Category Archives: Interview

Interview with Greg Ellis

Greg Ellis is a multi-talented actor, singer, songwriter and voice over artist and this week brings his talents to NCIS Los Angeles, playing Pieter Smit in the episode, Parley. Born in Lancashire, England, Greg is an experience theatre actor who has performed in London’s West End in productions such New Starlight Express and Miss Saigon and also starred in some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters including Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Trek, Titanic and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Greg has also had recurring roles in a number of hit television series including, 24, and Touch and has guest starred in a variety of dramatic shows as well. As you can see Greg is a man of many talents which includes 3 Top 20 singles in Europe! We’re looking forward to his appearance on NCIS Los Angeles and welcome him to the NCISLAFamilia. Let’s find out more about Greg….

You have been quite busy throughout your career, working in film and theater as an actor, singer, songwriter and voice over artist. Is there any one area that you gravitate towards? What medium do you prefer the most?

I usually enjoy what I am doing at that particular time in my life. My sons (6 and 8) enjoy it best when I do cartoon voice overs. I like TV and film.

Growing up in Lancashire, England what pulled you towards the performing arts and how did you get started in the business?

My mother was in a local drama group and then 2 people in my hometown, jean and Clive Morris, started a drama group for kids. I joined that when I was 8 years old and got the bug. I left for London when I was 16 and never looked back.

Can you tell us about the character you play in your upcoming guest appearance on NCISLA? Who from the cast did you work with?

I play Pieter Smit. He’s South African, deadly with a firearm and not to be messed with. I worked mostly with Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J. My character goes head to head with them both. We had a lovely time working together. Very relaxed, low key, genuinely lovely blokes. They have good chemistry on set. John Peter Kousakis directed the episode. Aside from being a top notch director he’s a very dashing fellow indeed. I must also mention Eric Pot who is the most jovial 1^st AD I have ever worked with. Always a chipper attitude and a smile wider than the Suez Canal.

What was your experience like on the NCISLA set and can you share any fun stories?

The cast and crew were first rate. Fun, professional, friendly and talented. One of the most fun experiences was the read through. Not many shows do it but I feel it’s very rewarding and fun for the cast and crew and writers/producers to get together and read/hear the words out loud. We giggled a lot.

Tell us about your St. Jude’s fundraiser. How much have you raised?

@greg ellis

It is an annual triathlon in Miami that is a fundraiser for St. Jude’s children’s hospital. Over 3500 people take part. I do two per year, one in Miami and one in Malibu, CA around September for Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles. In Miami a few weeks back I placed 1^st in my division but more importantly, with the help of friends and family, I was able to raise over $19,000 to be the number one fundraiser. I hope to make it to $20,000. LL Cool J was kind enough to retweet to his 3.5 million followers. Donate if you can here!

What’s up next for Greg Ellis? Tell us about your next project. I leave for New Mexico next week to work on the AMC show Longmire. I play Jordan helms – an activist for an environmentalist group. I have never worked in New Mexico and I hear that Santa Fe is beautiful.

Thanks to the entire NCISLAFamilia for making me feel so welcome. I hope to be back one day…

We hope so too, Greg. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. You can follow Greg on Twitter: @ellisgreg or check out his web site: www.gregellis.me.

Interview with Ronan Vibert

If you watched the Borgias on Showtime or the Hatfields and McCoys on the History Channel, you probably saw the talented actor, Ronan Vibert co-starring in both of these critically acclaimed series. He has lent his acting talents to many BBC and American productions and has worked with some of the most celebrated directors of this generation, including Peter Bogdanovich, Ridley Scott, and Roman Polanski. Ronan answered a few questions for us from the UK on his recent guest star appearance on NCISLA where he plays the malevolent Visser on the Raven and the Swans. Thanks go out to Ronan for taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk to NCISLA Magazine!

You have been quite busy throughout your career, working in film and television. What medium do you prefer the most?

I enjoy both. So many film directors work in TV now so there is very little difference between the two mediums.

Growing up in Cambridgeshire, England, what pulled you towards the performing arts and how did you get started in the business?

I was born in Cambridge but grew up in South Wales. I used to go to a youth arts center once a week where we’d improvise and play games. An experimental theatre company from London saw me there and I worked with them in the summer holidays. I guess I got the bug from them. Then I went to Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts when I left school.

Can you tell us about the character you play in your upcoming guest appearance on NCISLA? Who in the cast did you work with?

I play Visser, a German head of security for a Dutch businessman (Vandenberg). He’s described as a psychopath. I worked with pretty much most of the cast. They were very welcoming and great fun.

