Daddy Cool

With possibly the coolest name in history, a CV that boasts films starring Al Pacino, Angelina Jolie, Ethan Hawke and Kiefer Sutherland and a fanclub that includes Kings of Leon, DJ Caruso could be forgiven for being a bit of a diva director. But it quickly becomes clear why young stars like Shia LaBeouf want to work with him again and again – the incredibly amiable and modest filmmaker is easy to talk to and quick to laugh. When he says he likes the atmosphere on his set to be one of a happy family, you instinctively believe him.

Caruso’s love of family is, no doubt, a result of his Italian Catholic upbringing. Despite admitting that he doesn’t feel much of a connection to the old country, his parents hail from Sicily and Florence and Caruso claims his dad was the typical Italian father figure. “My father was very, very strict, but incredibly passionate and emotional” he recalls. “He loved movies and music, so he probably infused us with that.”
Following in that vein, Caruso often allows his five children to make cameos in his films, and also finds that his parenting skills can come in handy when dealing with fresh-faced stars such as the I Am Number Four prodigies, 20 year-old Alex Pettyfer and Glee star Dianna Argon.
“What I enjoy is that young actors haven’t developed their acting styles yet. For me as a film-maker, that’s kind of fun, to help them figure out what style works for them. They’re also a little bit more open.”
Of course, there are some cons when it comes to working with young actors too.
“Honestly, kids… they lose focus a lot quicker! So you have to remind them ‘Okay we did your coverage, but now we have to do her coverage.’ So the Dad skills definitely come in, they really do! Like any one of my children, you have to relate to them differently. You can’t direct them in the same way. You probably have a little bit more control too, because when it comes to telling Al Pacino what to do… well, you try, but…”
Though Caruso describes Pacino as somewhat “crazed” to work with – “he says he’s not method but he is really method” – at least the threat of teenage heartbreak didn’t linger over the set of Two For The Money, unlike I Am Number Four, where stars Pettyfer and Argon became romantically involved during filming.
“When I first started rehearsals, I felt like they had really great chemistry. Then of course, as a film-maker you’re kind of going ‘Hmmm, okay this chemistry is really good!’ And it totally worried me. I mean, I don’t mind if actors and actresses hook up in the last week of shooting but trust me, if you see it happening early you’re like ‘Oh no! If they don’t make it it’s going to be a disaster!’ Thank god, everything worked out great. When you’re young, you just mightn’t be able to deal with it as professionally. It could be difficult.”
That said, I get the distinct impression that had Pettyfer and Argon broken up during filming, Caruso would have been less concerned about the film than the healing process for his young stars. He confesses he finds rejecting young auditionees incredibly difficult, and “takes longer than most directors with them, because I just want them to leave feeling good about what they did, because they’re so young and there’s just so much rejection”.
With this rare sensitivity and an unabashed love for John Hughes movies, it’s easy to forget that this sentimental chap is the mastermind behind the hugely successful thrillers Disturbia and Eagle Eye, respectively inspired by master of the psychological thriller Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window and 39 Steps.
“What I love about Hitchcock, it’s also about taking the everyday regular man and putting him into situations. That’s what I try to do. You make a character you can relate to, so when they’re in crazy situations you relate to them and fear for them because you put yourself there. And he knew that what you don’t see is always scarier than what you do.”
Given his interest in the fear of the unknown and the teen alien theme of his new film, I’m compelled to ask: is Caruso an alien believer?
“I am an alien believer! I’m more of a believer – not that ‘they walk among us’– but basically, I have this theory that God wouldn’t just allow us to be the only place, that he’d probably be trying some other social experiments other places to be sure of ‘Oh, they got it right and they didn’t… I’m not sure which one we’d be though!”

I Am Number Four hits Irish cinemas on February 25.