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00:00Hey, everyone, and welcome to Real Talk, where it gets hot, spicy, and to the drama.
00:04Today, we have Luke Charles-Strafford, the star of Accidental Surrogate for Alpha.
00:16Oh, my gosh.
00:17Okay, so do you go everywhere on this contraption?
00:22Like, tell me about it.
00:23A contraption's name is Roxanne.
00:24Okay.
00:25Okay, I've had it for six years.
00:26Uh, no, having a motorcycle was always a dream of mine as a little squirt, um, and so I had to get one, and I promised myself I'd get it in my 20s.
00:37So, I do have a car, but I have had times in my life where I was struggling really bad financially over the last six years, and a car would break down that I had, you know?
00:49I think there was twice over the last six years I would be full-time on the bike for maybe, I think, one time a whole year.
00:55I was on the bike full-time.
00:57Well, isn't it kind of even better to have that?
01:00Because, okay, for instance, today for me to get here, it took me over an hour and a half, and, I mean, you can just cut all of that, right?
01:08Oh, yeah, 100%.
01:09Yeah, you can, like, if something is an hour, you can get there in 30 minutes, 100%.
01:13So, it's kind of better.
01:14Yeah, but you have to ride, for all the kids out there who want to ride a motorcycle, you have to ride as if everyone is out to kill you.
01:21Oh.
01:21So, it's, like, fast? Does that mean speed, agility, or, like, or you're just, like, so laser-focused on that?
01:30So, for all the little kids out there, or maybe you want to have a motorcycle, you have to ride a good safety tactic is ride as if everyone is out to kill you.
01:38Oh, oh.
01:38Right?
01:39It's just, it makes sure that you ride with extreme safety.
01:41So, with being a motorcycle rider, does, if you see another motorcycle rider, is it kind of, like, ay-oh, like, okay, I respect you in a way?
01:49That's a really good question. Actually, there's a code.
01:51Oh.
01:52So, if you respect, which, I'm from Indiana, I'm from a small town, like, how you treat people is everything.
01:59Okay.
01:59And, uh, so, I, even if I don't like the bike or whatever, I still should, but it's a, it's a peace sign.
02:06Oh, oh.
02:0645 degree angle down.
02:08Oh, so, it's this?
02:09That's, it's a little code between every biker. That is, it's basically saying, respect.
02:14Respect, okay.
02:15Yeah.
02:16But is this, like, F you?
02:18You don't know what you're doing.
02:19Okay.
02:19No, there's only, it's so simple, there's only one thing, and so, but, but I gotta tell you, it's the, just the coolest thing.
02:25You'll, like, you'll be in your helmet, because in LA we have to have a helmet, right?
02:28And you'll, kind of, see this thing, even if it's a black visor, or you can see their eyes, whatever, it's, it's straight out of a movie, it feels like.
02:36You see each other.
02:36Yeah.
02:37And you just get.
02:38It's almost keeping, like, you know, that, when you're like.
02:42Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
02:45The lower peace sign, also, too, just pay, watch, watch bikers if you're out there, because you'll see them riding along, and especially if they're coming this way against each other, you'll just see a.
02:57Mm-hmm.
02:58Sound of respect.
02:59Nice.
03:00Right?
03:00Now, there's times where it's, like, you need both hands for the moment you're in, right?
03:05And so, then it'll just be a nice head nod down.
03:07Okay.
03:08But, and every biker kind of understands that that's because the hands aren't free.
03:12Sure.
03:13But this is kind of code.
03:15Nice.
03:16Right?
03:17Cool.
03:18Fun fact.
03:19I love that.
03:19So, now we all know, means you're a cool biker person.
03:22Oh, yeah.
03:22You know what you're doing.
03:23Yeah.
03:24Absolutely.
03:24Yeah, yeah.
03:24I've done it in a car on accident where I'm driving, and I'll go, and the guy will kind of.
03:29He's like, what is that?
03:30What are you doing down there?
03:31Yeah.
03:32Hilarious.
03:33Anyway.
03:33So, tell me, you said you were from Indiana.
03:36Right.
03:36So, what was that like growing up there?
03:39I hold it very near and dear to my heart.
03:42Just, I mean, some of the most salt of the earth people.
03:47You know, you couldn't pursue this there, obviously.
03:50But I hold it so near and dear to my heart because, you know, I grew up around some really
03:54incredible men, guys, who kind of instilled and bestowed this Indiana backbone of what it
04:01means to be a good man.
04:03I know I'm going the whole philosophical route, but it's the honest truth.
04:06Yeah.
04:06And I've held on to that like white on rice.
04:09Yeah.
04:09Like, I'm not.
04:10I just can't let it go.
04:11And so, Indiana is a great part of me that has kind of resembled that for me.
04:17And out there, and if you're from the Midwest or you know the Midwest, every place has its
04:23pros and cons, of course.
04:24Like, better gas prices out there.
04:26Oh, yeah.
04:26But the people, growing up, it was about the greatest choice you could make is what kind
04:32of man you choose to become.
04:34How you treat people is everything.
04:37You'll take that to your grave.
04:38How you made people feel.
04:40How you respected people.
04:41So then as a result, Indiana was this place where all of our choices that might be the same,
04:46like pursuing a career, pursuing wealth, things that we're all doing everywhere or trying
04:52to do, especially in the States, has this overarching thing where at the substratum of it is like
04:58to do good for others.
05:01So that's, and for some reason, like that in my mind, my psyche is labeled in like a faith-based
05:08Indiana core.
05:12And so that's just how the people were.
05:14And I also got lucky, the kind of men I grew up around.
05:16Um, but I, I catch that popping out of me all the time.
05:21Like I'll say something or do something and I'll think, yeah, there it is.
05:26Yeah, like the Indiana's like coming out.
05:28A hundred percent.
05:29Like right now, the way that I, I've, the only thing that matters right now is this conversation
05:33with you.
05:35That's my heart.
05:37I make mistakes and, and all the time, like everybody.
05:40So, you know, but it's, how can I serve, service my servant leadership, you know, and all that
05:48stuff.