What’s up next for Ronan Vibert?

I have a film coming out called Saving Mr. Banks with Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson and Colin Farrell. It’s about the making of Mary Poppins. Great script, cast and director.

Thanks Ronan for stopping by to speak to us. You can follow Ronan on IMBD.

Interview with Carsten Norgaard

Carsten Norgaard was a determined man! Despite a consistently weak phone signal, he was not going to be deterred from finishing his interview with NCISLA Magazine! Our conversation was interrupted a number of times during the course of the call but with a little bit of patience and a lot of humor, we rallied on. With great forbearance, Carsten graciously answered a number of questions I had in regards to his guest appearance as Nolan Vandenberg on this week’s episode, Raven and the Swans on NCIS Los Angeles.

This versatile performer has worked with some of the best in the business and has had a varied career in film and television. Carsten was born and raised in Denmark and eventually made his way to England to study acting. NCISLA Magazine asked him about his decision to become an actor and what it was like to be on the set of NCISLA. Let’s welcome Carsten to the NCISLAFamilia and find out more about this delightful actor.

When you were in Denmark what made you decide to become an actor and go to London to study?

I did get my economics degree first. I guess that was the most sensible thing to do. I always loved movies since I was very little and decided to travel and I thought London would be a great place to start out so I moved from Denmark to study there. I became an actor because it’s like escapism…craving a character or a life that is different from who you are. I loved the movies and it was something I always wanted to do.

What project first brought you to Hollywood?

Actually Mighty Ducks brought me to Hollywood. That’s how I got over and I ended up spending about five month there making that movie and ultimately it was the catalyst to making me move out there full time. It was a great experience from working on small European projects where you all have to share a room together and this was the first time I had a trailer! It was just on a different scale.

You’ve done comedy and drama work, what do you prefer and enjoy doing the most?

I think one of the great things about what I’ve been able to tackle on both sides of Europe and the States, is that there are just different feels to the different projects.

What was it like working with legends like Dustin Hoffman and Michael Gambon when you guest starred in HBO’s Luck?

That was a tremendous experience doing that show in so many ways. I worked with the director, Michael Mann before so it was fantastic. Just being around the whole cast of characters was tremendous. It was a great ride while it lasted and everyone was sad when it closed because of the problem working with the horses. But it was so great to work with some of the greatest actors and directors of our time.

Can you tell us a little about your character on NCISLA and who did you work with?

I play Nolan Vandenberg, a Dutch businessman who pops up on the radar in connection to some manufacturing equipment that ends up in a manufacturing facility in Iran and it rings some bells in regards to being an illegal operation and that is what the stakeout is all about. He’s an international businessman with lots of ventures. He is a very wealthy, powerful and smart businessman who runs a successful international business and he is highly visible in magazines and such. It was my first time shooting on the Paramount lot and it’s great because there are only so many shows you get to shoot in LA. It’s such a beautiful studio and driving through the gates in the morning you just think about all the history that the place has….wonderful. We also shot in the Biltmore Hotel too which has a lot of history. It’s where they would host the Oscars and I had never been there before, so it was a beautiful experience being part of old Los Angeles.

I worked along with Ronan Vibert (who plays Visser) who was my right hand guy and takes care of all the dirty laundry and helps to make sure all is taken care of on my behalf. He’s a great guy to work with.

What was it like on set?

I thought everyone was like a family and rested well in each other’s company. Everybody had a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed what they were doing. Robert Florio was our director and he’s worked on so many different episodes. So I thought it was interesting to work with somebody who is entrenched in the show from so many different angles.

I worked mainly with Chris (O’Donnell) and LL Cool J who were just great guys. It was fun filming in Los Angeles too. I wish there were more shows filming in Los Angeles, instead of having to go on location all the time. Overall it was a great experience and everyone seemed to love what they did ….great actors who were bantering with each other and they were just a lot of fun. And there is nothing like working on a show where you really feel like everyone is getting along with each other and you could tell that the group in front of and behind the camera really enjoyed their time together. That’s something that works great when you come into as a guest star on an episode where there is a great synergy among everybody!

Thanks go out to Carsten for his patience and good nature in answering all of our questions (sometimes more than once!!). We look forward to seeing Carsten in his future endeavors and invite him to stop back again to NCISLA Magazine anytime!

