Category Archives: Interview

Interview with Jonathan Murphy

©David Zaugh

Jonathan Murphy likes to wear a lot of different hats and sometimes all at the same time! This multi-talented actor from Arlington Texas is looking at his future projects and finding ways to expand a successful acting career. Having starred in various TV shows and soaps, Jonathan got his first big break in October Road and later in the American version of the cult classic Life On Mars. Today Murphy has expanded his resume by adding writer, director and talent to a new film short called Pull the Trigger, Mr. Wigger, a thought provoking work that poses some tough ethical questions. This week we are excited to see Murphy make his way back in front of the camera again to star on NCIS Los Angeles and this week’s episode Paper Soldiers. Welcome Jonathan to the NCISLAfamilia!

You grew up in a very traditional family far from the entertainment industry… but in high school you got the bug and decided to become an actor. What lured you to the footlights?

I was the guy who always played sports and I feel like I reached this thing where sports wasn’t doing it for me. A friend of mine at the time was big into the theatre and he said why don’t you come out and do this and give it a try. From what I can remember from my earliest time, when I went to see a musical or a show, I was always enthralled and stayed up late watching TV instead of doing my homework. So there was always something wanting to exist in the entertainment industry that has been in me as long as I can remember. The first thing I remember when I was six, I went to see a production of the Wizard of Oz and I can still remember thinking ‘how do I do this….how do I get into something like this’? It was hard to admit to somebody that I’m going to move out to LA, hundreds of miles away and try to be an actor with the other millions of people who are trying to do the same thing. But it caught me and bug has not let me go since!

After you enrolled in college, you immediately quit and made the move to Los Angeles. What motivated you to make the move at that time?

There was this thing called the Modeling and Talent Search of Texas, and I had no idea what it was but I was sitting in my dorm room looking for theatre auditions because there are tons of theatres from the Dallas/Fort Worth area where I’m from…so I was basically looking for a gig and this search said you could come out and do a monologue and there is going to be a casting directors there so I thought I would give it a shot. I was 19 years old and wanted to give it a go. I ended up getting a performance scholarship and met my first manager Craig Wargo there. He said to me, ‘I think you’re great, but you live in Texas, if you ever move out to LA give me a ring and I’ll see what I can do for you’. Two weeks later I was giving him a ring!

You have been on a few TV series but one of the most memorable was your work on the American version of Life on Mars. What was it like to work with that extraordinary group of actors?

That was a very good time and something a little different from your run of the mill cop shows. We had a very devoted fan base not only with the UK version but the US version as well…they watched and they liked that show and I appreciated that. That was a special experience. It was the first time I had been to New York because we shot the whole series in New York and I packed up from LA and moved out there and I didn’t know what to expect because I didn’t know anyone except the producers. Obviously, I was familiar with Mike (Imperioli) and the work he had done on The Sopranos and the accolades that came along with that. Then there was Harvey (Keitel) and his long career. But a lot of actors try and get on a show and be a regular and I was lucky enough to bond with not only people who had extensive film credits but people like Michael who worked a long time on television and also talented people like Jason (O’Mara) who was just breaking out. But I think I was in awe of the whole experience of moving to New York and touching that dream that you thought about for so long. So you learn and Mike and I developed chemistry not only on screen but off screen as well and I still speak with Jason and see Gretchen (Moll) too and I feel like we created a bond that surpassed the 17 episodes that we did. But if you are someone who is sitting on a set and not willing to watch and learn from people who do what you do at such a high level and so consistently you miss a big opportunity. I think the biggest thing I took away from that whole experience is that you have to be individual in the decisions that you make and the things that you want to do and you can’t rely on someone else to fulfill everything that makes up all your dreams. I got to the do the work and enjoy the experience and it was only after so many years and now away from the series that I can look back and say, ok… the costumes were so great and the music was so great and I know people still talk about it and say they liked it so much as a viewer. So now I can look back in a nostalgic way and say I agree with them.

On NCIS Los Angeles you play Ian Bruckhurst in Paper Soldiers. Without going into anything specific about the plot, can you tell us a little about your character? What was it like to work with this cast and crew?

