Rudy Pankow Covers FAULT Magazine Issue 33 – Inside Reminders of Him and His Most Emotional Role Yet
Full Look: Givenchy
Best known to audiences as the rebellious JJ in the hit Netflix series Outer Banks, Rudy Pankow steps into the emotionally charged world of the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel, Reminders of Him. Playing Scotty Landry, Pankow portrays the young man whose tragic death becomes the emotional centre of the story. The narrative unfolds through the lives of those closest to him, exploring how they attempt to navigate grief, forgiveness, and the complicated questions that linger long after loss. We sat down with Rudy to discuss stepping into more emotionally demanding roles, his evolving acting process, and, of course, his FAULTs.
Full Look: Willy Chavarria
How did you approach developing your character in Reminders of Him, considering the original book doesn’t really tell the story from Scotty’s perspective?
I spoke with Ness [Vanessa Caswill] about wanting to make the character count with the few scenes he has in the story. The goal was to bring joy to every moment he appears in. Every scene was about bringing something unexpected and vibrant. I wanted the character to feel like a spark of joy whenever he entered the story, and yellow became a kind of theme throughout the film that reflected that energy.
See the full covershoot only inside FAULT Magazine Issue 33
Full look: Saint Laurent
When actors portray characters dealing with grief, they often talk about the emotional complexity of that process. Is it different when you’re portraying the character who is being grieved?
I think you have to block out the grief when you’re playing that character. If you knew something terrible was about to happen to you, it wouldn’t feel realistic. In real life, we don’t live with that awareness. So I tried to approach Scotty as someone who is completely focused on his wants, his dreams, and his excitement for life. My goal in every scene was to bring that sense of energy and optimism into his world.
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What’s something few people discuss with you but is a message you’ve always held dear?
Don’t be afraid to ask your parents about life. Even if they aren’t in the industry, there’s a lot you can learn from them. The people who raised you have a lifetime of experience, and as an artist there’s value in listening to that. Even if they aren’t artists themselves, they can still teach you a lot about the human experience.
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What is you FAULT?
I think my FAULT is being too hard on myself when I make mistakes. It sounds cliché, but it’s true. Everyone makes mistakes, and that’s okay. The important thing is learning from them and forgiving yourself. That idea actually ties into the themes of Reminders of Him. At the end of the day, you just can’t be too hard on yourself.