The Friends
of
Louis Ferreira
The Official
Louis Ferreira Web Site
Louis answers your questions
ACTING
Listen to the sound clip here:
FF – As an actor today, what inspires you? What do you love the most about acting?
LF – What do I love most? I think when you’re able to be part of something where, for whatever reason, all the elements come together. So, the writing and the acting and the directing, it’s just, you see a product that ends up being, something that you ultimately end up being very proud of, for whatever reason.
Because you never know. When you do a show, you know, you’re banking on whatever, but you don’t know the ultimate, you know you’re as much of a… it’s as much of a surprise to you as it is to an audience in a way. You don’t know how it’s gonna look or how it’s shot or how it’s edited, or how it’s composed or the music and all that stuff.
So, when you’re a part of something and then you’re like, when you see a strong reaction and you’ve made people happy, or you’ve affected people - for me it’s about that. Being able to sort of have someone be impacted by a performance, or somehow affected.
FF – Right.
LF - I think that’s what we’re supposed to do for each other is serving. And that’s where acting feels like you’re serving. When you’re part of the entertainment community and you actually, that becomes the gift that you give, and so, that is the ultimate, personally, for me. And then beyond that, actually doing that, it’s having that experience, with the kinds of people that you admire. In other words, just, the people who understand that this isn’t brain surgery, we’re all blessed to be working, and there’s no, really, egos involved, it’s just a collaborative work. I mean, you have that experience on set where you can just also enjoy the process and you’re not feeling like, sometimes, the BS of showbiz. I think it can feel very rewarding that way.
FF – Right.
LF - And it’s nice. I told it like this when… actors jobs, you know, no one can ever judge an actor for working. Work is what you want to do as an actor. But you, ultimately, you swing the bat. And swinging the bat means you’re playing the game, which on its own is enough of its own merit. But you know, once in a while you’re lucky enough to hit a triple, or you know, a double, you know what I mean? But for the most part the fact that you’re up and swinging is… means something.
To score a homerun, that happens so very few times in your career, for most people, that when it does it’s that much sweeter. But the reality is, I’ve always been happy just being able to go - hey, I’ve been swinging the bat for 28 years and I feel nothing but blessed, you know?
NAME CHANGE
Listen to the sound clip here:
Q – It sounds like the decision to begin going by your name Louis Ferreira was a profoundly important and brave step for you in your personal life journey. Did you do something special with family and friends to celebrate and commemorate this pivotal point in your life?
LF – I did not. There was no such big moment like that. It was just, for me, something I’d been thinking about for a while, something that makes sense. And when my mom passed, it would make more sense than ever to do it at that point.
You know, I guess, I became an adult orphan. When you lose both parents and you’re like, well wait a minute if I don’t have my name then who’s carrying the torch? And so, a little bit of that. More than anything was, the reason that, again, always about my kids, seeing their dad’s name up on screen match their name was important to me as well.
It was a gamble, though, because I didn’t probably suffer the consequences, I mean, there was a point a year, year and a half after the name change I was like oooh. Everybody was saying, “Why would you do that?”
I’m sure on some level it was a gamble, but, if there’s anything I’ve learned in life it’s that it’s our gambles that define us and gambling and risking that, you know, is where progress gets made.
I never felt like I’d made a wrong decision. I’ve never looked back.
FF – Right. But no big Louis Ferreira party?
LF – No, (chuckles). Louis Ferreira… I’m not a big party thrower.
FF – Okay.
LF – Not for myself. For others maybe.
FF – Maybe at some point that’ll change.
LF – Yeah, yeah. I’m thinking when I turn fifty that could be a good one, that’d be nice.
FF – That sounds like a good party. Simple question!
LF – I’ve got several years to think about it.
BROKEN BONES
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Q: Have you ever broken a bone other than your pinkie?
LF: Yes. My ankle. My left ankle twice, my right ankle once.
FF: Was it a sporting accident?
LF: Yeah… Mostly in basketball, one was in track. I just went over on the ankle. So, yeah.
FF: Wow!
RECYCLING
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Q: Are you into the environment and recycling?
LF: Of course! We all need to be! I don’t know too many people who aren’t nowadays. We kind of have to be.
FF: Yeah.
LF: It makes sense. Right? It makes sense. It just makes sense.
FF: Who can seriously say, well, no, I just throw everything away?
LF: It’s our back yard! It’s our back yard, and we’ve seen what we’ve done with it over the years. We also have Mr. Gore’s "The Inconvenient Truth” – right? That was the name of that documentary, right?
