Joel Edgerton's new thriller "The Gift," which he wrote, directed and stars in, explores what happens when an old grudge compels a high school acquaintance to come back to haunt a young married couple. When Edgerton stopped by HuffPost Live on Tuesday to discuss his role in the film, he remembered the ups and downs of his own high school years.
"To be honest, like in the development of the script, I had to really remember my high school years and go, 'There were times where I wasn't a good person.' There were times where I felt the threat of navigating school, trying to avoid certain people who were bullying me. So I could understand both sides of the coin," he told host Josh Zepps.
While Edgerton said his school life closely resembled the '80s coming-of-age hit "The Wonder Years," he admitted he wasn't always the straight-laced Kevin Arnold character.
"I wouldn't call myself a bully. I wasn't like your typical [kind of bully who was] waiting around the corner to try to steal some kid's lunch or whatever, but I remember being part of that pack mentality, which is all fear-based," he said. "It's like if I can be part of the group, then I'll survive. And if I'm part of the group, unfortunately sometimes it means excluding other kids. That's definitely a form of bullying."
Watch the full HuffPost Live interview with "The Gift" actor and director Joel Edgerton here.
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