Jacob Tremblay isn't like the Unabomber. But they were both 'the youngest in the room' | CBC News

Canadian actor Jacob Tremblay discusses playing a young Ted Kaczynski in a Netflix film directed by Janus Metz. The story follows Kaczynski’s early life before he became known as the Unabomber.

Kaczynski was a gifted student who entered Harvard at 16. Tremblay says his own experience as a young actor often left him feeling awkward and out of place, giving him a limited point of connection with Kaczynski.

The film also depicts Harvard psychologist Henry Murray’s experiments, in which Kaczynski was subjected to harsh personal criticism. Some accounts have linked the sessions to his later path, though Kaczynski reportedly denied they had much effect on him.

Tremblay says the film’s central theme is how trauma can shape a young, impressionable person toward violence. He also emphasizes the vast difference between relating to Kaczynski’s youth and excusing the deadly bombings he later carried out.

The role follows Tremblay’s part in Sovereign, which also involved a young person drawn into violence. His comments come amid renewed debate about the treatment and protection of child actors, including calls to ban child acting.