“Holes”' Khleo Thomas on How a Heat Rash Led to His Least Favorite Moment While Making the 2003 Film (Exclusive)

Khleo Thomas is among nan galore emotion this heat!

Amid a heatwave affecting galore areas of nan U.S., a station connected X precocious went viral, acknowledging nan basking and hazy weather.

"this is nan type of power those kids successful holes were moving successful omfg," @gapbby wrote connected X. Thomas, who played Zero successful Holes, based connected nan 1998 novel of nan aforesaid name, shared nan comment, adding, "Confirming. This is true."

Thomas precocious caught up pinch PEOPLE astatine DreamCon successful Houston, wherever he revealed that a power rash led to 1 of nan worst moments that he had while making nan 2003 deed film.

"My slightest favourite segment was erstwhile I had to jump connected nan backmost of Zigzag [Max Kasch] and choke him out," Thomas, 36, tells PEOPLE.

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Thomas repeated aggregate takes of nan stunt while dealing pinch power rash from nan harsh conditions successful nan California desert, wherever nan movie was filmed.

"I had power rash that day, truthful my legs were connected occurrence and man, was that uncomfortable. It was already hot. It's already dusty, but to person a power rash connected your legs and effort to wrap your legs astir this gangly feline and shoke them out. Oh man, I hated that day," he adds.

There was plentifulness to emotion astir nan role, however, which still holds a typical spot successful Thomas' heart.

"My favourite representation is astir apt nan shovel-swinging segment because I didn't cognize really we were going to do it. I didn't cognize really I was going to deed Dr. Pendanski [Tim Blake Nelson]. They didn't pass maine of what that time was going to beryllium like," he recalls. "I had been holding a existent shovel for up to 2 months earlier that existent day, and past we get to group and past they gave maine this gigantic rubber cartoony-looking shovel. So that was my favourite scene, because that's nan time movie magic made consciousness to me."

As a young actor, he was peculiarly moved by nan opportunity to activity pinch large names for illustration Henry Winkler and Sigourney Weaver.

"There were truthful galore iconic, legendary actors successful this film. I retrieve seeing Henry Winkler for nan first time. My dada couldn't judge it. He was like, 'That's nan Fonz!' So that was nan moment, but for me, clip froze and stood still erstwhile I saw Sigourney Weaver because I'm a immense sci-fi guy, and erstwhile she walked connected set, I didn't cognize she had been casted arsenic nan warden," he recalls of nan Alien star.

"She comes astir nan corner. She's successful wardrobe, and I conscionable freeze, and I'm like, 'What is Ripley doing here? No 1 gave maine a heads up.' "

Even castmate Shia LaBeouf was important because for a young star, he was "very seasoned already."

"He was built for this and getting a chance for him to beryllium my very first awesome segment partner successful a awesome mobility image movie ... I picked up truthful overmuch from him, from nan very opening connected nan first day," Thomas shares. "So I'm very grateful for that feline to beryllium nan feline that benignant of led nan measurement for maine to understand really to hole for definite roles."

While immoderate actors awkward distant from their early work, Thomas says he's "so grateful to person a domiciled connected my résumé that could guidelines nan trial of time."

"I think, arsenic actors. you want those moments. You want to person a rolling résumé that nary matter what, if group pat into it — either erstwhile they first watched it aliases years later down nan statement — they're still entertained and it still gets group emotional," he says.

"Those are nan moments you want, and for maine to person a nickname for illustration Zero for nan remainder of my life, and to beryllium that cool character, for me, I would person been a instrumentality of Hector Zero Zeroni, moreover if it wasn't me," he continues.

"The truth that I get a chance to spell done life pinch that legendary domiciled connected my shoulders. I'm very grateful for it," he adds. "I don't tally from it astatine all."