Sam Tjhia is playing Kitana in the new web series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Sam about her role and chatted about her other film stunt work.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you get involved with stunt work?
Sam Tjhia: Well, I started martial arts when I was around 4 because my mom was a black belt and both of my brothers participated as well. I started to just really love the challenge and disciple of something so physically demanding and so I continued on with the Chinese style, Wushu all the way up until now. I suppose if you love performing and love a physical challenge, there really isn’t a career more perfect than stunts, right? Anyhow, After the Olympics I had a little more credit to my skills and happened to know a few people in the industry, like my Wushu coach, who also did stunts. I guess all in all it was just the drive of wanting a challenge and luck of meeting amazing people.

MG: What would you consider you most dangerous stunt?
ST: Hmm, this one is a little tough because though I LOVE adrenaline rushes and mental obstacles… I’m normally hired for my fighting/acrobatic skills and just haven’t crossed that road yet. I mean I GUESS having swords and whatnot poked and swung at you is dangerous but it’s no full body burn, that’s for sure. So I’d probably have to say when I was on a wire and I got pulled back into the air a good 15ft., smashed into a car laying on it’s side, chipped off the car, hit the ground and rolled. It didn’t feel so dangerous just because I trusted the stunt riggers 100% but it just sounds the coolest [laughs].

MG: Tell us about working on “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” playing Kitana?
ST: Firstly, I can’t even begin to say what an honour (Yes, I’m Canadian and spell it with a “u”) it is to play such an iconic female character in possibly the BEST video game ever…. I’ll admit that I’m not a HUGE player of video games, but I played Mortal Kombat, and I played with Kitana!! I kind of have a mild case of “Girl Power Syndrome” and so I just want to show the world that girls can kick ass too!! On set in Vancouver was an amazing experience in itself. I think it was the fact that everyone knew and appreciated how amazing Kevin’s vision was and knew how AWESOME the final product would turn out to be. I don’t want to say too much about Kitana’s episode yet, but I feel very privileged to bring her to life in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”.

MG: How did you research for the role?
ST: Aside from doing an online background check, I really wanted to focus on A: Her relationship with Shao Khan and Mileena, and B: Her style and physical capabilities. I pretty much engulfed myself with any information, cinematics, artistic representations, and forum discussions about her as possible. One thing I spent long periods of time on was people watching. Yeah I’m sneaky like that… sitting at a coffee shop and just observing. I feel very close to my family so it was definitely fun being able to try on a different pair of shoes and try to understand the sibling rivalry and betrayal involved in her back story.

MG: Do you plan on doing more acting roles vs. stunts?
ST: One thing I know about myself is that I love a challenge. I love a challenge and I love to perform. Both acting and stunts have their obstacles so I really love and appreciate getting to experience both careers. I am a go with the flow type of person. If presented with an opportunity that sounds interesting and challenging then I’ll dive in headfirst as long as I feel as though it will allow me to perform and create something amazing… physically or emotionally.

MG: How was it working on such a big film like “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2”?
ST: From a stunt perspective, it’s always a thrill being able to work on big films like “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2” due to the preparation time you’re normally given. It’s cliché, but Michelangelo didn’t paint the Sistine chapel in a day. Being given time to use your creative mind and have time to perfect the things you feel most important is probably the biggest bonus. Now from a girl out of Barrie, Ontario Canada… I feel so grateful to have somehow flown from the nest and just experience life like this.

MG: How does it compare to working on the web series?
ST: For “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” it’s a little difficult to compare just because it really didn’t feel or even look for that matter, like a typical web series. Kevin knew exactly what he wanted and Larnell Stovall (Fight Choreographer) had the time to understand him and create his masterpiece. Everyone on “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” was just so cohesive and happy to be there, that it made it feel just as thrilling as any bigger budget film. Maybe the budget didn’t allow for as much fancy equipment, but as everyone could see, it really didn’t make much of a difference in quality. It’s the people working the equipment and their attitudes that polished the web series.

Matt Mullins is playing Johnny Cage in the new web series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”.  Besides acting, Matt has also won 5 martial arts world titles.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Matt about his role and found out what his most challenging role to date.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you become involved with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
Matt Mullins: I actually met Kevin (Tancharoen) probably six or seven years ago.  He comes from a dance background and I hada mar tial arts performance team.  We were collaborating on a couple different dance/martial arts projects back in our early 20’s.  We lost touch for a while and then reconnected when he was getting ready to do “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth”.  He asked me if I would potentially want to play Johnny Cage.  I told him “Of course I want to play JOHNNY CAGE [laughs]! I have always been a fan of Kevin’s work and what he has done. I thought he had a great vision for the projects he has worked on. So the “Rebirth” short ended up going viral online and then they decided to do “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”.  When the project was first starting they weren’t sure what characters they were going to do but fortunately enough they choose Johnny Cage as one of the characters. So luckily for me, I was able to reprise my role.  Originally there was some issues bringing me up to Canada to work and they were looking at a few other candidates for the role. Fortunately I ended up being cast and got to play Johnny Cage. It was pretty stressful but I got a call the day before they were suppose to shoot. I flew up the next morning and started working.

MG: What do you like most about the character Johnny Cage?
MM: What I like most is that he is funny and larger than life.  Even in the game he is very cocky and arrogant in a lot of ways.  With the “Legacy” series, they finally gave Johnny Cage a little bit of heart. They give a reason for people to want to cheer for Johnny to come back and be the action hero that he always wanted to be [laughs].  I think that is why I dig the character in the video game, the martial arts he performs in the game is all karate based. My marital arts training is primarily karate. It was a lot of fun.

MG: What was the length of time to shoot your episode?
MM: It was three days.  We covered the fights really fast.  We didn’t have any super big set or location changes.  We shot them around and in the stages in Vancouver.

MG: Did you have a lot of time to rehearse before your episode?
MM: No actually, I learned it as we were going.  The fights were already choreographed Larnell (Stovall) and he had them already put together.  When I got there everyone learned their timing and we got it done.

MG: How was it working on a web series, compared to TV and movies?
MM: The process was exactly the same.  The days were the same and the performances were the same.  It was identical to any feature or TV show I have worked on.  Everyone was really talented, the cast was outstanding. We shot quickly but TV now a days is shot quickly.

MG: With 5 martial arts world titles, what made you want to get into the world of martial arts?
MM: It was a combination of a lot of different things.  I was obsessed with video games like “Ninja Turtles” and movies like “The Karate Kid”.  Just action in general is something I always wanted to do.  Once I started martial arts there was nothing else I wanted to do. It was cool, plus being from Chicago that was where Midway Games was.  A lot of the local martial artists were the inspiration for the original “Mortal Kombat” characters from that area and they would compete at local tournaments. Daniel Pasina, the original Johnny Cage in the video game, actually judged my yellow belt National tournament when I was twelve years old.

MG: What has been your most challenging role to date?
MM: One of favorite roles I did was one called “Adventures of Johnny Tao”, that was a like a kids/action/zombie/killer film.  I got to play dual character in that, kind of the “Rain Man”, the slightly slow best friend that gets turned into the evil overlord bad guy. It was really fun because I really enjoyed playing both characters.  Those where probably the longest sequences I have done working with Marcus Young and J.J. Perry.  Actually Larnell Stovall from “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” coordinated that as well so it was great working with him.  Their combined creativity for the action sequences were very intricate and we rehearsed the fights for over a month before shooting.  Overall, I would have to call that my most challenging role.