Be sure to check out his website: http://www.carstennorgaard.com/

and follow him on Twitter: @carstennorgaard

Interview with James MacDonald

Playing a law enforcement agent is a role that James MacDonald is very comfortable with, but this time he gets to do it in a Polo shirt and ball cap! MacDonald guest stars as DEA Agent John Ness in this week’s episode of NCIS Los Angeles and he stopped to talk to NCISLA Magazine about his time spent on set. James had a great time working with first time director, Eric A. Pot and was pleased to be handed such a great script and character to play. Let’s find out more about MacDonald….
[Admin Note: The interview contains hints regarding the storyline of the NCISLA episode “Resurrection”… expect spoilers if you haven’t watched the episode yet…]

Can you tell us a little about your background and how you decided to become an actor growing up back in Wisconsin?

I was 13 or 14 when I did plays at junior high and I had just moved into town and I was searching for something to be good at because I was mediocre in sports and I think I became the class clown because I moved around so much… so you have to find a way to survive. I just auditioned and that’s the way it all started and I thought this is fun and I seemed to be ok at it and it just went from there doing a lot of high school plays and a lot of comedy, actually early in my career which I don’t tend to do much anymore. I tend to play these heavies and serious roles.

I went to a small college and did a bunch of plays and got a lot of really great parts and all of a sudden you think, I’m a big fish in a small pond and I got stars in my eyes and I said I got to go to New York! My professor at college helped me audition for a couple of acting schools in New York and I ended getting into a program called Circle in the Square in New York in the 80’s and went through their acting program for two years.

I was really lucky and I was very young when I got out of the program in New York and we had a scene night where agents could come and my first job was on a soap opera called Another World. Then I did some after school TV shows playing teenagers and got my first movie called Some Kind of Wonderful by John Hughes and played another high school kid. I was also doing theatre too. I was on Broadway doing the Heidi Chronicles which was really exciting and I did 204 shows and I wanted it to last because getting a steady paycheck in New York was a good thing. My foundation is really theater and you are luckily if you can keep making a living doing film and TV work as well.

You have been working pretty steady in TV and film…how do you remain motivated and keep driving yourself?

I think it’s the same for any creative career or one that is constantly in flux in terms of security. I feel like I have to stay constantly in training. I look at every audition as a big event because you go there and there are 25 guys for each role and you have to come in and nail it. You only got three seconds to prove yourself and you got to be in the zone. Some people can just turn it on and off but not me. I have to freely be in the right mind set. You have to have this really positive and optimistic view constantly. It takes work and that’s why I think some people just don’t last in the business and they can’t weather that. It’s kind of tough at times.

You play a DEA agent in this week’s NCIS Los Angeles episode “Resurrection”. Can you tell us about your character?

They love me in a uniform which is great for me because a lot of my work as a guest star is military, FBI agents so it’s kind of my bread and butter. The nice thing about this role is that I’m not in uniform and I get to dress casual in a Polo shirt and a baseball cap. So I said that’s cool because I have both of those so I thought maybe that will help me get the part! It was a really nice role and it had a two or three page monologue. It had a really nice juicy scene with a really nice script, so I was excited to do it because it had been a long time since I had a really interesting character to play from my perspective.

What was it like on set?

They really know what they’re doing because the director Eric A. Pot, who is usually the first Assistant Director, was directing the show for the first time. He was so enthusiastic about directing and so positive. It was kind of refreshing and that was really fun because he wanted to take the time and talk maybe more than another directors would about my character and my choices in terms of what we are doing. I really appreciated that and Chris and Todd were really nice guys and they get in the grove and it’s always nice coming on the show as a guest star when they are so relaxed because I’m always very nervous. But they made me very comfortable and I think because of that, the scenes came off really well and I thought ‘this is going to work out!’ You just never know what to expect.

Can you share any stories that you will take with you from that day?

All my scenes were with Chris and Todd. In the second scene I have a death scene! The director really wanted it a specific way because I’m poisoned and he kept telling me to slow it down and do it this ways…saying ‘you’re losing control of your arms’. So he was being very specific on how he wanted it. This one time I started to do it and as I’m dying LL Cool J just breaks out laughing and says “What are you doing man? You’re doing the moon walk!” In the middle of my death scene it was just so absurd as far as what it looked like from his perspective. And Chris was like “Hey man, give the guy a break!” It was pretty funny because I can only imagine what I did look like.

You were also in NCIS awhile back… can you tell us the difference on set between the two shows?