FF: Right.
LF: Which was brilliant.
GRAND THEFT AUTO 5 (GTA V)
Listen to the sound clip here:
Q: We got a question on Twitter, and somebody wanted to know if you did the voice of “Trevor” on Grand Theft Auto 5.
LF: No, I did not.
FF: OK, all right. I didn’t know if that rang a bell because I had never heard you talk about having done any video games, like voicing video games?
LF: Yeah, that wasn’t me. Sounds like a good gig, though!
PLANETARIUMS
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FF: And speaking of voiceovers – I was at a planetarium show, I think last week, week before last, and Michael Trucco was narrating one of the planetarium shows – you know how they always have the stories and whatnot that go on, and there’s always, they hire well-known people to do those voiceovers. Is that something that you’re ever done?
LF: Ah, no, it’s something I’d love to do, though – I love those kinds of things. I’ve narrated stuff but not anywhere near that level.
FF: Well, they do hire mostly, actually if anybody’s been doing any kind of science fiction show, those are usually the people they try to pull in for those kinds of jobs. You should get your agent on that and see if he can find you something like that.
LF: There’s a long list I’m sure, and I’m probably towards the bottom of that list in the sci fi world is the problem and the reality, which is fine. I do have a voice agency, and I have read for the occasional documentary here and there, so we’ll see. If it’s meant to be it’ll happen.
*** NOTE: If anyone who reads this works at National Geographic or a similar company that produces planetarium shows, please contact me at ferreira_fest@yahoo.com. Let's see if we can make this happen!
TYPECASTING
Listen to the sound clip here:
Q: You’ve played a lot of cops/ agents/ military personnel in your career. From your point of view - what do you think it is about your person that gets you cast in these types of roles?
LF: That is an interesting question. I think the reality is I’m much more of a Doug Barber from Hidden Hills. I think that’s the way television works. I think when you capture something or an essence of something that’s good, people like it. The business likes to pigeonhole you – “Oh, he’s a great cop” or “He’s a great ‘this’”, and so I feel I’ve gotten away for the majority of my career with having a lot of different types and parts and versatility – the range is my thing that I like most; and lately I’ve just been feeling – it’s funny, that question – lately I’ve been feeling that oh, I’m being kind of put into a little bit of a niche that I’m not particularly a fan of, and it’s just from the perspective of wanting to do different things as well.
FF: Right.
LF: So as much as I love those kinds of roles and stuff I just think I do have a certain amount of, as far as the question itself, I think I come from a – I think the way I was raised and brought up, I have an inherent ethical part to me, I think I operate with “fair” and I operate with words like “right” and “wrong”, and I’m not afraid to back down, and I think that plays into those kind of decision makers-type folk in our society, so I think that’s my guess.
But I think more than that a lot of times people are like “Oh, I’ve seen him, he plays a great ‘this’ or a great ‘that’”, and I think they try to type-cast. That’s what happens to people. That’s why I love the Meryl Streeps and the Daniel Day-Lewises, and the people who are constantly changing and challenging themselves to grow in different ways, so I am aware of that, and it’s one of those things I’d like to break, and I’m talking to my agent right now. I’d love to do some more comedy, I’d like to get back on a half-hour or do something ”out there” again.
But at the same time I’m so grateful for any work, and you know I work to live and so I’m always just grateful to have a job. I’ve never really guided my career by having the choices. Johnny Depp has the dream career.
FF: With the variety of roles he’s getting?
LF: Yes, he’s just brilliant that way, his career, as far as being able to have that, and God bless him. And Daniel Day-Lewis and Meryl Streep, and you know, the ones that have the luxury of picking and choosing and do and challenge themselves and doing roles that are vastly different from one another. I have such great admiration for them.
FF: Yeah, but you know what? Maybe that part of your life is still ahead of you.
LF: Oh, I agree, and I’m very excited. I feel that was part of – and that goes back to the name change thing – that I chose the name. I did 25 years as Justin and now I want to do the next 25 as Louis, and I think this is where it gets kind of exciting, so I’m just waiting for that – I do believe that’s what’s meant to happen, or at least that’s my desire for myself. Constantly re-inventing, and change is ultimately the greatest difficulty to endure, to adapt to change, because ultimately we know everything will change, and does change, so I love those kinds of concepts.
Want to ask Louis something? Please leave a comment HERE.
He will answer your questions, time permitting!