This was kind of my first foray into any of the medical world jargon because I play a character who works at the LA Coroner’s office. My character is a guy who handles the body and when he hears what the coroners are saying, they don’t match up and sound suspicious and that’s when Sam and G come around asking their questions. My scenes were all with those guys (Chris O’Donnell and LL Cool J) and when you do a one-off guest appearance you always hope that you get to work with the leads of the show because it’s a good thing for your face and your level of performance because you are hopefully matching their level of performance. But I was lucky because my scenes were with Chris and Todd.

I can tell you from experience that a lot of people don’t understand the amount of work and time that goes into being number one, number two, number three on the call sheet and the extra-curricular work like being hosts of the Grammys and all the extra stuff they have to deal with for them to be able to come to a set and be as cordial and as nice as they are. They are so nice and it filters from them all the way down to the sound guy, the grips and of course, the director. Those guys are the face of the show but they really set the standard and they set a great working atmosphere.

Any stories you can share about your time spent on set?

There was one scene we were doing and I noticed Todd was sitting over there reading his lines and I took note of it and the next day I sat next to him between takes and I said ‘Is that woman that you are sitting next to yesterday your acting coach?’ And he said that yes, she goes over everything with him and I told him that I respected that. Because a lot of guys in that position don’t have to be making that extra effort and have an acting teacher working with them nonstop on every scene… but the dedication and the amount of work and everything that goes into that and on top of them being cordially and introducing themselves and saying hello at the table read sticks with actors like myself because I’ve seen how difficult it to be a regular and how time consuming it is but they are able to manage that and still be able to be nice guys and I appreciate that. They made my job 10 times easier.

©David Zaugh

You have recently written, directed and starred in your first short film called Pull the Trigger, Mr. Wicker. Can you tell us how that all came about and what it was like to wear so many hats?

I loved it. That idea was a short scene idea that I had stewing around in my brain for a while. It was a desire to want to wear all those hats that created the essence of wanting to pull it all together. But I didn’t just want to go out and make a short film because I wanted to have written something, and directed something and starred in something …my goal in accomplishing the goal of writing and producing and all the stuff that comes along with all that pre-production was that the content was relevant and as I told my actresses, we want this to be the first ten minutes of a conversation that lasts a lot longer than that. We want people to watch this and say what choice would I choose, because in the end my character has to choose what his fate will be and my ultimate goal in doing it was to plant some sort of seed in the viewer’s mind that says what fate would I have chosen? And if we can get them to ask that question then I think our goal has been realized and hopefully that is translated into what I would choose and why I would choose this and hopefully it would start a debate. It has been received well by the people who have watched it and I hope that I can leave the audience behind with a piece of it and take something away with them. That was our goal.

What’s up next for Jonathan Murphy?

I can tell you there is a script that I have written and a producer who saw Mr. Wicker at the Unexpected Film Festival in LA and he is interested in getting this project off the ground. But in living the life of an actor you never know what is right around the corner and in the mean time I have spent a lot more time with my writing and after Mr. Wicker was done I was trying to delve into that part of this industry because I respect guys like LL Cool J who create different venues like he does with his music and his hosting besides his acting. And that’s what’s next for me, not just another job but looking to expand a career. I want to build a career so people can’t get enough of me yet!

Thanks go out to Jonathan for talking the time to speak to NCISLA Magazine! You can watch Jonathan’s new short film on YouTube, Pull the Trigger, Mr. Wigger . Follow Jonathan on twitter @jonathan3murphy and on his website: www.hollowtreeproductions.com.

Interview with Cynthia Basinet

NCISLA Magazine found out that a very special rendition of Santa Baby by Cynthia Basinet is going to be featured in this week’s holiday episode of NCIS Los Angeles. We decided to go right to the source and ask Cynthia more about her version of this iconic Christmas classic. Let’s welcome Cynthia to the NCISLAfamilia!

You must be excited to find out Santa Baby was going to be used in the holiday episode this week on NCIS Los Angeles?

So excited!

