Miles Teller talks dramatic drummer role in 'Whiplash'

NEW YORK, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Miles Teller says he was never genuinely terrified on the set of Whiplash.

The 27-year-old actor portrays drum prodigy Andrew Neiman in the new film by writer and director Damien Chazelle. The character is subject to subject to harsh instruction by maestro Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), and the movie questions how far a teacher is allowed to go to bring out the best in a student. Teller and Chazelle detailed the feature in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter at the New York Film Festival.

"It was my life for a few years and I still have nightmares about it," Chazelle recalled. "Conductors tend to have a special thing against drummers because it seems to be less demanding than instruments that actually play notes, and everyone thinks they can do it ... And yet, the entire band falls apart without one, and a bad drummer sticks out like a sore thumb."

Teller had 10 years of experience drumming in a rock band, but said he might as well have been "starting from scratch" with the film's jazz-based music. The actor underwent hours of lessons each week, and performed on set with Simmons often yelling at him or assaulting his person. Although the story required intense verbal and physical moments, Teller said he was never actually terrified, and joked Simmons "hits like a girl."

"Never, not for a second!" he shared. "In real life, I kind of tower over J.K. I'm 6'1", 175, in good shape! But no -- honestly, if J.K. was in character the whole time, it would've been miserable, but there's nothing to be scared of! ... I got to know his face so well because it was just right here! Every wrinkle, every crease. He gets a neck muscle popping out right on cue."

Whiplash premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in January, and will open in theaters October 10. Teller will appear in Divergent sequel Insurgent, Get a Job, The Fantastic Four, Bleed for This and La La Land in 2015.