MG: Tell us about your work with “Tron: Evolution” video game?
MM: I did all the between game cinematics for the main character.  Then I did the majority of the movements for each one of the additional characters, every bad guy, good guy, boss…everybody.  It was a lot of fun.  All the guys that made the game were really great guys.  They had a great vision for what they wanted the game to be but I think unfortunately people do not always put out games like the new “Mortal Kombat”.  They worked forever on “MK”.  There was so much red tape with “Tron” that they had to deal with for example, like what they could do with the story and not doing anything the movie was going to do.  The production company was looking to pump out the game before the movie game out.  I worked with them for over a month on it and it was fun as hell though.

Kevan Ohtsji is playing Sub-Zero in the new web series “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Kevan about his role and found out what his most challenging role to date.

Mike Gencarelli: What was your first thoughts when you became involved with “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”
Kevan Ohtsji: Awesome. I remember being in high school and going to the arcade with my friends. Kids always crowded around the Mortal Kombat game, watching intently as the players battled it out. Not to mention placing rows of quarters on the sill of the game to ensure their place in line to play. So as you might suspect, I was thrilled to find out I’d be part of this project.

MG: Were you familiar with the character of Sub Zero?
KO: Yep! He’s one of my favorite characters. I was really happy when the costume designers were building the wardrobe for the show.
It had many layers, and in my view felt like what a warrior back in ancient times would wear without being too glamorized or trite.

MG: What can we expect from your character in the rest of the series?
KO: I don’t want to spoil some of the things Kevin and the producers have created. But I do think audiences will have a nice surprise watching Scorpion and Sub Zero coming face to face.
Certainly the fight scenes will be a special treat to watch. I think audiences will have some understanding where these characters are coming from, and perhaps even more interest piqued into their back stories.

MG: How was it working with director Kevin Tancharoen?
KO: Fantastic! He certainly knows what he wants and how to execute it. I did some research on him before getting to set. He certainly wowed everyone with Rebirth. Sheesh! Talk about production value! I was floored when I learned that he shot all of it in such a short time span, and with the resources he had. All I can say is I think Kevin is going to go really, really far. He has the certainty of a seasoned director, the energized passion of the youth, and skill and talent that is bursting at the seams.

MG: How was it working with the web series format?
KO: I came to set to find I was working on a feature. High, high quality. The D.P. was fantastic. Kim Miles. Super cool guy. I had working with him on a short film previously, and it was a blast to work with him again. The stunt team was amazing, as everyone will see. All the cast and crew I met were top notch. It was a real treat to work on this show.

MG: What has been your most challenging role to date?
KO: It probably would have the mini-series “Race to Mars”. It was very ambitious, and I played an astronaut on man’s first manned mission to Mars. Galafilm and the Discovery Channel produced it, and we shot in Montreal Canada. Production was meticulous at trying to be as authentic and to true to the current science as we knew it. We even got to sit face to face with Canada’s first astronaut in space, Mr. Marc Garneau. It was wild. His daughter was the technical adviser to the show, making sure that we portrayed things accurately. Our wardrobe for ‘exterior’ shots was designed as what current astronauts would wear. Each character needed three people to become fully dressed in our astronaut attire. I love coffee, but had to forgo it for awhile as peeing every few hours would require lots of people to unstrap here, and unzip there. They even thoughtfully built a small fan inside the helmet to keep us cool, and added ice packs within costumes. It was a really kind gesture, but if you’re familiar with Montreal summers – it was dang hot in those suits! All in all, it was a great experience, and I’d jump at the chance to do all again!

MG: What other projects do you have upcoming?
KO: You can see me guest starring in Steven Seagal’s True Justice “The Brotherhood”, the MoWs “Collision Earth” and “Crashsite”, and a few shorts are making their festival runs “Tora” (with David Suzuki), “Henry’s Glasses”, and Serum 1831.

Fraser Aitcheson is currently appearing the “Mortal Kombat: Legacy” playing the character Baraka.  Fraser has also worked on various other projects like “Smallville”, “TRON Legacy”, “Night of the Museum 2” & the upcoming “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about playing Baraka in “Mortal Kombat: Legacy”?
Fraser Aitcheson: First off I got to say I was shocked and happy to play such an iconic character. He was my favorite character in the game. When I heard I was chosen to play him I was so happy and it was such an honor. I was really excited to do it.

MG: So you a fan of the video games series and the character prior to working on the web series?
FA: Growing up I was a huge fan of it. I would get home from work, I worked at a bar, and I would play “Mortal Kombat” till like 7am in the morning. It was kind of like a stress relief after dealing with the people at the bar.

MG: How was it working with the makeup for the character?
FA: It was long [laughs]. It was really long. I sat in the chair for probably two and half to three hours just to put it on. It was about an hour and a half or just to take it off. I always like wearing makeup, masks or anything where I have prosthetics. because you can totally lose yourself in the character. It is not like you are playing a generic bad guy. Anything you do when you have that mask on you become this different person.

MG: Since you were a fan of the character what was it like for the first time seeing yourself in full makeup?
FA: I didn’t even recognize myself [laughing]. People were taking pictures of me all day and looking at me funny. I was like “Hey, it’s me in here”. I hear my voice and then I look in the mirror and I was like “hey that’s not me”. I still look at the pictures and you could tell me it is somebody else and I would believe you.

MG: So how was it actually like shooting the web series?
FA: It was really cool. Do not want to reveal too much. You watched the first episode right? Amazing! The second episode was censored because it was so intense. It is only going to get better.

MG: You’ve worked with SyFy Channel on various projects i.e “Riverworld”, “Tin Man” and “Stargate SG-1”, how did that relationship start?
FA: Unfortunately it is a conscience. I do not work for the network, per say. What usually happens is a coordinator will call me and say that they need me for a part etc. Quick background story: I was working at bar, bouncing, and one of the regulars was a talent agent. She came in one day and said “I could really use a guy like you for “Stargate”.” I said sure no problem but I had no idea how cool it would be. I got to play one of the Jaffa warriors. “Stargate” was my bread and butter for a number of years. I was out there constantly doing background work, stunts and acting. They always found a new way to kill me though [laughs]. The network ended up picking up “Tin Man” and “Riverworld” and I ended up working with them on those as well under the Syfy umbrella.

MG: How was it working with Terry Gilliam in “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”
FA: I didn’t really get a chance to sit and talk with him for an extended period. But of course being a Monty Python fan, I called my mom right away and told her the minute I found out. It was kind of shadowed by the fact that I had to dance in high heals, fish nets and a mini skirt [laughs]. I have a whole new respect for dancers and performers because that shit is hard [laughs]. They made these heals for us that where like six inches high and platforms to boot. Going from this to “Mortal Kombat” is funny because it is from cross dresser to straight killer.

MG: Tell us about working on the film “TRON Legacy”?
FA: It was cool. I was doing utility stunts. I got to testout some of the stunt rigs, they were going to use on one of the actors. They were testing everything out to make sure it is safe. Obviously, it was easier to put a stunt guy in who knows how to fall if complications should arise, then the actor. It was cool experience. I was a big fan of the original movie and to get to work on the second one was just really great.

