Robbie Kay
Actor, Lymington, Hampshire, England, UK
Q&A with Robbie Kay about his new movie Ways to Live Forever
Q. Tell me a little about your new movie, Ways to Live Forever?
A. Ways to Live Forever is about two teenage boys — Sam and Felix — who are suffering from leukemia, which is a sort of a cancer. It’s all about their lives, their families, and how they tackle the disease itself, so it’s really a heartwarming story. I play the role of Sam in the film.
Q. Tell me about Sam?
A. Sam is a teenage boy suffering from this terrible disease called leukemia. He’s got one sister and a family that he loves very much. He’s also into documentaries and scientific facts, so several parts of the film are about him documenting how he feels about everything in life via a video diary. He’s very interested in that stuff and given his condition, it makes him a very unlikely character.
Q Has playing Sam changed your outlook on life in anyway?
A. I think so. When I first took on the role of Sam, I knew it was going to be quite a challenge because it was so unique. I didn’t know much about cancer and leukemia and the effect it has other people, especially the family and friends of the person who has it. So, when I took on the role and started filming, it changed my outcome quite a lot, actually, especially since I have a family that would support me in any way, just like it’s shown in the film. So it did make me value life differently playing Sam and seeing the effect that his experience had on him.
Q. What would you like people to take away from this movie?
A. I think the natural basis of this movie would be that it’s all about life rather than death. When you’re staring death in the face, you’ve really got to focus on the positive things in life. So whatever the condition is, just make the most of the time you have, because you never really know how much time you have left.
Q. Was there a scene in the movie that was the most fun for you to film?
A. We shot for seven weeks in Newcastle before spending two days in Spain, which is where we did the blimp scene. That was great! There was also a scene where my mom [Emilia Fox] and I had fun on a skateboard. It was before Sam’s illness worsened, and I think it was really nice to go outside. Everyone on set that day was very upbeat, and Emilia Fox was in a really good mood, so it was fun to shoot to go on a skateboard and mess around a lot. It’s a nice memory.
Q. Were you nervous having to a kiss a girl on camera?
A. I wouldn’t say “nervous,” but I will say that I had never done anything like that in my career or in my entire life, so it was a challenge to overcome. But no, I don’t think I was nervous about it, Ella Purnell who plays Kayleigh, was very professional about it, so it was pretty seamless.
Q. Have you written your own wish list since being in this movie?
A. No I haven’t yet, but do I think it’s a really nice idea. Actually, a few people I know have made bucket lists that they try to fulfill during their lives, so I think it’s a nice thing to lay out your aspirations like that.
Q. What was it like working with your young co-stars, Alex Etel (Felix) and Ella Purnell (Kayleigh)?
A. It was really, really, fun, actually. In most of my projects, and in films in particular, I don’t work with kids my own age much, so it was a nice change. I’m used to working with adults, but being able to be in the same place age-wise and mentally as I was with Alex and Ella was fun. And they’re really great people to work with, so I enjoyed it.
Q. Do you identify with Sam’s character in any way?
A. Yeah, I think so. When I was trying to get myself in character and intentionally reading the script, I did see parallels, especially in the relationship with his family. It’s very emotional; they have their scraps and problems, but they always pull through in some way. Also, Sam is very adventurous and inspirational, even with his condition, in the way that he lived his life. Since doing the film, I’ve become like that as well.
Q In the movie, Sam has a couple of days that he describes as “perfect from start to finish.” Have you ever had a day like that?
A. That’s a hard one! I could say so, yes. One of the best days in my entire life was when I attended the premiere of The Pirates Of The Caribbean in London. I think it was back in 2011, but I remember it very, very well. My sisters came up from London, and it was nice to see them and go back to my home country because I live in Houston now. Also, the experience of the premiere itself was incredible: everything that happens on the red carpet (which was actually blue for some reason!) and just getting all the excellent people that I worked with back together so long after filming was great. It was really nice to reconvene with them and touch base, and also just to see the film. It really was a perfect day for me.
Q Since completing work on Ways to Live Forever, you have been working with a cancer charity. Can you share anything about that?
A. Towards the end of last year, I became involved with the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society [LLS, which is officially supporting and benefiting from the film]. I go down to the office and do administrative stuff, and I held a rugby tournament at my school to raise money for them. If I didn’t have exams to study for, I would have joined my father for the recent [Bike The West] ride in Lake Tahoe, CA, for LLS.
Q. How can people get involved?
A. People can visit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s website, where there’s a whole list of things you can do like volunteer or just show up to one of their events. They have locations all over the US, and I know there other leukemia charities around the world that can also use the support.
To see the trailer for Ways To Live Forever, learn more about the film, and read about LLS and the numerous other cancer charities and pediatric cancer hospitals that will benefit from a portion of the proceeds from this film, visit www.waystoliveforevermovie.com.
Ways to Live Forever will be the following theaters beginning Friday, July 19, before opening in additional cities. To obtain updates, follow the film on Facebook
AMC Burbank Town Center 8 - Burbank, CA
AMC Orange 30 - Orange, CA
AMC Valley View 16 - Dallas, TX
AMC Empire 25 - New York, NY
AMC Loews Cherry Hill 24 - Cherry Hill, NJ
AMC Loews Streets of Woodfield 20 - Schaumburg, IL
AMC Hampton Towne Centre 24 - Hampton, VA
AMC Owings Mills 17 - Owings Mills, MD