5, which is such a phenomenal movie, and I was thinking, ‘wait, I saw that movie like six months ago, and now I’m working with these people!!’, you know, it was such a pinch me moment that I had to constantly remind myself that I was at work, and not to fan out!

Left Shirt **Kyle’Lyk**, pants **Salvatore Ferragamo**
Right

Who are your favourite Scream characters then?

Stu Macher and Billy Loomis are just the OG’s, they’re so cool.

I bet you’ve worn a Ghostface costume for Halloween at some point?

Yes! I wore it back in October 2021, and then 6 or 7 months later I booked the role in Scream VI and was filming it, so that was a really weird coincidence!

Shirt **Kyle’Lyk**, pants **Salvatore Ferragamo**

How did you get on with the rest of the cast, is there a group chat, and what’s the latest vibe between you all?

We all get along so well, and we have a group chat for everyone in the cast, and normally we just send memes or random stuff going on in our lives.

Who sends the best memes?

Me and Mason Gooding, we send lots of Breaking Bad memes!

Left Coat **Kyle’Lyk**, tank top **Calvin Klein**, pants **Salvatore Ferragamo**
Right Full look **Salvatore Ferragamo**

So how was it moving from doing sci fi like Avatar for such a big chunk of time, to a slasher horror flick?

I think horror is more grounded, with very little CGI and you’re on sets with real people, and no green screens. With sci fi you have to use your imagination a lot more, but with horror, you actually have someone in a cloak chasing you, so it’s easier to play at being scared!

Did you watch horror films growing up then, any favourites?

It’s a toss-up between the original Scream movie, Trick or Treat and Cabin in the Woods.

So, you’ve never been a scaredy cat, watching horror movies behind your hands?

I used to be a giant scaredy-cat! but having delved into the horror genre in film and TV now, I’ve become more used to it and have built up a tolerance to being frightened!

My friends introduced me to different horror films too, and I’ve just gone down this horror rabbit hole, but also, I have to say that Halloween is my favourite holiday. My mom always goes all out to dress the house up and we wear different costumes from ghouls and goblins to ghosts and have parties with scary mazes. Growing up we used to go to the pumpkin patch too, and there’s something so special about that one day in the year where you can just let your freak flag fly!

Talking of scaredy cats, you have a hairless sphynx cat called Butters. Did you ever think of taking him on set for Scream VI, so he could pop up in the background in some dark creepy corner, just feasting on someone’s sliced-off bloodied finger?

Haha! I didn’t think of that at all, but you know, if there’s a next one, definitely! Butters is just the best pet for Halloween, I can dress him up as a sewer rat, or a witch’s cat, anything creepy.