Jorge Lendeborg Jr. is no stranger to blockbuster films having acted in Spider-Man: Homecoming. His latest project is Bumblebee where he plays Memo, an awkward teenager trying to connect with the girl next door, Charlie, played by Hailee Steinfeld. Bumblebee tells the story of Charlie finding a lost robot disguised as a VW Beetle and forming an unlikely bond.

Screen Rant: You guys knocked it out of the park. This is exactly what I’ve always wanted from a Transformers movie. Can you talk to me about Memo’s relationship with Charlie?

Screen Rant: I like the use of music that you guys did in this. If you had your choice of a song to, for Bumblebee to play, what would that song be?

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: Yeah. Well for one, Memo’s new to the neighborhood and moves across from Charlie’s house.  And he has a bit of a crush on Charlie. So, he vies for her attention and ultimately gets swept up into the big, space-alien, robot adventure that is Bumblebee.

Screen Rant: “Let it Fly.” I can imagine it coming out of Bumblebee.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: Yeah, I’ve been listening to that new Lil Wayne song, “Let it Fly.”

Screen Rant: I love it. Now this is, the aesthetic of the Transformers are like the G1 Transformers. That’s something I grew up with. Which transformer do you think, if there was a sequel, do you think Memo would connect with, for you?

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: [singing lyrics] Like he could just be shooting stuff to like, some Lil Wayne. That’ll be cool.

Screen Rant: I do remember that one, but I don’t remember his name either.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr: I’m forgetting his name. Who was the medic? Remember he turned into like an ambulance? [NOTE: Ratchet]

Screen Rant: Talk to me about Travis Knight a little bit. Because he’s responsible for giving us this aesthetic of these older Transformers. But talk to me about his directing style and what you learned from Travis on set.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: I feel like him. I feel like they’re like nurturing type of characters, so they’d probably get along.

Screen Rant: Well, it’s pretty crazy how Bumblebee doesn’t really have to speak a word but can convey emotion through his eyes. For you guys on set, how was that? Because obviously there’s not a giant robot that you’re looking at. So how is that?

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: Well, for one, I feel like Travis had a great attention to detail, which I feel like he got from his background in stop motion animation. And he was able to use that and just communicate with me and Haley, just what Bumblebee was going through from scene to scene. The care that he put into Bumblebee. I feel like that that’s what made Travis really like the man for the job. Like he just understands…inanimate objects [chuckles].

Screen Rant: I saw it at the LA auto show.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: No, actually, this one had the budget. We got the real Bumblebee from [Cybertron]. He came down.

Screen Rant: It’s a real thing.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: It was dope.  You saw him. He’s been around.

Screen Rant: Obviously. So, what was the hardest action scene to shoot? Because you actually do a lot of physicality, believe it or not.  At least towards the end of the film.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: Yeah, it’s real. Transformers is real.

Screen Rant: Now I have a fan theory and I want you to confirm or deny it.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: The action scenes, they were cool man? I feel like, as far as the things that I’m in, the– anytime that Bee is in the car form, just because we can’t drive the car, there’s a guy on top driving the car. So, that’s kind of scary. You’re just like in a death trap, with no seat belts.

Screen Rant: It has to do with John’s character. It’s true obviously. So, I have a theory. So, this is a soft reboot of Transformers. And I also think, with John’s character, this is also a soft reboot of G.I. Joe. Him being Duke. What are the chances that you think that that’s accurate?

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: It’s true.

Screen Rant: We’re on to something.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: I feel like that there’s a real chance. Yo…

Screen Rant: Hey, there you go. Hire me.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: Yo…this guy, this guy, they should hire you.

Screen Rant: Thank you. But you did a great job and I love this film, man. Congratulations.

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: Hire this guy. He has ideas. The future!

More: Angela Bassett Interview for Bumblebee

Jorge Lendeborg Jr.: Sweet. Thanks man. Appreciate it.

  • Bumblebee Release Date: 2018-12-21