F  L  A  U  N  T

At present, Fred Hechinger is likely peering out a window from the Upper West Side of New York, considering his next move. The 21-year-old American Simpsons fanatic—who you might know from roles in the films Eighth Grade, Alex Strangelove, and, most recently, The Woman in the Window, alongside Amy Adams and the buzzing HBOMax limited series The White Lotus—is smoothly amassing resumé winners and fans. In the aforementioned psychological thriller, Amy Adams plays agoraphobic doctor, Anna Fox, who witnesses something unsettling while covertly spying on her neighbors, the Russells. Hechinger plays Ethan, the seemingly sweet but rather sinister teenage son of the Russell family. Hechinger also features in this summer’s gripping Netflix slasher flick, Fear Street Part One: 1994, opposite Olivia Scott Welch and Maya Hawke. Hechinger responded to a few of our questions after his photoshoot.

Where do you hope to see change in the world?

I hope we can save the planet. 

Do you feel like you’re a part of ‘New Hollywood’? How so?

Imagining I am gives me a momentary tingle... but gosh... clubs like that seem like a myth and probably destructively exclusive for both the people in them and the people out of them. Either way, the core truth is I’d like to make movies forever, and I mostly love people who also devote their life to this practice. But let’s get rid of this so-called New Hollywood and just let all the folks at home know, if you want to make movies too, you are in. It doesn’t matter if you’re new or old, Hollywood or not. If you wish to be a part of it, then welcome. This ‘Not New Hollywood’ thing that I’m starting in the pages of Flaunt is actually not a club, but maybe it’s a community... or a support group... or a free-for-all balls-off-the-wall assemblage of experimental artistic madness... join us, is the point!

What was the last cheesy thing you witnessed that made you cry?

I watch compilations of people succeeding on The Voice. I’ve never watched a full episode of The Voice, but these Youtube victory quilts bring me to tears every darn time. There’s something incredibly satisfying about the big panel chairs turning and the singer continuing while becoming aware of their success and also the cuts to the families exploding with joy. It’s downright delicious.

Which cartoon character, past or present, do you most relate to?

There is a series of cartoon shorts called Black and White, created by a guy named Jon Izen. In every short a white square named David and a black square named Steven yell at each other while standing right beside one another. I've loved these shorts for a very long time now and I'm pretty sure I always will. I relate to both David and Steven.  

What’s one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned throughout your time of acting?

Prepare in order to be free. Appreciate the people around you. Always find where the free food is, and actually, if you bring a backpack, then you can fill that Jansport with more free food. And if you bring that pack of eats right home to your father afterwards, he will be very happy towards you, proud even.

Ideal shoot location?

A spot of memory. How cool would it be to shoot a scene in a place from your past? Somewhere you almost forgot... 

What is a phrase you often find repeating to yourself?

Curiosity is the key... Also, a woman once said on the subway: ‘If you can’t lie to yourself, who can you lie to?’ That made me laugh then, and it also makes me laugh now. Furthermore, I don’t think she’s wrong...

Do you subscribe to the idea that ‘good fences make good neighbors’?

I've never heard that phrase but frankly I don't know that I care for it. Is it in support of solitude? Or strong boundaries? Maybe I should look it up before I give you a completely unresearched thought for the printing... but...well... who cares and here goes... I love my neighbors, and none of them are fences. I used to take care of my neighbor's cats, Calvin and Oliver, two of the best cats to ever live, and I would not have been able to do that if my neighbors were fences since, as far as I know, fences do not have cats. 

If you could soundtrack a trip to the grocery store for a stylized short film, what's the song?

‘Fish Heads’ by Barnes & Barnes

Photographer: Ioulex
Stylist: Noah Diaz
Groomer: Jessica Ortiz at Kalpana using Dior Backstage Face & Body Foundation
Written by: Joshen Mantai