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Jack Huston Says ‘Ben-Hur’ Has A Plot People Can Relate To

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 03:32 PST, Aug 21, 2016

Jack Huston is considered one of Hollywood’s most promising stars, according to Parade. And although the 33-year-old actor has family members that are more famous than him, with the release of Ben-Hur it could all change.

Jack Huston, who is best known for his roles in American Hustle and HBO crime drama Boardwalk Empire, may be a lesser known Huston family member compared to his aunt The Addams Family actress Anjelica Huston or his grandfather The Maltese Falcon actor John Huston.

With Ben-Hur, a movie about a Jewish nobleman accused of treason who survives years of slavery and meets Jesus of Nazareth, hitting theaters on August 19, Jack Huston could have more acting opportunities come his way if the film becomes a box office hit.

Ben-Hur starring Jack Huston is the fifth film adaptation of the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ written by Lew Wallace in 1880. But it’s Charlton Heston that Huston is especially looking up to, as he was the one who really left some remarkable footprints playing the role of the nobleman in 1959.

In his interview with Parade, Jack Huston revealed how Ben-Hur continues to excite and attract moviegoers, even though the novel was published nearly 140 years ago.

“There’s this wonderful message of being able to let go, move on, take a step forward, forgive and be merciful. I don’t like to watch stodgy, sodden, sandal movies.”

Jack Huston also added that he believes 2016’s Ben-Hur has the kind of plot that the modern audience will be able to relate to. His character is going through a very rough time in his life, and with him not believing in God, questioning the meaning of life and faith, many modern people can relate to it, especially given the number of nonbelievers today.

When asked whether he was inspired by any of his predecessors playing the role of Judah Ben-Hur, Jack Huston said his performance of the Jewish nobleman was “very much my own interpretation.”

“I loved [older] versions, but when I read this one, it didn’t feel like we were stepping on the sandals of predecessors.”

When asked whether he had any experience with riding horses before filming for 2016’s Ben-Hur, Jack Huston revealed that he has ridden all his life, adding that no CGI effects were used when actors are seen riding the horses in the movie.

“No animals got hurt. The only time we would implement any CGI was for something that couldn’t be done.”

Jack Huston also revealed that he enjoys watching old performances of Hollywood legends such as Humphrey Bogart, because the Ben-Hur actor grew up watching classic movies and so re-watching those performances is always a sense of nostalgia for him.

“When I think about movie stars, I always go back to the 40s and 50s, rather than the 80s and 90s, which is sort of strange.”

The legendary actors that have always inspired Jack Huston are Fred Astaire, James Cagney, and Jimmy Stewart.

Jack Huston couldn’t ask for a better 2016, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The 33-year-old Boardwalk Empire actor received the Rising Star of the Year award at this year’s CinemaCon and now he prepares for the audience to see his major performance in Ben-Hur, which has just opened in theaters.

Jack Huston has also been selected as the new face of Tod’s latest men’s collection and was featured in the fashion brand’s fall 2016 campaign. Huston sure has the sense of modeling and style, which is why he looked classy in that quilted, vintage leather jacket, complementing it with a knit gray turtleneck.

Tod’s is an Italian fashion brand, and the actor admits that he loves Italian food, culture and people. In fact, he spent half a year filming in Italy and he and his family loved it there.

[Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP]

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