How did you find out the show was using the song and have you had any of your other songs used on TV or film before?

Well, I ‘m here in NYC and was in this wonderful new chicken and waffles candy store, aptly named Sugar and Plumm, having a great hot chocolate waiting to see the tree lighting at Lincoln Center. It was such a beautiful night and contemplating how good things are… And voila, there’s an email forwarded from my label, sent by Mark Wike (Music Supervisor for NCIS LA).

My father, who passed away earlier this year loved CBS. And I recorded Santa Baby when I lived across the street of CBS. It was CBS residuals that financed the song, as Santa Baby’s original intent was as a personal Christmas gift. That was 15 years ago to the day. Finally, to have the song, that’s been so revered by fans worldwide since 2000, come back and be the backdrop to Holiday romance on CBS’s NCIS LA… Cool, right? And yes, thanks for askin’, I do have other song placements.

This song has been covered by some iconic singers like Eartha Kitt and Madonna. How did you decided to interpret the song and put your own spin to this Christmas classic?
I recorded Santa Baby as a gift for a very special person in my life, Jack Nicholson. Have always loved that song, as so many do, thanks to Eartha. The radio DJ, Michael Mann (then 102.3) in South LA made me a cassette tape of her version. Decided to record it and another, Someone To Watch Over Me, as gifts that went on a Christmas card CD. That was 1997. Then Santa Baby went viral in 2000. This version, perhaps because it was sung from the heart, has oft credited to Marilyn Monroe. (Well, that and illegal file sharing. ;-).) Ironically, this version has become the standard for today’s artists.

What’s coming up in 2013 for Cynthia Basinet that you can tell your fans about?

First, I have my debut full length jazz CD, The Standard, just out. Second, have a fantastic new single, Eventually, out early in ’13. Third, get to tour and act more.

Thank you NCISLA mag for sharing Santa Baby with your fans!

Thanks Cynthia! We appreciate you taking the time out to speak with NCISLA Magazine!

Here’s Cynthias version of “Santa Baby” for our readers…

You can also find out more about Cynthia on www.CynthiaBasinet.com.

Interview with Nick Puga

Nick Puga has one of those faces that make you want to smile. Even before you watch any of his guest roles or commercials you know he was put on this earth to entertain people. Nick was also one funny kid growing up. He used his comic gift to win over classmates in school and to amuse his family and friends. Entertaining people came naturally to Nick so there’s no wonder he choose a career in showbiz. NCISLA Magazine had the opportunity to speak with Nick regarding his upcoming guest star role in this week’s episode, Collateral. We found him to be a very engaging guy and a real charmer. Let’s find out more about Nick.

After watching your demo reels, I get the feeling you were a funny kid growing up and perhaps the class clown. Tell us about your background and how you got into the business.

Absolutely correct! I actually won the sixth grade class clown award! Everybody was getting a reward and they were trying to come up with something positive about everyone and the only thing they could come up with me is that I was the class clown. From a very early age around four years old, I wanted to put on shows for my family. I’m Chilean and grew up in Florida and we had a lot of visitors. Our house became like a hotel and part of what became routine is I would perform after dinner while they were eating dessert. I would do shows and imitations of Michael Jackson and Elvis. It was something I just did, I can’t explain it. I was influence by TV and it became a regular thing. I didn’t think it would be a career. But I was a very short kid in grade school and my protection would be to make fun of myself. I could do that better than anyone else around me. So that’s how I started winning friends, and stopped being picked on. It came naturally.

Someone actually convinced me in 10^th grade to take drama lessons and that’s how I got serious and started doing plays. Both my parents weren’t too ecstatic about it and although they encouraged my performances after dinner they didn’t know much about the industry. I went on to a prestigious drama school in Miami that was very strict and maybe a little bit too strict because they wouldn’t let me audition for certain projects so I went to Florida International University in Miami.

I worked in Miami and things were going well but there is only a certain level you can reach, and although there are many shows and movies shot in Miami, the producers are not very open to having a local hire being a guest star and I realized the only way to do that was to move to California and become an LA actor which was in 2001. I had to start from scratch all over again and look for multiple jobs that would pay the rent and rebuild my career. You work for free on graduate projects from USC and to build your resume you try to perform wherever you can. The hardest part is doing multiple jobs at the same time, but I learned a lot.

