Emmy Award-winning actor Aaron Paul may be known for playing one of TV's baddest bad boys, but he's really a good guy. Not just because he voices one in Square Enix's upcoming film Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV. (He plays the part of Nyx Ulric, the movie's earnest main protagonist). He actually risked his life once to save another person. We got a chance to ask Aaron about that, why he chose to do Kingsglaive, and what he thinks of the current US presidential election.
IGN: I was at the Final Fantasy XV event in LA back in March, and when they debuted the Kingsglaive trailer, I turned to my friend and said, "Nyx Uldric looks like Aaron Paul." And then seconds later the company announced you were doing the voice of Nyx. Did Square Enix deliberately make the character look like you? Or was that just a happy coincidence?
AP: Uh, well, thank you very much! I think it's just a coincidence, because I think it's really based on the actor who did the motion capture. Maybe they tweaked it a little bit to have some essence of me there, but I think it's just a happy coincidence.
IGN: When Square Enix reached out to you about doing a voice in their movie, were you already familiar with the Final Fantasy franchise? Or was it something completely alien to you?
AP: Uh, a little bit of both, if that makes any sense. I was very much aware of the FF franchise. But I had never played the games or seen the movies. But after reading this script, I quickly realized how it's so easy to get sucked into this incredible, visual, beautiful world that they had created. Because it's so story-driven and character-driven. It's so exciting. My brother, however, is a die hard gamer, and Final Fantasy is one of his all-time favorite franchises.
IGN: Did you play a lot of games growing up?
AP: I didn't really play many games going up. When I was in elementary school and middle school I played quite a bit of old-school Nintendo games. It was great. And then when I moved to LA I kind of steered away from it. So I've been living vicariously living through my brother.
IGN: What then was the thing that made you decide to take on a [video game] role?
AP: A combination of things. It was mainly the script, though. You know, it always starts on the page. If you have something on that page, something you personally are passionate about, then you're already off to an incredible start. And the simple fact that my brother's favorite thing on the planet is Final Fantasy. So I knew he would have a panic attack of excitement knowing I was signing on to do a Final Fantasy movie!
IGN: Did your brother ever try to pump you for information about the movie?
AP: [Laughs] Oh, all the time! I don't know if he's ever been more excited about any project that I've ever done. Every time I talk to him he brings it up.
IGN: You're known as Jesse from Breaking Bad, and Todd on BoJack Horseman. Neither of which are the most heroic of people. Meanwhile Nyx is very heroic. Do you prefer villain roles or hero roles?
AP: I love it all! Anyone that will have me, you know what I mean? [Laughs]
IGN: What about you? Do you think you've ever done anything heroic in real life?
AP: Oh, man. Um...let's see. You know, I pulled my ex-girlfriend out of a burning apartment.
IGN: Wow! That's pretty heroic.
AP: We had actually split up but were still living in the same building. This big four-story complex. One day I came home, and everyone was outside of the building. And there was a loud alarm coming from inside of the building. And I'm like, what's going on? And there's this fire on the top floor. And then I just started running. I just thought, what if it's her, because she was on the top floor. And I ran up four flights of stairs, and I went directly to her place and tried to open the door and it was locked. And there was this person across the hallway gathering all their belongings just in case the fire would spread. And this young girl said, "No one's in there. We've been trying to bang on the door and no one's there." I wasn't listening to her. I was just banging on the door.
AP: And then I climbed onto the fire escape and I kicked open the kitchen window. There was just nothing but smoke and flames. And so I went in there, and I couldn't see anything --she lived in a small little studio and the fire was coming from her kitchen--and I was just reaching around, screaming her name. And then the first thing I felt on the couch was just her hair. And I was like, "Oh, my God!" And I picked her up, and I put her in my arms, and I felt something hit my chest. And her dog was knocked out on her chest. Then I was walking backwards through the place, and I opened the door and put her down. And she was just sweating, with soot all over her face. Sorry! I haven't told this story in years. So yeah, that happened.
IGN: She's OK now though, right?
AP: Yeah, yeah, yeah! She ended up being fine. She had fallen asleep cooking food and the stove caught on fire and it started spreading. The smoke I think knocked her out even more.
IGN: You are a legitimate hero! I thought when I asked that question you were going to tell me about helping a little old lady across the street.
AP: I should have maybe went down that route! [Laughs]
IGN: So back to Kingsglaive. Did you get to meet Sean Bean or any of the other cast members while you were working on the film?
AP:Actually, no. I met Lena [Heady] right before I started. She had just finished, and then I met her at the Square Enix event in March.
IGN: Have you seen the movie yet?
AP: I haven't seen anything yet. Which I'm so excited for. The first time I'm going to see it is at the New York premiere.
IGN: There's a lot of political intrigue in the film. I won't spoil what it is, but it's definitely there. Which reminds me. What are your thoughts on the current presidential election?
AP: Oh, God! Where do I begin? I have no idea. I think I'll try to plead the fifth on that one. [Laughs]
IGN: If you got the chance to reprise the role of Nyx, would you take it? Was this an enjoyable project for you?
AP: Oh, it was a blast! Without hesitation. If the script is nearly as good as this one, then absolutely!
Meghan Sullivan is one of IGN's foremost RPG experts. Talk JRPGs and WWE with her on Twitter at @Meghan_IGN.
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