05:48So that's very Indiana to me.
05:50That's kind of what I would label that as, but you don't need to be from the Midwest to
05:55do good.
05:56Right.
05:57But that's just kind of a big part of my heart when it comes to the Midwest.
06:00Right.
06:01If that makes sense.
06:02For sure.
06:02I feel like that is something that is almost, uh, I don't know if it's like, you know,
06:08we live in LA now, um, and we're in such a crazy industry.
06:13If it's like, you have to work so hard to be on set, to become an actor, to become a
06:19musician, whatever your, your creative niche is.
06:21And it's almost like that gets a little bit lost, especially, you know, even like dating
06:26nowadays, it's like chivalry is kind of not there as much.
06:29And it's nice for me to hear that you have that.
06:33And it's almost like that's something such a small, like an important detail to instill
06:39in, you know, the future of children and things.
06:41And it's like, I feel like it's almost not around that much anymore.
06:46Yeah.
06:46And I mean, you know, it, it's, uh, to me, I think if we've lost that, we've lost a
06:52little bit of everything.
06:53Yeah.
06:53What good is it to have, to gain the whole world, but lose your soul.
06:56Right.
06:56And, uh, you know, if, if massive success or whatever should come your way, I would rather
07:04not have that and know that when my time is up, my number is called that I treated people
07:10well.
07:11Um, and when it comes to talents and skills like that, I think a craft is for the purpose
07:16of serving.
07:17So it's okay.
07:19Um, I'm, I'm quite obsessive over my craft, um, in the dark.
07:23Like, I, I don't, I don't, um, I don't like to put out the idea that I'm better than I
07:31am.
07:32I just like to be as absolute good as I can.
07:34Cause I know I get to serve the story.
07:36I get to serve the song.
07:37If I'm doing music, I get to serve the moment right here with you.
07:40But if I lose my soul, I've lost everything.
07:44I'd rather have less talent and a better heart than, but then of course, when craft comes
07:50into play, you know, what would it look like to use that for good?
07:55Even if you're telling all kinds of different stories.
07:58And I think it's, it's easy.
08:00My heart has no malice toward anyone in this regard on the other side.
08:04It's hard, especially for, you know, for young women who are told your body needs to be a
08:08certain way, or for young men, you need to look a certain way.
08:11You need to be a certain height.
08:12You need to be a certain level of jacked.
08:14Your jawline needs to be this or that.
08:15You're, uh, there's so much and we all smile through it and act like it's not there.
08:20Oh, for sure.
08:20And so for me, it's not, no, the best version of you is the best version of you.
08:25I could never pull it off.
08:27And that's my heart.
08:28That's ultimately what attracted me to storytelling and music.
08:33Um, and then I do also have a fitness business that I've had for a little over a decade, helping
08:38people break through, uh, that to me is everything.
08:44And, uh, it just breaks my heart seeing, you know, uh, identity and worth being put into
08:51things of just the world.
08:53And it will ultimately let you down is my belief.
08:56It has let me down if I lean on that.
08:59Um, and so it gives me incredible purpose to just kind of go against the fray.
09:04Yeah.
09:05And be more humble, um, acting music, whatever, if you're in front of a camera, even behind
09:12a camera, it does take a very large amount of confidence.
09:16But for me, I don't put my confidence in how great I am.
09:20I put it in who I believe I was made to be.
09:24And I just do the best I can to serve others.
09:26And honestly, something I'm still learning, still learning.
09:30And if I just focus on that, the rest kind of takes care of itself.
09:34I don't have to push really hard for you to see me.
09:40And then I just kind of get to serve in the moment.
09:43And if I'm seen, great.
09:44I'm not great.
09:46But that's so hard.
09:47It's so hard with social media and everything else where it's all about, you know, we can
09:53think a lot about what people think about us.
09:55And anyway, I'll get to talking and we'll be here for seven hours.
09:57No, but it's so true.
09:58So it's almost like I feel, correct me if I'm wrong, but you are in your brain like
10:04a vessel who is here to serve and make people feel good.
10:10And would you say that that's kind of your approach when you're on set with people?
10:14You and I haven't been able to work together yet on a show, but.
10:17We will.
10:17We will.
10:19Hopefully.
10:19Yes.
10:20Knock on wood.
10:21The whole thing just falls down.
10:22Great.
10:23You guys have a great day.
10:24Yeah.
10:24Bye, guys.
10:25Love working for you real short.
10:27Exactly.
10:27We had a good run.
10:28But this industry is crazy.
10:32And especially the vertical industry where it's so quick, quick, quick, quick, quick.
10:35You do show after show after show after show.
10:38And a lot can happen.
10:40And some people have different egos on set.
10:43And would you say that you approach your character and your just your own personality
10:48when you're on set with these values as well?
10:51Yes, absolutely.
10:53It all has to start.
10:53The best place to start from is human.
10:56Everything I'm saying might even just sound a little pretty, but I'm also very human.
11:00I feel everything.
11:01You know, I feel.
11:02Are you Pisces?
11:03Or Cancer?
11:04I just am learning about all this stuff.
11:06So, I am such a Padawan.
11:08I have...
11:08What's your sign?
11:11What's your birthday?
11:12What's your month?
11:13Taurus.
11:13I'm a Taurus.
11:14A Taurus.
11:15Oh, he's a chill baby.
11:16What does this mean?
11:17It's good.
11:18It's the good vibes.
11:19We love Taurus energy here.
11:21One of our wardrobe...
11:22Cat Abasco.
11:23Round of applause to Cat Abasco.
11:24So, New York, she gave me the whole rundown.
11:31Oh, yeah.
11:31You're a Taurus with this moon.
11:33Oh, yeah, yeah.
11:33And I'm like...
11:35We want to know your chart.
11:37Cool.
11:38You know, so...
11:39Yeah.
11:40I get to service kind of second.
11:43First, I recognize that I'm...
11:45At the end of the day, I'm just a man.
11:47I'm just a fella.
11:47Yeah.
11:48And it slows me down a little bit first.
