Lucas Hedges's Oscar-Nominated 'Manchester by the Sea' Performance in the Spotight in New Video (Exclusive)
Manchester by the Sea is one of the year’s most critically acclaimed films, and while headliner Casey Affleck has been the prime beneficiary so far with Best Actor awards from numerous critics associations, a Golden Globe, and a possible Oscar, the film’s success owes much to its youngest supporting player, 20-year-old Lucas Hedges. With only a few minor big-screen roles under his belt, Hedges breaks through as Patrick Chandler, the teenage nephew of Affleck’s Lee, who — while grieving over his father’s recent death — fights to remain a resident of his native Manchester. It’s a turn that rightly earned Hedges a Best Supporting Actor nomination at this year’s Academy Awards. Now, ahead of the film’s home video bow, Yahoo Movies has the exclusive first look at a behind-the-scenes feature on his stellar contribution to the drama; watch it above.
Related: Lucas Hedges on Nailing His Boston Accent for ‘Manchester By the Sea’
In the clip, Manchester writer-director Kenneth Lonergan commends Hedges for bringing “a tremendous emotional life to the part, and it’s a tricky part. It’s a kid who’s been through a tremendous amount of trouble without having it broken his spirit, so you have to carry that weight and also have a certain buoyancy to you, which I think Lucas does really nicely.” That praise is voiced by others involved with the production, with special attention paid to a particularly painful scene involving a frozen chicken falling out the refrigerator — as well as Hedges’s own recollection of how Affleck helped him nail a crucial late exchange between Patrick and Lee.
Related: Kenneth Lonergan Goes Deep on ‘Manchester By the Sea’
Hedges’s work in Manchester by the Sea earned him a spot on Yahoo Movies’ list of 2016’s breakout stars, and this exclusive feature does a nice job explaining why he’s such a rising talent. Catch Manchester by the Sea on Digital HD now, and on Blu-ray and DVD beginning on Feb. 21.
‘Manchester By the Sea’: Watch a clip featuring Casey Affleck and MIchelle Williams:
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