Interview With Larry King


Larry: Haley Joel Osment. Star of the Sixth Sense. He joins us from Chicago. This movie has been NO.1 at the box office for four consecutive weeks. Making over 20 millions dollars each week. It's going to reach the 200 million mark and Haley Joel Osment has been talked for... How old are you, Haley?

Haley: I'm 11.

Larry: You've been acting for a long time right? Since you're a really young kid?

Haley: I've been acting since I was 5. My dad is an actor so ever since I'm old enough to understand the concept I wanted to act.

Larry: And Haley, what are you doing in Chicago?

Haley: We are getting ready do Oprah tomorrow morning. Luckily we are here today and we are doing a interview with you. Just happened to be away (awake?)

Larry: Two birds with one stone. You live in California?

Haley: Yeah, I live in L.A.

Larry: When you're hired for this, the writer/director was here and he told us that at first he didn't want an actor. Later he found you and couldn't believe it. Did you like the script right away when you read it? Did you say I wanna do this character?

Haley: Immediately. As soon as I read the script, my dad and I read the script and I knew it. It was a phenomenal work. Night's writing is unbeatable. I've never read anything like it before.

Larry: Does acting come naturally for you?

Haley: Acting... I think I got the feel for it from my dad. He's a great actor. He's been acting on stage for 12 years now. And I got the feel immediately. Dad's been helping me all the way. It comes naturally for me. I think it got passed down from dad.

Larry: You're the little kid in the end of the Forrest Gump?

Haley: Yes.

Larry: Did you do other movies as well?

Haley: Yeah, I've done other movies. After that I did TV series Thunder Alley with ED Asner, Jeff Foxworthy Show and Murphy Brown. And in between I did Bogus with Whoopi Golberg and Gerard Depardieu. And a couple TV movies. Ransom of Red Chief and Last Stand at Saber River with Tom Selleck.

Larry: Are you getting a lot of scripts now?

Haley: Well, we've been reading several scripts now. We hope to be starting a project in October. We cannot say anything for sure yet. We haven't slammed on the dotted line. We really really really hope we can start with some project in New York in October.

Larry: What did you think when you saw the finished product?

Haley: I enjoyed it. I like seeing people in the audience [seeing] audience's reaction to the scarried parts. I like seeing everyone's hard work came out on screen. To see what the two months in Philadelphia turned out to be. I'm just really happy for everyone. I enjoy it. I don't think I got scared at all.

Larry: Are you surprised at what it's doing?

Haley: I'm very surprised. I thought people would like it but I didn't know they would like it this much. For weeks they just keep coming to see this film. I'm ecstatic so many people were able to connect with it cause this film does have an important message. It tells people that bad things happen when you don't communicate with each others. So I'm glad so many people connected with it.

Larry: Enjoy working with Bruce Willis?

Haley: Yeah, Bruce is cool. He's such a witty person. he's so funny he can make any situation a laughable one. Along on the set, even the most intense days were made happy by Bruce. And it helps a lot cause it's such a intense set.

Larry: When you're shooting, how are you educated? Do you have tutor? How does it work?

Haley: We have a tutor on every location we go to when I'm not in normal school. I do go to a normal school when I'm not acting. When I'm acting, the tutor gets all the lessons from my normal teachers.

Larry: How did your friends react to it? Your 11 year old buddies?

Haley: They think it's really cool. This is nothing new to them, I'd been out of school before.

Larry: Not like this film though.

Haley: No (laughing). A lot of them were scared by it. I took my best friend to the premiere, not the premiere, but the private screening for me in L.A. He had a nightmare the night after seeing the film. I think most of them like what it turned out.

Larry: You are obviously a well balanced young man. A terrific career ahead of you.

Haley: Thank you.

Larry: Is there anything about it that frighten you, Haley? Obviously you are a very smart boy, you are about what happened to other young stars and the problems that developed. Do you worry about that?

Haley: I am careful about it. I worry these problems may happen to me someday but thanks to my parents I'm not too worried about it. I think they've done a great job balancing me. As long as I listen to them I'll do a good job.

Larry: Haley, we look forward seeing more of you. One day we'll be sitting in the same studio doing the interview. Thanks.

Haley: Alright. Thanks