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Max Records
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
Max Records (born June 18, 1997) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Max in the film Where the Wild Things Are,[2] for which he won the 2009 Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film,[3] and as Slater Pedulla in The Sitter. He starred in the lead role of John Wayne Cleaver in the 2016 film titled I Am Not A Serial Killer, based on Dan Wells' 2009 novel of the same name, which received positive reviews and ratings. He has also appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show.
Key Information
Personal life
[edit]Records was born in Portland, Oregon,[1] the son of Shawn Records, a photographer, and Jenny, a librarian.[4][1]
Records attended Metropolitan Learning Center, a public Kx12 school, for most of his childhood. He then transferred to Trillium Charter School for the rest of High School.
Career
[edit]Records first became famous for the main role in Where the Wild Things Are when he was hired personally by Spike Jonze.[5] Records' father, who is a photographer, was asked to send the company information of actors fitting a certain description; his son happened to fit the criteria, so his information was also provided.
Before being cast in Where the Wild Things Are, Records starred in a music video for the band Death Cab for Cutie.[5]
After Where the Wild Things Are, his most notable roles are Young Stephen in The Brothers Bloom and Slater Pedula in The Sitter.
Records co-starred with Christopher Lloyd as John Wayne Cleaver in the film I Am Not a Serial Killer, shot in 2015[6] and released in early 2016. Rolling Stone described the role as "a homicidal Midwestern teen who has to kill a mass murderer in order to stop becoming one himself".[7]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Directions | Brother | Video Segment: "Stable Song" |
| 2009 | Where the Wild Things Are | Max | Won Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film, for 2009.[3] Nominated for multiple other awards. |
| The Brothers Bloom | Young Stephen | ||
| 2010 | The Vampire Attack | Boy in Cemetery | Short |
| 2011 | BlinkyTM | Alex Neville | Short[8] |
| The Sitter | Slater Pedulla | [9] | |
| 2016 | I Am Not a Serial Killer | John Wayne Cleaver | Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actor[6][7] |
Video games
[edit]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Where the Wild Things Are | Max |
Awards
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Young Artist Award | Best Leading Young Actor in Feature Film | Won |
| 2016 | British Film Institute Festival | Best Leading Actor | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Baker, Jeff (April 28, 2014). "18 actors you (maybe) didn't know were from Portland". The Oregonian. Portland, Oregon. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ "Max Records: Acting is a hobby". The Irish Independent. Press Association. December 11, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ a b "Child/Teen Star Winners Announced at 31st Annual Young Artist Awards" (PDF) (Press release). Young Artist Association. April 11, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 28, 2010. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ Shawn Levy (October 31, 2009). "Portland family took a big leap to let son star in 'Where the Wild Things Are'". The Oregonian. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
- ^ a b White, Nicholas (October 16, 2009). "How Wild Things King Max Records Landed the Role". People. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ a b Lawler, Christa (March 19, 2015). "Christopher Lloyd, other actors, crew descend on Virginia to film scenes for indie thriller". Duluth News Tribune. Duluth, Minnesota. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ a b Ehrlich, David (February 2, 2016). "SXSW 2016: Chet Baker Biopic, Sky Ferreira Drug Thriller Anchor Fest Lineup". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ Fischer, Russ (March 21, 2011). "Watch the Short Film 'Blinky,' In Which a Small Robot Goes Slightly Out of Control". /Film. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
- ^ Neumaier, Joe (December 8, 2011). "Jonah Hill is a crass act with his adventures in bad childcare in 'The Sitter'". Daily News. New York. Retrieved February 15, 2016.