MG: So does it enjoy playing all these great characters?
FA: Here is a good example,  I got called in to do the TV show “Smallville” and they had me play this character called The Persuader. It was an awesome character from the future and this guy has this huge axe. I get to beat the crap out of Superman and almost cut him in half with my axe, it was just so nuts. I am a huge comic fan and still have all my old comics saved. so to answer you questions, now I am getting to play all these great characters. It is just unbelievable and unreal.

MG: What has been the most challenging film to work on for stunt work?
FA: So far I would having to say “Night of the Museum 2”. Only because I was doing a lot of stuff I normally don’t do. Typically I am the fight guy, but for this film I was doing a lot of wire work. So I was like flying around through the air and getting tossed around. It was really cool but it is usually reserved for the smaller guys.

MG: How was it working on the film “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”?
FA: Obviously I can’t tell you that much. It is a really cool scene, hopefully they [laughs] keep it in the film. It was an awesome group of people to work with. The fight choreographer’s name was Robert Alonzo, such an awesome guy and super talented. It was nice to work with someone that was very meticulous. He was like “You have to do it like this” and he paid such great attention to detail. It was nice and it showed he cared about the end product. Not just for me but for the actors I worked with as well. It is going to be really cool.

“Mortal Kombat: Legacy” is a new web series created by Kevin Tancharoen. The series takes place before the events of the first game and dives into the back stories of several characters from the series. There will be 10 episodes in the series and each one runs between 9-12 minutes. The series is spawned from Kevin’s short film entitled “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth”, which was released last year. This web series will hopefully be the launching ground for a new film in the “Mortal Kombat” franchise.

“Mortal Kombat: Legacy” stars Michael Jai White as Detective Jackson “Jax” Briggs, Jeri Ryan as Lieutenant Sonya Blade, Darren Shahlavi as Kano, Tahmoh Penikett as Kurtis Stryker, Matt Mullins as Johnny Cage, Johnson Phan as Shang Tsung, Aleks Paunovic as Shao Kahn, Sam Tjhia as Kitana, Jolene Tran as Mileena, Beatrice Ilg, Fraser Aitcheson as Baraka, Shane Warren Jones as Cyrax, Ryan Robbins as Raiden, Ian Anthony Dale as Scorpion, Peter Shinkoda as Sektor, Kevan Ohtsji as Sub-Zero and Michael Rogers as Quan Chi.

Media Mikes has had a chance to chat with various cast members from this web series. If you are fan of the series, you NEED to check out this series and support the chance of this becoming a feature film.

You can view the series here at Machinima.com’s YouTube channel.

Lance Henriksen is a Hollywood icon, with well over 150 films to his name, which exemplify the diversity of his talent. He is best known as the empathetic android ‘Bishop’ in Twentieth Century Fox’s 1986 release ALIENS, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. He has also played gunfighters and gangsters, an astronaut, a vampire, a sadistic monk, Charles Bronson and Abraham Lincoln. He’s mentored Tarzan, Evel Knievel and the Antichrist, and fought Terminators, Aliens, Predators, Pumpkinhead, Pinhead, Bigfoot, Superman, the Autobots, Mr. T., Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal. He has worked with some of the most prominent directors in the motion picture industry, such as James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Kathryn Bigelow, Sidney Lumet, Francois Truffaut, John Huston, Walter Hill, David Fincher, John Woo, Jim Jarmusch and Sam Raimi.

Most recently, Henriksen and Joseph Maddrey have penned the actor’s forthcoming biography, “Not Bad For A Human.” The book not only celebrates Henriksen’s screen persona, film by film, but also recounts the chaotic upbringing and early life experiences that shaped him — revealing the man behind the image. As Henriksen so candidly states, “This isn’t a book about me becoming an actor. It’s about all the people I’ve crossed paths with over the years who have helped me flourish in spite of the chaos of my early life. It’s about a lifelong process of becoming a human being. Movie Mikes was given a chance to chat with Lance about his work and also his biography

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about what inspired you to write your biography “Not Bad For a Human” now?
Lance Henriksen: It is a case of saying “right now always happens eventually or sometime”.  It is not like a choice that I work up one morning and said I want to right a book.  It really had to do with Joe Maddrey.  I had narrated a project he wrote called “Nightmares in Red, White and Blue”, which was an anthology of horror films.  So him and I hit it off.  We stayed friends and started talking about other ideas.  I make pottery when I am not acting, so it was an idea of maybe doing a reality show traveling the world and meeting potters from all over the world and their crazy lives.  We just spoke about that and it never happened and doesn’t mean it won’t ever but the point is though we started really communicating.  He got the idea of doing a book.  My idea with him was if I can’t be honest and it isn’t coming alive on it own and we get half way through, I still wanted to reserve the right to throw it in the trash and forget about it.  Obviously though it didn’t happen that way and it turned out to be something that I think is really worthwhile.

MG: What was the most challenging part of the writing process?
LH: Being honest, really…and knowing what parts I didn’t want to talk about that came up.  I don’t have any access to grind about anybody.  Any bad situation is also a learning situation, so it doesn’t affect it in that way.  I don’t think that anything in my life wasn’t a learning experience and that is what I am in this for.

MG: Tell us about the original artwork that is featured in the book?
LH: That was again Joe’s idea.  We were going to use photographs from movies, which I hate.  They are all promotional stuff that everyone has seen already and its the same shit.  So I was going to go with none but Joe worked with Steve Niles on a television show.  He told me “Lance, I got an idea and I am not sure if you are going to like it or not”.  Then Bill Sienkiewicz sent a drawing over and it was just amazing.  I said to Joe that it was a stroke of genius because I really wanted the book to be accessible.  It is not an ego trip, it is another kind of book.  So having that would make it accessible especially for the different kinds of fan bases from sci-fi to horror to westerns.  It really took a life of its own.  Niles then went to all of these incredible artists and they all said “yes”.  I was really honored and humbled.  They did such beautiful work.  Those are in the limited edition of the book and the only other pictures that are going to be in the mass release book are pictures that happened on set with friends and are not publicity shots.  Again it is just more accessible stuff.

MG: Tell us how this differs from other biographies?
LH: It is like a dam breaking.  Dylan Thomas has a great phrase he used it was “tell me about your life but be quick or I will be telling you about mine” [laughs].  I am always a believer of the campfire stories.  As tribal people we used to all sit around the campfire and tell stories.  Most of the stories were morality plays and they are about some aspect of our life that we are afraid of or we wanted to obtain.  So its more like when are start talking about it and bringing up these things about your life, it starts escalating into a long story.  It took us over a year to write it, its not like we sat around a campfire for a year [laughs] but it has the same feeling.

