Mike Erwin: he flexes his stuff as "hulk jr." — remember, you don't want to make him angry

Best known as the boy in the coma from the WB hit TV series Everwood, Texan Mike Erwin seems ready to bust out with his role as the young Bruce Banner in Ang Lee's The Hulk, now in theaters. If only he could get over his fear of the red carpet....

SARA SWITZER: Hi, Mike. I know everyone was pleased when you woke up from the coma. [Erwin laughs] So, tell me a little bit about The Hulk and working with Ang Lee.

MIKE ERWIN: It was great. Ang definitely knows how to break things down. He was really intense and precise. It was intimidating at first, but once you got to know him, it was fun.

SS: How did you get involved in acting?

ME: I just did it for fun starting in junior high. I got a little attention from it and thought, Wow, this is great. Once I got out of high school I realized it was what I wanted to do. I really love it.

SS: If you weren't acting, what do you think you'd be doing?

ME: [pauses] Maybe I'd cook. I really like to grill.

SS: Well, you are a Texan, right? [both laugh] What's been your scariest Hollywood moment thus far?

ME: I think when I went to my first movie premiere. I had to walk the carpet, and I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb. I still sometimes get nervous when I go to events.

SS: But you're adjusting?

ME: I don't think it's something I'll ever totally adjust to. But you just gotta do what you gotta do.

Sara Switzer is a frequent Interview contributor.

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