I can remember it vividly because when I did NCIS it was the very first show after they got picked up after the pilot. So the energy was very intense because it was the first show and the script changes were coming in very fast and there was a lot more tension and there was no fooling around. I got my scenes so late; I barely had time to memorize it. It was all military jargon and I was concerned but I got through it. They just were so concerned that the show was going to work out like everybody wanted it to. So it was just a different experience. On NCISLA they were taking the time and it didn’t seem rushed to me and Eric A. Pot was really getting what he wanted and wasn’t forced to move on and only get one take. It was nice that we actually had the time to work the scenes so that really makes a difference when everyone is just so relaxed. It was a good gig for me in that sense. Eric knew the set so well and knew everyone on it….there are a couple of neat twists and turns and it’s a fun story. When I was reading the page, there are some really great action sequences and I’m kind of curious how they are going to pull them all off so that will be kind of fun to see.

You have written and directed a short film called Heavy Lifting. Would you like to do more in this arena?

Absolutely! I think writing and seeing it become alive is one of the most fulfilling things besides acting. I’ve been writing since my early 20’s and I wrote a one man show that I did in New York and the thing about writing is that it is a pure form…and you are also creating work for yourself which is also a great element in this business. I find it completely satisfying. My wife wrote a book that I’m in the process of turning into a screenplay, getting producers and I hope that I will be able to direct my first feature film!

What’s next for you?

The writing and directing thing is happening right now. I have a one act play that I wrote and it is being produced in June and July. It is part of the Fringe Festival out here and we are going to start casting that probably in two or three weeks and I’m excited about that because it will be my first produced play. I’m really looking forward to it. I love acting but you’re really lucky if you get a chance to do it because there are so many people who want to do it and there are only so many roles but there are a lot of really talented actors who have to generate and create their own work to be creative. There are a lot of people like me who say, if I’m not going to be cast in something then I’m going to write something and put myself in it. You kind of end of doing it yourself. I’ll always be an actor and there is nothing like getting a change to do a role that is really interesting and stretches you and it’s such a blast. But the directing and writing just goes naturally as you get older if you have any talent in those areas you just want to give it a try.

NCISLA Magazine would like to thanks James for taking time out of his busy schedule to join us for a fun talk about his guest star role on this week’s NCISLA episode, Resurrection.
You can find out more about James and his future work by going to his IMDB site: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0531762/?ref_=sr_1

Interview with Lily Mariye

@Paul Smith

Lily Mariye knows that nice girls can finish first. As a film maker, she named her production company Nice Girl Films because being nice is also about being appreciative and kind to the people you work with. This refreshing philosophy has served Lily well and she is enjoying extraordinary success as a director, writer and actor in the challenging entertainment industry. In 2000, Lily was named Filmmaker of the Year by the National Organization of Women for her award-winning short film The Shangri-la Café. The accolades continue to this day with her first feature film that she directed and wrote called Model Minority. The film was released last year and continues to make the rounds of film festivals around the world collecting various awards as it goes. Lily is best known for portraying Nurse Lily Jarvik on the TV series ER along with putting a together a long resume of acting credits in film and theatre. In Purity (4×20). Lily guest stars as Ashley Hung. She took some time to answer our questions about her career and the time spent with the cast and crew of NCISLA. Let’s welcome Lily to the NCISLAFamilia!

It’s wonderful to see a strong Asian American woman who is involved in all areas of the entertainment business. Besides acting, you have written, directed and produced your own feature films. What made you want to venture into these other creative areas?

Thanks, it’s nice to be called a “strong” woman! My journey into filmmaking started in college. I always considered myself a writer and thought I was going to be an English major, but got sidetracked into the Theatre department at UCLA. I started out as a ballet dancer as a child, added all different kinds of dance to my repertoire, then singing, then acting. When I started getting work as a dancer and an actor (I got my SAG card in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Dolly Parton), my writing became something I did on my off-days or during my downtime on film sets. In 1998, I saw one of the actors from ER, Deezer D, headsets on, sitting behind the monitor with one of our directors, Chris Chulack. I asked him what he was doing and he said he was “shadowing,” or observing the job of the director. That looked like lots of fun and a way to pass the very long hours on the set. So I asked our producer, John Wells, if I could “shadow” too. He said yes and introduced me to two of the most talented, prolific directors working, Jonathan Kaplan and Lesli Linka Glatter. They have become inspirations, role models and continue to guide me even now. And John allowed me to observe every single aspect of television production, from meetings with writers to production meetings to casting to location scouting to every aspect of post-production. It was a huge gift for which I am eternally grateful. In 1999, Lesli recommended that I apply to American Film Institute’s prestigious Directing Workshop for Women (where she made her first short and got nominated for an Academy Award) and I got in! I had no idea if I could direct or if I would even like it. I wrote and directed my first short film, “The Shangri-la Café.” And as it turns out, I LOVE filmmaking! As an actor, I get to pretend that I’m another person, but in the big paint box of filmmaking, I’m only one color. When you’re a filmmaker, you get to play with ALL the colors. It’s exhilarating.