MG: Tell us about the project “Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen”?
LH: I am not sure if this is going to work because we are really out the on the edge.  The idea is about ageism in the industry.  Somebody told me that you walk into an audition nowadays and they have a box on the sign in sheet that says are you below 40 or above 40.  If you are below 40, whatever that means and if you are above 40, whatever that means.  It is ageism man and people have a long career through to their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and then suddenly it seems the odds are stacked against them of getting work.  There is such a “Twilight” kind of frenzy going on, just looking for the next best looking young guy and see if he sticks to the wall.  The same things happen to women, they have a really narrow window when they are “super valuable”. Then they start getting a little older and you are either too young or too old. This film is about that world, that underbelly and its experience in the industry.  The reason it is called “Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen” is because Tim Thomerson, who is really starring in it, goes for a role they say “Tim, they already made an offer to Lance”.  It is like “WTF”, my whole life is in the shadow of this guy.  It is a funny premise but there is an awful lot more going on in it.  Michael Worth is directing it. Tim and I actually both worked with him on a movie called “Sasquatch Mountain”.  We became friends and he thought of it then when we where shooting that movie.  It was just an idea then and it really has evolved since then.  It is a comedy based on that and we are improvising all of this.  We setup a premise for a scene, we need to go from A to D but how you get there is up to you.  It really has been fun.

MG: With “Prometheus” coming out which starts out as an “Alien” prequel and now is a stand alone movie with ‘strands of Alien’s DNA’, can you reflect what it was like working on the “Alien” franchise?
LH: I had a real stroke of luck with that, I was doing “Close Encounters” when “Alien” was being cast.  They said they wanted to meet with me about it and I was in Bombay, India and there was no way I could make it.  As fate had it, I am grateful I wasn’t in it because since I have been in like four of them.  I wouldn’t have done Bishop and I would had been dead and buried.  The ironic twist of this is that it is really the making of my whole career.  Jim (Cameron) and I have done a couple of movies before that and one of the critical masses was that if I did “Aliens” and worked a certain way I would keep acting, otherwise I would have quit. Actually I am happy it worked out and I haven’t stopped since and I attribute all that to Jim’s work.  You can’t hit home run without a bat and he sure gave me one.

MG: Like you just mentioned, you worked with James Cameron on not only “Aliens” but also “The Terminator” & “Piranha II”, how did that relationship begin?
LH: He had been hired as the director down in Jamaica for “Piranha II: The Spawning”, which was his first flick.  I got hired out of New York.  I went down and we met and worked our way through that movie.  It was a very low budget film.  I really like him, he had a work ethic that I could relate to.  He is really a no bullshit guy and was just trying to make a good movie.  The title for my book “Not Bad for a Human” is a line Jim wrote actually.  I called him up and asked him if I could use it and he said “Of course”.

MG: How was it working with Stan Winston on the “Pumpkinhead” series?
LH: I even did a movie with him way before that, it was called “Mansion of the Doomed” with Richard Basehart and Gloria Grahame.  I spent a lot of days, weeks and months on a set with Stan and we did “Pumpkinhead”, “The Terminator” and “Aliens”.  We did a lot of work together over the years.  He was a really cool guy.

MG: How do you feel that the movie “Near Dark” has become such a cult classic, how was it working on film with then little known director Kathryn Bigelow?
LH: She was a matriarchal equal and she treated us like we were all a bunch of artists working together.  She was painter and had that painters eyes, they way she formed shots and what she wanted to see.  We had a great DP on that project.  The only reason why that movie didn’t get as big of splash as “The Lost Boys” did was because it had a much bigger budget for their ad campaign.  Our first ad, and I hate saying it but its the truth, was the size of a business card.  But we loved working on that film.  She was cool and has always been cool.

MG: You are know, like you said earlier, for sci-fi and horror genre, but you were hysterical in the film “The Slammin’ Salmon”, do you like doing comedy?
LH: See, though you are picking up on the New York thing man [laughs].  You are picking up on my sense of humor which is really New York.  You know that kind of no bullshit…you can’t con me…my shit detector is working just great…fuck off.  You know that kind of thing.  That is where comedy comes from as far, as I am concerned, you paint a different picture of the same event.

MG: Tell us about your voice work for the TV series in “TRON: Uprising” for the character General Tesler?
LH: I have done some already, yep. But can’t tell you anything [laughs].  They are spending a lot of money and they want to do their thing.  I will tell you think though, I have really enjoyed it.  The director is cool as shit and demands things and I really like that.  I like the conflict and the demand, since I sure do not have all the answers.

MG: What other upcoming projects do you have coming up?
LH: The most important one is called “Ambush” from a script that Joe Bauer. We shot the first 20 minutes of the movie. It is a fight scene that lasts twenty pages. Joe is taking that and is using it to raise the money to finish the film.  It is a little more than the way it sounds.  He is putting up his own money and it is a beautiful piece of work.  I saw the finished product…he even put titles on it.  He really did it up well. I am playing a guy like Ted Turner in it and I am sure that is the one I am going to enjoy doing a lot.

Robbie Tucker is co-starring in Disney’s “Prom”, playing the character Charlie, a sweet kid brother that tries to play matchmaker and brings sincere tenderness to the comedy. Robbie also recently appeared in “Little Fockers”, working alongside Ben Stiller.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Robbie about his new film “Prom” and how he loves acting.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you got involved with “Prom”
Robbie Tucker: Well I auditioned with a lot of other kids.  They liked me and I booked it [laughs].

MG: Tell us about your role of Charlie?
RT: He is the little brother of the main character in the film.  I help my brother try and get a date for prom.

MG: Any cool stories from working on the film?
RT: It was just fun in general working on the film.  Everyone was so nice to me.

MG: Did you get any tips from the other actors?
RT: They told me just to be myself, which was really nice.

MG: What make you want to get into acting?
RT: My sister first started acting and when I saw her doing it and I thought it looked fun.  So I tried it out and I really liked it.

MG: When you worked on “Little Fockers”, did you get a chance to meet the whole cast?
RT: I got to meet Ben Stiller.  He was really fun to work with.

MG: How do you find working on “The Young and the Restless” differs from doing the film “Prom”?
RT: Filming on the show is more faster.  It changes pretty often during shooting.  They do a bunch of scenes everyday and that is different from a movie, which is spread over a longer time.

MG: What other projects do you have coming out?
RT: I just did a movie in Michigan called “Family Weekend”. It is about my older sister in the movie and how she kidnaps our parents for the weekend.  They are also too busy for the kids and never listen to them.  It is really funny.

Carlease Burke is dominating the big and small screen this year. She guest starred on the new hit series.  She guest starred on the new hit series “Shamless” as Roberta, whose visit turns the Gallagher family upside down. On the big screen she was featured in the family hit “Hop” and will be seen in the new Disney film “Prom”.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role as Rhoda Wainwright in Disney’s “Prom”?
Carlease Burke: The film is very adorable.  It is about these students going to the prom and the angst they have around the it.  There are characters that can’t get a date to save their lives.  There are love stories.  There are real life decisions that people at that age are actually making at that point in their lives. I play Rhoda Wainwright who is the assistant to the principal.  She is basically one of the adults that is trying to keep the kids in line. She has a firm grip but also has a soft side as well. The kids love her but they know they can’t get away with anything with her.

MG: What was the best part for you working on the film?
CB: The best part was really the kids. It is about the kids…it is about high school life and culture.  I thought I would be the old fuddy-duddy on set and I would be in my trailer reading or something but the kids were wonderful.  The whole cast and crew as well were great.  The director, Joe Nussbau and his team of people was great.  Everyone was just very accommodating. I felt like they really wanted me to be a part of this experience.  It could have easily been just about the kids but I felt like part of the family.  I learned how to tweet and how to keep my facebook page updated properly [laughs].

