Photo by Shaun Benson

The character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter has sliced his way into pop culture and with the new series on NBC entitled Hannibal, he is not leaving any time soon. This new series, developed by Bryan Fuller, also introduces us to new interpretations of other characters from the books and movies. One of those characters is Freddie Lounds, previously played by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Stephen Lang. This time Freddie is played by Canadian actor Lara Jean Chorostecki. Ms. Chorostecki took the time to chat with us about her character Freddie, what it’s like to play a role that has been gender switched, her poetry, her love for the outdoors, and then we kind of go off topic on cyclops cats and Hugh Jackman. You know, the important things.

It was an absolute pleasure chatting with Ms. Chorostecki and just like the character of Hannibal Lecter, I expect that we’ll be seeing lots of Ms. Chorostecki for years to come.

What inspired you to become an actor?

I saw a production of Les Mis when I was eight years old and I was so engrossed the entire time! My parents took my brother and I and I went to church the next day and I ended up drawing a storyboard during the service of the Les Mis story. I also performed the entire soundtrack, lip synced, for my great grandfather, who I believe was 96 at the time, very shortly after I saw it. So, I would say that musical theater inspired me to be an actor and that show in particular, seeing it at such a touching young age was incredibly inspiring.

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It’s no secret I’m addicted, possibly in love, with watching TV shows on my fancy DVR at home in between procrastinating on my wedding planning. More recently I’ve become infatuated with spotting places filmed in my current home town of Long Beach, CA on Showtime’s Dexter and HBO’s True Blood.  I grew up in Los Angeles and watched film crews invade my old neighborhood from time to time, and I revel in it every single time! I use to work in Downtown Los Angeles during college and I would sneak out of the office to watch film crews and their trailers take over the vacant business district on the weekends, and try to spot a celebrity in between takes. This is why it’s so thrilling to recognize all those places I walk or drive by daily in a city I consider my second home, Long Beach. I annoy my fiancé and roommate all the time with my pointy finger wagging at the television saying where the scene was filmed in Los Angeles or Long Beach at least once a week.

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I’ve learned a lot of things within the last nine months about the ups and downs of planning a wedding, and trying to make it unique to you. Nowadays it’s a lot easier, and more common place to hear about newlyweds creating their own geeky wedding. Which is great! However, there are also a lot of unforeseen complications with friends and family reacting to your…personal style. These are just a few tips, and personal observations, from a geeky lady who never thought she would have to plan a wedding.

PREFACE

For the record, my fiance and I love both of our families. Second, we are poor as sh*%, and don’t really have funds to help pay for a wedding. Third, our families have been amazingly supportive and offered to help create the wedding our dreams. They just didn’t know it would involve no real flowers, DIY decorations, dyed hair, tattoos, and non-uniformed wedding decorations. No pastels?! Gasp! When the parents heard our wedding colors were red and black they looked like someone stole their favorite toy. His mother is still trying to convince me that real flowers for the bride are just appropriate. Did I mention we’re making paper roses out of several different types of paper products?  Including my bouquet? Amazing, right? Not to the Mom’s. In the beginning my fiance and I came up with a few creative ideas for our wedding like a Steam Punk theme or a cute video game themed wedding cake. Who doesn’t want a Super Mario wedding cake?! Not to the Mom’s. Which brings me to my number one rule…

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Because I can. LOL!

Believe it or not, there wasn’t any inspiration for me to become an actress until I actually enrolled in the film school. Only after I entered the Beijing Film Academy did I learn such great actors’ names as Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro. Then I was inspired to become an actress.

One of my favorite things about going to a convention is meeting new people. Last year while I was having a drink at the Wired Cafe during San Diego Comic Con I met a woman named Luciana Faulhaber. Luciana is an educated actor, writer, and producer who’s journey from Brazil to Los Angeles is like a movie itself. At the time we discussed the importance of female empowerment in the world and in the media, and how to this day it is still an issue that needs to be discussed. Needless to say, we hit it off. We’ve kept in touch since then, and now Luciana is working on a project that not only highlights this important issue, but to put it simply, sounds really cool!

