What’s your favorite thing about earth?
That’s the puzzling question everyone was asking at the L.A. premiere for “The Space Between Us,” the latest offering from British “Shall We Dance” director Peter Chelsom, at the ArcLight Hollywood on Tuesday night.
For the film’s lead actor Asa Butterfield, who plays Gardner Elliot, a boy who grows up on Mars yearning to see the earth and find his father, it’s a combination of the natural beauty of the Grand Canyon, and the “wild adventure” of a big city like Tokyo.
“What was really important for me was channeling Gardner’s wonder and naivety at everything he sees,” Butterfield said. “It’s almost like going back to a childlike state of wonderment at the world, which was a lot of fun.”
Chelsom echoed his lead’s opinion that nature is one of his favorite things about the planet, and the director explained that Butterfield’s character helps remind the audience of how precious the earth is and how “we often take it for granted.”
Several more of the film’s stars including Britt Robertson and Carla Gugino also posed on the black carpet, as did singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson who wrote two original songs for the film. Before the screening began and after Chelsom had given “an awards-like” thank you speech, Michaelson took to a small stage to perform “Stay Right Where You Are,” one of the songs she composed for the film. As she finished her last note, Bush singer and newest “The Voice” U.K. coach Gavin Rossdale rose to give her a standing ovation.
The movie also stars Gary Oldman, who was unable to attend the premiere.
“The Space Between Us” is set to land in theaters on Feb. 3, 2017, after STX Entertainment delayed its release date by seven weeks due to a crowded release schedule.
