SCOTT EASTWOOD IN “PACIFIC RIM UPRISING”

Press release

UNITED INTERNATIONAL PICTURES

SCOTT EASTWOOD, FIERCE AND FURIOUS IN “PACIFIC RIM UPRISING”

Most recently seen in Fast & Furious 8 and Suicide Squad, Scott Eastwood has quickly emerged as one of Hollywood’s most highly sought-after actors. Now, he stars as Nathan Lambert, one of the world's best Jaeger pilots in Universal Pictures' new epic action-adventure Pacific Rim Uprising (in Philippine cinemas Black Saturday, March 31.)

(Watch the Pacific Rim Uprising featurette “A New Beginning” at https://youtu.be/UVt33lmn99I.)

Nathan Lambert is a Pan Pacific Defense Corps (PPDC) Ranger, and heads up the training program for the in-coming pilots called Cadets.

Eastwood was drawn to the characters and their story arcs, not just by the impressive action sequences. “You can have all the big visual effects, but if you don’t have characters that you can fall in love with, then you’re disconnected during the big action scenes,” he sums. “If you’re able to go on a journey with them, it makes it a far more powerful film for the audience.”

The actor also appreciated the vulnerability during the battle scenes. “What I love about the film is that you’re wearing these suits and operating these Jaegers, but you’re still just a human being. You don’t have special powers; you can get hurt or die. You’re just a human trying to fight in this war. I thought that was interesting. It wasn’t mystical; it was based in reality.”

In the film, Lambert and Jake (John Boyega) grew up and trained together, and were best of friends until Jake ran away from the PPDC without a word to his compatriot. Now, the two have no choice but to heal, or ignore, their past—their combined talents are vital to combatting the rogue mechs and Kaiju.

Of the relationship, Boyega shares: “Lambert was hurt by Jake deciding to leave and not explain himself. When they face each other again, Lambert says ‘You can’t just go in and out of my life and not value me as a friend, as your brother.’ They’re trying to work out how to get back to where they were.”

His methods are rigid and smack of hard love, but for good reason. Eastwood states: “He’s very sure of himself, very set in his beliefs. He’s not hard on them for no reason; he’s trying to train these young kids to one day defend lives. There’s not a lot of room for pleasantries when it comes to life and death.”