Charles Melton Discusses Heroes, Ambition, and "The Importance of Understanding Repression" in 'May December' Interview with Vanity Fair

Article by David Canfield

Images by Landon Nordeman

Fashion direction by George Cortina

In the recent awards season, the May December team, which includes Oscar-winning stars Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman along with their frequent collaborating director Todd Haynes, stood out as tightly knit. This group is no stranger to acclaim and accolades. A fresh face among them, Charles Melton, proved himself as he navigated the world of tastemaker screenings and private awards luncheons for the first time.

I have observed over the months that Melton, best known for his role in the teen drama Riverdale, has learnt fast. He has a charismatic yet humble persona reminiscent of an Old Hollywood star, and held his own when acting alongside more experienced co-stars. In May December, Melton plays Joe Yoo, a character who maintains a complex relationship with Gracie, played by Moore. Notwithstanding the splendid performances by Moore and Portman, Melton's part stands out in the film.

Film directorial by Gordon Von Steiner.

For his role in the film, Melton received the New York Film Critics Circle Award for best supporting actor among other awards. Supported by his co-stars, he made his way into industry spaces he could only dream about before. 

We are delighted to feature Melton in our Hollywood issue of 2024. I had a conversation with him at his Los Angeles home as he was reflecting on his May December experience and contemplating future possibilities.

Vanity Fair: As your career trajectory shifted over the few months of promoting this film, what are your thoughts looking back?

Charles Melton: My journey enabled me to meet many notable individuals who served as a source of inspiration. The fact that these influential people saw May December is still something I am absorbing. Reflecting on this is somewhat challenging.

Can you discuss how you envision your future roles under the influence of these inspiring persons?

I want to involve myself in meaningful stories and roles that go beyond stereotypes, focusing on the character's psychology and humanity. I've received advice on asserting my selectiveness when choosing roles, which is significant as my journey so far has been about booking jobs in any way I could. Going forward, if there's something I genuinely connect with, I will strive to be part of it, without letting my enthusiasm dampen.

I look forward to another opportunity to work with Todd [Haynes]. In addition, Josh Safdie, Pablo Larraín, Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson and Celine Song are ones I hope to collaborate with.

How significant is it for you to be a successful role model for Asian American actors? Have your roots ever seemed to limit your opportunities in the industry?

I don't believe so. Although sometimes my outlook may seem naive, I’ve always been an optimist without restricting dreams. I strive to grow and fulfill my ambitions without being influenced by external limitations. It is important for me to play roles that are more than just identified by their 'Asian American' label as exemplified by my role in May December.

I’m going to be very delicate with what I’m saying. I don’t even know what Method acting is. Anyone who is an artist, who is an actor, has their own personal method. Correct? I believe I have a lot of technical practices that allow me to separate Charles from the character, and to be able to be kind and generous, and to keep those two things separate and not to inflict on anyone else’s process or not to take up space. In between takes with Julianne and Natalie, we had so much fun. You can still have fun, but if you need to step away and listen to Nirvana’s “Something in the Way” 30 times in a row, then you go do that.

With Joe, for me, it’s just understanding repression. There are so many films that I watched that inspired me, but I really dove in with my therapist and my coach, just understanding human emotions and the root of the human emotion and what that can look like and feel like. It’s a lot of headwork.

You’ve said, in good humor, that gaining weight in preparation for May December was an excuse for you to eat. Is that something you’ve had to think about as a young actor in this business—appearance, weight management—especially having been on a teen show?

The way you look and the way you dress, all the external things we see, should be informed by the material that you’re reading. To be able to transform is something that I want to do as an actor, to constantly revolutionize my own self in a way. I think about Christian Bale. He’s incredible. When I was younger, I would read something about an actor that I was inspired by, and I was like, Okay, let me try this. Let me try that. But it’s so much more than just what we read.