External links
[edit]- Max Records at IMDb
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Max Records
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Max Records (born June 18, 1997) is an American actor best known for his titular role as a mischievous young boy in the 2009 fantasy film Where the Wild Things Are, directed by Spike Jonze and adapted from Maurice Sendak's classic children's book.[1] Born in Portland, Oregon, Records was cast in the role at age nine after open auditions drew thousands of child actors, marking his breakout performance in a $100 million production filmed in Australia.[2]
Records' early career began with minor roles, including a part in a 2006 Death Cab for Cutie music video and a school play, before landing the lead in Where the Wild Things Are.[2] For his performance, he received the 2009 Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actor in a Feature Film, highlighting his ability to convey complex emotions like isolation and imagination in a live-action adaptation praised for its visual effects and emotional depth.[1] His father, freelance photographer Shawn Records, often featured him in work, providing early exposure to creative environments influenced by Records' interests in Star Wars, The Simpsons, and manga artist Osamu Tezuka.[2]
Following his debut success, Records appeared in supporting roles such as young Stephen in the 2008 con artist comedy The Brothers Bloom, directed by Rian Johnson, and Slater, one of the disruptive children, in the 2011 family comedy The Sitter starring Jonah Hill.[3] He later took on the lead as introspective teenager John Wayne Cleaver in the 2016 horror-thriller I Am Not a Serial Killer, based on Dan Wells' novel, earning praise for portraying a character grappling with sociopathic tendencies.[3] Guided by his parents to prioritize a normal childhood, Records has maintained a selective approach to projects, resulting in a relatively low-profile career after his early prominence, with no major releases reported as of 2025.[2]
His lead performance as Max in Where the Wild Things Are received critical praise for its expressive portrayal of childhood emotions.[27] Following his 2011 role in The Sitter, Records' appearances in feature films became sparse, with only one additional credit by 2016.
Early Life
Family Background
Max Records was born on June 18, 1997, in Syracuse, New York.[4][5] He is the son of Shawn Records, a professional photographer, and Jenny Records, a librarian.[6] The family's roots trace back to Idaho, but they settled in North Portland, where they maintained a stable, everyday routine including vacations to the Oregon coast and visits with relatives in Washington and Idaho. Records grew up in a middle-class household that emphasized normalcy and creative exploration, with his father's work in photography and his mother's role in a library providing direct exposure to artistic and literary influences.[6] This environment nurtured an appreciation for the arts from an early age, shaping his foundational interests before he attended public schools in the area.Education
Records grew up in Portland, Oregon, where he attended public schools that allowed him to maintain a sense of normalcy while pursuing early acting opportunities. His family relocated to Portland from Syracuse, New York, when he was six years old, enabling him to start elementary school in the local public system shortly thereafter.[4][7] Around age 11, Records transitioned to more flexible educational arrangements to accommodate the intensive filming schedule for his lead role in a major feature film, incorporating homeschooling components during production to ensure continuity in his studies. This adaptation was supported by his family's commitment to prioritizing education, with his parents actively managing his schedule to minimize disruptions to learning.[7] Records attended the Metropolitan Learning Center, a public K-12 alternative school in Portland, for most of his childhood. Public details on any pursuit of higher education remain limited, reflecting the family's emphasis on privacy and normalcy amid his rising fame. Throughout his early career, he balanced acting commitments with schooling, often returning to Portland's public education system between projects to foster a typical childhood experience.[2][8]Acting Career
Early Roles in Music Videos
Max Records entered the entertainment industry at the age of nine in 2006, appearing in a music video for the band Cake, marking his debut in non-film media.[9] This early role provided Records with an initial exposure to professional production environments without the intensity of scripted dialogue or extended shoots.[9] Later that same year, Records featured prominently in Death Cab for Cutie's "Stable Song" music video, directed by Aaron Stewart-Ahn and included on the band's Directions DVD release.[10] In the video, he portrayed a young boy navigating emotional themes aligned with the song's introspective tone, showcasing his instinctive on-camera presence.[11] These low-stakes music video appearances, both filmed when Records was a child in Portland, Oregon, served as gentle introductions to set dynamics, allowing him to adapt to lighting, cameras, and crew interactions in a relaxed atmosphere.[11] With no prior formal acting training, Records relied on his innate talent, which was first noticed through local opportunities in Portland where his father, a photographer, helped connect him to initial auditions and submissions.[2] The "Stable Song" video, in particular, gained attention from industry figures like filmmaker Lance Bangs, who recommended Records for larger projects, facilitating his transition to feature films.[11]Breakthrough in Feature Films