Was it hard trying to make it in Hollywood as an Asian American actor? What obstacles, if any, did you face?

I can’t really compare my road to being an actor with anyone else because I’ve only had my experience as an actor. Apparently, it’s a tough road for all of us! I have friends who were blond haired, blue-eyed All-Americans who didn’t get the breaks I did. I think it’s all about perseverance, doing what you love, or even just trying to do what you love. I’ve been very lucky. Certainly, my 15 seasons on ER is an almost unheard-of gig! Of course, I’ve lost roles along the way because the decision was made “to go another way.” And I’ve turned down roles because the parts were offensive or stereotypical. But I can’t compare my career to other actors’ careers. That’s a dangerous path to take! I just keep finding ways to be creative and trust that I’m where I’m supposed to be.

You have a strong television acting background, in comparison, what was it like on the set of NCISLA? Can you tell us a little bit about your character?

The set of NCISLA reminded me a lot of the set of ER—it’s a well-oiled machine, everyone doing their jobs efficiently and joyfully. My old friend from ER, Consulting Producer/Writer Joe Sachs, wrote a part for me and contacted me saying, “Want to work on NCISLA with LL Cool J and Chris O’Donnell?” My answer was a resounding, “WOULD I?!?!” There were quite a few crew members from ER, so it really felt like home. And our director, Eric Laneuville, directed many episodes of ER. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I will just tell you that I play Ashley Hong, the Operations Manager of an electroplating factory that deals with large silver and gold plating, like you’d find on huge machines or aerospace parts. Something really bad happens, so Chris and LL have come to investigate.

Who did you work with on screen in terms of the main characters of the show, and can you share a special memory of your time spent on set?

I worked with LL and Chris. We had a scene where we were going down a freight elevator into the basement of the factory. We shot on the lot at Paramount, under one of the sound stages, in the basement. I didn’t realize how tall LL is, so even though I was wearing 3” heels, he and Chris tower over me as we descend down this elevator with moody lighting coming out behind us. I spent a lot of time alone with the guys in a huge elevator with big wooden gates that lift up. I guess nobody thought about who was going to open the gates until Eric yelled, “Action!” I realized that it’s my factory so I should be the one pulling up this ENORMOUS wooden door. But then Chris leaned over to help! It was very sweet. They are both very funny and very nice. It was fun to watch them interact with each other, much like they do on screen.

@Julia Ransom

Tell us about your latest film, Model Minority and what it was like to write, direct and produce that film?

Model Minority is set in South L.A. and follows teenagers as they survive the treacherous world of peer pressure, drug dealers, juvenile hall and dysfunctional families. Kayla, an underprivileged Japanese American 16 year old, endangers her promising future as an aspiring artist when she becomes involved with a drug dealer. I enjoyed every moment, every aspect of making this film. And I can’t wait to make my next one.

What was it like to be recognized with the best film and director award from the Asians on Film Festival for Model Minority?

It’s humbling and amazing that my first feature and my first feature directing efforts have been recognized and rewarded! Along with those two awards, which were the most recent ones, I’ve also won the Emerging Filmmaker Award from the DC APA Film Festival and the Special Jury Outstanding Director Award from the LA Asian Pacific Film Festival. But the one I’m most proud of is the Audience Choice Award for Best Narrative Feature in New York at the Asian American International Film Festival. Awards from judges are always great, but knowing that your film was loved by an audience is why you’re making films in the first place.

What’s up next?

Heaven knows! I’m still auditioning for acting roles, and writing my next feature, which is tentatively called “What I Did For Love.” This one will feature dancing, taking me back to my roots. It’ll be nice to go full circle, because in my heart, I’ll always be a dancer first.

Lily lives in Los Angeles with her husband Boney James who is a Warner Brothers recording artist and her cats, Sammi and Oscar. A big thank you goes out to Lily and we appreciate her taking the time to talk to NCISLA Magazine! You can find out more about Lily on her websites and watch a trailer for Model Minority:

http://www.modelminoritymovie.com

http://www.lilymariye.net

And follow Lily on Twitter and Facebook:

https://twitter.com/lilymariye

www.facebook.com/lily.mariye

www.facebook.com/pages/Model-Minority/130160293722454