11:52First, because I love acting so much.
11:56And I think if anyone has worked with me, they know I can get quite passionate and really...
12:02To the point where I have to be careful, because I'll ask real short,
12:05Can I change this line?
12:06Can I blah, blah, blah?
12:07Yeah.
12:07To the point that I'm doing it all the time.
12:10And it's not...
12:11My demeanor is probably very much like this, because I'm trying to be so soft and gentle,
12:15because I'm not trying to throw a grenade on things.
12:18I just...
12:18My brain sees, okay, what if he's thinking about it this way?
12:22And so at the core level, he's this and that.
12:25And man, I know what that feels like.
12:27So I'll slap that layer on my face, even if we're talking about food or something else.
12:32And to get to that human place, I have to kind of acknowledge my darkness, my shortcomings, my bullshit.
12:42Then I move forward.
12:43Then service comes next.
12:44Then it's like, okay, let me focus on the scene partner.
12:47Let me focus on this and that.
12:49If there's intimacy scenes, I take that stuff very seriously.
12:54Like, I want the woman I'm working with to feel so safe.
12:58I have no agenda.
13:01We love that.
13:02I have no...
13:03There's nothing in me that is trying to extrapolate or pull from.
13:09I'm choosing not to enjoy you.
13:12There's no part of me that's monitoring, let myself enjoy her a little bit.
13:15I'm actually choosing not to enjoy you physically.
13:18Okay.
13:19I want you to feel completely safe.
13:21Right?
13:22It's just something I hold near and dear.
13:26Anyway, but these are all human things I think about.
13:29Right.
13:29So that the way the craft and the story can live, you know?
13:33And I really want the people I work with to feel respected.
13:36And I want to make the best story possible.
13:39Even if it's crazy.
13:41And we're slapping everybody.
13:43Right, right, right.
13:44Well, you seem to have a really good approach to kind of each area of being an actor, as
13:50far as your set etiquette, how you're treating your scene partner and everything.
13:54So what actually got you into acting from the beginning?
13:57That's a great question.
14:00Storytelling from a very young age.
14:02I grew up, when I remember I was three years old, just a little nugget.
14:06Oh.
14:06And I remember snowing outside, Christmas, Indiana.
14:12And I remember I found Superman, which is my all-time favorite character.
14:17Oh.
14:18And I just remember watching this story as a little kid.
14:21And then that and Lion King.
14:22I remember those two.
14:23And I remember watching this character fly around in tights and just...
14:28But for some reason, I was so deeply moved by a story about something quite, you know,
14:35ethereal, just, you know.
14:37And I was so affected by how storytelling could move a spirit and move a soul.
14:42And here I am, a 30-year-old man.
14:44If you didn't know my age, I'm 30.
14:46I get questions all the time by DMs.
14:47How old are you?
14:48I know.
14:48I get it.
14:49Trust me, I know.
14:50It's fine.
14:51It's like, have a guess.
14:52Right.
14:52What do you think?
14:54Very 90s baby.
14:56And I just remember being so deeply moved by storytelling, specifically in Superman.
15:03And how I was walking away feeling so inspired.
15:07And his acting was great.
15:08You know, the craft is a vessel.
15:11I think acting is not the most important thing.
15:13I think the most important thing is the story.
15:16Story is king.
15:17Everything we do, from the set dressing to the makeup choices, to the acting, to the lighting,
15:22to all of it is in servitude to the story.
15:26And as a little squirt, I just caught that.
15:28And I was so affected.
15:30And then same thing with music.
15:31I just remember, wait a minute.
15:33There's this language out there that somehow we all speak, even if it's just instrumental,
15:40that moves us.
15:43If you speak Swahili, do you speak Swahili?
15:46I wish.
15:46And a beautiful language.
15:48It's a great song called Baba Yeti.
15:50I used to conduct choir.
15:51Oh.
15:51Yeah.
15:52Wait, really?
15:53Yeah.
15:53Yeah.
15:54Oh my gosh.
15:54I showed you a video.
15:55Wait, that's incredible.
15:56We should put you in a professor role.
15:58Yeah, yeah, yeah.
15:59And there's a great song called Baba Yeti.
16:02It's the Lord's Prayer in Swahili.
16:04But it's this beautiful thing about humanity.
16:06But if you speak Swahili and I speak English, it's difficult for us to communicate.
16:11Music, storytelling, breaks the mold in a way that has always struck me.
16:17And that's kind of where the obsession started as a little kid.
16:21Yeah.
16:22You know what I mean?
16:22Yeah.
16:24And the fact that it can inspire from just nothing, that's a magic that I have.
16:28I'm still trying to figure it out.
16:30When you were a kid, were you the type that did you, I feel like this is me kind of judging,
16:35but were you a sport guy?
16:37Like, did you do sports or were you theater boy?
16:39No.
16:40Or was that there in Indiana?
16:42Like that type of culture for the boys?
16:44No, I was very overweight as a kid.
16:46Okay.
16:47I, if I can share a little bit more about that.
16:51Yeah.
16:51This is you, baby.
16:52I can be aggressively long-winded.
16:54You should meet Bob Stafford.
16:55You should meet my dad.
16:56Is he a talker?
16:57Oh, I get it from him.
16:58Oh, my gosh.
16:59Bring in Bob.
17:00The only difference between me and I is I'm aware of it.
17:02Okay, yeah.
17:03Well, boomers.
17:04I love you, Dad.
17:05Our parents, like, don't get it.
17:07I feel like.
17:07I remember when I was in high school, my best friend, Nick Anderson, asked my dad.
17:11We were having a sleep where he wakes up.
17:12He asked my dad, so how's work going?
17:14Six hours passed.
17:15Still talking.
17:16Six hours passed, and Dad is somehow telling him about his childhood.
17:18Poor guy.
17:19He's like.
17:20All he asked was how work was.
17:21He's like, I'm starving.
17:24Anyway, so I get it from him.
17:27But no, my start, I did do sports.
17:30I did all of that.
17:32And the reason I got into fitness probably comes from this little story I'm about to tell you.
