Rolling Stone
"Troy Armitage's 2006 is a masterclass in emotional storytelling and genre fusion. Each track feels like a snapshot of a different era, yet the album flows seamlessly from start to finish. 'Golden Hour' and 'The Nights' are pure anthems of hope and freedom, while ballads like 'Say Something' and 'Arcade' showcase a raw, vulnerable side of Troy we've never seen before. It's not just an album—it's a time capsule."
Billboard
"With 2006, Troy Armitage cements his legacy as one of the defining artists of his generation. He moves effortlessly from the soaring pop of 'Counting Stars' to the heartbreak of 'Let Her Go' and the fiery power of 'Rolling in the Deep.' This isn't just a collection of hits—it's a complete emotional journey. Every song leaves you wanting more. If Troy doesn't release every one of these gems as singles, I might just sue him for sabotaging his own career."
The Guardian
"Troy Armitage proves he's in a league of his own with 2006. 'Somebody That I Used to Know' is a masterpiece with an aching core, while tracks like 'Arcade' and 'Love Yourself' sparkle with lyrical sharpness and haunting production. The best thing about Troy's music is its raw emotional honesty—everyone can see a piece of themselves in his songs. Few artists today can deliver both radio-ready hits and soul-searching ballads with such authenticity, but Armitage does it with ease."
NME
"Rarely does a pop album feel this personal and this universal all at once. 2006 captures the bittersweet pulse of youth—its triumphs, its heartbreaks, its invincibility. It would be a travesty to single out one song when Troy's tracks feel like they're fighting each other for the top spot. But if we had to, 'That's Hilarious' stands out for its bold, cutting lyrics. Similarly, 'Lonely' hits like a gut punch, laying bare the cost of fame. In the end, Troy Armitage hasn't just outdone himself—he's raised the bar for everyone else."
Pitchfork
"An emotionally resonant triumph. On 2006, Troy Armitage pairs top-notch production with deeply introspective lyrics, creating an album that feels massive in sound yet intimate in spirit. It's the closest thing to an eargasm you'll get in recent memory. While every track impresses, 'If You Could See Me Now' stands out—a heart-wrenching anthem about losing a parent that's impossible to listen to just once a day."
Variety
"Troy Armitage's 2006 is an instant classic. His transition from the euphoric highs of 'We Are Young' to the crushing introspection of 'Lonely' is nothing short of masterful. Every song has a purpose; every lyric lands with precision. It's rare to see an artist everyone had pegged as a one-hit wonder just a month ago completely redefine the conversation. Now, no one can question his staying power. I'm already counting down the days to the 2008 Grammys."
(Break)
"Frank," Gary called out, just as I was about to go back to my trailer.
The scene had finished already, and I wanted to go back to my solitude. On any other film set, I would love to spend as much time as I could on the set proper, socializing with different cast and crew members, but not here. I didn't want anyone to get too comfortable with my presence. I was not a hero this time around.
So when Gary called my name, I was more than a little confused to know what he had to say. I had seen him giving me those irritated and, dare I say, borderline hostile looks whenever he thought I wasn't looking. A part of me hated the fact that an actor I had gotten along with so well on [Harry Potter] had grown to dislike me in this film. But another part knew that it was only temporary. Gary was a reasonable man who had dabbled in method acting himself from time to time, so he would understand.
"Yes?" I asked the man in my Joker voice. I had gotten so used to using it by now that it was a chore to go back to my normal voice.
"Tell me honestly," he began slowly, "did Steve allow you to do this role, or is this some sort of teenage rebellion?"
I froze in my place as soon as I heard that.
"What?" I asked intelligently before looking around to see if anyone else had overheard this conversation.
"Don't give me that," Gary chided me. "If you don't want to talk here, we can move to one of our trailers, but don't play dumb with me."
Sighing internally, I motioned for him to follow me, which he did silently, until we were in my trailer. It was only a matter of time before someone recognized me. It would make sense that it's him when we worked closely together on two films. When I opened the door, two more Jokers were already sitting there, fully decked in make-up, just like me.
"Give me the room, guys," I motioned for them to go the other two similar trailers that had been parked beside mine.
The two nodded before leaving me alone with Gary, who looked more and more confused about their presence.
"They are my body doubles and Joker decoys," I explained. "They are here to make sure the crew remained confused about who's real and who's not. That's why we have three identical trailers set up right next to each other. All of us do our own makeup, and the costume guys are told not to linger. Besides those two and Chris, no one here knows who I truly am."
Then I paused as I took him in, "Well, except you now, I guess."
"Can you drop the voice, Troy?" Gary asked all of a sudden. "It is just us now."
I closed my eyes for a moment before clearing my throat. "Better?" I asked as normally as I could, though it still came out a bit raspy. "Haven't spoken to anyone using this voice for months."
I chuckled as realization hit me. "I think I'll have to go into speech therapy when this is over."
"I think you should go to therapy," Gary said seriously. "But one meant for your psyche." At my silence, he prodded, "You didn't answer my first question: did Steve agree to you taking this role?"
I shook my head, "My parents don't even know where I am right now."
Gary tilted his head in confusion, "And they are okay with it? To not know if their son is safe and sound?"
"My security team keeps them updated about my well-being," I replied. Seeing the determined expression on his face, I had to make one thing clear: "You cannot disclose this to anyone. It's in your contract, remember?"
Gary sighed out loud before saying bluntly, "You are being stupid. You are 18, for God's sake. It is time for you to go out, party, have wild orgies, and the likes. Not… this." He motioned towards my Joker attire.
