JOHN ROBINSON - ELEPHANT STAR 'TALKED HIS WAY INTO THE ROLE'

Acting newcomer JOHN ROBINSON cites his conversational skills as the reason he won the lead role in GUS VAN SANT's controversial new movie ELEPHANT.

The 18-year-old high school student auditioned alongside thousands of other hopefuls, but managed to sell himself by engaging in conversation with the casting director about the pressures of his student life - the subject of the film.

And now Robinson is overwhelmed that his acting career is taking off thanks to the critical kudos awarded to the film, which looks at a school massacre similar to the one that occurred at COLUMBINE HIGH SCHOOL in 1999.

He says, "As a kid who loves acting, to be able to have part of you in a movie is just great".