17:36When I was coming up, coming out of childhood into kind of my preteen years, I got to be about 60 pounds overweight.
17:44Okay.
17:45You know, and I was bullied for it.
17:47I remember sitting in English class.
17:50But this started my journey in the arts.
17:52And it launched me into sports and fitness.
17:54It kind of was a catalyst, which is why I'm probably good to share.
17:58And I hope it brings some of you hope, okay?
18:02Because this life can look very pretty.
18:04Oh my gosh, for sure.
18:05And it's so not.
18:06And that's just not.
18:06I mean, we're talking about, I was struggling with bulimia.
18:10I was trying to lose this excess weight.
18:13I remember sitting in middle school and there was a girl, I won't say her name.
18:18Because I hope she's doing well.
18:19This was also like 20 years ago.
18:21Sitting behind me.
18:22And she says, Mrs. Fisher, I can't see the board because Luke is sitting in front of me.
18:27And we had a dress code and I was really insecure.
18:29It's funny, my characters tend to wear the three buttons down.
18:32Yeah.
18:32Back then, when I was in middle school, I had to wear three buttons down.
18:36Because I was gaining so much fat.
18:39And I was really insecure about it.
18:40We had a dress code in our school.
18:42So we had to wear button-ups and collars and stuff.
18:44And I remember she sat behind me and she said, Mrs. Fisher, I can't see the board because Luke is sitting in front of me.
18:49Everyone laughs.
18:50It's right out of the movie.
18:52And I had just auditioned for my first musical.
18:56And I was so scared.
18:58Secretly, I kind of felt like I might have had something.
19:02And my best friend at the time was this incredible singer.
19:05Incredible singer.
19:06This all happened within like the same week, mind you.
19:09Or the same month, I can't quite remember.
19:12And for the audition, we had to sing in front of everybody.
19:14And my best friend, who was such a great singer.
19:18Oh my God, I'm already feeling you.
19:20He had never heard me sing.
19:21And I was so scared that I just yelled the notes.
19:24The line was, Spinach and Tomatoes from Oklahoma.
19:27That's all I had to sing.
19:28I was so scared that I yelled it.
19:31Everyone laughs.
19:32And someone came up to me and told me, hey, you're tone deaf.
19:36And then I go to Mrs. Fisher's class.
19:39I'm told I'm fat.
19:40And then I'm sitting there.
19:43I remember I was trying not to cry.
19:45And then she goes on and she says, wow, Luke, your hips are bigger than mine.
19:50And so then I was bulimic and I lost 70 pounds in the next three months.
19:55From bulimia?
19:57Yeah.
19:57Well, it started me just trying to figure out how to do fitness.
20:00So you were working out at the same time.
20:02I was just doing push-ups, running.
20:05I'm just a kid.
20:05I'm just a child.
20:06Oh my God, fuck.
20:07So all that kind of happened at once.
20:10Ironically, my brother played saxophone.
20:14And I had watched the marching band and all this stuff.
20:16So I went over to the office next door.
20:18I went to the band office and grabbed a saxophone.
20:20And I got really good at the sax.
20:23Really, really good at the sax.
20:25And saxophone became, at one point in my life, I was a professional saxophonist.
20:29Oh.
20:30Yeah, fun fact.
20:31Yeah, a lot of facts.
20:32Yeah, it's been a very, very crazy full 30 years.
20:36Yeah.
20:37But it's been interesting because in the very beginning, from age three, the dream was,
20:43and there was these early percolations of acting, singing, songwriting, entrepreneurship
20:47that were so heavy on my heart in such an early stage.
20:51And my life has been this beautiful journey of pain that has led me back to that core starting
20:58place, which has been really beautiful.
20:59Yeah.
21:00So these are just a couple stories of that.
21:01Yeah.
21:02But I cracked.
21:03I lost that weight.
21:04And then when I started eating again, I gained it all back.
21:07Sure.
21:08And then I had to get into, and I learned how to do it properly.
21:12And then I started my fitness business when I was in college.
21:16And I still have it.
21:18Now it's entirely online.
21:19Yeah.
21:20So I can give all my first fruits to my clients, but also my acting and my singing.
21:25So, yeah, that's how it started.
21:30Yeah.
21:32And then I remember I was a worship leader at a very charismatic African-American church.
21:37And that's where I had to learn how I played piano.
21:42That's where I finally got to kind of explore those gifts and talents.
21:47And then I was still in college and I thought, I'm going to do a theater minor.
21:51Like it just, when something is in you, you got to listen, right?
21:56Like you have to listen.
21:57If something is in you, I don't mean to preach, but if something is in you, you have to follow
22:01that still voice that's in the silence.
22:03And as much as I tried shoving the acting and the music and all that away, it just, I wanted
22:09to do it if no one was watching.
22:10So then that turned into studying voice a little bit in college, doing the music worship thing.
22:18And then I remember I, right after college, I ended up booking a job on Broadway.
22:26And the role-
22:27New York?
22:28Mm-hmm.
22:28New York Broadway?
22:29New York Broadway.
22:29Oh, what was that?
22:30It was a Christmas musical called Home for the Holidays.
22:35And I had to play saxophone on stage.
22:38Oh.
22:39And since I had that unique skill and the director and I had a relationship, he hired me for that.
22:44But I remember he also hired me.
22:45This is very interesting.
22:46And I promise that there's a last arcing story I'd like to share.
22:50Because it all shows how I ended up bending my way back to what I'm doing today.
22:55Yeah.
22:55Because it was there at three.
22:56Now it's here at 30.
22:57Um, I remember booking that job on Broadway and he hired me to play saxophone and be on
23:07stage and this really cool role as one of the musicians.
23:10It was great.
23:11It was a very humbling experience I'm always going to be grateful for.
23:14And, uh, I remember he also hired me to sing backup.
23:19And I remember I had shoved this thing down so far since I was in middle school to then
23:23that when I sing for the first time,
23:27it overwhelmed me.
23:29I could hear my voice in the monitor on this Broadway stage.
23:32And I, like, cried and walked off stage.
