Miles Teller has spoken about his role in James Gray’s Paper Tiger, the personal losses that shaped his performance and how his approach to acting has evolved over the years.
The film, which received strong reviews following its premiere at Cannes, follows two brothers whose business ambitions draw them into conflict with the Russian mafia. Teller plays Irwin Pearl, a Queens-based engineer and family man, alongside Adam Driver as his older brother Gary and Scarlett Johansson as his wife, Hester.
Known for roles in Whiplash, The Spectacular Now and Top Gun: Maverick, Teller said the new film offered him the chance to portray a more mature character: a devoted husband and father whose life is built around his family and professional ambitions.
The role also came at a difficult time in the actor’s personal life. Teller said his home was destroyed in the Palisades Fire shortly before he met Gray about the project. He had also recently lost his grandfather and was staying with his wife, Keleigh Sperry, in a rented property in Santa Barbara.
Those experiences, he said, brought an added emotional dimension to his performance. Losing a home meant losing not only a physical place but also a space where family and friends gathered and memories were made.
Family tensions and personal influences
Teller described his confrontational scenes with Driver as particularly intense, explaining that conflicts between siblings often carry the weight of years of unresolved feelings.
Family members, he said, can affect one another more deeply than anyone else because their relationships are shaped by experiences dating back to childhood. The anger in the film’s arguments therefore goes beyond the immediate disagreement between the two brothers.
The actor also drew inspiration from his father and grandfather when developing Irwin. He described both men as strong, dependable and sensitive, with a deep sense of responsibility towards their families.
Teller said he was drawn to the character’s commitment to showing his children that success is not measured by material possessions, but by hard work, integrity and what a person builds through their own efforts.
Reflecting on his career, Teller said he had sought to avoid being confined to a single type of role. Early in his career, he faced resistance when trying to move between comedy and drama, but said directors willing to take a chance on him had helped him explore different characters.
He also acknowledged that young actors do not always have the freedom to choose the projects they want, noting that securing consistent work is a challenge for many in the industry.
‘Michael’ sequel in development
Teller, who plays Michael Jackson’s lawyer John Branca in the biographical film Michael, said work on a sequel was under way.
He noted that the third act of the first film had needed to be reworked and said the production team was keen to complete the story. However, he added that he had not yet held any direct discussions about the follow-up.
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