LaMonica Garrett—seen over the summer on TNT’s “The Last Ship” and later this year on ABC’s “Designated Survivor”—spoke with Backstage about his latest TV projects and why every actor should star in a student film.
On his busy schedule.
“It’s been a really good year. You hope for these busy spells. [But] just like it’s busy, it can slow down in a heartbeat, so you just ride the wave.”
On ‘Designated Survivor.’
“[Kiefer Sutherland is] that guy. He was Jack Bauer! I watched ‘24’ religiously, and those are the kind of roles I see myself being coveted for. Like, martial arts? Action? That’s right up my alley. I’m a physical guy.”
On why actors should do student films.
“I’d say [doing student films] is a must. I’ve been guest starring on different shows, and you’re a piece to the puzzle on these shows. Like, my being on ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ it’s all-stars everywhere, and I’m on the bench. And when I get my chance to get in the game, it might be for a couple of minutes to give someone a breather. I’m getting a couple of shots off, but you really don’t get the chance to show what you can bring as an actor. But when you get these vehicles that come along like the shorts or the student films, it’s your chance to show on a wide scale how you can carry a film.”
On his ‘Last Ship’ juggling act.
“[On ‘The Last Ship,’] a lot of characters aren’t series regulars, but they’re key players on the show, so ‘Last Ship’ is good about working around schedules. I was working on ‘Black-ish’ when I was shooting, so they were able to work around that schedule. They let me go and shoot ‘Designated Survivor,’ the pilot, for a month, and when I came back, we just picked up all my episodes within a week and a half. The way they shoot, it’s great for the actor, they can work around you, but it can get really busy. The days are long days with a lot of dialogue.”
On the importance of networking.
“A lot of buddies I know, they turn down jobs because the money’s not there, but you’re trying to build relationships out here. This town is just one big relationship. If you don’t have them, it’s tough to get on. Some of the acting classes I’ve been in [have] really good actors [who] can’t get management and they can’t get jobs [because] they just don’t have those relationships established. It’s tough.”
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