How Josh Hutcherson Shaped His Character in "I Love LA"
Josh Hutcherson joined Rachel Sennott’s HBO comedy I Love LA later in the casting process, replacing the original actor after the pilot was filmed. Despite the late start, Hutcherson had significant input in developing his character, Dylan, the longtime live-in boyfriend of Sennott’s character Maia, alongside Sennott and co-showrunner Emma Barrie.
Collaborative Character Development
Hutcherson described the creative process in an interview with TheWrap, emphasizing the group's shared vision:
“We very quickly all got on the same page, which was we didn’t want Dylan to just be the square, the boring, nothing guy.”
The team aimed to create a character with humorous and dynamic layers, avoiding typical, one-dimensional portrayals. Hutcherson explained:
“We wanted to find some textures to him that felt funny and dynamic and different, rather than something that we’ve seen before.”
Revising the Character from Original Pilot
The character Dylan was originally conceived differently and initially portrayed by Miles Robbins in the pilot episode. Hutcherson and the team reevaluated who Dylan was at his core, what he desired, and the reasons for his relationship with Maia. This process led to a deeper, more nuanced portrayal than what was initially scripted.
Summary
Josh Hutcherson’s late but collaborative involvement in I Love LA allowed him to redefine his character with fresh, dynamic qualities, steering away from cliché roles.