Long before Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were winning dance competitions in Silver Linings Playbook, sixteen year old Christian Madsen (son of Michael Madsen) was writing and directing a short film where Mafioso tuffs enter a dance competition to save their heads … from Michael Madsen.
It’s called No Names.
When CraveOnline spoke with Christian Madsen about Divergent, a new film he’s co-starring in that’s aimed at 16 year olds, he shrugged it off. But it was in the press notes.
Madsen plays Al, a friend of Beatrice/Tris (Shailene Woodley) after they both select “Dauntless” as their career path. Ben Lloyd-Hughes plays Will, also a friend of Al and Tris.
For those uninitiated to Divergent’s (what’s left of a) world, here’s a synopsis: after war has decimated the USA, Chicago has built up a large enclosed fence around its city and divided up society into five different labor groups. Everyone has to take a test at age 16 to determine where their skill set would place them. They can choose to go through training of a different faction; however, if they fail during training they’ll be “factionless” i.e. without a place in society… homeless.
The five factions are:
Abnegation – meant for the selfless; they provide aid to citizens – including the factionless. Basically they’re social workers. They also head the government! The thought is that they’re incorruptible because they put society ahead of themselves.
The closest faction to abnegation is Amity – meant for the peaceful; basically they’re the farmers and provide the goods and wear autumnal clothes.
The other three factions are the more learned or brutish, so of course, these are the ones thirsty to overthrow abnegation by force or gossip.
They are:
Candor – meant for the honest; these are the lawyers and judges.
Dauntless – meant for the brave; these are the police, military and rescue.
Erudite – meant for the intelligent; these are the bookies, but also the baddies.
So what’s “divergent”? Find out this weekend, in theatres.
Meanwhile, while both actors play “Dauntless” characters CraveOnline asked Madsen and Lloyd-Hughes which faction they would prefer for a film career.
