Aaron Taylor-Johnson "Didn't Give a F*ck" About KICK-ASS, GODZILLA or AVENGERS; He Just Wanted to Be With His Kids

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is known for playing a blockbuster star in several different franchises, and he’s headed into several more big name movies like Kraven the Hunter, The Fall Guy, and Nosferatu. But it turns out that he didn’t care much about the roles that made him, and he turned down many more that we never even knew about because of the phase of life he was in.

In an interview with Esquire (via Uproxx), the actor explained:

“All those things lined up for me. But I didn’t really care for them.” He was getting offers to do more of that stuff for more money. He was up for roles “that nobody knows about—big, huge franchises that were in play.” But by then he and Sam had two small children. The decision not to keep going down that blockbuster road wasn’t hard. “I wanted, purely, to be with my babies,” he says. “I didn’t want to be taken away from them. I battled with what that would be like.”

The actor also got a little more blunt about his early blockbuster days, saying, “I also slightly didn’t give a f*ck.”

Obviously, Taylor-Johnson’s opinion has changed. He’s now starring in the upcoming Kraven the Hunter. Although, once again, he’s candid about that experience.

“I mean, quite honestly, I thought I’d actually been done with these sorts of movies,” he told Esquire before later revealing that this time he’s ready to jump back into the blockbuster world. “You can’t step into this role, you can’t step into what this franchise is, with a f*cking half-assed, Let’s see how it goes attitude. You have to be mentally prepared for what could come with that. I think I’m secure in my life now to know that I’m happy to deal with that.”

At first reading it seems like he may have taken the roles he was given for granted. But it’s natural to feel pulled in another direction when you’re a parent of small children. It’s cool that he is so involved with his kids, and he wanted to be there as much as he did. But I’m glad we will be seeing more of him as well. He’s a great actor, and he makes a great leading man.

Kraven the Hunter stalks into theaters on August 30, 2024.