23:35And it really affected me.
23:37And ironically, I had just gone homeless in New York.
23:41This sounds almost fabricated, but I promise it's the truth.
23:44Uh, I was trying to pay down my college debt.
23:47So I was staying with a host.
23:48And, uh, she, uh, had something come up personally and said, I need you out by tomorrow morning.
23:53Oh, bye.
23:54So I was actually sleeping on the F train.
23:57Uh-huh.
23:58Because I didn't, I was a 22, 23-year-old kid.
24:00Yeah.
24:01I could have asked for help, I'm sure.
24:03But I, I didn't want my colleagues, I didn't want the people I worked with on Broadway.
24:08I didn't want to attach any drama to my name.
24:09Yeah.
24:10Because I was so worried about what people thought of me.
24:13And so I remember I was homeless that night.
24:15I had a dream.
24:16And in that dream, I was, I remember God was there.
24:21I remember I was backstage, or I was backstage with my saxophone and my vocal mic.
24:27And I saw this dude walk out in this dream.
24:31And there's this crowd of all these different people, different ethnicities.
24:33And I could just see him pouring his heart out.
24:35He turns around to me.
24:38I wake up.
24:38And that moment, while it sounds quite spiritual, I wake up, I'm on the bench.
24:45I have to get ready to go to the theater.
24:47I mean, I'm just, and I knew it was like, I've got to go after this thing.
24:51I've got to give it everything I got.
24:53And so from that journey from sixth grade to then is what led me from what I initially
24:59wanted to do to finally giving it everything I got.
25:01And then I came back to LA after New York, worked on my voice and my acting for a year
25:07and the silence, conducted choir, had my fitness business.
25:11And then I started working on my craft.
25:12And now we're here.
25:14So.
25:15Wow.
25:16Anyway, that's a bit of my story.
25:17I apologize if I've talked too much.
25:19No, not at all.
25:20I want to ask you something only if you're comfortable discussing it.
25:24I also, as a female in the entertainment industry and just male, female, whatever your gender
25:32is, it's hard.
25:34And I also experienced a spat of bulimia.
25:38And I kind of, if you're open to it, I feel like we don't hear a lot of guys talk about
25:44having eating disorders and being uncomfortable with their bodies.
25:47And it's kind of like, for women, we're more so able to talk about that.
25:51It's more accepted.
25:53I just want to know, as a man, if you have any words of advice or just like, if there's
25:58some guys who are watching this that might feel the same way, like what you would say
26:01to them on how to come out of that or how to look at yourself differently.
26:06Kingship is not found by beating yourself up and hiding in the shadows.
26:12I'm saying this as a learner.
26:13Yeah.
26:14Not by someone who seems to say, I have all the answers, but masculinity is very deep and
26:19dear to my heart.
26:20And a lot of times on the masculine journey, the hero's journey, every man wants to grow
26:27up one day to gain some sense of dominion in the form of respect.
26:32Every man wants to capture the beauty, you know, regardless of your sexual orientation or
26:39whatever it may be.
26:40Every man longs for that, to be seen and to be respected.
26:45But I think at the core level, to know that he's earned it.
26:49And my encouragement just from failing so many times is to not hide in the shadows.
26:57One of the best parts about the masculine journey is to be known.
27:01Whatever you hide in the shadows owns you.
27:05Whatever you hide rules you.
27:08So to be able to talk about it, to be able to pursue a better version of yourself will
27:12also help you detach from the parts of you that are so uniquely tied to what people think
27:17about you or whatever your advice might be.
27:18So my humble, humble advice, humble opinion is for the masculine journey, when it comes
27:24to, for me, it was obviously bulimia or whatever.
27:27If you're struggling with that or whatever else it is, hiding it is not the answer.
27:33It's just not because it perpetuates.
27:34It grows.
27:35Whatever you hide in the dark gains steam, gains momentum.
27:39And for the masculine journey, if I could pin it, it would be, it feels more masculine
27:44to not talk about it, to hide about it.
27:49There's something about a man who knows his strength and doesn't need to prove it.
27:54And because it paves the way for things like kindness, like empathy, like stillness and
28:02servitude.
28:03I think the best version of man is a servant.
28:05I do have some old school beliefs.
28:07I think men were crafted to, you know, like in a marriage, my job in a marriage is to die
28:13for her.
28:14My job is physically sure, of course, but also like I'm to serve her, you know, a man
28:21at his best is like that.
28:25He has strength, but doesn't need to prove it.
28:27Because the reality is we all see it, right?
28:32But we all know it's a little cringy if someone comes in talking about how great they
28:37are.
28:37Yeah.
28:38Subconsciously, I think, comes off a little more insecure.
28:42Right?
28:43Yeah.
28:43It's like, what are you trying to prove?
28:44Like, we get it slash we don't need you to list your accolades.
28:49Versus when you get to a state of serving without being result reliant.
28:53Happiness is result reliant.
28:55Happiness is, and I hope this is answering your question thoroughly, but they all tie uniquely
28:59to masculinity in my humble opinion.
29:01And I'm still working on it, you know?
29:03I'm going to be working on it until the day I draw my last breath.
29:05Yeah.
29:06Happiness is the lawn got mowed and it looks great.
29:09Joy is I'm mowing the lawn and I love it.
29:12Right?
29:12And so a man who's steadfast and is strong, real strength is far more about being reliable,
29:21owning your difficulties, owning your emotions, owning your things.
29:26It's why men, I think, often experience love the most in the form of respect.
29:30Because when you respect me, it means I've earned it.
29:34Mm-hmm.
29:36Mm-hmm.
29:36I'm really getting into the weeds, I know.
29:38I hope I don't make anybody upset.
29:40No.
29:41But I think that, I think that's why men oftentimes experience love the most in the form of respect.
29:48Right.
29:48Right?
29:49So those would be my examples of really strong men, really great men.
29:54And, you know, and then I was very fortunate to have a lot and still have a lot of great examples.
30:03My father, my dad, my middle name is Charles, which I carry because my grandpa, his name was Charlie.