MG: What was your favorite film while you were growing up?
CB: I remember growing up my favorite film was “The Wizard of Oz”. Once I got over the fear of the house falling on the witch, it became my favorite movie.

MG: You recently had a role in “Hop”, how was it working on that film?
CB: Oh that was fun.  It was short and sweet though, I played a receptionist at a toy company that James Marsden was looking for in. It was fun.

MG: Tell us about your guest starring role on the new hit series “Shameless” as Roberta?
CB: I just want to say it was one of my most amazing experiences in my acting career. It is an amazing show to be on and has amazing talent.  Once again, not just working with William H. Macy, whom I have been a fan of for many years.  Also meeting Emmy Rossum, her work is brilliant.  Here we go again with the kids, there are younger people on the show all the way down to 9 years old.  Again I was embraced like one of the family.  I went to New York recently and I hung out with Shanola (Hampton) and I was invited to dinner by Debbie (Gallagher) who is all of 11 years old.  She tweeted me when she found out I was in town and wanted to do dinner.  These are the most talented and amazing people.  Of course, Cameron (Monaghan) who plays Ian is also in “Prom” and plays Cory.  It is great to have worked together on different projects and to see each other around town.

MG: Besides acting tell us about your production company?
CB: It is called Bits N Pieces Productions and right now it is all about my comedy.  I do stand-up comedy.  I produce and host a show once a month at Hot Java Coffee House in Long Beach, CA called ‘Laugh-a-Latte’.  I just started another comedy show called ‘The Real Comedians of Long Beach’.  I do not even live in Long Beach but they love me down there.  So that and my solo show ’50, It Doesn’t Look Good on Everybody’ is also under there.

MG: You are also writing your first book which will be an how-to guide for fellow actors/comedians, tell us about that?
CB: The book is for people that want to get into the entertainment industry. I get asked questions on a daily basis from people wanting to know how they can do it.  After 26 years of being here in Hollywood, I am definitely qualified to help someone cut out some of the steps I had to take.  I had no mentor and I had no guidance.  I had to figure it out on my own.  If I am able to help anybody cut out a few of those steps, I feel that it would be a great service to offer.

Tom Towles is know for his role in “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer” and the 1990 remake of “Night of the Living Dead”.  Tom has also worked with Rob Zombie on “House of 1,000 Corpses”, “The Devil Rejects” & “Halloween”.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Tom about his films as well as his upcoming novel.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us about your work on “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer”?
Tom Towles: That film was one of the first for a majority of the cast. It was essentially mine and Michael Rooker’s first full length feature. We didn’t really know what couldn’t be done so we just did it. It was a lot of work but it was fun and really cool. We had no idea the movie was going to what it did! It’s one of those joyful surprises that life can hand you as opposed to fucking you in the ass. (Laughs)

MG: What was it like working with Tom Savini on the original remake of “Night of the Living Dead”?
TT: That was pretty crazy. It was Tom’s first film directing and also at the time Tom had a lot of personal chaos going on around him. I think he did a stunning job. Tom is one of the greatest guys I know. I wish he would direct more films however I don’t think he had as much fun as we did acting in the film. Tom is a multi-talented guy so he has lots of choices he can make. That project was well worth it and Tom is truly one of my all time favorites!

MG: You have worked with Bill Mosely on six films now what is it like working with him from film to film?
TT: The first film we did was the “Night of the Living Dead” remake. A few years after that we met on the set of a project called “Lansky.” I think at that time Bill was still trying to decide what he wanted to do with his career and really just putting the pieces together. Once Bill made his decision everything really started to move forward for him. I think Bill’s big break in his career finally came with his interpretation of Otis in Rob Zombies “House of 1,000 Corpses” and “The Devil’s Rejects” Bill is a really sweet and generous human being. I love him to death.

MG: How is it working with Rob Zombie?
TT: Rob is great. He just handles everything with such ease. I asked him one time how he does and he told me that he’s used to moving a Rock and Roll show around the world and that directing is easy compared to that Circus. You have an incredible sense of freedom working with Rob. He allows you to add your own ideas and will never discredit them until they absolutely fuck something up! (Laughs) It’s always an open ended process. It really is one of the best sets to be on. Rob just loves the process so much and loves everyone he works with so much that it makes working with him really enjoyable. Rob’s pretty cool.

MG: Do you have one role that you have done that sticks out as a favorite?
TT: That’s hard to say. Playing Otis in the Henry film is definitely up there but I really can’t say. Film is what I consider a transient medium for an actor. You go in and work for a certain amount of days and then you leave. Once you’re done with a role it becomes separate from you. I really don’t like to watch my movie after they are made. However favorites? Any time you employ me and I’m working I am happy. Working with Rob is great as well as John McNaughton who I have been friends with for a really long time. He’s my homie! We work really well together. I have been really lucky in films. My real love is theater. I just loved it because it was very in the now and you really were able sculpt and mold your character.

MG: Would you ever go back to doing theater?
TT: I think I am way too lazy now. Doing film and television really spoils you. Theater is a lot of work. Movies are some work but a lot more money. I don’t know if I could really go back to theater. It really is a lot of work and I’m old and decrepit now so I’m not sure I want to work that hard again. I am really into writing now. I have a heart stopping romance with writing these days. It’s something very different for me. I think it’s kind of an extension of acting. Writing is kind of what I do now as I am still emotionally unsuited for standard forms of employment. It was either institutional care or the entertainment industry.

MG: Do you have any upcoming projects you can tell us about?
TT: I just finished writing a fictional crime novel based in Chicago which should be out soon. I also have written a few short stories as well that I hope to put.

Gregg Henry is currently co-starring in James Gunn’s new film “Super”.  Gregg has also worked Gunn on his last film “Slither”.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Gregg about his new role and his returning role on  HBO’s “Hung”, which is returning for season two this year.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about your role in the new film “Super”?
Gregg Henry: The new film “Super”…written and directed by the great James Gunn…it was a pleasure to work with him again. “Super” also stars Rainn Wilson, who plays a man whose wife has gone missing. He’s pretty sure she’s been kidnapped. He needs help from the police so he comes to me. I sort of listen to his plea…listen to his case…and follow up on it. I don’t want to give away too much about the movie but I’ll say that Rainn’s character tries to take justice into his own hands with sometimes comic, often violent and sometimes moving results.

MG: How was it working with James Gunn again after “Slither”?
GH: “Slither” was just so much fun. We had a gas doing that movie. It was first of all a tremendous script. James is such a special and unique talent. He knows how to blend the genre’s of comedy and horror. He can take little bits of all kinds of genre’s and make them a whole. Where often people get tripped up trying to mix things up, James is really quite a master of it. Plus we had the hilarious Nathan Fillion and Michael Rooker…we had a great cast. We had a really fun time. Anytime James calls I’ll be there. I have a great belief in him. I think he’s a huge talent.

MG: We’ve also interviewed Michael Rooker and asked him this question: Was “Slither” a difficult production?
GH: Well, the production was (slows his speech) SU-PER low budget. We were just running and gunning and flying. It was filmed in Shreveport (Louisiana) with high speed cameras. James was doing 30-35 set ups a day. And we NEVER sat down! It was constant movement. The crew as well. The DP would have to set up the shots and he was scary fast. That made it a little dicey at times. But it was a great set…very congenial and great working conditions.

