Speeding in a different direction

So it was thought that up-and-coming actor Emile Hirsch would go straight to another small character-led film, building up his fledging career slowly but surely.

But the 22-year-old wasn't having a bit of it. He hopped from the snowy climes of Alaska to the futuristic, colourful and slightly warped world of Matrix directors Larry and Andy Wachowski's Speed Racer.

"It was like being in a sauna for a year and then someone running in and throwing you into an ice bath," says Emile, who plays the lead role in the movie adaptation of the original Japanese cartoon.

Emile plays car-crazy kid Speed in a futuristic world of corporate greed, race fixing and dirty tactics.

To create the larger than life setting, he and fellow cast members Christina Ricci (Trixie), Susan Sarandon (Mom), John Goodman (Pops) and Matthew Fox (Racer X) spent much of the time filming in Berlin against a green screen, before the Wachowskis added their special brand of post-production computer wizardry.

"It was a shock. We were outdoors every day on Into The Wild, climbing mountains and crossing rivers so to jump onto the green screen was tough," says Emile. "There's no doubt that it's not as fun as being outdoors, but it's a challenge in many different ways. There are tests of endurance, challenges to your imagination and trying to picture stuff being there that isn't there. So it was a shock, but a welcome one.

"Filming in front of a green screen makes it harder as an actor, because you've got to be on your game and it's easy to slip up, so you've always got to be focused. The real environment is always easier on the actor, because it's more natural to react to."

Speed Racer is a character who has plenty of focus. The film begins with Speed and his family trying to deal with the death of his adored brother Rex Racer, before Speed grows up to become a star racer himself.

After turning down a lucrative offer and untold riches to race for corrupt corporate giant Royalton Industries, he and his family go it alone with his dad's racing cars, leaving Speed aiming to compete in the ultimate race: the Grand Prix.

"I like Speed and that was how I related to him," says Emile. "I thought he was a sweet guy who cared about his family and was passionate about doing the right thing. I liked his seriousness. He's a very grave character. A lot of the other characters I've done have been pretty sarcastic or happy-go-lucky or a little wild and crazy whereas he was a little more focused and centred. I only smile in the movie about halfway through."

But although mind-blowing effects certainly create an edge-of-your-seat experience, does the growing reliance on computer wizardry in films like Speed Racer detract from plot and character? Emile thinks not.

"The Wachowskis made this about the family," he says. "Speed is fighting against the greed of the corporate world, and trying to find the meaning of life and all that. It's also a film about the loss of a family member with Rex Racer and the idea of brotherhood and family helping out.

"You have to have that special touch that the Wachowski Brothers have in order to make a film like Speed Racer," adds Emile, who watched all 52 episodes of the original Speed Racer cartoon to get under his character's skin.

"I don't think that anyone else in the world could have made Speed Racer like they did. They are that special and unique in what they do and how they composed and constructed the film from the concept, the script and adaptation of the cartoon, to the editing and inspired casting. They are truly talented filmmakers."

With a blockbuster movie comes the inevitable flood of merchandise, and Emile and Christina Ricci even have doll versions of themselves going on sale. "My doll looks like Dennis Quaid. Which is good," he says.

He hopes that there will eventually be a trilogy of Speed Racer, emulating The Matrix, one of his favourite films.

"I'm a bit of a geek. I loved the Matrix," he admits, leaning forward in his chair. "It was one of the greatest experiences I'd ever had in a movie theatre. I saw it when I was 13. Now I've combined that with the chance to work with the Wachowskis who don't make many movies!"

Clearly, before any more films are made, Speed Racer has to hit the spot at the box office. And with big competition this summer from the likes of Indiana Jones, Batman, Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, it's not going to be an easy task.

"The thing that's really going to separate Speed Racer from some of those big summer movies, is the fact this is a family film," Emile says.

"Some of those other movies are a little bit more adult and dark which is cool but Speed Racer is really a movie made for the whole family that kids are going to love but adults are going to love too. And it's one of those movies where you almost want to stand up and cheer at points.

"I've seen the film twice now and I love it. I think it's great. It's rare that I see a movie where my stomach clenches, my muscles start tensing up and I'm kind of ducking and dodging while watching it."

In his spare time, Emile plays tennis, surfs and generally tries to live the life of a normal 20-something. But will the chameleon actor tipped as one of the hottest actors of his generation, go back to sensitive Into The Wild style dramas or return to the big budget blockbuster?

"I have no idea," he admits. "I've been asked that question before and I've tried to answer it. But what I realised was that you never know where you're going to go so you might as well not try to think about it too much. I mean, I had no idea that I would ever do a movie like Speed Racer.

"I always thought, 'I'll probably just do more small dramas. I'll probably never do a real blockbuster family movie.' And then one came along where I thought, 'God! I've got to be in that.' So it's really hard to say where I want to go because all these unexpected surprises come along."

Name: Emile Davenport Hirsch

Age: 23

Significant other: Unknown

Career high: Landing the lead role in Speed Racer

Career Low: His film Lords of Dogtown was a flop at the box office

Famous for: His critically-acclaimed performance in Into The Wild

Words of Wisdom: "Maybe you will be afraid and maybe you will fail, but the courage to take risks in any part of your life is, I feel, a very worthwhile way to live."