30:10I have mentors in my life, Eric Waterbury, Mike Thigpen.
30:14They've been with me for such a long time.
30:16I make a point because it keeps me in the current state I am while a fan base is growing, while, you know, things that would be tempting, you know, or would cause me to sacrifice or maybe make some choices that would be, you know, detrimental.
30:36Mm-hmm.
30:38To the end of the day, it's really not about me.
30:41Mm-hmm.
30:42It brings me so much more joy to, I love my life.
30:46If I know I'm serving others, and I do think a lot of that does go back to the past that we just talked about.
30:51Right.
30:52Right.
30:52So would you say then to kind of like put a bow in it, it's for you, a sense of community is really important to have?
31:02It is.
31:03Absolutely.
31:04But you got to be careful because you want to make sure that you're not community for community's sake.
31:09It's better.
31:10This took me all 30 years to learn.
31:12Mm-hmm.
31:12I'm the guy.
31:13I'm very extroverted.
31:14Shocker.
31:16So it used to be about, I remember I used to lead these music nights on the beach here in LA.
31:21We'd have 100 people.
31:22I would have these steak and wine nights at my house with my roommates, and I was quite distracted from pursuing the arts for a couple years.
31:30And it was, I had to learn a very hard lesson.
31:33I had all these beautiful people around me, amazing people, blah, blah, blah.
31:36And then I went through a little bit of a scandal.
31:40My reputation, a few rumors flew around.
31:4499% of those people disappeared.
31:47All these people who said, oh, we love you, Luke, and blah, blah, blah.
31:49And I'm not saying that, I'm not upset at them.
31:52I honestly hope they're all doing well.
31:53I wish them all so well.
31:54It has nothing to do with them.
31:56It was about me learning.
31:57I remember going to therapy, great man, David Pack, great therapist.
32:02And he told me, I said, my heart is hurting, man.
32:06Like, I want people to know that that's not who I am, but I can't say anything.
32:10And he said something to me, talking about masculinity, talking about something to me I'll never forget.
32:16And here I am living in it.
32:17It took me about a year to unpack it.
32:18He said, he had me write down everything I wanted everyone to see about me.
32:22Everything.
32:23I mean, as silly as it got, all the way down to the fingernails, like whatever it was.
32:27And I wrote it all down.
32:29It was very vulnerable.
32:31And he goes, what if you knew it and God knew it?
32:38And that was enough.
32:40And I don't know, for some reason, that might not be a one size fit all,
32:45but it felt like a big part of my own masculine journey just went.
32:49So then I started focusing on, because the answer is yes to community,
32:54but having the right people the closest to me, right?
32:58So when I walk away from that person, my heart is more full.
33:02That type of community.
33:04You know what I mean?
33:04It's like weed out the ones that aren't actually going to be there for you.
33:09And then knowing the difference between that and like your friends that are party,
33:15you know, like friends that are like, you give room for it to grow, you know?
33:18But it's like a relationship is grown.
33:22It's not, you don't just, you know what I mean?
33:24So it's knowing who is so near and dear to me that it serves me the best
33:29and we serve each other and the versus.
33:31And the different levels of friendships too.
33:34Exactly.
33:34There's so many.
33:35There's some that you have your party friends, your outside dinner friends,
33:37your actor colleague friends, your musician friends,
33:40and then you're like people that you go to when you're like sobbing on the phone.
33:45If you, all those friends you have, if you roll into a ditch in your car,
33:49you're only calling one or two people.
33:51It's true.
33:51It's true.
33:52If there's one emergency contact.
33:54Yes.
33:55Right.
33:56And so giving those other relationships too, give them the room to grow,
33:59see what it can be.
34:00But then when you spot the real deal, serve.
34:03Right.
34:03You know, I have a buddy I live with named Matt.
34:06He's just like that.
34:07Like he, he makes me a better man.
34:09Oh, I love that.
34:10Right.
34:10Yeah.
34:11Yeah.
34:11I don't have anything.
34:12It's just like, I get to chill.
34:14We can sit in silence and I'm good.
34:15Those kinds of friends you gotta, you know, so.
34:19When you forgive someone, you release them.
34:22Mm-hmm.
34:23So when you forgive someone, it's not saying, hey, that was okay.
34:27Because I've also done wrong things.
34:28I've hurt people.
34:29My God, let's not get it twisted.
34:32But by forgiving them, I've gained two things.
34:35One, I have released the hold it's had on me and it's made me kind of who I am today and
34:40who I'm still pursuing.
34:41My hero is still in the future.
34:43I'm trying to be him, like McConaughey said.
34:46And he does say it all the time.
34:47I realize that's where I got it.
34:48I'm sure.
34:50Um, but like, I also hope that that person is well.
34:55I hope that they healed from whatever it was.
34:59And I hope they're doing well.
35:00That might be a hot take.
35:01Like, well, I have a question for you.
35:04So I've heard and tried also and accomplished a little bit of this when there's something
35:09traumatic and horrible in your life that happens.
35:11Someone does something bad to you.
35:13And then you have to do the work to like, let it go and forgive.
35:17Not necessarily like, you're okay.
35:19Like, I'm okay with you, but it's like, forgive it so that you, it's more for yourself to
35:25benefit off that because then you really, it's not clouding your thought process and
35:30your journey through life.
35:32And it's hard to do, especially with something like of this level too.
35:37It's how, how do you work up to that?
35:40Because it seems sometimes impossible if you're like, this person did this to me.
35:44Like, I fucking hate them.
35:45I can't forgive them.
35:46How, how do you do that?
35:48I think it's, it's first, it's, um, recognizing the part that's hurting within you and it takes
35:55time.
35:56I, let's just talk about that.
35:57This is not going to be done overnight.
35:59Right.
35:59Right.
36:00It took me, I think 10 years to get to a place.
36:02I was about 23 when I was able to like fully move to a place of, and it's amazing how it
36:10makes you almost better.
36:11You don't want those things to happen to you, but they can be part of your journey of transformation
36:15to better.
36:17It's interesting.