MG: Tell us about working with Thomas Jane on HBO’s “Hung?”
GH: You’ll get no spoilers from me! (laughs) We have a great time. The producers of the show also did “The Riches,” which I was on for two years. So I have a relationship with them. It’s always great to work with them. The show is…again…kind of a blend of things. You hear what the premise is and you think “this is going to be cheesy.” And it ends up being a really human story…very funny but, again, kindly oddly moving at times. And I have to give the credit to the great, great writing.

MG: How was it working with Joss Whedon on “Firefly” and “Dollhouse”? How did that come about?
GH: I got an offer to work on “Firefly,” which is where I met Nathan. We became great buddy so it was great to work with him time after time. And then on “Dollhouse” I got a call to come in. And I have to admit that I still don’t understand that series. I’d read the script four times and say, “I don’t get it…I just don’t get it!” But we had a great time
working on it. And I also think that Joss, too, is a very great, bright talent.

MG: Besides acting you are also a singer/songwriter and have recorded several albums. Tell us about that?
GH: I’ve always been a piano playing singer/songwriter, but I really started taking it seriously about 12 years ago. It’s a great part of my life. I have three or four CDs that are available on CD Baby. I use my full name for my music career, which is Gregg Lee Henry. I wrote a song called “The Back of Your Hand” that Dwight Yoakum recorded. The great, great Dwight Yoakum! He had a pretty big hit with it. The video went to #1 on Country Music Television and stayed there for about eight or nine weeks. The song is on his album “Population Me.” It’s still available and I urge people to buy it as a compact disc as the record company has some kind of hassle with iTunes (laughs). The singles that Dwight released from that album are not on iTunes. They were for awhile but there was some kind of legal problem. But I continue to do it. I’ve written a musical called “Little Egypt.” It’s was accepted into the New York Musical Theatre Festival. We ran it there in 2007 as well as a wonderful production at the Matrix Theater in Los Angeles. I have another musical I’m working on…it’s something I’m always doing. I play out at a couple clubs around L.A. about every other month to try out some new songs. It’s just something
I do.

MG: What other projects do you have upcoming?
GH: This season of “Hung” is just starting up so we’re shooting that. We’re pretty deep into that. I also have a movie called “Blood Brothers” coming out. There’s also another film rolling around called “Isolation” that hasn’t come out yet. It’s directed by Stephen Kay, who did the “BTK” killer movie I did for CBS. That was a difficult movie but
he did a great job.

Jesse Dayton is a name still relatively new to the film industry. Jesse’s first on screen performance was in Rob Zombie’s “Halloween II” as the lead singer of Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures. Jesse however has been a staple in the music industry for quite some time playing with countless acts and releasing his own albums. Jesse recently spoke with Movie Mikes about his music career and how it led him to doing movies.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us how you first started working with Rob Zombie?
Jesse Dayton: I was going to a show one night and on my way there I received a call from Rob. Rob told me that he had heard one of my records and wanted to know if I would be interested in making a fake Banjo and Sullivan record for his film “Devils Rejects.” I didn’t fully understand what Rob was looking for until I got to Los Angeles. Lew Temple and I got together and wrote a bunch of songs. We played them for Rob one day in his production office and he fell out of his seat once he heard them. This was actually the first time I had met.

AL: Was this the first time you had met Lew Temple as well?
JD: I have actually known Lew for a long time. Lew used to come out to all of my shows when he was still a baseball scout for the Astros. We just got to be really good friends and we spent a lot of time together. Lew is the guy who passed my work onto Rob.

AL: How did your role as Captain Clegg in “Halloween II” come about?
JD: A little while after I finished the Banjo and Sullivan record I did some song for Rob’s “The Haunted World of El Super Beasto”. After that he contacted me about doing the album for Captain Clegg as well as being in the film. It really has just snowed balled from doing that Banjo and Sullivan record. After Halloween II was released I went out on the road with Captain Clegg opening forty shows for Rob and Alice Cooper which was just great!

AL: Were you a fan of the horror genre prior to working with Rob?
JD: Yeah I’m a fan. I am a huge film geek! I probably watch anywhere from six to ten movies a weeks. I have always been really into films. I was really proud of “Devils Rejects” when it came. I think Rob brought exploitation film back even before Tarantino or Rodriguez. The characters in that film are just great. Rob really puts a lot into not only the onscreen story of his characters but also the back stories as well.

AL: Has there been any talk about being in his new film “The Lords of Salem”?
JD: We have emailed back a fourth a few times but I don’t really presume that I have been officially asked to be a part of the film. We will have to wait and see. Rob likes to keep me in the loop.

AL: Can you tell us about “The Sinner” which you produced and have a roll in?
JD: We showed that film at the South by South West festival in Austin, Texas and were immediately contacted by some business people who asked us not to release the film. The idea is to make the film into a television show. We currently are in talks with some really big networks to put this out as a series. Aside from being a producer on the film I also play Reverend Roy who is a corrupt drug lord from New Orleans. The role really worked for me especially with my accent.

AL: What can you tell us about your upcoming film “Zombex”?
JD: We set up the production office last week and we are currently still getting all the cast nailed down. We plan to start shooting around May 3rd in New Orleans. I’m really excited about every aspect of this film. I wish I could tell you more about it however we are being very quiet till we have everything set to go.

AL: You just finished up a stage play correct?
JD: Yes I did. It was a play about Kinky Freidman. I had gotten a call from a play write in New York who had previously written a play about Patsy Klein. This play is actually the follow up to that entitled “Becoming Kinky”. I had heard about the casting for this play through some New York friends of mine and was able to get in touch with the right people. They actually came down to Texas so I could audition. After the audition they gave me the part on the spot. I had no idea how much work it was. The plan is to take the play to New York next which will be really great.

For more information on Jesse check out www.JesseDayton.com

Also be checking back for part 2 of our interview with Jesse when we check in with him from the set of “Zombex”

Alastair Fothergill is one of the co-directors of Disneynature’s latest film “African Cats”. Alastair also worked with Disneynature on their first film “Earth”. “Earth” was actually shot simultaneously with BBC’s “Planet Earth”, in which Alastair executive produced.  Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Alastair about working on “African Cats” and what it was like shooting in the Maasai Mara Nature Reserve.

Mike Gencarelli: How much planning went into “African Cats” before shooting started?
Alastair Fothergill: A lot of planning. We chose to film in the Maasai Mara Nature Reserve because we know it very well and have worked there for over then years. We know the lions and cheetahs very well and as individuals actually. One of the key decisions was to find out who our stars were going to be. We really wanted to make a really emotionally gauging story. We didn’t want to make a documentary. Choosing the stars was very important and also a difficult decision. It was relatively easy with the cheetah because we found a cheetah we knew who was a good mother and just had five tiny cubs. We knew all of those cubs would not survive, so that was an immediately easy decision. Choosing the right lion was probably harder. There are twenty or thirty prides in the Maasai Mara. We finally choose the pride we ended with because we knew Fang was on the way out, he was a single old guy who didn’t have any supporters. We reckoned that within the two or three years we had for filming something dramatic was going to happen. In the same pride we find Layla, who was the oldest lioness and already in the beginning of our filming she was limping and she had a perfectly aged six month old cub. We knew that their would be something happening there. Those where the big decisions.  Then we also had to do other logistical things like setting up the camera, camps and vehicles, but we do that all that time. The main challenge was choosing the stars before filming.

