Hello readers!  Welcome (and, I honestly hope, welcome BACK!) to my ongoing and EXCLUSIVE coverage of the currently filming indie paranormal thriller, “Urban Myths”.  This time, I have the utmost privilege to bring you my second interview of the production, this time with one of its main stars.  I must admit, no one could have convinced me a year ago when this website adventure began, that I would have the chance to pose questions to the son of a rather well-known acting icon!  So, without further fussing about, I give you my interview with (EASY does it, ladies!) Lou Ferrigno, Jr.

   

One Film Fan:  Even as the son of industry icon Lou Ferrigno, I seemed to glean from your bio that overall, TV and Film was NOT your immediate direction. When did it become evident that acting was GOING to be your CAREER choice?

Lou Ferrigno Jr.:  I was never able to NOT perform. After I graduated from college, my thirst for performance got to a point where I started to hone my skill and take it seriously, rather than just rely on my instincts. Playing pretend has always been more fun than real life 🙂

O.F.F.:  How did you further learn the art beyond your father (ie: mentors, influences, schooling)?

LFJr:  I attended a number of theatrical coaches in Santa Monica (Baron Brown) and Hollywood to get a broad perspective on the craft, as well as improv at the Westside Comedy Theatre In Santa Monica.

O.F.F.:  When preparing for a role, do you always have the same routines/methods to get into a character or does that vary depending ON the role? Additionally, how much research do you tend to do FOR a character?

LFJr:  There are some routine preparations I do, whether it may be physical or emotional preparation, but with every character being different, each character requires its own unique amount of research. I watch and read a lot of material pertaining to a character’s background before I begin to construct the individual. Then I play a lot of pretend! (LOL)

O.F.F.:  Do you prefer more physically driven characters or emotionally driven characters and why?

LFJr:  A lot of times my emotional life emerges through a character’s physicality. Simply the way a character walks and talks will provide me a clear emotional perspective on how the character reacts and interprets situations. Emotional life is always a priority with every character, however a character with a strong physicality is a bonus to portray.

O.F.F.:  Has there been a certain character (or characters) to date you’ve enjoyed playing in particular and why?

LFJr:  I tend to play a lot of “tough guys”, or current/former military characters. I think Mr. Mandl (note: his character in the upcoming “Urban Myths”) was a treat to play because he had such a rich emotional life as well as demons which he confronts every day. When we shot the more physical scenes, we got to see him possessed BY those demons, which really opened the character to something really eerie and exciting.

O.F.F.:  What have the experiences been like in TV roles vs. film roles? Similar? Completely different?

LFJr:  Very different but very much the same. Film will allow for more interpretation, to really capture the special moments that can arise FROM the moment. But TV is more regimented in terms of time and deadline. The windows are shorter on TV to have those great moments…but when they happen, it’s gold. Film is more of an artistic endeavor, to explore and probe for something characteristically unforeseen.

O.F.F.:  So, onto your current project, “Urban Myths”, currently filming…What drew you to this film?

   

LFJr:  There was something very valid and spiritual about the project that I could not ignore. When I was approached and learned about the film (i.e. the myths and native American folklore) I became infatuated with the idea and needed to be a part of it.

O.F.F.:  Tell us about the character, Mr. Mandl, you play in it.

 

LFJr:  Mr. Mandl is a complex and traumatized post-war veteran. He has a good heart but has demons that he battles every waking hour as he struggles to hold onto his sanity. He takes pride in his High-school teaching position and he loves his students, but he has his own set of issues.

O.F.F.:  How has it been in these early stages working alongside the rest of the cast, including Courtney Gains, Kassandra Voyagis, Joe Estevez, Sophie Simmons, and the others?

LFJr:  Everyone was such a pleasure to work with on this film. Rarely to you find a cast that all works in sync, but everyone really seemed excited to be a part of this production.

O.F.F.:  Along that line, how is it to work with first-time film director Kim Marie?

LFJr:  Kim was such a treat to work with. She is soft spoken and sweet as hell, but she is very clear on what she wants and how she wants it to look. I would love to work with Kim again because she was so open to collaborate on the character and allowed us all a lot of artistic freedom in developing our characters.

O.F.F.:  What is your take on this effort being a film that is aiming to go beyond your “typical” paranormal thriller in actually presenting real, grounded life lessons as part of the story?

LFJr:  I’m so excited to be a part of this project and I will follow its lead. I think there are a multitude of important lessons that can be learned from this film and I speak for everyone when I say that we are all really excited to share Kim’s vision with the world! 

 

O.F.F.:  What other projects are on the horizon after “Urban Myths” or would you LIKE to be involved in?

LFJr:  Since “Urban Myths”, my commercial career has been thriving, via working on national spots for HONDA and HOME DEPOT. I have had guest-starring roles on “Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and “NCIS” (#1 TV drama) as well. I’m currently attached to 2 more fantastic projects set to film in early 2015, but it’s a bit premature to discuss, so STAY TUNED!

O.F.F.:  Can you expand a little about the other aspects of your current professional life, speaking to your Ferrigno Core-Training work as well as your Pop-Surrealist Art projects?

LFJr:  Living in LA as an actor, work is sporadic, especially starting out. I had to support myself in any way that I could in order to pursue my dream. FERRIGNO CORE TRAINING is my personal training business, which provided me the opportunity to work with such tremendous people and also force me to keep fit. I wanted to do something different than being a typical waiter; It really kept my head above water. My POP-SURREALIST artwork is something that I will pursue forever. A t is who I am. I’ve sold a number of my works and I’ve had numerous art showings all over the greater LA area.

O.F.F.:  What advice would you give to someone looking to get into the film industry in general?

LFJr:  I would say to get ready to be brave, be bold and be ready to work your butt off. There are a lot of incredibly talented people in this industry, but beyond talent, you have to be committed day in and day out if you want to succeed.

O.F.F.:  I always end with this question…What is YOUR favorite film of all time and why?

LFJr:  I get asked this question a lot and I always revert to “Coming To America” with Eddie Murphy. I love story and the characters. We see Arsenio Hall and Eddie Murphy portray multiple characters, which looked like a blast to play.

 

A genuine human being and someone who has carved his own path into the Hollywood scene, making his own identity and striving to get the most out of the life he has been blessed with.  So…want to know MORE about the charismatic Lou Ferrigno, Jr.?  How about:

FOLLOW him on TWITTER

LIKE his FACEBOOK PAGE

CHECK OUT his WEBSITE and CORE TRAINING WEBSITE, too!

 

AND….looking for more about “Urban Myths”, the film Lou is CURRENTLY doing?  Check out the following:

FOLLOW the film on Twitter: @UrbanMythsMovie   #UrbanMythsMovie

LIKE the film on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbanMyths

CHECK OUT the film’s Official Website: http://www.urbanmythsmovie.com/

 

Hope you have all enjoyed this interview and STAY TUNED as more news and inside looks at this new indie effort continue to come in, right HERE at OneFilmFan.com! And hey….TELL A FRIEND about it! 🙂

Until next time, thank you for reading!