U Tube was a big deal for me…it opened the door. It’s very difficult for actors and comedians to come up with their own material. I had some not great experiences with my content being used by other people. But when U Tube came out I realized I can create what I want and write and produce it and put it online and now I don’t have to worry about it being stolen because it’s all dated by computers and it offered projection. I was able to put it out worldwide and see what kind of responses you can get. The first thing I did was to make a music video…a hip hop, no-holds-bar assault on the epidemic of text messaging (The Sock Puppets). From there we garnered attention from some MTV execs and they invited us to be part of the MTV comedy showcase. Things started to turn for me at that point.

Besides acting, you are a voice over artist, producer, director and writer. Is there one area you enjoy over the others?

I love acting. It’s something I have to do. As far as directing, I think about it but I’m not ready yet at least until I have a lot more acting under my belt and more experience with great directors, like Kate Woods (NCISLA: Personal, Collateral) who is so great on the job. I feel like the more I can experience working with great directors, the more I can learn. That is my goal down the future is to be a director though. I do shorts now but I would like to do a narrative at some point. Voice over work I love too! That is a really fun job. I just did a pilot for Nickelodeon which I’m excited about. It’s called Cabrito and Chewy where I play Cabrito, the little goat.

You have been in some highly visible commercials. I image it can be very lucrative but how creative can you get and do you enjoy working in this area of the business?

I have been very fortunately to work repeatedly with the most talented commercial directors around. Most recently I got to work with Todd Philips on the Super Bowl commercial with Mathew Broderick. We did a spoof of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off for Honda. It’s a lot of fun and I am fortunate that I have worked as consistently as I have been. There are times they let me do my own thing too which is fun.

Tell us about your time spent on the set of NCIS Los Angles. What was the cast and crew like to work with? Did you enjoy the table read?

My character’s name is Dex Stevenson. He’s socially awkward but bright with computers and works more with a CIA agent in a consulting business that he runs. Working with the cast was super exciting. I’m a big fan of Eric Christian Olsen and he’s great with comedy and during the table read he just killed it. So it was a terrific experience to be a part of that because with table reads you always learn something new. Everyone was super nice from the get-go. They are just such a happy group and they bring you into the family immediately. They thank you for being there and the camaraderie is really great. I didn’t get to work with any of them apart from the table read, but I was really glad to be there.

You mentioned Kate Woods, the director for Collateral, what is she like working with?

Kate Woods is super smart and I was blown away by how many different scenes there are going on at one time and I was really impressed how she could just go from one scene to the next. She has a great sense of humor as well as keeping everybody up and working. Everybody on set seemed to just love their job, loved what they do and they just work hard and passionately.

You just finished shooting a major starring role in a feature film entitled After the Wedding. What’s it about and when can we see it on the big screen?

It’s a romantic dramady and independent film written and directed by the super talented Claudia Cifuentes. This is her first feature and my first in a lead role. It takes place six months into marriage and my character is a newlywed and a writer. For his birthday his wife gives him a trip to Miami to go down and try to finish his latest novel because she is really supportive of his career. While he’s down there he becomes emotionally intimate with a sexy bartender and he decides to reevaluate the state of his marriage. We just wrapped principal photography early September and it looks like it will be ready next summer to submit to Sundance and hopefully out the following year.

What’s next for Nick Puga?

I have a few other projects coming up that I can’t talk about just yet but always looking forward to the next job!

It was a pleasure to get to learn more about Nick and we enjoyed his appearance on NCIS Los Angeles! You can follow Nick on his web site: www.nickpuga.com or on Twitter: @nickpuga and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/itsnickpuga.