MG: Since the film is referred to as a “true life adventure”, did you find it difficult to tell a story with the wild life animals?
AF: We have been very specific in suggesting to Disney what subjects we were going for. I think that there are only a few animals stories that are strong enough for the cinema. A lot of things in our film are very hard to film and do not happen that often. Lions do very little most of the time to be quite honest. We wrote a classic movie script, a forty to fifty page script, on what we hoped would happen. We were constantly rewriting the script to make sure we were coming up with a really strong story line.

MG: What was it like shooting in Kenya at the Maasai Mara National Reserve?
AF: It is a tough place if you do not know what to do. We are very experienced in it. We had specially adapted vehicles that had jacks so we were able keep them up in storms, they had doors that were able to be taken off for the cameras. We also had special rain covers. There are a lot of things to do when working in that place. The main thing is patience. These guys were out dawn to dusk, dawn to dusk, dawn to dusk for two years.  The moment when Carly and his sons attack Fang was a half an hour in two years of filming. If you missed that half an hour we would have missed one of the main dramas in our movie. A lot of patience I would say was critical.

MG: How long did it take to complete shooting?
AF: It was just over two years of filming, but it was spread over three crews. We had one crew with the lions the whole time, We had one crew with the cheetahs the whole time and a third crew coming in and doing other work. So overall it could have been more like five years of filming.

MG: What was the most exciting moment during the shoot?
AF: I think the two attacks of the lions were very dramatic. Lions very rarely actually fight. They usually roar at each other and decide by the power of the roar who is the boss. Those moments are very special. Equally for me though, some of the tender moments are amazing. I love the moment when Layla handed over Mara, that amazed me. I love the moment when the cheetah cubs where in the rain. All of the cheetah drama amazed us. We knew that the cheetahs would have problems with the hyenas but we did not expect them to be attacked by the lions. Even more, we did not know when the cheetah cubs grew up that they would try and beat up the lions themselves [laughs]. That was truly foolish and did not last very long. The two male lions crossing the river and being almost eaten by a crocodile…that has never been filmed before. Even us who have spent years and years working there were delighted. One of the good things about having a movie budget is you have the time to really spend and wait.

MG: Where you every nervous of getting too close during the filming?
AF: To be honest with you, if we get into danger that means we disturbed the animals. You get out of the vehicle you get eaten by a lion, you know? [laughs] We had tricky moments with the weather and the vehicles got stuck. We had one occasion when an elephant came into our camp and turned over one of the vehicles. Our job though is to keep out of danger, if you are in danger you are not doing your job.

MG: How does this film compare to working on “Earth”?
AF: “Earth” was a very different movie. Not sure if you are aware or not but “Earth” came out of the TV series “Planet Earth”. I made “Planet Earth” and in parallel I was shooting the movie “Earth”. “African Cats” is different since there was no TV series. We were shooting just for the movie. We were going for a stronger storyline. “Earth” is a fantastic spectacle movie but it doesn’t have anything like the strength of storyline like “African Cats”.

MG: What made you get Samuel L. Jackson to narrate?
AF: That was suggested to us by Disney. We were very pleased with the choice. We knew he had a powerful voice and we knew he would do the baddies well. What we were most delighted with was how well he did the soft parts. This film is really about mothers. I think he really captured the soft moments and the emotional moments with cheetahs very well. He just has such a great voice. You know also, he really loved doing it. He has been to Africa and has seen the lions before. You only have so much time with a guy like Jackson. He turned up and was really fired up for this. I think he did a really great job.

MG: Tell us about your next film with Disneynature “Chimpanzee”?
AF: Chimps are really fantastic animals. They share 99% of our genes. If you look into the eyes of a chimpanzee [laughs] you cannot help but get emotionally engaged. It is a great story. We have been filming a little guy named Oscar. We started when he was one year old and he is nearly four now. There has been some real dramas in his life. I think “African Cats” is an action movie and “Chimpanzee” is a domestic comedy. It is really intimate and very funny.  I know Disney wanted to release a film every Earth day, but I think it is important that every time people go to one of these that is a completely different experience. I think personally chimps are more engaging than big cats but they don’t do as much. It is filmed in a jungle and is much more different world than the Savannah.

Sung Kang stars in the upcoming “Fast and the Furious” sequel “Fast Five”. Movie Mikes had chance to speak with Sung about how he got into acting as well as how he became involved with the “Fast and Furious” franchise.

Adam Lawton: Had acting been something you had always wanted to?
Sung Kang: I had really wanted to be a mime. When I was in school every once in awhile they brought in a mime to perform for the students. I found it amazing that another human being could make me laugh or sad and take my mind out of the small town that I lived in growing up. I was always attracted to that idea of performance. I had started performing in plays in high school but I never really told anyone because all the cool kids were athletes. It wasn’t until after I finished college that I really went for it.

AL: Can you tell us about your work in “Mystery Men”?
SK: It was a real treat for me. That was the first time I was ever allowed into the big studio. It was really great getting to see people like William H. Macy and Geoffrey Rush work and interact with the crew. That was my first introduction as to what an actual working actor does and how they should treat their peers. It was a really great because Geoffrey Rush is one of those guys that would come and eat lunch with the other cast and ask us how we were doing. He really understood what it was for us being actors that were just starting out. It was very inspiring.

AL: How was your experience working with Bruce Willis and Justin Long on “Live Free or Die Hard”?
SK: Bruce acted very similar in the way Geoffrey Rush did. The first day I was on set he came over and welcomed me to the team. It was really nice to be around that type of person and crew. Justin really brought a lot of enthusiasm and energy to that set. Those guys as well as my other cast mates really exemplified for me what a movie should be and that’s fun.

AL: How did you get involved with “The Fast and the Furious” franchise?
SK: That evolution came about with the director Justin Lin. He and I did an independent film together called “Better Luck Tomorrow.” That movie is why he and I are in the business today. Justin had paid for that film with his credit card. We really had no money at the time and it was a passion project. That is really where the character I play in “Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift”, Han was born. In that first film Justin and I did I played an over achieving high school kid in Orange county. After “Better Luck Tomorrow” had its success at Sundance, Justin got courted by a lot of the big agents which led him to do the Disney picture “Annapolis.” Once he was done with that film the “Tokyo Drift” project came along. There originally wasn’t a part for me. Justin convinced me to come in and read for the lead even though he told me I wasn’t going to get it. However it was a chance for me to meet the casting directors. There was a small part which was being developed which originally was going to be for an African-American actor and Justin had the idea of why not make it an Asian-American role. I went in and the casting people remembered me from my previous audition so after that it was a little bit of an easier fight for that role.

AL: Can you tell us about “Fast Five”
SK: All the characters from the previous movies come back together for one final heist. Dom and his family are in need of help as they are being chased by a bounty hunter played by Dwayne Johnson. This movie I think will give the fans everything they want while really elevating the game. Each character definitely gets there due. I think the fans are really going to enjoy it.

AL: Do you think this will be the final chapter in the series?
SK: I think it depends. It’s show business so if at the end of the day if it makes money we could see “Fast and the Furious 12”!