Max Records, then an 11-year-old newcomer from Portland, Oregon, was cast in the lead role of the mischievous boy Max in Spike Jonze's live-action adaptation of Maurice Sendak's 1963 children's book Where the Wild Things Are.[12] The selection process involved months of open auditions starting in 2006, with Records ultimately chosen for his natural embodiment of the character's impulsive energy and emotional depth.[13] To prepare for the demanding role, Records underwent intensive training focused on movement and improvisation over several months, allowing him to intuitively capture the raw, unscripted essence of childhood rebellion and wonder.[14] Principal photography took place on location in Australia, where the young cast and crew lived in close-knit neighborhoods to foster a collaborative, immersive environment that mirrored the film's themes of community and chaos.[15] The film premiered on October 16, 2009, featuring Records alongside co-stars Catherine Keener as his mother and Mark Ruffalo as her boyfriend, with voice talents including Lauren Ambrose and James Gandolfini bringing the Wild Things to life.[16] Produced on a $100 million budget, it grossed $100.1 million worldwide, reflecting its ambitious blend of live-action and animatronic effects.[17] Records' performance earned widespread critical acclaim for its authentic portrayal of childhood emotions, from defiant anger and exuberant playfulness to underlying vulnerability and longing for connection.[18] Reviewers highlighted how he navigated the film's emotional stages with a plucky realism that elevated the adaptation beyond its source material, marking his emergence as a notable child actor.[19] This breakthrough role built on his prior experience in music videos, propelling him into the spotlight of feature filmmaking.[13]Post-2010 Roles and Transition
Following his breakthrough in Where the Wild Things Are, Max Records took on a small role as young Stephen in The Brothers Bloom (2008), a con-artist comedy-drama filmed prior to his fame but released the following year.[20] This early supporting part showcased his versatility in ensemble casts alongside actors like Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo. In 2011, Records appeared in a supporting role as Slater, one of the disruptive children, in the comedy The Sitter, directed by David Gordon Green and starring Jonah Hill as an unlikely babysitter navigating chaotic urban adventures.[21] The film highlighted Records' ability to portray mischievous yet sympathetic young characters in mainstream Hollywood productions. That same year, Records led the short sci-fi film Blinky™ (2011) as Alex Neville, a boy in a near-future home who receives a robot companion to cope with his parents' conflicts, only for the dynamic to turn darkly dystopian as he mistreats the AI.[22] The 13-minute piece, directed by Ruairi Robinson, explored themes of emotional neglect, technology's role in family life, and unintended consequences of human behavior toward machines.[23] Records' final major role came in 2016 as John Wayne Cleaver, the lead in the horror adaptation I Am Not a Serial Killer, based on Dan Wells' young adult novel and directed by Billy O'Brien.[24] In the film, Records portrayed a teenage sociopath working at a mortuary who battles his own homicidal urges while investigating a supernatural killer in his small town, co-starring Christopher Lloyd.[25] Critics praised his intense, nuanced performance for conveying the character's internal turmoil and moral ambiguity, with Variety noting his "sharp" delivery that anchored the film's blend of psychological thriller and subtle horror elements.[25] Director O'Brien emphasized the physical and emotional demands on the then-18-year-old Records, who appeared in nearly every scene, requiring significant stamina to sustain the role's brooding intensity.[26] Throughout his post-2010 career, Records balanced a handful of selective projects amid the pressures of adolescence in Hollywood, including navigating industry expectations and personal growth during his teen years, which led to fewer commitments as he matured.[26] His early Young Artist Award for Where the Wild Things Are opened doors to more mature, character-driven roles like those in The Sitter and I Am Not a Serial Killer, allowing him to transition from childlike innocence to complex antiheroes. Records remained active until 2016, but no major acting roles have been announced since, suggesting a shift away from the spotlight to prioritize privacy and personal pursuits.[3]Filmography
Feature Films
Max Records' feature film credits, drawn from his professional acting roles in theatrical and direct-to-video releases, are listed chronologically below.| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | The Brothers Bloom | Young Stephen | Supporting |
| 2009 | Where the Wild Things Are | Max | Lead |
| 2011 | The Sitter | Slater | Supporting |
| 2016 | I Am Not a Serial Killer | John Wayne Cleaver | Lead |