Note: Commentaries are recorded while the actors, directors and producers watch the episode and provide their insight into its filming. There are often multiple conversations taking place at the same time as well as the episode soundtrack playing the background. We will attempt to piece those conversations together to decrease reader confusion. At times, the commentators get caught up watching an episode and fail to discuss which will be noted as [episode soundtrack]. We will note scene progression by first sentence using GateWorld transcript of the episode for tracking purposes.
Listen to the sound clip here:
[Scene: Scott dreaming of Telford having dinner with Young’s wife.]
DVD: SGU Season One – Episode Nine “Life” part 3b Commentary with Louis Ferreira, Brian J Smith, Ming Na and script coordinator Lawren Bancroft-Wilson. Transcript by tiggerrocks1. All images courtesy of swannee's screencaps. Click on the thumbnails for large versions.
Note: Commentaries are recorded while the actors, directors and producers watch the episode and provide their insight into its filming. There are often multiple conversations taking place at the same time as well as the episode soundtrack playing the background. We will attempt to piece those conversations together to decrease reader confusion. At times, the commentators get caught up watching an episode and fail to discuss which will be noted as [episode soundtrack]. We will note scene progression by first sentence using GateWorld transcript of the episode for tracking purposes.
Listen to the sound clip here:
BJS – You’re both right and you’re both wrong, that’s what’s so cool about.
LF – That’s what’s great about the writing too.
BJS – Yeah.
MN – Mmhmm.
LF – It’s fun to play.
[Scene: YOUNG: Rush. Go, sit. Be my guest.]
BJS – Although you’re a little right here, you’re quite right.
MN – I think you’re more right. Young is right…. Rush, Rush is very selfish.
LF – Well, no, Rush, listen, I’m sure, even for me, it’s great when you can justify your own character, more than ever, but the reality is I’ll never be able to not feel that the only reason we’re all on the ship is ‘cause this one man has his own agenda.
BJS – Yeah.
LF – That’s as far as Young’s perspective… So I’ll forever feel, you know.
[Scene: Scott alone in shuttle. Eli comes to join him.]
LF – I like this scene a lot. ‘Cause Eli’s so…unaware.
(all three laugh)
BJS – Yeah, he’s kinda socially retarded.
MN – But he’s, socially retarded, that’s a good way to put it.
LF – He’s so socially inept and I love it, yeah.
MN – He thinks he’s helping, and he’s not.
LF – He’s so charming, yeah.
MN – No, David Blue plays that so well.
LF – He’s so good.
BJS – Yeah. ‘Cause he means, he means well.
LF – I mean, we can talk about the idea that we are, there’s me, you (Ming Na) and Bobby, but there’s these guys who really are on their first series ever and I was just saying that this is… how proud I would be and how brilliant they really all are.
MN – Right. Yeah, Yeah.
LF – It’s really remarkable that these guys have put this…
MN – And it’s so good, I mean that the chemistry, I think, of everyone, and the work ethic is awesome.
LF – Incredible.
BJS – Yeah that’s, that’s, yeah.
MN – Really, really fabulous. Like we’re all on the same page as far as like how to get through a day’s work.
LF – It’s hard, but everyone shows up.
MN – Mmhmm.
BJS – Well, it’s funny that one of the things we’re actually talking about for next year is having more rehearsal time. You know what I mean? Like we actually want more.
MN – Mmm. Yeah. Right.
[Scene: Eli has a dawning realization that Scott is down and maybe doesn’t want to talk. Eli: … and that sucks. You don’t wanna talk about that!]
MN – (laughs)
LF – (laughs) He finally gets it.
MN – Yeah.
[Scene: Scott gives Eli a small smile – grateful that Eli has figured out that he wants to be alone.]
LF – You know what, I love that, too, Scott, that’s like such a grown up Scott look. That’s one of the rare moments where you have that like I just I need, I need a moment.
[Scene: Wray crying in the shower.]
MN – My second shower scene! This is the steam room scene.
BJS – This, this is a work of art, I, the whole, the way it looks, what you’re going through, even what you’re doing with your hands. (Wray covers her eyes with her hands)
LF – Never mind that, what are you wearing?
(all laugh)
BJS – Oh, man!
MN – I’m happy to hear you’re (Louis) so compassionate to the moment here.
LF – (laughs)
MN – Yes, your empathy is oozing out of you!
LF – (still laughing) Did I mention it is my first time?
BJS – I love that scene though!
LF – But you… but that was… something…
MN – (still laughing)
BJS – That was so…
MN – Oh, let’s leave it to the imagination!
LF – Oh, I don’t want to know, man! You’re my colleague and professional, man, we both have families and children, I’m curious!
