Aleks Paunovic

Transcript

Speaker:
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I came from living out of a van,

eating noodles from 7 Eleven,

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barely making any money, and then

I get to this set and they're like,

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okay, Aleks, welcome to the set.

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The buffet for breakfast

is right over there.

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And I'm like, whoa, whoa,

whoa, wait a second.

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Like I can eat that stuff?

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Welcome to Story and Craft.

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Now, here's your host, Marc Preston.

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All right.

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Welcome back.

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So glad to have you back

here for Another episode.

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If this is your first

episode of story and craft.

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Hi there.

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My name is Marc Preston.

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Glad to have you along today.

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We are chatting with Aleks Paunovic.

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He is an actor from Canada.

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Uh, you might know him

from iZombie, Van Helsing.

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He is in the new and.

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of A.

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's Snowpiercer.

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Uh, great conversation.

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Uh, Aleks used to be a boxer.

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He used to be in a heavy metal band.

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And, uh, just a great story.

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He didn't even really start seriously

acting until he was, I think, 40.

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Had a great time sitting

down and, uh, talking.

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Learning a little bit

more about his story.

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It's a good one.

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You'll enjoy it.

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Do me a favor.

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If you would, as I always humbly request,

make sure to follow story and craft on

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your podcast app, because you'll get

notified every time there's a new episode.

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Uh, leave some stars,

leave a little review.

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It's very much appreciated.

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Uh, also everything you could

possibly want to know about the

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show is at storyandcraftpod.

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com.

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Uh, you want to find

out about past guests.

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Uh, you want to shoot me a note.

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Whatever.

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It's all right there on the website.

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All right.

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So, uh, let's jump into it.

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Uh, today is Aleks Paunovic day

right here on story and craft.

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Where are you joining me from today?

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I'm in Vancouver.

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How many years of radio have you done?

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Uh, let's see here.

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I worked in a radio for

20, I think 20 years.

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I think something like that.

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You have an amazing radio voice.

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Yeah, but that's amazing voice.

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That's very kind of, you know, I was,

um, last show I did, uh, kind of like

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Michael Corleone, I kept playing.

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Pulling me back in and I

left to do voiceover and act.

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Uh, but last thing I did, I had a

syndicated show on the ABC radio network.

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And I was like, you know, my kids

were getting to that age where I did.

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I was like, you know, I want to spend

a little bit more time with, with them.

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Radio was taking up so much time.

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I had so much fun though.

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But so there's, that's kind of the

DNA of this podcast at some level

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kind of came from my radio days.

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Let's see.

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I talked to, uh, uh, someone

else who was, uh, in Vancouver.

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God, uh, Anya Savchich,

uh, spoke with her.

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Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

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She's a fellow, uh, Croatian.

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So that's hilarious.

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Two, two Vancouverites.

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Yeah, exactly.

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Vancouver.

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What, what, what time zone y'all?

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It's already past lunchtime, I guess, huh?

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Yeah, it's, it's like two, I

guess, yeah, just after two.

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So what did we do for lunch today?

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Yeah, I just finished, uh, fight

rehearsal for a movie, a bunch of, uh,

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and it's stuff that I hadn't done before.

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It's like a bunch of knife fighting.

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And, uh, so I was just totally burned out.

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And I just literally, cause I usually

take a roasted chicken that I buy at

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the soup, uh, at a, at a store and then.

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Bust it all up.

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And then I just kind of like,

just nod at the other day.

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I was like, you know what?

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I told my daughter, I said, I got to

be mindful of what we're eating here.

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So, and I cook a lot, but I said,

okay, we're going to do, she's

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not a big fan of chicken, but I'm

like, man, how convenient is that?

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Go get one of those chickens, break it up.

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You can throw it into rice.

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You can throw it into a soup.

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Totally.

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We're in Texas, so you

can do fajitas out of it.

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You know, something or

tacos or whatever have you.

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Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

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Uh, not fajitas cause that's a whole

different thing and I don't want

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to lose my Texas, uh, license here.

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Um, but I'm kind of a late comer to some

shows cause I've got to watch so much.