36:18But for me, it was getting to a place of understanding that I also have darkness in
36:25my heart.
36:25Yeah.
36:26You know, uh, I, I can do bad things.
36:30I can this and that, uh, and getting to a place of whatever it was that led that person
36:36to do that.
36:36Cause there's things I want to do or am tempted to do or have done that have caused
36:41harm and recognizing that in me, you know, uh, there's a really great verse somewhere
36:46that talks about like the person who's done no wrong for the first stone.
36:51It's basically just saying like, you know, look into yourself before you start judging
36:56other people.
36:57And so for me, that was huge recognizing like, dude, I've got my shit.
37:03Um, okay.
37:04I've done wrong things.
37:06And then moving on from that to wanting freedom enough to where you can forgive the person.
37:13Yeah.
37:13That was what it was for me.
37:14And then you kind of start to see the heart of the other person.
37:17And also, let me be very clear.
37:19That doesn't mean you then go pursue relationship with that person.
37:22That doesn't mean you invite them back in your life necessarily.
37:25You don't have to be best friends or friends at all with that person, you know?
37:28Um, but then you're able to kind of release that person.
37:32Yeah.
37:32So it just takes the opportunity of looking at yourself and recognizing how human you
37:38also are while also not excusing it, which is an interesting place to be.
37:42Does that kind of make sense?
37:43Definitely.
37:44You also mentioned that you go to therapy.
37:46Do you currently go?
37:48Are you, or like, what's your, like just a quick little snippet on that, because I feel
37:53like also with some of our male followers, um, again, something that isn't the most popular
37:59thing within, you know, the masculine quote unquote, how media perceives it is to like
38:04go to therapy.
38:05So you've experienced therapy.
38:07You've liked it.
38:08Absolutely.
38:09Yeah.
38:09No.
38:10Um, I think it's good to know if we need therapy or don't, because sometimes there is
38:14a time where a man just needs to be told, Hey brother, you got this.
38:19Sometimes it's as simple as that.
38:20And we don't need to go blow a bunch of money for therapy.
38:22Yeah.
38:22But it's just true.
38:24Cause I sometimes see that as well.
38:25Sometimes it's a, I like to smoke cigars.
38:28Sometimes it's a cigar with one of your best fellas who truly pours into you and you just
38:32need a chance to express it.
38:33Yeah.
38:34Sometimes it's, but if you don't have that, then therapy is also still a good idea.
38:37But if you have something that's eating away at your soul and it's yanking you out of
38:42yourself and out of the world around you, and it's causing you to see yourself in such
38:47a dark way, therapy is a wonderful thing.
38:50And I've utilized it throughout my whole life.
38:52I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for that.
38:53Has it helped you with acting?
38:55Absolutely.
38:55Yeah.
38:56Yeah.
38:56I feel like, right.
38:57For sure.
38:58It helps you get there.
38:59Oh yeah.
39:00All this stuff we're talking about is just palette.
39:02It's tools to use when it comes to, I had a character, actually in this movie, he loses
39:08the girl and I thought, I remember telling Roku, our director, like, what if, you see,
39:15I love it so much.
39:17What if everything about this moment is about his shame towards himself?
39:22He's really not feeling so much loss towards the woman.
39:24The woman is losing the love of his life as a reflection on the piece of shit he thinks
39:29he is.
39:30Yeah.
39:30What if it, and so it changed the tonality and color of how that scene came out.
39:35Now, I then, um, for crying, especially crying on command, there's a few ways to go about
39:39that.
39:40But, uh, for me, I always think about my dad and I think about some of the words he's told
39:47me, the first time he told me I was a man, I fixate on that.
39:51I think about my father passing one day and then I lean into that.
39:57It's a, it's kind of, it's, there's a method called the Yavanna Chubbuck method.
40:00This is very near and dear to that.
40:02Uh, and I, then I focus on something that today is making me feel exactly what my character
40:10is feeling.
40:11And then it just kind of pours right out.
40:13Tears just flow.
40:15I've got that thing with my dad that makes me emotional, but then I'm focusing on the
40:20areas of my life where I do feel like I'm a piece of shit.
40:23And then by the time action is called, it's like something about the tonality fits his
40:30situation, even though I'm not in his situation in real life.
40:33It's like the lizard brain foundation where you put your, your deep seated emotional thing
40:39back there.
40:39And then you, Oh, I'm a piece of shit today.
40:41Like my bike's not working or like I feel ugly or whatever it is that you're going through.
40:45And then it just like, I think we have a fun emoji quiz for you.
40:51So what we're going to do is we're going to have you read the emojis one by one, and then
40:55guess the title.
40:56And the hint is that you've starred in all these shows.
41:00The first one is a crown, airplane, explosion, and a ring.
41:06I know this one.
41:07Runaway princess bride is my guess for this first one.
41:10You're inaccurate.
41:11No.
41:12It's not right.
41:13No, a crown.
41:15Can I guess again?
41:16Yeah.
41:17Heirish crash landing.
41:18That one.
41:19Heirish crash landing for a.
41:21I know that's the thing.
41:22That's the thing.
41:23You can't remember the title.
41:24Heirish crash lands for a fella she wants to marry.
41:26Close.
41:27Heirish crash lands on her husband.
41:30Okay.
41:30So we've got a heart with an arrow.
41:33I'll give you a hint.
41:34Okay.
41:34Married in a heartbeat.
41:35Yes.
41:37Got him.
41:37With Miss Haley Lorelai.
41:40Incredible.
41:41She was incredible.
41:41Oh, this one you'll know in a second.
41:43Fried Chicken Flash Marriage.
41:44I, when I saw it on real shirts.
41:46Let's just talk about it.
41:47Yeah, let's, yeah.
41:48Can we dive into this one?
41:50What the heck?
41:51So I told them, so I really loved the story.
41:54And obviously I read the title and you know, I, I just said it.
41:57Hey guys, is, is this the final title?
41:59Yeah.
42:00And someone said, someone goes, no, I think it's a working title.
42:03And I leaned over and I said, you're not going to change the title.
42:07Are you?
