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Q) We’re very excited to have some time today with acclaimed actor Herman Tømmeraas; greetings and salutations Herman and thanks for taking time from a very busy schedule to speak with us here at Vents Magazine! Before we dive down the proverbial celluloid-lined Q&A rabbit hole, how is the New Year finding you and yours?
A) So excited to talk to you guys! 2026 has started in a beautiful way, with a lot of time spent with friends and family. I’ve mostly been in Scandinavia, enjoying the cold and all the snow, but I will be back in the UK very soon.
Q) Major kudos and accolades on your bravura turn in the wildly anticipated new major motion picture thriller Sweetness! Starting at the top, can you explain to anyone late to the party what Sweetness is about and how your character of enigmatic vocalist Payton Adler figures into the proceedings?
A) Thank you so much for the kind words. Sweetness is a story about a girl, Rylee, who finally gets to meet her biggest idol. But after that meeting, her world gets turned upside down, and both of them find themself completely lost together.
Q) Did you know as soon as the screenplay for Sweetness from writer/director Emma Higgins landed on your professional desktop that this was a production you wanted to be a part of? What initially attracted you to this fascinating and complex character and film?
A) When I read the script for the first time, I knew that I wanted to be Payton. The story felt exciting and twisted, and the characters were so deep and challenging. Plus, getting to be a struggling musician, going through so many different emotions felt super challenging and fun. I believed in Emma’s vision.
Q) As we noted earlier, you play a character in Sweetness called Payton Adler who heads up a major pop-rock band called Floorplan. This performance is drop-the-mic worthy on so many levels, specifically because of your breathtaking acting choices and because you expertly command the vocals throughout the film, so much so that an honest-to-Pete Floorplan single entitled Payback drops this January 23; congratulations! How does it feel to blur the lines between the film and reality with this new single release?
A) You are too kind! Thank you. I was lucky enough to be a part of making the songs, which felt really good from an acting point of view. I really had to put my mind into how it feels to be in a recording booth, working with talented producers. I’ve always wanted to release music, so this was a perfect fit. I really hope someone will hear the song, and then randomly stumble across the movie, and be like: “WAIT a minute”
Q) The music of Floorplan in Sweetness was written and produced by JUNO AWARD-winning Canadian composers and artists Blitz//Berlin. What was it like collaborating with this phenomenally gifted duo?
A) Blitz//Berlin was a dream to work with. So down to earth, but still masters at what they do. We really hit it off from the first meeting, and when they sent me the pre-recordings of the tracks, I was blown away. Such a great gang!
Q) Were there any other actors out there who have traversed similar terrain over the years in mixing music with film – Gary Busey in The Buddy Holly Story, River Phoenix in The Thing Called Love, Reese Witherspoon in Walk the Line – who sort of gave you the confidence and courage to use your own vocals for the musical parts in Sweetness?
A) I’ve always been into singing and dancing, and have been used to doing it on stage in musicals since my childhood. The dream was always to use it in a movie, and finally I could. I really wanted to play around and do what I felt would be fun on stage. But YungBlud played a part in the process.
Q) Speaking of collaborations, what was it like working alongside Sweetness director Emma Higgins? Is Emma what some actors might refer to as ‘an actor’s director’?
A) Emma brings confidence and calmness to the set. She is one of the most well-prepared directors I’ve ever worked with. She knows her stuff, but she’s still open to working together if anyone has any notes. Big smile, every day, top notch.
Q) Sweetness features such a brilliant ensemble of actors, including the likes of Kate Hallett, Aya Furukawa, Justin Chatwin, Steven Ogg, and Amanda Brugel! What was it like exercising your own considerable acting chops alongside this talented lot of thespians?
A) First of all, being surrounded by so many talented actors was such a privilege. Every scene got so much easier to do, we had a lot of fun, and I learnt a lot. I was a bit nervous at first, but after the first day, I was calm.
Q) Sweetness was a major breakthrough hit at no less of a distinguished film festival as SXSW in Austin, Texas! How did it feel to receive so many accolades for this special film at such a high-profile venue as SXSW?
A) Sweetness is a movie full of surprises and emotions. It catches you off guard a lot of times, and can feel a bit overwhelming, so getting that feedback from SXSW was a huge win for us.
Q) Final – SILLY! – Question: Favorite movie about the making of movies – Hollywood Shuffle, Living in Oblivion, The Player, Swimming with Sharks, or Barton Fink?
A) I might actually have to go with Tropic Thunder. It’s one of my favourite movies of all time.
