Exclusive Interview: Actor-Producer Tye Sheridan Talks ‘Asphalt City,’ His Preparation for the Film, Honoring Paramedics, and More

Tye Sheridan stands as one of Hollywood’s most coveted leading talents. Renowned for his remarkable versatility and captivating portrayals, the award-winning actor has left an indelible mark on audiences worldwide with his roles in acclaimed films such as Mud, X-Men: Apocalypse, Ready Player One, and Joe, among others. Now, expanding his creative horizons, Sheridan has ventured into the realm of production through Dogwood Pictures, further solidifying his presence as a multifaceted force in the entertainment industry. His inaugural project under Dogwood Pictures, the highly anticipated Asphalt City, not only underscores Sheridan’s evolution as a storyteller but also exemplifies his commitment to pushing artistic boundaries.

Asphalt City follows Ollie Cross (Tye Sheridan), a young paramedic assigned to the NYC night shift with an uncompromising and seasoned partner Gene Rutkovsky (Sean Penn). The dark nights reveal a city in crisis; Rutkovsky guides Cross, as each 911 call is often dangerous and uncertain, putting their lives on the line every day to help others. Cross soon discovers firsthand the chaos and awe of a job that careens from harrowing to heartfelt, testing his relationship with Rutkovsky and the ethical ambiguity that can be the difference between life and death.

Pop Culturalist had the wonderful opportunity to interview Tye about Asphalt City, delving into the extensive preparation he undertook for the film to bring authenticity to his role, as well as discussing the importance of honoring the sacrifices made by paramedics, and more.

PC: This is the first feature for your production company, Dogwood Pictures. As you stepped into the producing chair, how has that now affected the way that you approach your work on screen and vice versa? How does Asphalt City align with the mission of your company?
Tye: It’s really no different. I’m a cinephile. I always want the best for the films that I work on. Part of being a good producer is creating the best environment to make a film. If I can be additive in the process and in more ways than just through the role that I’m playing, that’s interesting and fascinating to me.

I’ve also been lucky enough to work with some of the greatest producers and filmmakers who are out there making movies. I’ve learned a lot from that. So I want to take what I’ve learned and really utilize it in the films that are near and dear to me, like this one.

PC: Great answer. There’s so much prep work that you, Sean [Penn], and Jean-Stéphane [Sauvaire] committed to prior to filming. How did that preparation influence the creative choices that you made with this character? How were you able to strike that balance between doing the work prior, but also being present with the story that you’re telling?
Tye: It was essential. The whole prep was essential to us understanding what this movie was all about. A big part of that was the team at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, who were our advisors on the film. We worked with them for years leading up to making the film. I would come to New York off and on over the past few years and do ride-alongs with the Wyckoff gang.

They would tell us stories, and a lot of the time, those stories ended up on screen. Like the story that Sean’s character tells about 9/11 that came directly from one of our advisors. So there are a lot of stories, instances, and scenes that came out of that prep work and research that bled into the movie.

Then it was on Sean and me to convey the authenticity of their lives and their jobs. From a technical sense, we needed to make sure it looks like we knew what we were doing, and we looked like real medics. That was very important to us

Sean and I worked really collaboratively on that, leaning on each other through the process, and the preparation going on all those ride-alongs, the training, the clinical training in the classroom environment, and learning how to do CPR, intubate, and give people IVs. We did this all together.

The medic community is really about union, working collaboratively with your partner. We were doing that together, so that was really great.

PC: That comes across in your performance as well. One of the beautiful things about this film is the ways in which you’re able to highlight contrast, whether that’s from the city or where these two paramedics are in their careers. Without giving any spoilers, those final scenes of the film are so heartbreaking, and you get to show the breadth of your talent. One is outward and expressive, and the other is about restraint and subtlety. As an actor, how do you create the space for yourself to get into that emotional mindset? How different is that preparation between those two scenes?
Tye: It always starts with the context of the film and the character. For this film specifically, it’s exploring what medics face on the job and how that can bleed into their own personal lives and relationships, and what they might be dealing with in their mental state by carrying the burden and responsibility of being a medic. They’re going from call to call, trying to keep people away from death. It’s a very heavy burden to carry.

That’s ultimately what this film shines a light on. A lot of it comes out of that. Also, with a filmmaker like Jean-Stéphane who you feel totally comfortable with and is your guide.

Asphalt City is in theaters now.