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Vancouver Sun

Lochlyn Munro has turned a 26-second hockey season into more than 26 years in the arts and entertainment biz.

The B.C.-bred actor, born in Lac La Hache, is famous for his roles in TV series Northwood, Clint Eastwood-helmed western Unforgiven, and goofy comedies such as Dead Man On Campus, A Night At The Roxbury, and Scary Movie, among many other projects.

Splitting his time between Los Angeles and his home province, Munro, 49, is now offering his advice as a mentor with the New Image College of Fine Arts (newimage.ca), a Vancouver-based private academy teaching about acting, makeup artistry and esthetics.

Munro recently visited The Vancouver Sun’s office to chat about his film and TV career, the kind of advice he can offer prospective actors and budding film industry professionals, and where he himself is headed in the future.

Q: You could’ve been a hockey player, but it didn’t happen.

A: I had aspirations. I think I had an above-average skill level as a defenceman but I broke my femur. Who knows? Maybe I could’ve gone on to play a few more years in the leagues in the States. But looking back on the big picture, growing up, of all the guys I hung out with, I was the only musician. I played in my high school band, and before the music teacher would let me play on drums I had to play the baritone — the mini tuba. So I did that and then sang and played drums in our little high school rock band we had set up. I look back and think about all the times my friends and I would go see a movie, and of all the guys I would be the only one who would be really affected by the film and the story. For them, they were in and they were out.

Q: How old were you when you had to call it quits on hockey?

A: I broke my femur in my 18-year-old season in the first game of the year. First shift. I had a 26-second hockey season. I worked my ass off. (Laughs.) Because I couldn’t do anything, I bought a guitar and I learned how to play. I got bit by that.

Q: So it was music first?

A: Exactly. I started playing little pubs around the Lower Mainland and I’d play up at Whistler. I had a guy who would play guitar and sing, and I would record my drum tracks and my bass tracks and we would play those. So I would play live to my drum and my bass tracks. I just started meeting people in the arts and entertainment industry and then that kinda led to, ‘Oh, you’re doing some improv theatre? That sounds cool.’ So then I started to do all that.

Then I got involved with a man who used to be on (western TV show) The Big Valley, Peter Breck — he opened up an academy here (The Breck Academy). So I started to work with him and we would do a lot of showcases for agents and there was a woman who asked if she could represent me for film and TV. I went to my first audition, for the first year of 21 Jump Street, and I booked a role in my first audition.

As for Northwood (a CBC teen drama that ran for four seasons from 1991 to 1994), there were a lot of aspects of the show I liked and lots of it that lacked. What was great about that type of show was that I was able to get my feet wet and learn a lot and make mistakes without it being on a grand scale like (Jason) Priestley, who went from doing jobs and then thrown onto a show like 90210 and then, boom, it explodes. I can honestly tell you that, in the last two years, I feel like now I understand what I’m doing in this job. I don’t know why, I just feel like I’ve really started to figure it out.

Q: So maybe that’s why you’re doing the New Image College thing now — “Let’s talk to these younger actors?”

A: That’s exactly what it is. Over the last couple of years I’ve really felt the need to give back a lot of the experiences I’ve had in the industry. I just really want to arm the students with the opportunity to have tools to succeed when they graduate from the school. I just feel there are a few things — ideas or techniques — that I can bring to them.

Q: Will you be their Susan Strasberg? (Strasberg was a famous method acting coach with whom Munro studied for a brief period.)

A: I don’t think I’m going to delve that deep, but there may be students who are interested in that technique that I will be more than happy to guide if I can. I think it’s important to take any positive point about any method out there you wish to choose and make it your own.

Q: Tell us about some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way.

A: I’m an actor who wants to be around to watch and absorb. I’m not a guy who leaves set and hangs out in the trailer. I remember Unforgiven was probably the best acting class I could ask for. I was on that set for a month and half watching Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman and Clint Eastwood and Richard Harris — I just absorbed everything I could take from them.

Rolling over into comedy, working with the Wayans (who produced and directed Scary movie) is interesting, to learn a lot about having no vanity in comedy. People tend to stay in an inhibited box because they’re scared of what people will think of them. With those guys you just fall on your face, get up and try again.

I did a movie called Camouflage with Leslie Nielsen, and it was interesting to watch a guy like that who taught me a lot about comedy and comedy timing. These are all things I think I can help bring to the younger generation.

Q: Is it hard to coach people when there’s an expectation that there’s a secret to getting it into the biz or something?

A: I think the first thing to do is to let people know, “You picked a challenging job that you can’t control.” I could be the best read in the room, but if I’m not the right type or the essence of what they’re looking for, I can’t do anything about that. You just have to be prepared to be kicked in the balls your whole career.

Q: Is there such a thing as not talking about missed opportunities, to not jinx things?

A: My approach is glass half full. I embrace the audition process because as an actor I say to myself, “This is awesome. I get a four-minute opportunity to play, say, Jason Bourne” — I didn’t — “so for four minutes I get to be Jason Bourne.” You have to go in — for me, it’s almost a self-realization technique — always pitching yourself as that guy. If you don’t get it, well, there’s disappointments galore in this job. Ninety-eight per cent of this is heartache. Look at me: 28 years and it’s all I’ve ever done. I’m lucky to be in the two-per-cent bracket, and that’s generous.

I think I’m making that transition from boy to man — from that Night At The Roxbury guy to the lead detective on an NYPD Blue. I feel that’s where my career path is headed. I can start to branch out and play mature characters. Not that I mind the silly comedies but instinctually and with me growing as a human, I feel I’m adding more dimension. I’m more interested in doing a smart Planes, Trains and Automobiles-type movie. The Wayans Brothers stuff is kinda kooky and it’s over-the-top fun, but I think I’d like to try something a little smaller, like a Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Q: Did you ever try out for The X-Files?

A: I’ve tried. I haven’t auditioned for it yet since it’s been back. But I auditioned for the guest star spot on the pilot for The X-Files. I remember reading the script and thinking, “As if this is ever going to make it. What is this?” The interesting thing is that I look at all the little things and think, “How did I not end up on that show?” Look, I’m probably the only Canadian actor that’s never been on Stargate.

The funny thing is I’m always going back and forth to L.A. I must’ve flown at least six times with (X-Files creator) Chris Carter, just chatting with Chris about stuff. He did bring me in to test for his other show with Scott Bairstow (the short-lived Harsh Realm). But The X-Files is a quirky show and I don’t know if I fit that bill.

Source

Ecrit par Misty 
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