Interviewdatum: 14. Juni 2011.

News, Informationen, Musik, Clips und Pics:
http://www.isitjustmethemovie.com

Kommentar: Nicholas Downs muss es einfach weit bringen in seiner Karriere. Talentiert, witzig, süß, freundlich – ein echter Mr. Nice Guy! Zudem richtig gut aussehend. Dass besondere aber an ihm ist seine Offenheit und Ehrlichkeit. Ein Schauspieler zum Verlieben!

INTERVIEW!
Reden wir über den Film „Is it Just Me?“…
OBZ: Gerade ist in Deutschland der Film “IS IT JUST ME?“ auf DVD erschienen. Können sie uns was zum Film und zu ihrer Figur erzählen?
DOWNS: Is It Just Me? is a Romantic Comedy, I play a young writer named Blaine, who is very introverted and sees life as the ‚glass is half empty‘. I feel like I won’t really ever meet someone and I constantly set myself up for failure. Until one day I meet Xander, the man of my dreams, online, we hit it off and decide to meet in person. But then I realize I have been talking with Xander under my roommate Cameron’s online profile, he’s a sexy, go-go dancer, so what chance do I have now. I persuade my roommate to pose as me to meet Xander, thinking that everything will eventually work itself out. But that does not turn out to be as easy as I thought…

OBZ: Wie sind sie an die Rolle in „Is it Just Me?“ gekommen?
DOWNS: I got called in by the casting director, Mark Sikes. I went in and auditioned for the role of Blaine and then JC Calciano (writer/director) had what they call ‚chemistry‘ call backs,where they paired us up with other actors playing different roles to see how we fit. A couple days later I got the phone call that I had landed the role.

OBZ: Wollten sie ursprünglich eine andere Rolle im Film spielen und wie haben sie sich auf die Rolle vorbereitet?
DOWNS: I had originally always wanted to play Blaine. I really felt it was the only role that fit me in the script. Plus, I wanted to play a lead role in a film where the main plot and story line centered on the lead character. It was a challenge I was looking for. To prepare myself, I just thought of all those times I felt defeated or that I felt maybe I was not good enough for someone and used that. I think in a way there’s a little Blaine in all of us, from time to time anyway, where that little voice of doubt creeps in and tries to convince us that we can’t do something. Blaine is just that, to the extreme. But the role was not certainly just a one note character, there were many layers to him and that also drew me to the role.

OBZ: Wie war die Zusammenarbeit mit den anderen Darstellern?
DOWNS: It was great. Everyone really stepped up and played their roles very well. I had such a great time working with each one of them. One person I didn’t get to work with was Bruce Gray, who plays Ernie, we just didn’t have any scenes together. Once I saw the film, I was thinking, ‚Wow, I wish I could have had a scene or two with Bruce“.

OBZ: Wie war die Zusammenarbeit mit dem Regisseur?
DOWNS: JC is a terrific director. He knows visually what he wants but he also allows for creative input from the actors. It’s a wonderful quality that a few great directors I’ve worked with have. I liked working with JC so much that I helped produce his second feature that is in the film festival circuit now called, eCupid (www.ecupidthemovie.com).

OBZ: Wie waren die Reaktionen auf den Film?
DOWNS: After seeing the film the first time I felt very proud. When you’re working on a project as an actor you show up everyday and do your best to do your part and then it’s somewhat out of your hands. With Is It Just Me?, everything came together just as I’d thought and I felt JC really did a great job. It’s a film I would show anyone, in fact my mom saw it and I could tell she was proud.

OBZ: Sie spielen einen Homosexuellen. Ist ihnen das besonders wichtig? Möchten damit etwas ausdrücken oder kämpfen sie für etwas? Oder bekommen sie keine anderen Rollen?
DOWNS: This is actually the first lead role I’ve played where the character is gay. Most of the roles I’ve played have either been straight or their sexuality was not questioned. For me, it’s important to play ‚good‘ roles. I had someone in the business tell me a while back to not play anymore gay roles. I said, I don’t care if the role is gay/straight, what I care about is the part. I will never take a mediocre straight role over a well written gay role, as an actor I just could never do that. I recently did a video for the Trailblazer Campaign. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXJyK5qqdt0) I did it because I was approached by actor Chad Allen and he suggested I would be good for it. Once I did it I got such positive response from a lot of people and I knew it was the thing to do. I feel one can follow their dreams and live their lives openly, they don’t have to live independently.

Reden wir über Sie…
OBZ: Uns ist aufgefallen, das sie bis jetzt nur in kleinen Independent Filmen zu sehen waren. Halten sie den Independent Film für sehr wichtig? Was bedeutet für sie Independent?
DOWNS: Well, Independent means a project produced outside of the studio world, i.e., Warner Brothers, Universal, Sony, etc. There are a lot of projects produced this way. More and more filmmakers now have the tools to make films this way. But I have been in bigger studio projects as well, such as; Pearl Harbor, Constantine, The Girl Next Door, The Holiday, and I’ve done Network TV; The Guardian, Boston Public, Young and the Restless and Make it or Break it as well as National Commercial spots.

OBZ: Würden sie auch in einer deutschen Filmproduktion mitspielen?
DOWNS: Absolutely. I’ve seen some very good German films and would love to have the opportunity. Know any roles coming up?

OBZ: Waren sie schon mal in Deutschland?
DOWNS: Alas, I have not. But I am looking forward to one day visiting. I’ve had family and friends who have and they’ve all loved it.

OBZ: Mit wem würden sie gerne mal zusammen arbeiten?
DOWNS: Okay my wish list: Directors – Jim Sheridan (In America is one of my favorite films), Steven Spielberg (Jaws and The Color Purple, both great films), Todd Haynes, Kimberly Peirce, I could on and on. Actors – Ian McKellen (hands down my favorite actor), Julianne Moore, Samantha Morton, Cate Blanchett, I have had the opportunity to work with Kate Winslet and Tilda Swinton but would love to work on something with them that is more involved and fuller.

OBZ: Schreiben sie auch Drehbücher und führen selber Regie? Oder würden sie dieses zumindest gerne mal machen?
DOWNS: I’m not sure if I have the talent for it yet, but I have written a script that I’d like to produce and have the lead role in. I’m definitely an actor, but I’ve started to explore other things like producing/writing to help expand my opportunities and continue to learn and grow.

OBZ: Sie haben jetzt die Möglichkeit Ihren Fans, Ihren Freunden, Ihrer Familie und allen anderen etwas mitzuteilen. Was möchten sie sagen?
DOWNS: I would say thank you to all of you who have truly supported me and my dreams. It means so much to know you were and are there for me as a support and know I’m always there for you.

OBZ: Was können wir von Ihnen in Zukunft erwarten?
DOWNS: I’m in a couple other films, 16 to Life (which is out now – www.16tolifethemovie.org), The Apocalypse According to Doris (which is in the film festival circuit and should be out soon – www.doristhemovie.com). I was a producer on JC Calciano’s second feature, eCupid, which will be out this fall. I shot a pilot for a kid’s TV show, 2cool 4school, that I have a recurring role in and also co-produced. I produce a weekly web series with JC called, Steam Room Stories (www.steamroomstories.com). I’m also slated to be in and produce a few films with the same production company that did 2cool 4school, Green Nation Entertainment. One of the projects that’s first up is called, Popcorn Ceiling. I’m also really hoping to produce and be in the film I mentioned before that I wrote

© Nicholas Downs.
© Dewey Darko.

Noch mehr über Nicholas Downs: obzstars.jimdo.com/nicholas-downs/

nicholasdowns.jimdo.de