Post by magpie on Nov 20, 2007 21:15:24 GMT -5
(*Manda, he metions us!!! okay so not really but he does mention a "hair commitee" ;D ;D ;D)
Interview with the Star of "Undiscovered"
August 30, 2005
Guys, it doesn't matter how heterosexual you are. After a thirty minute interview with Steven Strait, you'd have a man-crush, too. And ladies, forget it. Game over. The star of the aptly-titled Undiscovered, Strait has both Abercrombie & Fitch looks and a mellow, down to earth, Ah-shucks personality. The combination is lethal.
You get a sense of it in Undiscovered. His character, Luke Falcon, melts hearts as a soulful, struggling singer-songwriter. When he gets his big break, Luke wrestles with emerging fame, musical compromises, and a tortured relationship with Pell James.
At the St. Regis hotel in New York, as Strait chats about how creativity is more important than stardom, you actually get a sense, believe it or not, that he actually means this stuff. How laid back is this guy? After the official interview, he spots me on the midtown sidewalk and offers me a cigarette. Doesn't he know it's supposed to be the other way around?
With soft-spoken charm, Strait discusses the music of Undiscovered, the double-edge sword of fame, his favorite places in LA to party, and how rock is again a force in nightlife.
So you're relatively undiscovered. Luke is undiscovered. How much is Luke's story your story?
There are a lot of things I can relate to with Luke. I started acting a long time ago here in New York, and I've been acting for about six years before I got to Los Angeles, and it all sort of hit. And in a lot of ways, Luke has a similar story. He goes to LA, and there's a time when he’s walking dogs and working at Ben & Jerry’s and doing that whole bit.
After the dog-walking, Undiscovered really depicts the corruption of Luke. As your career grows and as you become more famous, is that something you fear?
You know, I think that as similar as I might be to Luke, I’m also not in a lot of ways. The way I look at it is that no matter how much success you have, or failure, if you have a solid foundation in what you’re doing, it shouldn’t affect you. Acting and music are passions of mine but they’re my job--that’s what I do to make a living.
So it's really about the creativity, not the fame? Come on, for real?
Absolutely. I’m not too big into the scenes in LA; I actually live in a place that’s far removed from it. I live downtown, far away from the whole Hollywood thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that. [Laughs.]
When you do hit the scene, what are some of your favorite places to hang?
It really depends on what you’re looking for. For me, personally I’m big into more into relaxed places – dive bars, loungy places. You know, places to relax and enjoy a drink with a friend.
Favorite dive bar?
There’s one called La Cita in downtown LA. It’s a Mexican bar. They've got a mariachi band and nobody speaks English and they make a killer margarita. And I love going to the Chateau Marmot. Relaxed atmosphere, great place to eat.
How about clubs?
Spider Club is pretty cool, and then there's Mood. But I'm preferential to the live music scene, so I like Viper Room.
You're an established actor but you're not a household name. So do you ever have any trouble getting into the places? Do you ever pull a Tara Reid, "Don't you know who I am?"
[Laughs.] No no, I’ve never really pulled that. I’m a pretty private person, so when I go out to places I just like to enjoy the company of friends and don’t really make a scene.
Somehow I guessed that.
When I go to a place, usually I'll know someone who is working there, and then I'll swing by. Not a big production.
How challenging was it to record the music at almost the same time you were shooting the film?
I’ve found it imperative that I perform the music and experience the lifestyle, because it puts you right in the place you need to be for the character. There's just no faking; you were doing it two nights ago. It’s the experience that you pull from to throw into the character.
Luke has to deal with the sleazy music agent. How much real-life experience do you have with that?
My experience with music has been a little different from Luke's. I’ve got a little bit of leverage because I’m an actor. But Luke's story is not uncommon in Los Angeles, it happens all the time and I certainly know people that have had that experience. It’s a tough industry. It can shoot you to whatever you’re looking for, whether its rock stardom or artistic expression. And it can also eat you alive.
You're responsible for most of the music in Undiscovered. Do you have any ambitions to be a double-threat, have a platinum album and all that?
[Laughs] I never really thought about it. I’ve done music here in New York, but I was never expecting to do it in LA. I’ve always loved music, and it’s always been more private than acting for me. A lot of people I know didn’t even know I sang.
In the film, Luke's fame actually makes it difficult for him to date. Is it tough?
It’s hard. It’s really tough. You do a film, you’re gone for three months. If you're dating someone, it takes a certain person to be able to handle the attention that you’re getting, to still feel secure in themselves and in you.
Jealousy's gotta be an issue, right?
