Texas Battle – Safe Arrival

Q) What are the current projects that you are working on?

A) I just got through wrapping up a movie called Even Money, which stars Nick Cannon, Forest Whitaker, Kim Basinger, Danny DeVito, Tim Roth, Ray Liotta and there is a huge all star cast so I have to be supporting them. That will come out probably in Spring 2006. Then, we have Final Destination 3, which will be out February 10th. I’m real excited about that, as well.

Q) Tell us about your character Lewis Romero in the filmFinal Destination 3.

A) He’s a jerk. He’s one of those guys that it is all about him. He’s the best at doing everything. He’s the best at playing football, and basically sports and he’s not really a nice guy to be around. He’s more of a tough guy. He cares about certain people around him, but he doesn’t show it. He has a girlfriend, but you wouldn’t think he had one by the way he treats her. As you will see, Lewis gets the worst end of the stick out of everyone in the cast. He gets the worst.

Q) What made you want to be a part of this film?

A) It’s a trilogy. I watched Final Destination 1 and Final Destination 2. I’m definitely a fan of the work. When I had the opportunity to audition for Final Destination 3 I just had to be in it. When I read the script, it’s totally different from FD1 or FD2. This one is more suspenseful, if you ask me. In FD1 you had suspense along with some cool deaths. In FD2, you just had gruesome deaths all of the time and the suspense was ok. In FD3, I think it is a combination of both because you are always going to be glued to your seats. It starts off right away with action and then you’re going to want to know what’s next. Being apart of this with director James Wong, who is a real cool guy, he lets you come up with ideas or suggestions if you have any, which I did.  Some of them did get kept in the movie.

Q) Are you a fan of horror movies?

A) Yeah! I have to say I am. I just got through seeing Saw 2, which is pretty cool. I like movies like that. I like to jump once in a blue moon and it gets your heart rate going a little bit. I am a big fan. I like more of a suspense horror than the Freddie and Jason films.

Q) In the movie Final Destination 3, you and seven friends cheat death. What was the chemistry like off the set?

A) It was my first time being in Vancouver, Canada and people are different, but overall I had a real good time. The cast was great and everyone was very humble. You want to be around a humble cast, others around you in the same boat. We’re all here to make one good movie, there’s no one bigger than the other. When you have that type of feeling, you have more fun shooting the movie and it’s awesome. We all went out a few times here and there and had dinner together. There were only three Americans out there: Me, Ryan Merriman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Everybody else was pretty much from Canada. When they accept you and they take you out on the town, it’s a cool vibe. It makes you feel at home. When you are out there for three months and not able to see the states again, you won’t know where you are going and what spots to go to. So, having those friends in Canada really helped me a lot. Especially when I was bored, I could call them up and they’d come over or we’d go out and have a good time. I saw a lot of Canada because of them so it was real cool. I love the cast.

Q) What is your most memorable moment from filming?

A) When I had to fly! They put me in a harness in the green screen room. Some of the things you’ll see in the beginning of the movie are me. I did most of my own stunts, but not all of the them. When I was in the harness, I was actually flying. It felt cool to feel what actual flying would be like! They had me in this harness and I was up in the air acting scared, of course. I think that’s the most memorable moment. I really liked that even though the harness gave me little bruises inside my thighs, a little bit. Other than that, it was cool. I am definitely not going to forget that!

Q) You’ll also be in Even Money with Nick Cannon, Danny DeVito, Ray Liotta and more. What was your experience like working with such amazing actors?

A) When you come to a cast and you have all of these stars, because I am an up and comer myself and I understand where I am at, but when you work with these veterans and great people you get to appreciate the position you are in. When I first went to the set and first saw Forest Whitaker, a man I’ve been watching him since I was little, I went up to him and introduced myself. I told him I knew who he was, that I was a big fan of his work and I was looking forward to getting to work with him. He gave off a great vibe and was a real cool guy to work with. He takes his work very serious and off of the set he is real cool, as well. I met his wife before. Kim Basinger is a wonderful actress. I didn’t talk to her too much because she would work and then go back to the room. Danny DeVito is funny and has a personality like mine that’s just out there. I was like, wow, this guy still has it! I didn’t really feel any bad vibes from anyone in the cast. Nick Cannon is my boy! Nick Cannon and I are now good friends. There was chemistry with him because pretty much all of our scenes are together. I hated him during the movie because we’re rivals, but as soon as they said cut we started playing with each other. It was like, you clown on me and I’ll clown on you. Nick’s not the best basketball player in the world. We had to make a lot of fun on Nick Cannon because he can’t play basketball that well.

