Ferreira Fest 37

 

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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

Listen to the sound clip here:




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

Listen to the sound clip here:




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!

Next up: The conclusion of the episode commentaries transcripts for the Stargate Universe episode "Life" (Season 1, episode 9).


DVD: SGU Season One – Episode Nine “Life” Part 3a 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:




[Scene: Scott dreaming of Telford having dinner with Young’s wife.]

BJS – Scott’s having a happy dream.

MN – Now how did you know that was Young’s wife?

BJS – ‘Cause there’s a picture, um…

[Scene: YOUNG’S QUARTERS. Scott tells Young about the dream.]


LF – He explains it right here.

BJS – Yeah… he’s seen a picture of her.

MN – I see…. ah, thank you, thank you for that reminder.

BJS – (teasing voice) And I memorized it.

MN – (laughs)

BJS – I memorized that picture.

LF – (mimicking voice, speaking for Scott) Me likey (Young’s wife).

[Scene: SCOTT: Is this a residual memory of his, has it somehow transferred to my subconscious?]


MN – Uh oh, uh oh.

[Scene: SCOTT: I mean, just because I saw her doesn’t mean the two of…]


MN – Boy you’re backpedaling!

LF – You’re backpedaling a little bit. (laughs)

MN – Major, slightly!

LF – He’s being sensitive to the old smurf.

[Scene: Young tweaks his wedding ring.]


BJS – I love that, that little shot with the ring, right underneath the forearm.

LF – Yeah that was cool.

MN – Yep.

LF – I'd just done that and Alex spotted it, he’s like I’m going to do, use it.

MN – Uh huh.

BJS – Again, great director. Someone who’s watched something happen in a rehearsal.

MN – And then what, yeah.

BJS – It may even be just behavioral, you know, have nothing to do with the lines. Highlight it.

MN – Mmhmm.

[Scene: Wray, just returned from Earth, walks down corridor with TJ. TJ tries to talk Wray into having her psych eval.]


LF – What I love about this is… look how you (Ming) have the extra spring in your step.

BJS – Yeah!

LF – As if you were back there on Earth and had, you know. Loving relationship.

MN – Mmmm.

BJS – But I love how she (Wray) sort of… wheedles her way out of this, uh, psych evaluation.

MN – Mmm, yeah, yeah. (laughs) That would be me.

[Scene: Wray brushes TJ off and hurries away.]


LF – Look… she’s like, you know what? (mimicking Wray) No, no I’m good, I just came back and I had a little and, um, I’m good, I’ll see you, talk to you later.

MN – Not in the mood, okay, bye!

LF – (Mimicking Wray) Feeling good about it but good luck with that, all the best!

(all three laugh)

[Scene: Spencer accosts Franklin in corridor.]


LF – Oooh!

MN – Oh! Oh!

[Scene: Young slams Spencer against the wall.]


MN – I love that, uh, outta nowhere… tough guy!

LF – I love too that it’s one of my own men.

MN – Yeah.

LF – So he’s defending the scientist. ‘Cause there’s this whole, like, civilians versus the military but in the, you know, there’s also a moral code… and the… he was abusing… he was picking…

MN – Absolutely.

LF – And so there’s something you know I, I… that’s what I liked about that scene.

MN – Right.

BJS – But also like - get it together man (to Spencer), like, you’re falling apart.

LF – Yeah. You’re supposed to be one of MY men.

BJS – Yeah.

MN – Mmhmm.

BJS – You should be a rock. (to Spencer)

[Scene: Young looks at Franklin briefly, then walks away without a word, leaving Franklin bewildered in the corridor.]


LF – I tried a scene once where I gave him (Franklin) a big hug, just hugged him, but they thought it was maybe too much.

MN – (laughs)

LF – (laughs)

[Scene: OBSERVATION DECK. Chloe and Scott. ARMSTRONG: Wow! That is, um… it’s wild!]


MN – And your relationship with Chloe, Scott and Chloe, very complicated.

BJS – Very complicated.

LF – Very. (Providing humorous subtext for what Chloe is saying) I wanna feel like I want good times, yeah…

MN – Mmhmm.

LF – (continuing with humorous subtext) You know? Saturday Night Live, right, that thing, you know that thing where they say, yeah…

MN – Yeah.

LF – (continuing with humorous subtext) they talk, look, soft scene.

[Scene: Chloe puts her hand on Scott’s knee.]


