Exclusive – Bicycles play a nostalgic role in the popular science fiction series “Stranger Things.” And they’re just as important off-screen for one of the show’s stars, Matthew Modine.
Modine is an avid New York City cyclist, so he was already pretty comfortable in the seat when he landed the role of Greg Townsend in the new movie. ”hard milesThe film, directed by RJ Daniel Hanna and Blue Fox Entertainment, is based on the true story of a social worker at a juvenile facility who gathers a group of juvenile inmates to embark on a 1,000-mile bike trip from Denver to Grand. The film also stars Leslie David Baker (The Office), Cynthia Kay McWilliams, Jackson Kelly, Jerking Guillory, Damian Diaz, Judah Mackie, and Sean Astin. He is appearing.
“Well, cycling has always been a part of my life,” Modine told FOX News Digital. “Ever since I was little, we would ride our bikes to school.”
But Modine said that while her biking skills helped her get through the movie, things like touring on set were something the entire cast learned to do together.
‘Stranger Things’ actor talks about his bond with wedding officiant Millie Bobby Brown: ‘A very emotional day’
Stranger Things actor Matthew Modine will officiate his co-star Millie Bobby Brown’s wedding. (Fox News Digital)
Modine touted cycling as a good therapy for those suffering because it forces them to be in the moment.
“Well, the most important thing is that when you’re on a bike you have to be present, and a lot of our lives are spent thinking about what we could do, what we should do, or…our mistakes. “Because it could be spent on distractions,’ or things we’ve done in the past that are bothering us,” he said. “So when I get on the bike and start riding, my thoughts just drift off and I can think about all sorts of things. It’s definitely kind of meditative, but you have to be present.”
In “Hard Miles,” Townsend takes four struggling young men on a grueling bicycle trip from Denver, Colorado, to the Grand Canyon. Although most people complain at first, the teens eventually embrace the adventure and log each other’s miles.
“And ‘Hard Miles’ takes young kids on a 762-mile bike ride from Denver to the Grand Canyon, a type of physical exercise that makes them feel very present.” “It makes it what it is,” he continued. “And the further they get away from Denver, Colorado, and the gangs they may have been in, the troubled homes they may have grown up in, the eating disorders one of them is experiencing, the broader It helps give perspective.”
“Think of it like when you look at a horse blindfolded: the horse can no longer have peripheral vision. And the further you get away from past problems, the less you have to worry about the future. Now it kind of pushes those things away and you can see the world as it actually exists, this moment is the past and the future is unknown as best as it can be in this moment. Why not try to be human?”
“Hard Miles” depicts the bond between real-life social worker Greg Townsend and a group of struggling teens on bicycles. (Pance Production)
The same goes for Townsend. Townsend credits cycling with helping him overcome his own difficult past.
“I was one of those who had a hard time because I was a troubled kid myself,” Townsend said. told CBS News Colorado in November.
“The atmosphere, the environment, the experiential education you get from it, and the physiology of riding a bike can do a lot of really amazing things if you want to,” he added.
Ms. Modine was adamant that juvenile prisoners deserve empathy, and shared how her past has proven that it is important not to let past mistakes ruin a child’s entire future.
“Every child deserves empathy,” he said. “This is unusual. The troubled youth period is usually between 14, 15 and 17 years old. What a shame to punish. As my grandparents used to say, but for the grace of God you will not leave.”
“There are a lot of mistakes that I made when I was younger, but if I had been criticized for that behavior when I was an adult, it might have held me back. You know, that… It must have been a huge burden to have to carry. The mistakes you made when you were 15 and 16 will stay with you for the rest of your life. It is very important for the community and for society to try harder to help children in such situations and allow them to move on with their lives.”
The actor focused on the importance of forgiveness, noting that it is in the name prison itself.
“They called prisons prisons,” he says. “Now, the root of that word is penance. So when we made a mistake, you made a mistake too. You go to a place and rehabilitate yourself. You know, You learn and do repentance for the mistakes you made, and when we started calling prisons, prisons, we changed the perception and vocabulary about those people’s situations… and I think it’s very important that we help them with the mistakes they’ve made, rehabilitate them and let them move on with their lives, and not continue to punish them for the rest of their lives.”
Actor Matthew Modine received a free bike from Bentham at the premiere of ‘Hard Miles’ on Thursday, April 18th in New York. (Fox News)
“I always think ‘Hard Miles’ is a great example to help people realize that, yes, they are dumb and make mistakes, young people,” he said at another point in the interview. “But there are good intentions among them and we think as a society, as a community, we can do something to help them rehabilitate and get on with their lives. And this is an important story. I think.”
“And as Grandma Ethel used to say, God bless you, but you’re gone…and I’m not religious either,” he laughed.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Modine’s two worlds – cycling and acting – collided during her stint on “Stranger Things.” Although he himself never rides a bike in the series, his young co-stars tug at nostalgic heartstrings every time they ride together through the fictional city of Hawkins, Indiana.
“When you watch ‘Stranger Things’ and you see all the kids running around on bikes, I think that’s part of the appeal and appeal for young viewers today,” he said. Told. “I realized how much cycling freed up kids watching ‘Stranger Things.’ So when I moved to New York to study acting, all the auditions… I used a bicycle to go there.”
Actors Matthew Modine and Damian Diaz attend a Q&A for ‘Hard Miles’ at the New York premiere on Thursday, April 18th. (Fox News)
Modine, an environmental activist, started an organization called Bicycle for a Day as a way to “reduce your carbon footprint.” It eventually grew into an organization that helped lobby for New York City’s bike-share program.
He recalled that an event for the cause at the South Street Seaport drew tens of thousands of people and that Mayor Bloomberg gave him a certificate and an official Bike Day proclamation.
“Yes, cycling is a big and important part of my life,” Modine said with a twinkle in her eye.
“Hard Miles” will be released in the US on April 19th.