In this interview Luciana talks about her journey from Brazil, to New York, to Los Angeles, her motivations for becoming an actor, female empowerment in front of and behind the camera, breaking gender stereotypes, and an upcoming post-apocalyptic project, Willow Creek. Not only is Luciana a thoughtful and intelligent artist, but definitely someone to keep an eye on.

Defective Geeks: What inspired you to become an actor and storyteller? 

Luciana Faulhaber: I’ve always done it for fun while growing up but I have to say I remember the exact moment I decided this is what I wanted to do with my life. I was watching Spring Awakening on Broadway with all original cast. I sat through it in that dark theatre and wept through most of it. But it felt ok because it was dark and it was really all about the show. But in reality my chest was tight and in my heart I just knew I had never felt that way and that’s what I wanted. So I started changing my own life.

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Recently I was lucky enough to interview actor Dion Johnstone who has appeared in shows such as Stargate SG-1, Monk, King, and television production of The Tempest.  He has done work both in front of the camera and on stage, including The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Richard III. In this interview, he talks about what inspired him to become an actor, how acting both for television and on the stage helps his craft, his love for mythology, Shakespeare, and comics, the evolution of sci-fi and superhero genres, and how he has totally raised the bar for all boyfriends (take note, boys of the world!).

This interview was a lot of fun for me because Dion is so well spoken and intelligent. Check it out, kids, you might learn something.

Defective Geeks: What inspired you to become an actor?

Dion Johnstone: Initially I was living in Alberta during Junior High, and I played the trombone in the school jazz band and there was a local festival in town called “Citadel Teen Festival of the Arts”. Once a year at the Citadel Theater in Edmonton they would put on a nine day festival geared towards teenagers. They would have new plays written by local professional play writes, they would use full professional facilities, and it would be an all teenage cast. They would have battle of the bands, they would have art exhibits. It was a massive festival geared towards teenage talent. I auditioned as a trombone player because I was into music at the time and getting into a musical. It was a new musical called Planet of the Lost Swing Babes. I was playing a jazz musician because the story was basically about this famous jazz group called the “Swing Babes” and we’re off on a major concert that we are supposed to play at, but a storm happens. They get lost in the storm and then they wind up getting transported to Jupiter where they make friends with the aliens there and then play their music.

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Regina is a writer, a podcaster and a gamer and runs a blog over at www.gameongirl.com. She encourages intelligent and fun conversations about video games on her website and podcast — so if you’re a gamer (girl or boy!), you should check her out. Read her guest blog for us below to get an idea of her journey into the academic world as a Lady Geek.

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I am not sure when I was first called a geek. It was probably when I was pretty young. I had my glasses, my books, and my video games, each something that defines me as a geek.

One of the most important aspects of geek culture and of defining myself as a geek is that it allows me a certain amount of freedom that other titles don’t allow. I can enthusiastically love the things I love, without shame or questioning. Even when I was younger and realized how different I was from many around me, constantly choosing the fantasy worlds books offered me over mindless TV watching, I knew who I was and was comfortable with that. I knew I was different and I didn’t care. That’s a pretty powerful thing.

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I want to say how amazing it was to talk to such an amazing, ambitious and spirited woman. Katherine Castro a beautiful actress, native to the Dominican Republic chat’s with me about her journey to the states, realizing her dreams as a multiple talented artist, and her upcoming film, Pulse of Indigo. The Pulse of Indigo premiere this Friday, July 20th in Los Angeles and will be released internationally in the Dominican Republic on August 1st at Carribean Cinemas, Fine Arts Novo-Centro in Santo Domingo. In the mean time hear what Katherine has to say about being an actress and her upcoming movie.

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How long have you’ve been an actor and how did you get your start as an actor?

KATHERINE CASTRO: I’m from the Dominican Republic and I got my start as a kid there. Like all kids, I started making shows for my parents at their house parties. I did little one-woman shows, played the piano, and did some monologues. I was always creating and it just became a natural transition for me into school plays in the Dominican Republic. I lived in the United States for awhile. When I lived here in the States I got involved in dancing, ballet, jazz, and gymnastics.  That was some of my first times being on stage in front of a live audience. Then I went back to the Dominican Republic, we were in the states because my Dad was in the military and he was working at the Dominican Embassy in Washington D.C. When his time was up we went back  and I knew then that dancing and acting was something that I wanted to continue to explore. I was the happiest when I was doing that.

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