LF – (continuing with humorous subtext) Oh, touching hands.

BJS – Oh!

MN – Mmhmm

LF – (soft, subtext voice) She’s concerned that he’s got a son.

MN – Mmhmm.

LF – (subtext voice) Kinda doesn’t know how she feels about it.

[Scene: SCOTT: …angry that she didn’t tell me.]


LF – (resumes normal voice) I thought you were brilliant in this scene, by the way.

MN – Mmhmm.

BJS – I love these little scenes, though, I like these little… just kinda sit and talk.

MN – I love, yeah where you’re really talking to each other.

BJS – I think it’s something that TV does really well, you know what I mean? You can’t do, really, scenes like this, this intimately like even in the theatre.

LF – Yeah, one of the things I love about this show in this stage of like fast editing Sesame Street editing as I like to call it, is that this show allows scenes to play, the spaces are there, the air is there, and that’s rarely allowed now in a lot of shows.

MN – Mmmhm.

LF – And that’s one of the, it takes its time.

MN – Yeah.

LF – It’s almost like European filmmaking as opposed to the American thing where everything’s chop chop chop chop, because…

LBW – It’s not cutting to make up for content.

LF – Yes, it’s the other way, yeah, they’re letting stuff breathe.

[Scene: Telford steps out of car, approaches EMILY YOUNG’S HOUSE.]


MN – Ugh, this… little…

BJS – Yeah, this is ridiculous…. I think this is one of the best ways that they’ve communicated the stones.

[Scene: Young watches Telford from a waiting vehicle. The scene shows Young in front seat, but car mirror reflects the body he is inhabiting, then Young gets out of vehicle as Young.]


MN – I love, wait, wait… is this, is this, uh, how did they do that?

BJS – How did they do it?

LF – This is great, I’m just outside the door, on the other side. He gets out, and I slide in.

MN – This, awesome! Awesome!

BJS – Nice!

MN – That is good.

LF – (laughs) That was a good one.

MN – That’s a good little trick.

LF – That’s what’s fun about the communication stones, figuring out ways to actually do the uh…

BJS – I think this episode is its clearest, I think this episode is the easiest to understand who’s using the stones.

MN – Easiest to follow, right.

[Scene: Young enters house to confront Telford with Emily. Scene goes back and forth between the person whose body Young is inhabiting, and Young himself.]


BJS – Like that.

MN – Yeah, like that, uh huh.

[Scene: Young confronts Telford, points his finger into Telford’s face. YOUNG: You stay away from my wife, you pathetic piece of scum. EMILY: Everett?]


MN – And she knows, like right away. Because that’s how you talk!

LF – (Robert Deniro voice) You heard what I said, you heard what I said? (laughs) talking like Bobby DeNiro there, hey, hey, what… that was fun. Alex (Alex Chapple), he says, put your finger in his face. (funny voice) My finger in his face? (laughs) Funny!

BJS – Wait, Alex told you to?

LF – Yeah, yeah, well, I like the finger in the face.

BJS – It’s great.

LF – Yeah.

[Scene: Young talks to Emily, Telford steps aside and makes phone call.]


LF – Who’s he calling?

MN – Well, I think he’s calling headquarters.

[Scene: Young rushes at Telford, but switches body before he makes contact. Young abruptly finds himself on Destiny.]


LF – Whoop, exactly, that’s my point, (laughs) I love that, like, what just?

[Scene: DESTINY CORRIDOR. Scott and Eli catch up with Young. Eli tells Young that Rush’s Icarus planet doesn’t exist. Behind Young, Wray walks around corner and overhears.]


MN – Ooooh.

BJS – There was some concern, people, uh….

[Scene: Young turns and sees Wray.]


LF – That’s the last person I wanted to see…. no offense (laughs) as the character I meant. Wray knowing that information is not good.

BJS – Yeah, of anyone to have found out, that’s not good.

MN – Yeah.

[Scene: Young confronts Rush. RUSH: I knew it was pointless at the time but you persisted. Why? To boost morale.]


BJS – Again, another great scene between uh, you two.

[Scene: Rush asks Young who else knows. YOUNG: Wray overheard, so we can assume everyone knows on the ship.]


LF – (Snickers)

MN – (laughs) Why? You calling me a blabber mouth? Telling me I can’t, I can’t…

LF – No! Calling you a human resources person. And you are.

MN – Yeah, well, I like to talk to humans.

(all three laugh)