Jacob Tremblay won the hearts of the A-list during the 2016 awards season, and this year Sunny Pawar is filling those shoes. From his English language barrier to his love of wrestling, here are some fun facts about the young actor from the Academy Award nominated film Lion.
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He doesn't speak English
The budding Hollywood star, who only speaks Hindi and uses a translator for interviews, relied on memorization for his role in Lion, which stars Oscar nominee Dev Patel. “I used to phonetically write the lines down — hear them and write them down,” he told Late Show host Stephen Colbert. In fact, he and the film's director Garth Davis "developed a sign language."
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He doesn't look up to Hollywood stars, but wrestlers!
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight the adorable eight-year-old admitted, "I don't watch any American movies. I watch WWE." Sunny, who beat out 2,000 kids for the role, added, "John Cena, The Undertaker, The Rock -- they are my American heroes."
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He's a family man
Sunny (pictured with his father Dilip) hasn't let showbiz go to his head. When asked what's been his big movie star purchase during an appearance on Access Hollywood, the adorable actor replied, "[I] bought a lot of makeup up for my mother. And I bought a lot of dresses and I bought a beautiful princess dress from the Disney store for my sister and a couple of comic-book hero T-shirts and jeans for my little brother. "
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He has a close bond with Nicole Kidman
Keith Urban's wife played the role of Sunny's adopted mother in the Oscar nominated movie Lion. Chatting with the Daily Mail about his on-screen mom, the young star revealed, "She gave me a lot of love on set, like she was my own mother. She’s very affectionate and very warm. Nicole always said that I’m a natural and I should always be a natural."
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If acting doesn't pan out, he has a plan B
“If not an actor, I would love to be a police officer. I’d like to be a cop in Mumbai, in my city," Sunny told People magazine.
And while he certainly enjoys acting, school comes first for the budding star. “I want to continue my career as an actor but I want to concentrate on my education as well,” he said. “I’m still a little kid so [my parents have] made sure that I don’t go flying high. So education continues and strict discipline continues.”
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