Yeah. One of the lines I wrote for a song in the movie is "Oh, what a glamorous life, what a double edged knife." As amazing and beautiful as it is to make a living in the arts, you make certain sacrifices as well; you’re away a lot of the time. You may come into a situation where you’re being approached by all these women, and it's imperative that the person that you’re with absolutely trusts you. If the trust isn't there, it's not going to work.
Women throwing themselves at you all the time. You know, there are worse problems to have. Can't say I'm that sympathetic.
Yes, there are worse things! [Laughs] I certainly can’t complain. I’m dating a really great girl, and she knows there's nothing to worry about. I’ve got no complaints; I’m at a really great place in my life.
Who are some of your biggest influences musically?
Oh geez, I listen to a lot of different types of music – everything from opera to rock, to blues, jazz. Primarily I do rock and roll--everything from Led Zeppelin, to Bob Dylan, to Metallica. Nirvana.
It's amazing how rock has seemingly taken back the nightlife scene.
Yeah, I was out at Spider Club. They were playing hip-hop, and then "Welcome to the Jungle" comes on, and the whole place goes crazy. It’s coming back. Rock is having a major resurgence.
In the movie you have the long ponytail. Now you're got short hair with the goatee. Do you call the shots on these things? Is there a Steven Strait Hair Committee?
[Laughs] No, there's no real committee. No monthly goatee meetings. I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with really incredible people, and basically my appearance changes for work. Do I need to cut my hair for work? I cut my hair, it grows back. If I have a goatee, it’s probably because I’ve been lazy for a few days. No real thought process involved. The people I work with don’t really care.
I suppose you're not quite at Lindsay Lohan level of coifing interest.
No, my hair isn't exactly breaking news.
Have you had any Page 6 moments, like Luke does in the film? And is that something you dread?
I haven’t as of yet. I don’t know--I do dread it in a certain way. I don’t tend to put myself out there quite as much as others do, but it’s worrisome in the sense that I’m very private, and I really love my privacy and my time for myself. Not having that seems a bit of a frightening prospect. Then again, you take it day by day. I certainly never expected any of this to happen so fast. I’m not going to worry about something that’s in the future. And if it does happen...you deal with it.
Part of that double edged knife...
Yeah, part of the double edged knife.
Undiscovered is currently in theaters.
-Jeff Wilser
www.clubplanet.com/news/archive/interview_with_the_star_of_undiscovered.asp
Interview with the Star of "Undiscovered"
August 30, 2005
Guys, it doesn't matter how heterosexual you are. After a thirty minute interview with Steven Strait, you'd have a man-crush, too. And ladies, forget it. Game over. The star of the aptly-titled Undiscovered, Strait has both Abercrombie & Fitch looks and a mellow, down to earth, Ah-shucks personality. The combination is lethal.
You get a sense of it in Undiscovered. His character, Luke Falcon, melts hearts as a soulful, struggling singer-songwriter. When he gets his big break, Luke wrestles with emerging fame, musical compromises, and a tortured relationship with Pell James.
At the St. Regis hotel in New York, as Strait chats about how creativity is more important than stardom, you actually get a sense, believe it or not, that he actually means this stuff. How laid back is this guy? After the official interview, he spots me on the midtown sidewalk and offers me a cigarette. Doesn't he know it's supposed to be the other way around?
With soft-spoken charm, Strait discusses the music of Undiscovered, the double-edge sword of fame, his favorite places in LA to party, and how rock is again a force in nightlife.
So you're relatively undiscovered. Luke is undiscovered. How much is Luke's story your story?
There are a lot of things I can relate to with Luke. I started acting a long time ago here in New York, and I've been acting for about six years before I got to Los Angeles, and it all sort of hit. And in a lot of ways, Luke has a similar story. He goes to LA, and there's a time when he’s walking dogs and working at Ben & Jerry’s and doing that whole bit.
After the dog-walking, Undiscovered really depicts the corruption of Luke. As your career grows and as you become more famous, is that something you fear?
You know, I think that as similar as I might be to Luke, I’m also not in a lot of ways. The way I look at it is that no matter how much success you have, or failure, if you have a solid foundation in what you’re doing, it shouldn’t affect you. Acting and music are passions of mine but they’re my job--that’s what I do to make a living.
So it's really about the creativity, not the fame? Come on, for real?
Absolutely. I’m not too big into the scenes in LA; I actually live in a place that’s far removed from it. I live downtown, far away from the whole Hollywood thing. Not that there's anything wrong with that. [Laughs.]
When you do hit the scene, what are some of your favorite places to hang?