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I don't have to watch.

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I get to watch so much stuff, uh,

with, with folks to speak with.

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And I ran across iZombie.

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I was just on Netflix.

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Oh yeah, yeah.

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That was like 2015, 2016.

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When did you do that?

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Oh man.

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Yeah.

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2015, 2015.

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Yeah.

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A couple of C one season, one season.

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I did.

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Yeah.

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I love that show.

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The writing on that show,

Rob Thomas created it.

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I thought, I thought they did

such a, I have, I have friends now

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that we're on the show that, um,

I were lifelongers just because.

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It was great writing.

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So it was a great atmosphere and it was

just, there was a lot of wit to it, you

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know, that's something I kind of, yeah,

Raul, Raul, who's a buddy of mine, who's

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just been doing some amazing work lately.

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He's, uh, I love seeing his star rise.

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I love seeing everyone kind of excel.

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It's funny.

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You're on.

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You've been on programs that

are on my to watch list.

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Uh, then Helsing, uh,

Snowpiercer want to watch those.

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I just never got around to it.

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Right, right, right.

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No, you're in Vancouver, but how

did you kind of origin story?

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Uh, how did the acting

thing kick off for you?

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Was it in Vancouver or did you kind

of do a move away to LA or at New

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York to start your thing there?

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Well, that's, it's interesting

because I played in a band for

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years since I was like 15 years old.

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I kind of.

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Um, just got, you know, the boys get

together and we just started playing.

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And, and then from that, the same

group of guys, like we were playing

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in bars before we could, we're

allowed to be in original stuff or

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was this mostly your, your covering?

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It was covering, we were doing covers,

but we were writing stuff, but the

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covers got us into bars and then

we would slip in a few originals.

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Actually, we were, uh,

we're still recording.

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I'm still recording with the

same guys from high school.

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Really?

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No kidding.

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Yeah.

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It's we're called Specula black.

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It's a metal band and we're on Spotify.

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If you ever want to specula black.

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Okay.

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You got the name.

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Yeah.

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Right.

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It's all, can't be more metal than that.

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Can't be more metal than that.

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And so, um, and, but we would tour

and we would tour and then, um, and

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then I was just playing a bar and a

casting director asked if I would, uh,

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Audition for something in my hometown.

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And I was, I was like,

yeah, I'm a yes guy.

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So I was like, yeah, I'll give it a shot.

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I went in there, auditioned, had fun.

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There was no pressure to it

because my career was music.

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And then I ended up booking

it and just being on set.

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It was just very cool.

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It was, it was something that.

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With a band, all five have to be in sync.

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And with acting, it was something

where it's like I was in control, which

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was, which it was, uh, goes back to my

boxing days where, when I go into the

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ring, okay, everything that I learned,

now I got to bring it into the ring.

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It's just me.

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It's not a team sport.

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And then, um, and I feel like that's

the same type of vibe with acting.

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And so I ended up getting the

role, but I was really enamored

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with, How the machine worked.

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So that was in Winnipeg and, and

Winnipeg is such a small community and

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the stunt team we had, there was one,

the Skeen stunt team, which is Rick

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Skeen and his sons have gone on to, uh,

stunt coordinate and start directing

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right now, which is awesome to see,

but there was only one stunt team.

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So when I did this little gig

called heads, um, With John

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Cryer, Ed Asner, Jennifer Tilly.

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Um, and I didn't know any of

them really, except from TV.

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And I thought, I thought that was cool.

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About how old were you when you did this?

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Oh, see, I started late.

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That was, that was, that was just a whim.

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So that was a 93.

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So I would say that was

in my early thirties.

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And so with that, it was a one off.

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I just thought it was really cool.

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It was a cool experience.

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And then, um, But I

really, really enjoyed it.

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And so I thought during my band days

leading, like later on, after the

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band broke up, I joined a cover band

and I just wanted to have fun cause

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we were just grueling and, and then

like hitting the road all the time.

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Who was it that was inspiring

you in the band days?

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Like what bands were you listening to?

