"I was doing this TV show, Primeval, a few years ago and I literally had to be scared by a football," Patrick Gibson laughs. "I mean, it's not even the slightest bit threatening, but, y'know, you have to make it work."
Although he's only 23, Gibson's filmography now includes a powerful drama from an Oscar-nominated director (Lenny Abrahamson's 'What Richard Did'), one of the most talked-about original shows on Netflix ('The OA') and now has a sci-fi YA adaptation under his belt in 'The Darkest Minds'.
As to where his career trajectory is heading and whether he prefers indie films over blockbusters, he's pretty diplomatic on the topic. "Yeah, I mean, I guess the more indie stuff can offer you a lot in terms of character, but really it's about finding what works for you and going that way," he explains. For the role of Clancy Gray, Gibson admits that he didn't read the book - but only came to it after finishing the script. "It's great to have two things you can draw upon to get you into the role, but yeah, the script is where you take all your cues from."
On the topic of explosions and special effects, he's glad of the fact that 'The Darkest Minds' keeps it as in-camera as possible. "You know, you can store up imagination and use it wherever you can, but when there's real explosions going off and they're setting things on fire and you can be in that, that's a real help," he admits.
'The Darkest Minds' opens in Irish cinemas this weekend.