Kodi Smit-McPhee, a Star of ‘X Men: Dark Phoenix,’ Has Real-Life Battles

Name: Kodi Smit-McPhee

Age: 22

Hometown: Adelaide, Australia.

Now lives: In a two-bedroom apartment in Marina del Rey, Calif., that he shares with a roommate.

Claim to fame: Mr. Smit-McPhee, who is in the next “X Men” movie, and has appeared in a short film for the fashion label Kenzo, is a rising star who has drawn strength from physical pain. At 16, he was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a medical condition that causes vertebrae to fuse.

“Dealing with such an obstacle taught me a lot,” he said. “It showed me the darker sides to people’s selfishness in the industry, but on the other hand, it has showed me the beauty of how much people will give themselves to help get someone in need back on their feet.”

Big break: Mr. Smit-McPhee credits his father, Andy McPhee, a former train conductor and professional wrestler turned actor. Mr. Smit-McPhee’s first audition was for the Australian film “Romulus, My Father” when he was 9. The part earned him a best young actor award from the Australian Film Institute in 2007. “My dad’s acting career had a domino effect on my career,” he said. “I always try to honor the craft he taught me.”

Latest project: He is in New Mexico filming the true-crime drama “Interrogation” alongside Peter Sarsgaard. The series, which will have its premiere on CBS All Access this year, is based on a true story of a young man accused of matricide. “It’s a different sensation portraying something that you know actually happened,” Mr. Smit-McPhee said.

Next thing: He will reprise his role as Nightcrawler in “X-Men: Dark Phoenix,” which opens on June 7. Mr. Smit-McPhee said that with help from a physical therapist, he “went from limping in agony each day to eventually walking by the end” of shooting.

“I must keep all of this up if I want to continue toward success in the path I’m on in my personal life and in my career,” he added. “As hard as it has been to get to this place, I can say this: There is the best version of myself waiting as a reward.”

Deep thoughts: When he is not acting, Mr. Smit-McPhee pursues an interest in philosophy, including astro-theology, Jungian psychology and the teachings of Alan Watts, a British philosopher from the mid-20th-century.

“The philosophies I study and practice come from my natural curiosity for the universe and my place within it,” he said. “But I was definitely pushed towards truth seeking when I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that caused me much discomfort on a daily basis.”