5 Questions With Kellan Lutz

Kellan Lutz is one amiable fellow.

As one of eight children, he knows how to get along. Lutz is chatty and loves to play extreme sports, so hosting FOX’s Bullseye, beginning May 27, is a natural fit.

Bullseye_LutzIt’s the sort of show that appeals to those who find bungee jumping ho-hum and who don’t mind signing endless insurance forms. Lutz, who played Emmett Cullen in the Twilight movies, Chris MacNess on The Comeback and George Evans on 90210, is making his debut as a host.

To be fair, he has hosted charity events but not a TV show, and this one enticed him because the one-hour unscripted series has people hurling themselves at targets on land, in water and while airborne. “I love doing action movies and traveling the world,” Lutz says.

Still, Lutz was hesitant about this gig because he doesn’t perceive himself as a host, though branching out intrigued him. “I am really impressed with the industry and the opportunities and how you can cross-pollinate within the industry,” Lutz says. “I am very business-savvy and it is very hard to maintain a movie career.”

His manager of 11 years, Lutz’s best friend, knew the way to his heart. He showed Lutz the Bullseye sizzle reel of crazy stunts. “It was essentially just a trailer of people doing extreme stunts and flying through the air,” Lutz says. “I love doing stunts. I am such a risktaker by nature. I love being on adventures. I would love being on this show.”

Lutz wanted to be on Wipeout and hung out on the set with friends who test the courses. To someone who kiteboards and whose goal is to jump off a cliff wearing a wingsuit, Bullseye is irresistible. “I said I will do it if they let me do some of the stunts, and they said OK,” Lutz says.

Lutz laughs as he recalls the dangerous stunts he and his six brothers pulled as children. The show’s stunts remind him of those shenanigans. “We all did this as kids,” he says. “I would drive my ATV through fire. We were the jackasses before Jackass.”

“I had no attention growing up,” he says matter-of-factly. “I played with my Lincoln Logs and Legos. I had a lot of alone time and never felt lonely. My brothers would throw me through windows and hook me up to a trampoline and do something crazy.”

His mom, whom Lutz calls “a wise cookie,” shopped at thrift stores for her brood. “She knew that table or chair would be broken the next day,” he says. “We broke everything, usually with our bodies. She would save her money for the insurance and doctors.”

As he prepares for Bullseye, Lutz realizes it could well be a perfect gig. He’s very friendly and open, despite having been told to “act unapproachable and mysterious” when the Twilight mania started. “That made no sense to me. I get why people might do it. And some Twilight actors did — maybe they were just nervous as soon as the fame came. With that part of the franchise, I am just going to be me.”

Lutz tells us a little more about himself by answering our “5 Questions.”

  1. If you hadn’t been an actor, what career would you have pursued?
    An inventor. I was going to college for chemical engineering.
  1. If your TV carried just three shows or networks, what would they be?
    National Geographic, Animal Planet and FOX, obviously. Come on.
  1. What has been your strangest fan encounter?
    The craziest one, we were at a fan signing. It was one of the Twilight things and a mom asks if she could handcuff me and bring me home. I said, “Yeah, of course.” She had handcuffs and you hear that sound! This is going to happen. She said, “My fantasy is coming true.” Then security stepped in.
  1. Who have you been starstruck by?
    Richard Branson. I had the pleasure of meeting him and hanging out with him on a flight. I make a vision board every year and he has been on my vision board every year. The energy he exudes — he loves life.
  1. What three items do you always have in your fridge or pantry?
    Cinnamon Toast Crunch, baby carrots, my almond butter.

Bullseye airs Wednesdays beginning May 27 on FOX, at 9pm ET.

© 2015 Fox Broadcasting Co. Credit: Elko Weaver/FOX