Actor and Musician Jordan Lawson Gives an Up Close and Personal Interview!

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Mike Howard, Reporter and Interviewer on LA Talent, sits down with Actor and Musician Jordan Lawson for an insightful and candid interview. Jordan shares some of his past work as well as his new roles for a number of upcoming films being released in 2016.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160122/325199

MH: " I had the pleasure of sitting down with Actor/Musician Jordan Lawson for about an hour. I must say,  I have been through hundreds of interviews over the years, but I have never met or interviewed someone quite like this man. I have seen several of his films and I admit, I'm a fan. I have been ever since I saw the film "Wasteland" a few years ago. I never missed an opportunity to watch this guy's work again! Here's what he had to say.."

MH: "Thank you for being here Jordan and taking the time to speak with me."

JL: "No worries man. Thank you as well. Glad to be here."

MH: "So tell me, you were talking to someone outside the front of the building when I first came in and you looked very pleased about the conversation. I'm sorry. I had to ask you about that."

JL: "Ha! Yeah, I was talking to a guy who was waiting for a ride back to Hollywood. We were discussing each other's work. I knew his and he knew mine, so that made me feel good. I always love learning from other people and knowing their stories out here. Believe me, he had some. A very gifted Actor he was. A character Actor like me I guess."

MH: "I see. Well, speaking of acting, can you tell me about how and when you came to Los Angeles to do what I know you've been doing for so long?"

JL: "I started acting as a kid really. I was around 13 or 14. I got into my high school's Theatre classes and did as many plays as I could with everyone there. My coach was great! Gregory Wade was his name. I definitely got my feet wet during my early teenage years. When I turned 18, I moved to New York and pursued Theatre there for a few years. It was amazing! I didn't move out to LA until 2006. While I was in New York, I remember I loved watching old films from the 40's and 50's. Something about Actors during that time intrigued me. I would watch them like a hawk. Learn from them. Idolized them sometimes. It was an amazing time for me. Being young and free in a city like that, on your own? Anything could happen. Great feeling! I joined a few Theatre groups and started performing in a lot of Dinner Theatre, Off-Broadway, things like that. So many ONOs too. A blast."

MH: "ONOs?"

JL: "One Night Only. Believe it or not, those kinds of plays always attracted crowds. Always. I never did a show and not be on stage in front of a packed house. When I say packed house, I mean like 40 or 50. The places are really small in Manhattan sometimes. Kind of like my apartment. I didn't care though. All I cared about was performing anywhere that would take me. Well, not anywhere but you know what I mean. Ha! By the time I had been there for a year and a half, I must have performed in at least 30 to 40 plays. One nighters, a week, two, even monthly jobs theatrically there sometimes. I was just grateful to have met and worked with so many kind and talented people. It was all I wanted to do."

MH: "That sounds amazing and you're so sincere and calm when you say this to me."

JL: "Well, I've grown as an actor but also as a man. A person in general. A lot has changed over the past 15 or so years. Seems like it was yesterday though. I always missed that town." 

MH: "Well, you certainly made an impression. I know that after researching your background, I found out that you had some friends and fellow actors here in LA that were trying to convince you to come out here."

JL: "I did, yes. April, 2006 I drove out here from Tennessee where my mother, brother and grandparents lived. I was born in Charlotte, NC and as a kid I was raised in Tennessee. A beautiful state. Not much going on which bothered me sometimes but still, I enjoyed having family around then. Still miss them now sometimes. They're very supportive of my chosen field though. Especially my mother Nancy. She was always telling me to keep going. My father wasn't around much so she took care of my brother and I when she had to. A hard working woman. I owe her my life really."

MH: "Touching. Well said! Hey! How did get along when first arriving here? What were your thoughts? About LA I mean."

JL: "Thanks for that man. I appreciate the kind words today from you. I came out here in 2006, joined a few rock bands. Some fell through, some lasted. I was juggling Acting work and it never was an issue doing both, you just have to organize. My first film gig in LA was a short film entitled "The Valentine Nightmare". It screened at a few theaters around LA and Hollywood. It got me some positive attention and feedback from some people I had been wanting to work with for a long time, so that was great."

MH: "You also appeared in a few Television series as well I remember. I saw your episodes. "Law and Order: Criminal Intent", "Passions", "The Young and the Restless" to name a few. Great performances my friend!"

JL: "Thanks! It was fun. I was rubbing shoulders with some heavy hitters in the industry and for me, it was amazing when I would go on the lot to work on things like that. Very surreal."

