Warning: This story contains spoilers for “The Long Walk” in theaters now.
Let’s set the scene. A group of 50 young men from various states and counties walk side by side in the challenging summer heat. The boys don’t know where they are going, their bodies are slowly closed, and everything they say is constantly being monitored for America to see. The only purpose of their mind is to walk until the last man stands alone.
It was a totalitarian society that Richard Bachman (aka Stephen King) created when he wrote his first novel, “Current Feature Film.” With an intimate appearance in masculinity and male friendship, “The Long Walk” has resonated with multiple generations throughout the past 46 years, demonstrating the loss of young people in dire circumstances.
“Long Walk” follows the story of Raymond Garanty (Cooper Hoffman) and Peter McVreese (David Johnson) and develop friendships while on a walk, but the film also focuses on a variety of pedestrians who are hoping to be at odds with the society they were born and are eager to make a difference with the bounty.
One of the pedestrians, Stebbins (Garrett Wearing), sets himself apart from the other pedestrians and avoids connecting closely with other contestants in order to win. When Stebbins begins to question the points and authorities behind the walk, he soon realizes that he may have more in common with his competition than he believes.
Wareing spoke to Variety about the original role of Barkovich, why Stebbins chose to get out of the competition at the final moments of the film, and why “Long Walk” had a lasting impact since its release in 1979.
Garrett Welling, left, Roman Griffin Davis, Charlie Plummer, Cooper Hoffman, David Johnson, Ben Wang, Joshua Odick, Jordan Gonzales, Tutto Nuot “Long Walk.”
©Lions Gate/Courtesy Everett Collection
How did you become obsessed with “long walks”?
Initially, I auditioned for “The Long Walk,” a completely different team five years ago. I remember falling in love with this story at the time. When I saw the film return it revitalized excitement within me. I initially auditioned for the role of Barkovich and casting director Rich Delia. We then asked who would potentially want to play in the film. I was given a new script to read and I realized I was attracted to Stebbins. One thing led to something else and I ended up doing Stebbins tape. I went out of Ransom Canyon and had a friend go out into the desert and had me take a photo shoot, then walked through the desert and filmed an audition tape.
First, Stebbins is the one who thinks all the other boys will win a walk or give their first ticket. They have their own opinions and thoughts about him at the beginning of the walk, and they make those feelings very clear. He overhears all the other contestants talking so openly about him, where is his head space?
I don’t think Stebbins are coming from places they want to hurt these boys. In his mind, he must win this race and defeat everyone else to win. I found this space with Francis (Lawrence) because it is withheld, but it does not come from a place of hatred or anger. It comes from a place of self-preservation. If he starts to like these boys, start to know something about them and end up getting along with them, it only hurts him more. In his mind, he wins this walk. He refrains from knowing them because he doesn’t want to hurt himself and doesn’t want to hurt them in the process.
In the book, Stebbins is a very polarized character. Throughout the novel, he talks a bit with the other boys, but he laughs when he is killed one by one. In this version, you can see a more subtle version where he is always in combat or flight mode, and is very retreating from everyone around him.
In the book, he is pretty awful. Francis was leading from a place of unity and friendship, all of these boys included, each one being loose and not wanting to see each other die. On the set, the cast found a place together to give these characters more hearts. I really love finding truth and love in Stevin.
In the scene after Olson (Ben Wang) dies, the rest of the pedestrians learn that he is the only person who has a wife back home. The remaining competitors create this agreement that the winner will support his widow with financial assistance, and Stebbins will soon board with the other boys in every way to help them. Is that a turning point where he slowly begins to realize that he cares about the rest of the pedestrians?
The moment for me came a little earlier. Tresler (Samuel Clark) maintains this radio, and it’s the moment when everyone chants, “Long walk, fuck the major!” Around me. When we were filming it, everyone was hooked on it. As both Garrett and Stevins, I just started to smile as there was a bit of a friendship going on with everyone. At that small moment, Stebbins begins to see these boys as companions, not enemies. It’s a surprise to him that he found throughout the film, especially at that moment.
It’s a very vulnerable moment for him, too, as you feel like you’re fucking you with his father, who is revealed to be a major at the end of the film. As they reach the final three, Stebbins announces that he wanted to use his wish to be invited to his father’s house for tea. Before he dies, he realizes that he will not become his father, and that he does not want to be like him in any form or form.
I think maybe he’s stupidly hooked on it and thinks he’ll get one thing from it. But then, on a walk, he learns that maybe it’s something else. Ultimately, we will change for what we have experienced.
Finally, does Stebbins realize he’s not going to win a walk?
Stebbins feels he may have kept on walking, but I think he’s starting to see that he doesn’t have what he needs to be a winner of his soul. He sees what Ray and Pete share, and I think they’re almost sacrificing themselves to make those final moments together. When he allowed them to move forward, I really realized that I was heading towards the end of that monologue there at the end of the film. He gets sick, which makes him physically exhausted, but the love that Stebbins sees between the two boys makes him happy that he is in peace and in the end they are both.
“The Long Walk” has been resonating with viewers for almost 50 years. Why do you think this book speaks to teenagers and continues to have a lasting impact on multiple generations?
There are some stories that can all relate to us. It is this brutal walk that we are experiencing these boys, but it is also a lesson to understand what we have while we have. Everything is temporary in life, but is that enough if you can share beautiful experiences with others during that temporary experience? We will be teaching us a lesson by watching these boys love each other and become an audience to understand what you have while you have. We are on a long walk from the moment we are born to the exact moment we die. That’s what I’m learning here is to treat others with respect and kindness, respect the wishes they’ve fallen, and have dreams of a better future. We’re all together.
This interview was compiled and condensed.
