Justin Ellings is an up-and-coming actor who recently nabbed his first leading role in Lifetime’s A Tale of Two Coreys. The film follows the lives and careers of Corey Feldman and Corey Haim as teenagers in Hollywood. Justin portrays the late Haim, while Feldman is played by Elijah Marcano. Feldman served as an executive producer on the made-for-TV film, which premieres this Saturday.
The Inquisitr caught up with Justin for an exclusive interview before the movie’s release, who shed some interesting insight on the film which details the immense struggles the Corey’s endured during throughout their careers as young men.
On Meeting Corey Feldman
Despite being just 17-years-old, Justin was very familiar with the Coreys and their cult-classic films before landing his role in ATOTC. According to the actor, his mother was a fan of Feldman and Haim while she was growing up, and she introduced their films to him at a young age. Justin admitted to being a major fan of The Lost Boys, License to Drive, Stand by Me, and The Goonies, all of which were released at least 12 years before he was even born. Justin remembered hosting a Goonies screening at his home for his ninth birthday, which he watched outside on a projector.
Needless to say, it was a very exciting moment when Justin got to meet Feldman on the set of ATOTC. It was his second day of shooting when an assistant director notified him there was a special guest waiting outside to meet him and Elijah. Justin remembered the feeling the moments leading up to their meeting.
“We both just looked at each other and freaked out a little, ok a lot! We just knew it was going to be Corey.”
Justin explained Feldman was very “down to earth” and very kind to him and Elijah. Feldman then taught the actors “the secret Corey handshake,” which they would do several times in the movie. Justin admitted learning the handshake was a special moment and made him feel “cool.”
The young actor also recalled the stories Feldman would often tell about Haim whenever he came on set. Feldman even claimed Justin reminded him of Haim and that the two shared similar personalities.
On A Tale of Two Coreys
The film will cover all aspects of the Coreys’ lives, not just the glitz and glamour that come with being famous actors. Justin confirmed viewers will see the negatives that came with their careers like drug and alcohol use and sexual assault. Feldman is still vocal about child sexual assault in Hollywood to this day, and it will be touched on in the Lifetime film.
When asked about Haim, Justin had nothing but wonderful things to say about the late actor. He learned Haim was a wonderful person and was loved by everyone around him. Justin noted he was “a super great guy, funny, kind and thoughtful.”
“He had an addiction he struggled with most of his adult life, but he loved and cared about those around him deeply.”
Justin was pensive when he explained what people should take away from ATOTC.
“It’s a cautionary tale for sure,” he explained. “I think the big takeaway is things are not always as they seem. To the outside world, these two teen idols had it all, fans, fame, money. But behind the scenes, they were dealing with so many difficult issues that really shed light on why they may have turned to drugs and alcohol to numb some of their pain.”
On The Future
Justin recently shot My Babysitter the Superhero, where he plays Brewster Banner. The film is currently shopping around for a network to land on, but the actor was super excited about this particular role.
Justin explained he got to do his own stunts in the film and wore what he described as a “super suit.”
Stunts proved to be no problem for the star, as he is a martial arts aficionado. Justin trains at the XMA World Headquarters in North Hollywood and has a black belt in Taekwondo and XMA.
Outside of acting and martial arts, Justin has a strong passion for automobiles. He would like to visit Jay Leno’s garage in the future and is interested in studying car engineering and design.
For now, Justin is taking a year off from school to focus on his acting but admits college is definitely in his future. As far as acting goals, he is hoping to nab a lead in a television series or a major motion picture.
“I just love being on set.”
If his dreams come true, Justin will hopefully land a role alongside his idol, Jim Carrey. For as long as he can remember, Jim has always been his “it” person in Hollywood. He once met the comedian at a book signing and talked with him for a few minutes, before posing for a picture.
“He is every bit as nice as I hoped and dreamed he would be,” he remembered. “My dream would be to play his son.”
Catch Justin in A Tale of Two Coreys when it premieres on Lifetime this Saturday at 8 p.m. EST.