Who Is Joel Edgerton in ‘Train Dreams’? The Actor Talks About His Role as Robert Grainier

When Joel Edgerton tried to explain to his wife what Train Dreams was about, he had a hard time getting the words out.

It wasn’t that the actor didn’t believe in the story — he’d been a fan of Denis Johnson’s novella for years, and had long wanted to be a part of making it into a film. Rather, it was difficult for him to tell his wife about the depths of grief that his character, Robert Grainier, would have to explore. It brought to the surface his own darkest fears.

But, Edgerton tells Tudum, realizing that this film would make him confront his own emotional vulnerability…