Just 18 years old, Mason Thames is already proving he’s more than a breakout star—he’s becoming one of the most exciting young actors of his generation.

After his chilling turn as Finney Blake in 2021’s The Black Phone, as well as starring as Hiccup in How to Train Your Dragon, Thames is returning to the big screen for Black Phone 2 on October 17th, a sequel that promises even more tension, terror, and emotional depth. But this time around, Thames isn’t just the wide-eyed newcomer navigating his first major role—he’s a confident, seasoned performer. “Mason is a naturally gifted actor—he was born to do this,” says director Scott Derrickson. “But the difference between working with him at [18] instead of 12 is how little direction he requires. He instinctively understands the scenes as written and brings incredibly interesting acting choices to them. In Black Phone 2, I mostly just stayed out of his way.”

Thames spoke with VMAN about stepping back into Finney’s world, a background in ballet, and balancing the big screen with the small slices of life he enjoys back home in Dallas, Texas.

VMAN: So this is the sequel to the first Black Phone film. How have you changed as an actor, in tandem with your character? 

MASON THAMES: I mean, it’s been such a fun journey starting out with Black Phone and working with Ethan (Hawke), and seeing how he works, and learning from that and so many other people on the set. That’s what I love about acting. I feel like I’ll continue to learn for the rest of my life, just working on new jobs and playing different characters. The journey that Finney goes on since the first one, he starts off kind of shy, kind of awkward, kind of to himself and all the trauma he went through. Then we flash forward four years, and he’s almost a completely different character. He has so much rage and anger and PTSD, coming off of what happened to him, and how he deals with that is a lot of fun. But yeah, Finney as a character, I think a lot of people are going to be very surprised and find it cool, the journey he’s taken. And I feel like, in very different ways—because, I mean, Finney and I are very different people—I feel like I’ve just matured a lot from that time, and I’ve learned a lot.

VMAN: Let’s go back to the start. How did you get into acting? 

MT: So my sister—she’s a ballerina, and she was so fantastic. She’s done it for many, many years, and she used to go to class. I was always the little kid in the backseat with the iPad, and I remember one of the teachers came out. He probably just felt bad for me, but he was like, ‘Hey, do you want to take some classes?’  I was seven or so, and I was like, ‘Yeah, sure, let’s do it.’ So I took some classes, and I ended up performing and touring around Texas, doing The Nutcracker as Fritz, which was a lot of fun. And I think that kind of lit the spark for performing. You know, the ballet aspect was always kind of my sister’s thing, but I really liked performing. So I got into that, and I told my mom, ‘I don’t really like ballet, but I still want to perform.’

[Cont.] Ballet has given me a lot of things, especially for this industry—like physicality and taking direction—I feel like it’s helped a lot. And not taking things personally, because ballet teachers can be very scary sometimes. So it doesn’t matter what kind of environment I’m in; it’s a fun challenge. Especially for Black Phone, which is so scary and so serious. For me, that challenge is fun.

VMAN: I can see how ballet would be good training for acting because you have to make something that is so hard look easy and natural.

MT: Right. Like in How to Train Your Dragon, I fall a lot. I had to learn how to fall correctly and not hurt myself. And I learned from professionals, but also once I learned that I have to unlearn it, and make it look like a kid just falling.

VMAN: You’re still so young, and it’s still so early on in your career, despite all the success already. But do you ever think about getting into writing or directing? 

MT: Yeah, 100%. I’ve always wanted to become a director. Even before I did— I mean, like, years ago, I never thought I was going to be able to be in this industry or be an actor. But I always used to watch behind-the-scenes stuff and watch how the directors work, you know, watch their wheels turn. It’s insane—they have this imagination and this vision for the world they’ve created.

“I’ve always had a vivid imagination. I can come up with these worlds, and I really want to give myself an outlet with storytelling, which would be really cool.”

—Mason Thames

VMAN: Who are some of your favorite TV or film characters of all time? Tony Soprano, Homer Simpson…

MT: Honestly, Homer Simpson [laughs] But really, I’m gonna go with Spider-Man. I grew up with Spider-Man. He was everything to me, and he taught me so much. And Batman, as well. Superman, all the superheroes that gave me hope as a kid. And playing Hiccup (in How To Train Your Dragon), out of all the people, definitely put that hope in me. And I hope that kids can go to the theater with their parents and see a hero like that, and have them be as inspired as I was. 

VMAN: Lastly, what are you doing when not working? 

MT: I’m hibernating in my bed with my dog. That is what I’m doing. Maybe some fishing with my dad, swimming, and making bonfires. But that’s about it. 

This cover story appears in the pages of VMAN 55: now available for purchase!

Photography Alvaro Beamud Cortés (Interlude Project)

Fashion Marti Serra

Creative Director / Editor-in-Chief Stephen Gan

Interview Mathias Rosenzweig

Editor Charlie Kolbrener

Hair Stylist Anne Sofie Begtrup (Wise & Talented) using Oribe Haircare

Makeup Artist Camille Lutz (Walter Schupfer Management)

Production Interlude Project

Digital Technician Mitko Digital Capture

Location Studio La Factory  @Espace Lumière

Photo Assistants Simone Triacca, Giovanni Soffietti

Fashion Assistant Cari Lima 

Hair Stylist Assistant Line Juhl

Production Assistant Sara Murru