AL: Is there one role you have played that sticks out as a favorite?
SK: I did a movie with Justin Lin called “Finishing the Game.” It takes place in 1973 right after the death of Bruce Lee. It focuses on the studio attempting to finish Bruce’s last movie “Game of Death” by using a stand in with a paper cut out of Bruce’s face. Justin had this great idea of making a film about them finding the guy who would play the stand in. That was a really great time.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects?
SK: I have a few independent projects that will be coming out soon. I am always looking for the opportunity to do good work. Maybe “Fast and the Furious 12” will come along. (Laughs)

Philip Anthony Rodriguez stars as Dr. David Evans in Tyler Perry’s upcoming film “Madea’s Big Happy Family”. Movie Mikes had a chance recently to speak with Philip about the film and some of his other projects.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about your upcoming film “Madea’s Big Happy Family”?
Philip Anthony Rodriguez: I play Dr. David Evans and my character is in there to give some plot turning information. I also have connections to a lot of the comedic characters in the film as well. I don’t want to give away too much information other than my character is the family physician and he finds out someone he cares for is sick. This information kind of sets things in motion and has the characters thinking of what they should do now.

AL: Can you tell us how your role in the film came about?
PAR: A few years ago I worked on Tyler Perry’s television show “Meet the Browns”. I really enjoyed the role and during my time working on the show I got to know the casting director for Tyler’s projects. She had remembered me and recommended me to Tyler. Shortly after that I received the offer to do the film.

AL: How was it working with Tyler Perry?
PAR: He is a lot of fun! Tyler runs a tight ship but it’s very laid back. We had a lot of fun on set. Tyler is a real pleasure and a class act. He has definitely been one of my favorite people to work with.

AL: Does Tyler allow you to adlib your lines or does he like to follow the script?
PAR: Tyler has a frame work for what he wants but a lot of times he will just tell you to cut loose. Tyler’s all about wanting to get a good laugh from the audience. He doesn’t go totally off script but there usually is a lot of goofiness and good times going on during shooting.

AL: Are you a fan of adlibbing or do you like to stay more to the script?
PAR: I like to try and stay as close to the script as possible. I don’t like to go too far off script as I don’t want to be disrespectful to the writer. I think sometimes though if a writer feels the actors have really good instincts they will give them the option to add their own take on the dialogue and use the original lines as guides. However I am more of a follow the script type of actor but if the writers offer me extra insight or direction I am more than willing to take it.

AL: Can you tell us when the film will be released?
PAR: The film is going to be released in April and it looks as though we are going to have a premier about a week or two before the official release in Los Angeles. This film is one of Tyler’s more popular stories so even though his studio is in Atlanta, Georgia the premier is going to be in L.A.

AL: You have also done a lot of voice over work for video games. How do you get involved with that?
PAR: I have been doing voice over work since I was a kid. I guess I sort of just fell into it. I actually was one of the first actors to be brought in when video games first started using voice over. At first I wasn’t too sure of the concept but as a kid I was a video game fan and thought the experience was really cool. It really is a lot of fun. It great to be able to just roll out of bed, go to work and not worry about what you look like. (Laughs)

AL: Out of the projects you have worked on so far do you have a favorite?
PAR: I had a really good time doing the television series “Jake 2.0”. That show was kind of coined as “Spy-Fi” and was seen as a new take on “The 6 Million Dollar Man”. I played an NSA agent that takes the main character under his wing and trains him. It was really a lot of fun. I really love that genre.

AL: Do you have any other upcoming projects you can tell us about?
PAR: I just started shooting season 4 of “The Secret Life of the American Teenager”. The whole cast is really excited to be back for a fourth season and it looks like the episodes are going to start airing on ABC Family in March.

Raymond J. Barry has not only appeared over 50 film but also more than 75 plays. He is known most for his role as Ron Kovic’s father in the “Born on the Fourth of July” and for playing Pa Cox in “Walk Hard”, and its well known quote from the film, “The wrong kid died!” Movie Mikes had a chance to chat with Raymond about his role in this years film festival favorite “Hamill” and his current play in New York.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you became involved with the film “Hamill”?
Raymond J. Barry: I was asked to do the project by my agent. She showed me the script. I read it and that is how it happened. I like what I read and decided to do it. There was another factor involved though…my son was being recruiting for basketball by the University of Rochester. We shot in that area and I wanted to go check out the college [laughs].

MG: Where you familiar with the UFC fighter, Matt Hamill prior to coming on board?
RB: No I wasn’t. I don’t watch that stuff is it too violent. Mind you, I am not a pussy [laughs] but I don’t just like it. I find professionally wrestling boring. I don’t mean to be a snooty guy, but I like college wrestling though. Professional wrestling looks fake to me, even though I know they get hurt…but it just looks fake.

MG: How was it working with Russell Harvard in the film?
RB: It was great working with him because he is absolutely and totally 100% real. When you are working with somebody with a handicap, they can’t fake it. There is something amazing with the behavior and the means of communication. I really liked working with him, it was great.

RB: What did you think about me in the wrestling outfit?
MG: [laughs] Listen you pulled it off and you got him pinned in that scene [laughs].
RB: You know when I was in high school I wrestled, so I knew a little about it. I thought that was a really funny shot.

MG: Your work has ranged from comedies like “Walk Hard” to dramas like “Born on the 4th of July”, any genre you enjoy to work in more?
RB: It doesn’t matter to me. I can work in either one but actually comedy does come easier for me. I am a lot funnier than people think. I am usually hired to be a tragic figure or a hard guy, something like that. I am pretty funny though [laughs]. People always come up to me in the shopping malls and say “The wrong kid died” [laughs] from “Walk Hard”. It has become a memorable line.

MG: Tell us about working on the hit show “Justified” and tell us about your character?
RB: It is a great character. He is a little crazy, if he is pissed off he will hit you over the head with a baseball bat. He is also charming and people seem to like him. I did a movie up in Spokane, WA and a woman came up to me and said “Are you my favorite father?” I wondered who the hell she was talking about. She said “I watch “Justified” all the time”. So I guess people really like him.  I have been shot twice and I had a heart attack and I am still alive. They keep shooting me but they don’t kill me.

MG: You are a stage veteran, tell us about your new show “Awake in a World that Encourages Sleep”?
RB: I also wrote that play. I am doing it at the Theater for the New City in Manhattan. The play was promopted by a book I read called ‘Confessions of an Economic Hit Man’ by John Perkins. Specifically what that book is about is a guy who worked for an organization connected with the CIA. What they do is they engaged in lending, where they will give large sums of money to a country like Panama or Ecuador. They will build a dam and demand it is built by American companies, so money does back into the American economy. The guy in the book got sick of it, quite his job and  he wrote this book and. I read it and it just blew my mind. So I pretended I was him walking through a park on the day he quit his job. He comes upon a woman, turns out she works for a corporation. Then the husband comes, who turns out to be his boss. Meanwhile the woman is attracted to me. You have this threesome going with a backdrop of politics. I think I have gotten something really good. I am doing it in NY until April 24th at which then I will bring it back to Los Angeles.

MG: Anything else you want to throw in?
RB: I got a two year old, a eleven year old, a nineteen year old and a thirty nine year old. I was the New York State High Jumping Champion in 1957 and I am 72. Those are the interesting facts of my life [laughs].