Q) What are your other passions besides acting?

A) I still have the passion to coach. I still want to be a high school coach. I want to be the head coach of the varsity basketball team. I will, I will definitely do that one-day because right now I do want to be in this business for as long as I can. I do want to make this my career for now.  I love coaching and I love basketball so much that I just have to go back to my roots. It keeps me humble. When some people get a little success, you blow up and forget where you come from. Me, I like to go back to where I am from and give back to my community and see kids in my situation where I was back in the day to stay in school. I want to make sure that school is important and have knowledge and the abilities to read and write. I want to make sure they get a high school diploma and a degree to have something to fall back on. I think that’s another reason that if I don’t book another job in three or four months, that I’ll have something to fall back on if I want to. I can easily walk away and say, “Hey, I was once in the industry, I’m satisfied and happy. I am going to my career job now.” I would rather make $45,000 a year and coach kids. I would be the happiest guy on Earth. I am good where I am at now.

Q) What made you want to become an actor? Originally, you were studying Kinesiology at the University of Texas.

A) I was back home and studying. My plan was to graduate and go to my old high school. I had a job waiting for me and I was going to be a PE Coach and then be the Assistant Coach on the Varsity squad. I was cool with that and accepted that, but I had a ton of people saying I should go to Hollywood and try acting, modeling and commercials. They said I had to do something because of my personality and because I am a cool guy to be around. I thought I’d go to California and check it out. I thought I’d try it and see where I am at in two years. If I was not where I wanted to be and I am struggling, then I’ll definitely come home and do what I got my degree in. Well, it just so happens that I came to California and I got blessed. The people that have helped me get to the level I am at now, I still talk to. I will never forget them because without them I would never be in the place I am at now. It just started happening! My first job I booked a commercial. The modeling started coming and I did that for a little while. My commercial agent told me about an audition for “Power Rangers.” I didn’t want to be a Power Ranger, but she told me to check it out and get my feet wet. I went to the audition and almost booked it! They went a different way because I was too muscular for the role. My agent said that since I almost booked that role I should start doing some acting. I said ok and to let me know whatever comes up. I went out for a small role on “Passions” and ended up getting that. I was on the show for a few weeks and started liking this. When I got the check I was surprised I could make that much for just doing a small role for a few weeks! I thought that was insane! After that, I kind of fell in love with acting.  I wanted to put more time into the craft so I went to an acting class once a week and started working with an acting coach named Eric Stewart. I then went out for the movie Tork and I went in for the lead guy. I was one of the top three choices, but I came to find out that they had given it to Ice Cube. After that, I started getting close and thought I could do something. I went out for Coach Carter and that was a wrap! I’m loving it and I take it seriously to the fullest. I study the craft every day and I can’t wait to book another job so I can look forward to the networking. Who ever thought that I would know and meet Forest Whitaker? We talk like two times a month and Samuel L. Jackson and I play golf like once a month. Who ever thought I’d ever be able to do that? When you go to these network parties and see everybody that you used to watch growing up, but now you are friends with them and have their numbers, you realize that these people are the same as everyone else. A lot of them don’t like all that fame and hype. They live regular lives.

Q) What do you do in your spare time?

A) I hit the gym every morning because in this industry you have to look your best. It always helps. I go to the gym and then I love to go to the movies. I like to run on the beach, as well. The beach is really cool because I like to hear the water and the ocean while I am running. I like to hear the seagulls, too. I like to go to the movies, go to the beach and I definitely hit the gym. I like to go to comedy clubs and see stand up comedy.

Q) What would you like to say to your fans and supporters?

A) I would just like to say to all of my fans, thank you guys so much for the love and support. Go check out Final Destination 3, which comes out February 10th and definitely check out Even Money, which is coming out Spring 2006. Much love and there is going to be a lot more of Texas Battle in the future. I love you! The University of Texas will be #1 this year!