IT: Welcome to Derry brought horror fans back to where Pennywise began, and actor Miles Eckhardt brought the ultimate transformation to life. As viewers should know by now, Miles’ character, 12-year-old Matty Clements, is part of the monstrous clown’s hat trick in the series — and the rising star didn’t even know about it until long after he auditioned!
Hollywood Life Caught up with Miles in an exclusive interview after the season 1 finale aired. Below, get to know Miles and learn exclusive details from our interview about him IT: Welcome to Derry performance.
Miles Previously Starred in Turtles All the Way Down
Miles’ acting résumé is growing! Before landing his role in IT: Welcome to Derry, he previously starred in the film Turtles All the Way Down as the character Noah.
Miles Initially Didn’t Know His IT, Welcome to Derry Character Would Be Pennywise
During his exclusive interview with Hollywood LifeMiles revealed that he didn’t know about Matty’s Pennywise revelation “for a while” — at least for a year after he first auditioned for the role.
“By the time I was on set, I had an idea of everything that my character would be in. But that — I did not [know] for a while,” Miles said about the Matty-Pennywise shocker. “That was a year after my first audition. I think, roughly until I was in Toronto, I did not know I had anything past the first episode.”
In fact, Miles thought his character was killed off in the first episode. “I thought [my character] just died there, and that was it,” he added.
since it fans are familiar with the one and only bill skarsgård‘s performance as the sewer-dwelling clown, Miles explained how he found a way to make Matty’s transformation his own — a process he told Hollywood Life was “de-Mattying” while “definitely” keeping Bill’s performance in mind.
“Throughout that entire episode, I am slowly getting a little more clown-like. It’s very, very subtle until that point,” Miles noted. “Really, it’s more of de-Mattying until then. I’m not too clown-y. I just have less fear and expression as we get deeper into the sewers.”
Miles Has an Instagram That Showcases His Film & TV Projects
Although his acting career has just begun, Miles’ Instagram is filled with his most recent on-screen projects. From on-set, behind-the-scenes clips to interviews, the young actor has shared a few glimpses into the IT: Welcome to Derry set.