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Interview with Greg Cipes

Greg Cipes is one busy Renaissance man… or should I say Renaissance dude? It seems like he can and has done it all! This accomplished professional and one time surfing champ gave one of the most laid back and fun interviews I’ve done in a long time. Whether it’s his numerous appearances on television and commercials, fronting his reggae band Cipes and the People, or lending his voice to Teen Titans’ Beast Boy, Cipes enjoys life and lives it to the fullest. With his many accomplishments, this interview could have gone down many different avenues since Greg has so many diverse talents. But each one has a story to tell. For instance, did you know Greg is one of the best voiceover artists in the industry and that he a dedicated vegan and so are his dogs? Or did you know that he performs and composes reggae/hip-hop music? But it’s his ranking as the # 3 junior US professional surfer in 1998 that will come in handy this week as we watch Greg hit the beaches with our undercover surfers Kensi and Deeks on the latest episode of NCIS Los Angeles, Skin Deep. We began the interview by asking this Florida native how he knew he wanted to break into the entertainment industry.

I was inspired by my parents and my grandparents who were small bit part TV and film actors. My grandfather was in the first Super Boy series and my grandmother was in some Frank Sinatra movies and they inspired me at pretty young age. It was really in my blood and there is nothing I would rather do than be in the entertain world.

You are interested in so many areas of the entertain world from actor, to voiceover artist to director, producer, and musician. What do you enjoy doing the most?

People tell me that you can’t do it all and you got to pick just one but I always held all my interests all on the same level and I only do what I love the most. I work on putting them all in the same project as much as possible, whether it’s music in my voiceover work, or if I’m in a TV show or movie, I try to integrate my music into that. I’m always crossing over because I love everything I do equally. If I didn’t love what I do, I wouldn’t do it.

Growing up in Florida you developed a love of reggae. How do you describe your music because you seem to have a lot of other influences in your music as well?

I’m definitely inspired by reggae music because of the positive vibrations that come from the music. At the age of 2 years old, my parents were bringing me to the Bahamas and I heard reggae music which made me feel good, so naturally I gravitated towards it. There I was at five years old dancing around the room to Bob Marley. My spirit felt good because it was happy music. So reggae music is kind of the core of my music and Jim Morrison and the Grateful Dead inspire me as well but ultimately it was the greats like Bob Marley and Bob Dylan and even Will Smith because I’m working on a version of his Fresh Prince of Bel Air work!

How did you get in the voiceover business?

There’s a cool story here. I have nine brothers and sisters and my dad use to drive us around in an RV and I would sit on his lap and we would talk to other truck drivers on the CB radio and I was doing weird voices and one day my dad said “One day you’re going to do cartoons!” And twenty years later I’m part of the biggest animated show on the planet. My agent, Melissa Berger really gave me the opportunity to hone the craft because she heard my voice one day and said you have a cool voice and you really should be doing voice over. Andrea Romano, the best and most sought after voice director in the world gave me my first break, starring in Teen Titans for Warner Brothers. Now she’s directing Ninja Mutant Turtles which when I grew up with and was my favorite show and now I get to be Mikey. That leads me to NCISLA which means I’m part of the biggest animated show in the world and the biggest live action show in the world!

Speaking of NCIS Los Angeles… Can you tell us a little bit about your time on the show and your character?

It was really cool because on the set I was sitting there and I recognized one of the stunt men who was a pro surfer who I grew up watching and I got to hang out with one of my childhood idols as a surfer and I got to hang out with one of my childhood idols who was a musician… LL Cool J!

At the table read I got to find out how cool, fantastic and sweet the whole cast and crew are. Maybe sweeter than any show I’ve ever been on. Everyone greets you with big smiles, it’s authentic and you can tell everyone loves what they are doing. The table read was more like a party and a celebration than a table read. Everybody is having a good time laughing, but the topics are serious and the issues they are exploring are real but yet they are having a good time which is why I like the show so much. These are all such likeable characters.

My character is very much like me, he’s a surfer and he lives in Venice. I had a blast and I loved filming in Venice. I worked with the beautiful Daniela Ruah and the blond, goofy cop, Eric Christian Olsen who I also worked with on Kick Buttowski a couple of times doing voiceover work. And they may want to bring me back so there may be some more NCISLA in my future!

We hear you have a new CD coming out soon?

