Cooper Hoffman is taking the long walk to movie stardom, via Stephen King and Charli xcx

“I’m happy that I didn’t have to take a shit or piss or anything like that! I kept it just to the very depressed walking,” Cooper Hoffman – son of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman – says animatedly, beaming in from New York. He’s talking, of course, about his first number-one-on-the-call-sheet role in The Long Walk.

Directed by Francis Lawrence (who also did The Hunger Games franchise) and adapted from the first novel Stephen King ever wrote, it’s a dystopian thriller set in a sci-fi past, in a beleaguered, post-some-kind-of-war US ruled by martial law. A group of boys must compete in a marathon walk over 300-plus miles. The prize: nationwide glory and the chance to make America, er, great again. Anyone who drops the pace risks being eliminated – read: killed – by soldiers.

It’s a film in which Cooper, who made his screen debut aged 17 in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, doesn’t so much lead from the front as lead lagging slightly behind. That’s in case his character, doughy all-American teenager Ray, attracts the attention of those rifle-toting troops who are more than happy to shoot any kid who steps out of line.

Overseeing them in this bloody reality game is The Major, played by Mark Hammill. There’s no sleeping, no stopping and no comfort breaks, hence the need for some contestants to relieve themselves in the middle of the road – though not Hoffman’s Ray, thankfully. After this punishing, ​“very depressed” walking, the last man standing will be just that, while his comrades lie in pools of blood and brains on the tarmac. Oof.

Hi, Cooper. Congratulations on a gruelling film that’s also a gruelling watch. How hard was it to make?

It was around 15 miles a day [of walking] and we filmed for about two months, in scorching heat. That was pretty brutal.

What training did you do?

Absolutely none. I run occasionally, just for my health, but I didn’t do much training at all.

The character played by your British co-star David Jonsson arrives looking buff and ready for the walk. Whereas Ray is just, well, a dude.

Ray is a total dude. I remember my agent said to me one time: ​“David Jonsson is a trained actor. Method isn’t the right word, but he’s a trained actor.” And I was like: ​“Well, what am I?” He was like: ​“You’re all-American. You’re cheeseburgers and fries.” I was like: ​“I don’t know how I feel about that!” But Ray does look like he probably ate a lot of cheeseburgers and fries!

How aware were you of David’s work in UK film and TV?

To be honest, I wasn’t that familiar with it, and I’m not gonna pretend like I was. But the second I met David, Alien: Romulus was coming out. So I watched that when we were filming – me and [co-star] Charlie [Plummer] went to go see it. I’m a massive David Jonsson fan now. But I’m so sorry, David, I haven’t seen Industry yet! That will happen at some point, and I will continue to watch all your movies going forward.

In terms of actor bonding, prior to filming in Winnipeg, did you attend some kind of boot camp?

No. We had a few dinners. A few of us would go to a restaurant nearby and get drinks and tell stories about our lives, to try to get to know each other personally, so that the friendship felt more authentic. But also, we all enjoyed each other’s company, so it wasn’t too hard to get along.

What was the appeal of this role for you?

There was a lot that was appealing. I like a story about friendship. I like a story about how far you’re willing to push yourself to survive, but also just in life. And I’m making a movie with a bunch of young, cool dudes, and that’s awesome.

The story has a 1950s aesthetic, is set amidst Great Depression-style poverty, and was written by King when he was a student at the time of – and possibly as a metaphor for – the Vietnam War. It also has contemporary MAGA resonances, with this veneration of the strong man and rebuilding a messed-up country. Why do you think that mashup of eras and ideas works?

Because it’s also slightly futuristic – there’s things in there that wouldn’t be around in that time. It just feels eerie. The colours that are used, it inherently feels like a creepy time that you don’t want to be a part of it all.

There’s a remake of King’s The Running Man coming this autumn. The author is very good at these dystopian, compete-to-the-death stories. And obviously Francis explored that in The Hunger Games. Why is that a storytelling trope that we keep coming back to – and enjoying?

It’s human nature to want to see a bunch of other humans push themselves to the limits. It’s why people watch motivational videos. It’s why people watch sports. It’s why people do anything worthwhile in this life: you’re trying desperately to see how far you can go. It’s really motivating to watch. Even though this movie doesn’t have a lot of hope in it… it’s a beautiful thing.

In your recent film Old Guy, Christoph Waltz played a surrogate father, which I know resonated with you at the time of filming. In The Long Walk, Ray is driven by the loss of his dad. Apologies if this is crass, but did you draw on your own experiences for that element of his character?

It’s hard not to think about when it’s in your face like that. But Ray’s situation is completely different to mine. So you can pull from the feeling, but the circumstances are two very different things.

What are your main cultural pursuits when you’re off duty?

I mean, I say I don’t watch television, but I do watch a lot of television. The Office and Parks and Recreation – I shuffle through the things that I know. But if I’m not working on a movie or doing anything, I’m usually just hanging out with my family or friends or my girlfriend.

Thinking back to Licorice Pizza: how helpful was it to you to make your film debut alongside another novice, Alana Haim?

Extremely helpful. We held each other’s hands through that whole process. That was really nice, to have someone that you can turn to and go: ​“Do you know what you’re doing today? Are you also as confused as I am?” Alana would most of the time say: ​“Yeah, I’m right there with you.”

You’ve also finished shooting Gregg Araki’s I Want Your Sex – complete with… dominatrix scenes with Olivia Wilde?

Tick! I feel like I’m earning my stripes there. That was a real test of my mental stability.

Were you gussied up in leather and straps?

Yeah! I’m in all the things. I’m excited for people to see it. Nervous, but excited.

Any scenes with co-star Charli xcx?

Yeah, pretty much all of Charli’s scenes are with me. She plays my girlfriend who doesn’t want to be with me. She plays that quite well! It was easy for her to drop into that.

How good of an actor is she?

She’s awesome. I’m so excited to see what she does. She’s such a force. I had the privilege of going to see her show while we were shooting, and I was blown away by how she can entertain a stadium like that and keep you so involved. It’s pretty fantastic.

So during Brat Summer, you were doing Brat BDSM?

Exactly!

No one else can say that in the world.

I know. I feel pretty lucky to have experienced that with. Having three dope women doing it with me is fucking awesome: Olivia Wilde is the best, Chase Sui Wonders rocks and Charli xcx is just the coolest.

Are you psyched for the Oasis reunion hitting America?

I guess? It’s not something I have on my calendar, but sure.

You need to check that out. Charli will get you on the guest list.

Yeah! I’ll text her.

The Long Walk is out in cinemas on 12th September