Alexander Skarsgard And Erza Miller Sit Down For Interviews At HIFF

Alexander Skarsgard, Ezra Miller, Emily Browning, Stine Fisher Christensen, Anton Yelchin and Shailene Woodley were the 19th annual Hamptons International Film Festival’s 2011 Breakthrough Performer award recipients. Arts & Living caught up with Mr. Skarsgard and Mr. Miller, among a few of the others, on Saturday morning at c/o The Maidstone in East Hampton.

Mr. Skarsgard, a native of Sweden, was recognized at the 19th annual film festival for his work in “Melancholia” by Lars von Trier. He is best known to American audiences for his portrayal of vampire Eric Northman on “True Blood” on HBO.

On Saturday morning, he was a bit jet-lagged, having just flown in from Sweden late on Friday afternoon before heading straight off to the festival festivities.

“I basically jumped straight in the shower and went right to the screening and then the party after,” Mr. Skarsgard said. “It was pretty intense.”

A frequent weekend Hamptons visitor this past summer, Mr. Skarsgard talked about his love of the East End—especially the beaches, a good friend and her husband who live in Amagansett (he stayed with them this summer and for the duration of the festival), and making treks with them to Montauk.

“She has such a cute, beautiful house. So I like just hanging out there with her family, cooking, chilling ... eating food and drinking wine,” he said.

Coming out to the East End was the perfect escape for the actor, who spent a hectic summer shooting films back to back in New York: “What Maisie Knew” and “Disconnect.”

“Obviously shooting was very intense in the city and then it was just a nice break to get out on the weekends, to hang out here,” he said.

The irony that the film festival headquarters was at c/o The Maidstone, owned by Swedish hotelier Jenny Ljungberg, was not lost on the actor. Of particular interest to him was the artwork on display in the garden, which he said was created by a good friend of his from Sweden whom he had seen just recently.

Upon the recommendation of the Arts & Living team, Mr. Skarsgard discussed his desire to eat at the hotel’s restaurant, The Living Room, which offers several Swedish items on its menu. Later, on Sunday, he and the rest of the Breakthrough Performers, along with East End resident Bob Balaban, had brunch together there.

Mr. Skarsgard said that working with Mr. von Trier on “Melancholia” was the experience of a lifetime.

“Phenomenal. One of the most amazing experiences of my career,” he said.

The actor was shy but gracious about being singled out as a Breakthrough Performer at this year’s Hamptons International Film Festival (HIFF).

“I’m very honored,” he said. “It’s such a special project and I loved working on it. So the fact that the movie gets the attention that it’s getting means a lot to me.”

He is still getting adjusted, and slightly embarrassed, about being referred to as a full-blown sex symbol with a white-hot career, he admitted at the end of his interview.

“I’ve definitely noticed with the show [“True Blood”] and the movies and all that, the attention is definitely getting there. It’s flattering,” Mr. Skarsgard said. “The fact that people actually care about what you do means a lot. That when you meet people who are affected by your movies and your shows, it means a lot.”

When asked if there was anything that he could share about himself that people don’t know, the actor paused, seemingly nonplussed.

“Oh god, I have no idea,” he said. “People know too much about me. People know more about me than I do.”

Perfectly timed, just at that moment, a HIFF publicist descended and quickly snatched Mr. Skarsgard up and escorted him to his next interview.

Mr. Miller, recognized for his work in “We Need To Talk About Kevin” and “Another Happy Day” at this year’s festival, is a young actor who East End audiences might know from his five-episode recurring role on the television show “Royal Pains.”

Throughout the festival, Mr. Miller showed off his frisky side—acting like a dinosaur at one reception, using a potted plant as a prop and sitting cross-legged and playfully throwing rocks in the air (to the photographers’ delight) on the red carpet.

On Saturday morning, instead of the standard pre-interview handshake introduction, he began his with hugs.

The fun-loving guy seems to be enjoying his time in the spotlight. But he’s also a serious-minded young man who is passionate about advocacy, among other things.

Commenting on his sartorial splendor throughout the festival—he wore a 1920s jacket to the opening night reception at East Hampton Point (“from the Fitzgerald era,” he said) and an all-vintage outfit on Saturday morning, with the exception of an expensive looking sleek red button-down shirt, a gift from the “Kevin” costume designer.

“I buy all of my clothes secondhand,” Mr. Miller said. “I don’t buy anything firsthand because the textile industry is bloody and you can never really know what you’re getting yourself into when you pay $100 for one of those shirts. But it was probably made in Cambodia by a child, chances are, these days in the textiles industry.”

Continuing about the importance of doing the right thing for the planet and the people who live here, Mr. Miller said that everyone should be passionate about advocacy.

“The ethical nature of clothes and the questionable factors therein ... I think we should all be into morality these days,” he said with a laugh, his eyes twinkling.

Mr. Miller’s acting range, and affinity for dark roles, is on full display in the two films selected for HIFF this year.

In “We Need To Talk About Kevin,” he stars as a teenage boy who goes on a high school killing spree. The film also stars Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly.

Mr. Miller plays a young man who has just left his fourth stint in rehab in “Another Happy Day.” The film also stars Ellen Barkin, Demi Moore, Thomas Haden Church, Kate Bosworth and Ellen Burstyn.

Choosing his films is a visceral process for the actor.

“When the role fulfills your internal demons, you just go for it,” Mr. Miller said. “If I hadn’t, I would’ve been the poorest fool in the world.”

The role of Kevin was particularly attractive to the young actor, who was drawn to the darker aspects of the character.

“It felt like more of a true realization of some hairy, dark, hidden aspect of myself than anything else I had read,” he explained. “I felt like I could genuinely achieve all of the sick, dark, twisted aspects of the performance internally. Like I could realistically make the decisions that Kevin makes—scary as that may sound,” he paused, adding, “I mean for the sake of the film.”

Smiling, Mr. Miller switched back to his sanguine self when answering the last question posed: “Isn’t it the coolest thing in the world to be honored as a Breakthrough Performer here at the Hamptons International Film Festival?” Arts & Living asked.

“Yes, this is the coolest thing that has ever happened,” he deadpanned. “And not to me, mark my word, I’m saying that me being honored at the Hamptons International Film Festival as a Breakthrough Performer is the coolest thing to date that has happened in human history. So yes, the answer is yes.”

With a mischievous glint in his eye, the affectionate actor got up and came around for another round of hugs before going on to his next interview.