MH: "I'm sure it was! Some of the other films I've seen that you starred in were "The Secret Life of Tom Bishop", "LG:15 The Resistance (TV series)", "Roommates", "Private Parking", "Donation" with Kym Whitley, "408", "Sanctity", "Zig Zag" and "Someone's Knocking at the Door". Now that one was intense! I knew you were an intense character actor when I saw the types of roles you play or gravitate to. I saw them all."

JL: "It's a tough industry but I managed. I'm still managing. Any role that was interesting, fun, challenging, intense, different or something that I would enjoy were the main reasons I would do it. I just went for it."

MH: "I loved the one called "Project Purgatory" as well. Another film called "Detour" you did got a lot of attention in Los Angeles I hear. I was actually at that premiere! It was in Hollywood near the Blvd and Highland I believe. You sold out every showing of that film for over a month. See...I've done my research on you."

JL: "Ha! I can tell. That means a lot. Thank you for watching my films. The next year I appeared in that movie you mentioned before called "Wasteland". The director was amazing. The notorious Kantz!!!! Love that guy. That same year I did a few other films. "Bro" with Danny Trejo, "A broken Code", "The New Republic" and another crazy film called "Rise of the Dinosaurs". It was on the Sci-Fi Channel for awhile. I also starred in an episode of "Unusual Suspects" and finished some other films including "Gone Doggy Gone" with Richard Riehle, "Coast Mafia" directed by the up and coming Samedy Khun. He was great to work with as well. "Delusional" with Tuesday Knight, Tracy Brooks Swope and Perry King was a good one. All great people and I'm still good friends with them today. I love it when Actors connect both on and off set. I loved the positive energy of those guys. I always try and surround myself with good people like that. "Battle B-Boy" and "Different Eye" with Actor Lejon Stewart was great as well. Keep your eye on this man! He's going places. Lejon was and still is a great friend and we'll be working together this year on another film called "LA Slacker Confidential". That one is set to show at channel 101. The film last year I did called "JC Blues" gave me the opportunity to work in my home town and back east where I could spend time with family in between shoots which was pretty cool."

MH: "You recently appeared in a few episodes of "Murder Book" from Investigation Discovery channel. The most recent episode called "Mr. Big" just aired a few days ago. I tuned in for that one. You played Detective McCormick. Great performances! I really love your style and abilities as an actor. More to come soon I hope?"

JL: "Of course! "Project Purgatory Beijing", "A Tennis Shoe in the Street", "Shoot the Saxophone Player" and "The Amazing Mr. Moji", Directed by Lucas Culshaw, another great director and person. All these films are set for release this year I believe."

MH: "Nice! I can't wait to see these films! Please keep me posted on things if I somehow let one fall through the cracks on my list of movies to see in 2016."

JL: "I will for sure! Keep an eye out for a film called "Getting the Kinks Out". This one will star me, Tuesday Knight, Heather Langenkamp, Jed Rowen, Max Aria, Blaine Gray, Amanda Wyss, Tracy Brooks Swope and others. We are gonna be filming again this year and release it this year as well . I'm also going to be doing a short film called "Dinner with Tess". It will star Tuesday Knight, Tracy Brooks Swope, Jed Rowen and myself. I love working with familiar faces again and again. We're a tight acting team! I love those guys." 

MH: "I'll check it out! Wow! Some really amazing and talented actors you'll be working with again soon! I really appreciate you coming in to speak with me Jordan. I just want to say that you are one of my favorite Actors and I look forward to seeing some new things soon! A lot of other people as well too after this interview I'm sure! By the way, what about your former band The Flys? Are you going to be back in the studio or playing around town again soon?"

JL: "I got with those guys back in 2006. It was fun and I already knew who they were from back when I was a teenager. We played shows around LA for awhile and were going to be writing some new tunes at the time, but we ended up moving forward with other projects and goals. I think we all knew what it was and what it could be, but The Flys are an Alternative, Post-Grunge Rock band and I think the lead singer wanted to branch out and do his own thing. I had to respect that. I enjoyed gigging with them and working with great Musicians. It was an honor. I still listen to The Flys today. As far as I know, a lot of other people do too. "Got You Where I Want You" was always one of my favorites. I'm currently working with a few other Musicians now and we are planning on getting back into the studio this month with some new material. More to come on that soon."

MH: "That sounds very interesting and again, keep me posted on that and your acting career as things progress. Thanks again for the interview Jordan. We'll chat again very soon!"

JL: "Thanks to you as well my friend! It was a pleasure."

SOURCE Jordan Lawson