(BJS and LF share a laugh)
[Scene: MESS: TJ sees Young sitting alone, she sits down beside him.]
MN – Now, I love the relationship you two have… because you see snippets of it and how do you deal with.
LF – Yeah… oh he’s a guilty, he’s very guilty.
[Scene: TJ peering thoughtfully at Young, concerned for him.]
MN – Oh, Alaina is so beautiful!
LF – She’s ridiculous! (how beautiful she is)
MN – She’s ridiculous! If I wasn’t a lesbian! (laughs)
BJS – (laughs)
[Scene: YOUNG: This my psych eval?]
BJS – I remember watching you guys shoot this scene, I was by the video village when you were working on it.
LF – (murmurs) This is another great thing…
BJS – And they were, Alex, was looking for something really, really subtle from you.
MN – Mmmm.
BJS – And I remember, this, the take, is the one that they used. He was back there, just nodded, when you got this moment, right here…
[Scene: Young gazes at TJ for a long moment, contemplates something, then shakes his head. YOUNG: Bad day.]
BJS – When he got that moment right there he (Alex) was ecstatic.
MN – So you (Louis) were, yeah, you were ragging on Eli being like socially retarded. Young is the grown up version of being socially inept.
LF – Oh, yeah, Young is, Young… Yeah, he’s got no skills whatsoever.
MN – No skills.
LF – He’s not in touch with his feelings.
LF – I gotta tell everyone, this (recording commentary) has been a blast!
MN (laughs)
BJS (laughs)
LF – This is awesome!
BJS – It is fun!
[Scene: Young has returned to Earth pretending to be Volker using the stones. He approaches Telford outside of Telford’s house – we see Young stroll up, but in the car window the reflection is of the body he inhabits. Young punches a suddenly surprised Telford.]
MN – Oh, this is another great moment, I love this!
[Scene: Young stands over Telford after beating him up.]
MN – Poor… uh… Lou Diamond Philips gets beat up so much on the show.
LF – (speaking for Lou Diamond Philips) Look how messed… I look so messed up there! (laughs)
MN – Poor guy! (laughs) Nicest man!
[Scene: Chloe on OBSERVATION DECK doing yoga with Eli.]
LF – Oh, I love this ending!
MN – Aaah! The music.
LF – Back to that song that we love (Worst Day Since Yesterday by Flogging Molly), this is an amazing…
MN – This is so funny (Eli doing yoga). Scenes like this, subtle, subtle humor.
BJS – Yeah, yeah. But it makes you feel good in a kind of bittersweet way.
MN – Aren’t our special effects guys great, too?
LF – Oh! Top to bottom!
MN – Yeah, top to bottom. In the details.
[Scene: Wray adds the missing boat to her tropical island drawing.]
BJS – But I love the symmetry in this episode, right?
MN – Yeah.
[Scene: Park in bed with Greer.]
BJS – You know? And again, look. Watch Jen, Watch what Jen does.
[Scene: Park, on top of her lover, brushes her hair back from her face, then leans down to kiss Greer.]
LF – Oh, the hair?
BJS – Yeah. The same thing.
LF – But watch Jamil’s look of… (as he pauses, scene changes)
[Scene: Young intently studies kino footage of Rush.]
BJS – Well (laughs) your look, your look of why isn’t that happening to me?
LF – (rumbly voice) The sexy look. Sexy. He gives a sexy look.
[Scene: HYDROPONICS: Franklin stares in amazement at a small green shoot poking up from a tank.]
MN – Uh huh!
LF – Nice! A little hope.
MN – Ah, Nice. A little hope.
[Scene: Spencer in his quarters, lies on his bed and stares at the ceiling, unblinking.]
BJS – And then, a little not!
MN – (laughs)
LF – … just sit back…
BJS – Yeah.
MN – But even the colors, right? All the green, and then the blue, the cold.
LF – But this is really a story of people starting from scratch, that’s what I love about it, it’s like that, that seed representing the first green on the ship.
MN – Green, yep.
LF – That’s amazing.
MN – Aside from Scott’s eyes.
LF – We all take stuff for granted, yeah.
[Scene: Scott in shuttle, camera pulls away so that we see him in the window of the shuttle, which is only a tiny bump on Destiny.]
LF – I love that last shot right there. That’s incredible.
MN – Oh! Right here! Can we talk about special effects?
LF – CGI guys, wooo (claps) there they… hey hey now!
MN – Woooo!
LF – (deep voice) Don’t do it in the Stargate (laughs)
[End of Commentary]