My album is being mastered right now and is part of my new show and a vehicle to get my new music out. So by the top of the new year my new album will be on its way to be delivered to the people. I have been working on the album every week for the last four year, because you can’t force art and it’s my dream music, the music I always wanted to create.

What’s next for Greg Cipes?

Well, Teen Titans is coming out again next year and a lot of people love that show. We’re also recording the second season now of Teenage Ninja Turtles. I have two more movies coming out in the next month and I’m also doing a show on ABC called The Middle which I have a recurring role in…and my Fresh Prince of Bel Air work. I’m having fun and most importantly I have my dogs with me and they are the best. I wouldn’t want to be alive without them. They are my acting teachers and they are always truthful because that’s what acting is all about…living truthfully in every circumstance. Dogs know that and they have your back. You can’t lie to them. I only want to be part of making the world a better place and making a difference.

A big thank you goes out to Greg Cipes in this week’s interview chair and we look forward to all of Greg’s future projects including his new CD coming out next year. If you get a chance, check out Greg on Roseanne Barr’s reality series Roseanne’s Nuts and the new season of Teenage Ninja Turtles on Nickelodeon. You can follow Greg on Twitter: @gregcipes or on his official web site: www.gregcipes.com.

Layla Crawford Interview

Did you know what you wanted to be at the age of three? Layla Crawford sure did and since then she has been busy perfecting her craft not only in film and television, but in theatre and commercials as well. By the time she was in kindergarten, this talented adolescent knew that the performing arts were calling her name. Since then she hasn’t wasted any time getting out there in front of an audience. NCISLA Magazine had the opportunity to find out more about Layla and her new series regular spot on The First Family and of course her recurrent role in NCIS Los Angeles! Layla told us why acting is so important to her and why she enjoyed working with LL Cool J so much.

When did you realize you wanted to be an actor? Which actors to you admire the most?

I started performing when I was only 3 years old as an “early bird” for Debbie Allen Dance Academy. But I just kinda fell into acting when my best friend and I auditioned for a school play when I was in kindergarten. I enjoyed it so much and had so much fun I wanted to do it all the time! I really like making people smile and laugh! I admire China Anne McClain, star from ANT Farm. She is so talented. She can act and sing and I hope to get a role someday that allows me to do both as well.

Can you tell us about your time spent on the set of NCIS:LA and a little bit about your character? Do you have any stories you can share with us?

I had a great time on the set of NCIS: LA! Everyone was very nice to me. The entire cast and crew were kind. You will have to tune in to see what my character is all about but I can tell you that my character is very important to Sam! I had a chance to work with LL Cool J and Aunjanue Ellis — they were both very nice. This was my second time working with LL Cool J because I appeared briefly with him last season in the episode, “Betrayal.” He is sooo nice and funny!

Layla with her TV dad LL Cool J!

Congratulations on your series regular role on the CW’s First Family. Can you tell us a little bit about your character?

On the show, The First Family, I play the President’s youngest daughter, Olivia Johnson. The show is about the 2^nd African-American President of the US and everything funny surrounding his family. It is an incredible cast (Christopher Duncan, Kellita Smith, Jackee, John Witherspoon, Gladys Knight, and Marla Gibbs). I have so many stories it’s hard to pick one, but my favorite so far is getting a quick singing lesson from the legendary Gladys Knight for an episode.

Any other projects we can look forward to that you are working on?

Beside The First Family, I am also currently co-starring as ‘Katrina Whitaker’ in “Note To Self” that just released. It is a coming-of-age movie with a real life lesson and I work with Christian Keyes, Letoya Luckett, Brely Evans and Brian McKnight.

Layla in the Make up Chair on the NCISLA set.

Layla enjoys a well-rounded life hanging out with her family and friends, listening to music, playing soccer and writing plays and stories. You can watch Layla every week on the CW’s The First Family and we look forward to seeing her again on an upcoming episode of NCIS:LA. You can find out more about Layla on her website: http://laylacrawford.com/ or sign up to follow Layla on Twitter: @thereallaylac and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TheRealLaylaCrawford.