Pukekohe boy stars in Hollywood film

Ten-year-old Dylan Farrell's friends were initially sceptical when he told them he was going to be an actor in a Hollywood movie.

"Some of them didn't believe me at first," Dylan, of Pukekohe, south of Auckland, told nzherald.co.nz today. But they changed their minds "when I was gone for about 10 days."

He and his mum Danielle Farrell arrived back from filming in Bangkok yesterday for the action thriller, Mechanic: Resurrection, starring Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones and Michelle Yeoh.

Dylan didn't get to meet any of those actors, but nonetheless said the experience was "quite exciting - meeting all the new people and being in the movies".

A gymnast, Dylan secured the part almost by accident. He was helping his 12-year-old brother Liam to make an auditioning video for a different part in the same film, which Liam didn't get. Dylan's skills stood out to a New Zealand talent agency and a casting studio working for the movie's makers.

"Dylan is amazing on camera," said Liz Baldwin-Featherstone, the director of LBF Kids Talent.

"He is focussed and intense with a quiet stillness about him. He also has an incredibly flexible and athletic body, thanks to years of gymnastics training."

She said Dylan's casting was a coup for the New Zealand film industry.

Dylan is sworn to secrecy on his movie role, but can say that it involves doing stunts. He now hopes to build a career in acting and doing on-screen stunts. "I like acting and I love doing stunts," Dylan said.

Mrs Farrell said Dylan has also been picked for a role in a New Zealand mini-series.

She said Liam had been good about his younger brother's success despite not being selected himself.

"He's really pleased for his brother, he hasn't been jealous at all, he's really supportive and happy for him -- very mature."