42:07And then they didn't change the title.
42:09It was Fried Chicken Flash Marriage.
42:10Next one.
42:11You've got mail.
42:12No.
42:13No?
42:13The masks?
42:14It's not.
42:16I would not get this at all.
42:18I'm pregnant.
42:18Let's break up.
42:19No.
42:19Okay.
42:20What do people think of actors?
42:23Dramatic.
42:24Close.
42:24But like, it's like a negative connotation towards us.
42:27Like.
42:28Fake it.
42:28Tell you love me.
42:30Yeah.
42:31Yeah.
42:31Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
42:32I just give it to you.
42:33Oh, yeah, yeah.
42:34That's hilarious.
42:34Okay, the next one is.
42:35Axis or a surrogate for the album.
42:37There it is.
42:37I couldn't say that when I was introducing you.
42:40The next one.
42:41Oh, this one you'll get, I think.
42:44Runaway Princess, right?
42:45Yep.
42:45Yep.
42:46I think you'll get the next one, too.
42:48You've got mail.
42:49Yes.
42:50Yes.
42:51A lot of mail emojis.
42:52So you've done a ton of different types of characters here at Real Short, which is super fun.
42:56So what's next for you?
42:57Well, I'm very, very pleased to share that my last song, Just Little, just came out.
43:07We're getting ready to shoot the music video for that, which I actually don't think I've
43:11announced this on my socials yet, but this music video narrative is a sequel to my last
43:17song that came out called Still Missing You.
43:19So it will follow in that universe, that same storyline.
43:23Go watch Still Missing You because you'll see exactly what we're saying.
43:27And so I'm very excited to shoot that, get that out.
43:30So that's next for me in the Real Short world.
43:34I'm really excited about all the movies that we're about to do.
43:36We have a few lined up.
43:38And then speaking of, I have one that's about to come out right here.
43:43Oh, my gosh.
43:44Called Let's Pregnant.
43:46No, I'm kidding.
43:46Let's Pregnant.
43:47Let's Pregnant.
43:48Well, I'm wrong.
43:49I'm Pregnant, Let's Break Up.
43:50And we shot that in New York.
43:52It was the last one I did in 2024.
43:54And that one just, if I can share this really quick.
43:59It was so cool.
43:59I've always dreamt of, you know that classic scene where you're like, you run after the girl in a picot and you're like, taxi, taxi.
44:07I've always dreamt of doing that.
44:08Always.
44:09And I got to do exactly that.
44:11And so I told the director and the producer, I was like, we're like, this is a childhood dream that's happening.
44:16Wait, so was it like the taxi's chasing the girl, trying to get her because she's leaving?
44:20She leaves.
44:21And I run out after her.
44:22It's like everything we've ever dreamt of, right?
44:24It's like I run out.
44:26Peacoat is flapping in the New York wind.
44:28I love that it's a peacoat.
44:28What color was it?
44:29Brownstone.
44:30It was brown peacoat.
44:31Nice.
44:31Yeah.
44:32He runs out, taxi, gets in the taxi, goes after the girl.
44:37And that was a dream come true.
44:38So that's in the movie that's about to come out.
44:40Oh, that's exciting.
44:41Very excited about it.
44:42And I'm sure your fans are going to love that one.
44:44I hope you do.
44:45I hope you do.
44:46I had a great pleasure of making it.
44:48And Miss Illyriana was the lead actress.
44:51She was just spectacular.
44:54How do your fans react to your work?
44:58That's a very humbling question.
44:59The, the, I, I've never gotten the fan mail I've ever gotten that I've been getting.
45:07I mean, I immediately, it kind of makes me, because it's, it's so humbling, the things
45:13that people say.
45:14And so if you're watching, thank you.
45:17I'm deeply, every time I get a chance to kind of look through my messages and I don't
45:22come from all this, you know, I've come from such a small town and place and I already
45:26shared why I do it.
45:27And so all the words about the movies, I hear a lot of comments about my acting ability,
45:34which is so humbly, humbly received.
45:36Because I've just worked, I just am working on that.
45:38Yeah.
45:38Slaving away.
45:39And then my songs and my singing and I get some of the kindest, sweetest comments every
45:45single day.
45:46And it, it genuinely, it motivates me to make me, it makes me feel like, damn, maybe this
45:53is making a difference.
45:54You know?
45:55Yeah.
45:55Like it's working.
45:56Yeah.
45:56Yeah.
45:57And it's inspiring people and helping people.
45:59And that's the prayer.
46:00That's the hope.
46:01So I'm very humbled by that.
46:03Can you give them a little insight about what they have to look forward to with some of
46:08your shows coming up?
46:11Everything in each character.
46:13I said yes to each one because there was a golden nugget to me in the story where the
46:18character had to overcome incredible odds.
46:21And I would say, I feel like I'm always looking for the human stuff that I know I have dealt
46:26with before I say yes, even if it's in a scenario I've never been in.
46:31And so in these next ones, if you felt that you've faced impossible odds, then these next
46:38handful of projects with Real Short, I think is going to be great for you.
46:41Impossible odds.
46:42I love that.
46:43Whether it's love or career or whatever it is for the character, it's how in the world
46:48do we move past this?
46:49Mm-hmm.
46:50And love finds a way.
46:53Oh.
46:54Saucy.
46:56Saucy.
46:56And it is very spicy.
46:57Yes.
46:59This has been so amazing having you.
47:01Do you have anything else you want to say to your fans?
47:06I know I've used the word humbled a lot, but it's just very true to how I feel in my core.
47:16I'm so humbled that there is anyone who likes what I do and makes it a part of their daily,
47:24weekly, monthly, or yearly life.
47:26That's, it's very humbling.
47:28And so I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for being here, for watching these
47:33films, watching me act, watching us together.
47:36To me, this is what it's all about.
47:37This is really what it's all about.
47:39Hanging out with you is the only thing in this moment I want.
47:42And so to each and every one of you, thank you.
47:45I'm deeply humbled and I'm honored to be here.
47:47I'm deeply humbled and I'm honored to be here.
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