It really depends on what you’re looking for. For me, personally I’m big into more into relaxed places – dive bars, loungy places. You know, places to relax and enjoy a drink with a friend.
Favorite dive bar?
There’s one called La Cita in downtown LA. It’s a Mexican bar. They've got a mariachi band and nobody speaks English and they make a killer margarita. And I love going to the Chateau Marmot. Relaxed atmosphere, great place to eat.
How about clubs?
Spider Club is pretty cool, and then there's Mood. But I'm preferential to the live music scene, so I like Viper Room.
You're an established actor but you're not a household name. So do you ever have any trouble getting into the places? Do you ever pull a Tara Reid, "Don't you know who I am?"
[Laughs.] No no, I’ve never really pulled that. I’m a pretty private person, so when I go out to places I just like to enjoy the company of friends and don’t really make a scene.
Somehow I guessed that.
When I go to a place, usually I'll know someone who is working there, and then I'll swing by. Not a big production.
How challenging was it to record the music at almost the same time you were shooting the film?
I’ve found it imperative that I perform the music and experience the lifestyle, because it puts you right in the place you need to be for the character. There's just no faking; you were doing it two nights ago. It’s the experience that you pull from to throw into the character.
Luke has to deal with the sleazy music agent. How much real-life experience do you have with that?
My experience with music has been a little different from Luke's. I’ve got a little bit of leverage because I’m an actor. But Luke's story is not uncommon in Los Angeles, it happens all the time and I certainly know people that have had that experience. It’s a tough industry. It can shoot you to whatever you’re looking for, whether its rock stardom or artistic expression. And it can also eat you alive.
You're responsible for most of the music in Undiscovered. Do you have any ambitions to be a double-threat, have a platinum album and all that?
[Laughs] I never really thought about it. I’ve done music here in New York, but I was never expecting to do it in LA. I’ve always loved music, and it’s always been more private than acting for me. A lot of people I know didn’t even know I sang.
In the film, Luke's fame actually makes it difficult for him to date. Is it tough?
It’s hard. It’s really tough. You do a film, you’re gone for three months. If you're dating someone, it takes a certain person to be able to handle the attention that you’re getting, to still feel secure in themselves and in you.
Jealousy's gotta be an issue, right?
Yeah. One of the lines I wrote for a song in the movie is "Oh, what a glamorous life, what a double edged knife." As amazing and beautiful as it is to make a living in the arts, you make certain sacrifices as well; you’re away a lot of the time. You may come into a situation where you’re being approached by all these women, and it's imperative that the person that you’re with absolutely trusts you. If the trust isn't there, it's not going to work.
Women throwing themselves at you all the time. You know, there are worse problems to have. Can't say I'm that sympathetic.
Yes, there are worse things! [Laughs] I certainly can’t complain. I’m dating a really great girl, and she knows there's nothing to worry about. I’ve got no complaints; I’m at a really great place in my life.
Who are some of your biggest influences musically?
Oh geez, I listen to a lot of different types of music – everything from opera to rock, to blues, jazz. Primarily I do rock and roll--everything from Led Zeppelin, to Bob Dylan, to Metallica. Nirvana.
It's amazing how rock has seemingly taken back the nightlife scene.
Yeah, I was out at Spider Club. They were playing hip-hop, and then "Welcome to the Jungle" comes on, and the whole place goes crazy. It’s coming back. Rock is having a major resurgence.
In the movie you have the long ponytail. Now you're got short hair with the goatee. Do you call the shots on these things? Is there a Steven Strait Hair Committee?
[Laughs] No, there's no real committee. No monthly goatee meetings. I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with really incredible people, and basically my appearance changes for work. Do I need to cut my hair for work? I cut my hair, it grows back. If I have a goatee, it’s probably because I’ve been lazy for a few days. No real thought process involved. The people I work with don’t really care.
I suppose you're not quite at Lindsay Lohan level of coifing interest.
No, my hair isn't exactly breaking news.
Have you had any Page 6 moments, like Luke does in the film? And is that something you dread?
I haven’t as of yet. I don’t know--I do dread it in a certain way. I don’t tend to put myself out there quite as much as others do, but it’s worrisome in the sense that I’m very private, and I really love my privacy and my time for myself. Not having that seems a bit of a frightening prospect. Then again, you take it day by day. I certainly never expected any of this to happen so fast. I’m not going to worry about something that’s in the future. And if it does happen...you deal with it.
Part of that double edged knife...
Yeah, part of the double edged knife.
Undiscovered is currently in theaters.
-Jeff Wilser
www.clubplanet.com/news/archive/interview_with_the_star_of_undiscovered.asp