During the Shanghai International Film Festival, CGTN had the chance to sit down with English actor Nicholas Hoult, whose talent was discovered at the early age of three. His major breakthrough was playing Marcus Brewer in "About a Boy", for which he was nominated for the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer. Now, he's well-known for his roles in "Jack the Giant Slayer", "X-Men", and "Warm Bodies". Our Ji Xiaojun sat down with Hoult to find out more about his professional career.

Host: First time in Shanghai. So I am sure that this is your first time in Shanghai Film Festival, too.

Nicholas Hoult: I am Pleasant to be here. My first time in China so I am very exciting about it. 

Host: This morning I saw you were invited to talk for a restoration of old movies. How did you go with the talk with the Chinese actress Ni Ni?

Nicholas Hoult: It was amazing; it's such a pleasure to me because The Flowers of War is one of my favorite films. I think it is a beautiful film. So I am a fan of her work and hear about her work.

Host: Any people you would like to portrait in the future products, any specific ones?

Nicholas Hoult: Any people I would like to portrait in future products, um I'm not sure; I would like to do at some point, some sort of boxing or martial arts, or focus on sort of movies and maybe a real life story of someone like that so I haven't found the right one yet but I am interested in that world so it would be fun to try to find a good story within that. 

Host: Yay, also get a chance to you, maybe to work with Chinese filmmakers?

Nicholas Hoult: I would love to at some point. I think Wong Kar Wai's movies are beautiful. The Flowers of war as I said is beautiful movie that's is kind of a lot of really wonderful story telling, coming out China and I would love to come back here and make a movie in Shanghai.

Host: More delicious food in Shanghai too.

Nicholas Hoult: More hotpot, more hotpot for me!

Host: It was really early right? You first got into this business like when you were only 3 or 4, 5?

Nicholas Hoult: I did my first play when I was three and then first film when I was five.

Host: Three and five?

Nicholas Hoult: Yay, yes, pretty early.

Host: Did you what you were doing at that time?

Nicholas Hoult: Not really, I still don't know why I am doing now, I still don't figure it out, you know, that's what's good about film making and acting and particular you know as you grow as a person, you learn, and kind of have more to bring to you character and each time you are playing a different person, it's kind of you're starting from fresh.

Host: Exactly!

Nicholas Hoult: And also each director and filmmaker likes to work in a different way.

Host: You got your first break, what was it? You were Marcus in About A Boy.

Nicholas Hoult: Marcus in About A Boy.

Host: How old are you at that time?

Nicholas Hoult: I was eleven when I filmed it.

Host: Eleven!

Nicholas Hoult: So I got to work with Hugh Grant and the Weitz brothers who are brilliant writers and directors and kind of um that was a big, a turning point in my life.

Host: Yay.

Nicholas Hoult: I was very fortunate.

Host: Is a childhood or a teenage life different from the rest of the fellow teenagers at that time I guess?

Nicholas Hoult: In ways, but also I was fortunate that you know when I did in England and the family I had around me and the friends, I could kind of have a normal life.

Host: And you took it as your hobby at the very beginning?

Nicholas Hoult: Yay, I still kind of take it as a hobby.

Host: Even after all those years when you were eleven?

Nicholas Hoult: You know I take it very seriously, trying to take myself seriously but I enjoy it and trying to learn from people. That's the thing and that's what wonderful about coming here and meeting all these people.

Host: So where do you get the biggest, the most satisfaction from people?

Nicholas Hoult: Honestly, the biggest satisfaction will be sometimes on me, someone randomly on the street or whoever might be and they would say, they will bring out a job I might have it five years ago or ten years ago and something that maybe not many people may even saw, and someone will say 'Hey, that was a really tough time in my life and I found that and it meant so much to me and it really gave me the strength to carry on and get through whatever I was going through' and that's kind of the biggest reward I think that you can never get to know like sometime your work and have a big impact on people's life in a positive way.

Host: And next project?

Nicholas Hoult: Next project, I am working on a film at the moment called 'Those who wish me dead', that Taylor Sheridan is directing and Angelina Jolie stars and which I think who come out later in the year, but yeah that's why I am flying back tonight so I go continuous shooting.

Host: Alright, so busy business schedule and all the best wishes!

Nicholas Hoult: Thank you so much!

Host: Thank you very much!

Nicholas Hoult: Really appreciate that! It was a lovely interview.