Then he shook his head, "I want to take you to your parents' place and drop you there, but I have a feeling you won't agree to it."
I nodded in agreement.
"So here's what we'll do," he continued, "Remove your make-up, get dressed in some normal clothes, and come to my place. Until the shooting is over here in London, you'll stay with me."
"You can't force me," I said weakly.
"I am not," he emphasized. "But you need someone to show you the reality. What you're doing is not healthy, and I won't forgive myself if I don't help you right now. Come with me. My sons love you. Take a break from this…character."
When I didn't say anything for a few moments, he stepped forward and grabbed my shoulder. "Listen, Troy, I have been where you are right now. It's so easy to lose yourself in a character, but it's doubly difficult to come back from there. When I played Dracula, I wish someone had pulled me back in time. So that's what I'm doing for you."
I wanted to argue that I knew better, but the truth was that I didn't. These last three months had been some of the most miserable of my life. I had no one to talk to around me, be it on set or at home. So when Gary gave me the out I needed but was too proud to admit that I did, I simply nodded.
There was also the fact that I didn't have any more scenes for a week. Mine was just a supporting role, after all.
"Good," Gary nodded before taking a step towards the door. "Come out whenever you're ready. If you are adamant about hiding your identity from the others, use that face mask."
He pointed towards a rack in the corner, where the same plastic face mask was placed that I had used in the opening bank robbery sequence of the film.
"Okay," I acquiesced.
(Break)
"Daddy!" Two young boys ran up to Gary the moment we stepped inside his house. The older man bent down in expectation and scooped the boys up in his arms.
"How're my two boys?" Gary effortlessly lifted them each in his arms, which might not be as easy as he made it look, at least not for a man his age. After all, the boys were 8 and 10-year-olds, so not entirely little.
The older boy, Gulliver, turned to me and asked, "Who are you?"
"I–" I began before realizing that I had unconsciously switched back to my Joker voice. I cleared my throat and said in my usual voice, "I am Troy. We met last year, you forgot already?"
The boy squinted his eyes, as if trying to remember me, before a metaphorical light bulb lit up in his head. "You're Harry Potter!"
As soon as his younger brother, Charlie, heard my character name, he left Gary and ran up to me. "Can you do a magic trick for me, Harry?"
"Now, now, kids," Gary interrupted, "Troy will be staying with us for a few days, so behave, and remember what I told you about acting: It's not real. So he's Troy, not Harry."
I gasped before turning to the man with a grin, "You are a bad man for saying that to kids and destroying the magic of cinema."
Little Charlie stepped forward and punched me in the knee. I barely felt it, but it's the principle of the matter. "Take that back," he said hotly. "Daddy is not bad. Mummy is."
I turned towards Gary in confusion, who sighed and shook his head. Then he crouched to Charlie's level and said, "Charlie, what did I tell you about hitting others?"
"To not to?" Charlie piped in cutely before pointing at me. "But he called you bad, just like that TV show you told me not to watch."
I got an idea of what was happening. Gary's ex-wife had filed a number of false cases against him, alleging that he abused her and the kids. Anyone who spent even an hour with him and the kids could see how much he loved them, and vice versa. He had won the case, but as usual, the media had come forth as the villains, taking the woman's side without even listening to what Gary had to say.
Seeing the tense mood, I decided to change the topic and lighten things up a bit.
"Gulliver, Charlie," I called them out. "Would you like to watch the first [Harry Potter] film with me?"
Gulliver looked more than enthused about it and nodded eagerly. "Yes! I want to!"
Charlie got excited by his brother's actions and nodded as well. I turned to Gary to ask for his permission. He made an exaggerated thinking face, rubbing his chin, before adding, "You can watch it, but only if you guys finish your homework first."
"Awww!" The two boys groaned in disappointment. "We can do homework later."
"No," Gary said firmly. "Come on. I'll help you."
"Let me help them today," I volunteered.
"Are you sure about it?" Gary asked me. "You don't have to."
"I want to," I insisted. "I've always wanted little siblings. I guess this is the closest I'll get to the experience."
Gary gave me a scrutinizing look before turning to the two, "You heard him, boys. Get to your room and get out your books. The sooner you finish the work, the sooner you can watch the movie."
The boys shared a look before running towards their room.
(Break)
My week with the Oldman family was a lot of fun. I hadn't even realized how much I needed to let loose. I guess a part of me resented myself for not being a proper kid, so I enjoyed playing with the ones who were doing it right.
I realized I had gotten a little greedy for playing an iconic role, and because of that, I was ignoring my mental health. After more than three months of isolation, I had gotten enough of a grasp on the Joker that I didn't need to torment myself any longer.
I was half-tempted to go back to my parents' place while shooting—after all, I was in London—but in the end, I chose not to. I knew they would be mad at me, so I decided to postpone that until I absolutely had to. Instead, I returned to finish my scenes as the Joker, which were done in another two weeks. At least most of them.
Initially, I had planned to make a major health excuse to Paramount about not promoting [Superbad], but now that Gary had helped me accept reality, I knew that I had to. If for some reason the film didn't perform as good as the original timeline, I would feel very guilty.
Also, only a few of my scenes as the Joker were left, which would be shot in September, after the rest of the cast and crew finished the Hong Kong part of the shoot where I didn't have any scenes. Chris had also warned me in advance that he does a lot of pick-up shots at the end because he's a perfectionist.
With all that said and done, I decided to focus on what was in front of me: the promotions for [Superbad].
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AN: Visit my Pat reon to read ahead, or check out my second Hollywood story set in the 80s.
Link: www(dot)pat reon(dot)com/fableweaver