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Like, was it like Nine Inch Nails?

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Way back.

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We're going even further back than that.

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Yeah.

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We're talking Judas Priest, Iron Maiden.

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Early Metallica.

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Um, Ozzy Osbourne was a huge influence.

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Black Sabbath.

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So we were playing those type of tunes.

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So kind of pre hairband around around

the same time we just decided to do

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more metal and that was our our thing.

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Like Motley Crue, I was a fan

of two, but the art, our singer,

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our singer just had that.

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Um, voice that fit Judas Priest

and Metallica really well.

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And, and those were bands that

we, we really kind of admired.

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And that kind of was the road gig for us.

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I see, I loved playing metal

because it was so energetic.

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It was so fun.

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Like, like, like I wasn't a very good

bass player, but I was, I, I felt

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like I was a really great entertainer

and I love being on the stage and I

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love making people watch the band.

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So I would run around, I, I, I, you

know, I would throw my hair around

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and it was very, very, uh, metal

and, uh, and, and, uh, high action.

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And that's what we love to do.

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Like when a set was over, you

were just dripping in sweat.

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I loved playing that.

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But now, like what I love to listen to is,

you know, um, uh, Nathaniel and the, and

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the night sweats and, and, uh, uh, just a

bunch of, like, I love Foo Fighters too.

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I love those type of bands too.

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But I, and I love lo fi.

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I've been digging lo fi.

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Um, so yeah, I, I just kind of love

more bluesy, more, more, uh, yeah.

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Is it me or is it lo fi kind of?

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Making a resurgence with the younger folk.

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Yeah.

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My niece got me into that.

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It seems like the, the, the college

age, they're kind of, they're kind

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of gravitating to that, you know?

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Yeah.

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I'm, I'm all over the map.

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Like even Ed Sharon, I

dig some of his stuff too.

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Like I'm just all over the map.

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I love a bunch.

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Like there's a great playlist on Spotify

called, uh, uh, uh, gritty acoustic,

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like that type of vibe, you know?

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Um, so yeah, that's the kind

of stuff I like to listen to.

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Now, by the way, you worked with Ed Asner.

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I was curious what it's like.

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I heard he was kind of a salty,

fun, kind of a cool dude.

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Like, did you, uh, had that

much interaction with him

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when you were in that film?

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I had a little bit of an interaction.

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Roddy McDowell was actually

like, I was Roddy McDowell's

252

00:10:03,390 --> 00:10:05,630

butler and it's so crazy, man.

253

00:10:05,845 --> 00:10:09,415

The full circle that happens because

Roddy McDowell was in the first planet

254

00:10:09,415 --> 00:10:14,105

of the apes years later, I ended up

being in war for the planet of the apes.

255

00:10:14,484 --> 00:10:17,574

And I was just like, well, like what,

what a life I'm leading right now,

256

00:10:17,575 --> 00:10:19,354

because I was just so enamored with him.

257

00:10:19,365 --> 00:10:23,414

And he was so, he was so generous with

just like talking about those experiences.

258

00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:27,910

So this was, did they shoot this film

in Canada, uh, and, and Winnipeg or they

259

00:10:27,910 --> 00:10:31,690

shot it and they shot it in Winnipeg and

I was playing in a bar in Winnipeg and she

260

00:10:31,690 --> 00:10:33,270

just asked if I would audition for this.

261

00:10:33,270 --> 00:10:33,910

And I did.

262

00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:36,649

And again, there was no stress

about it because I already had a

263

00:10:36,649 --> 00:10:39,120

career in music that I was pursuing.

264

00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,944

So I wasn't nervous going

into, This audition.

265

00:10:42,944 --> 00:10:45,814

And so I kind of made it fun

and me and the director and I

266

00:10:45,824 --> 00:10:47,954

had a good rapport right away.

267

00:10:48,285 --> 00:10:51,274

And then I just ended up getting the

gig and I just thought it was really

268

00:10:51,314 --> 00:10:52,985

interesting being in that world.

269

00:10:53,155 --> 00:10:54,625

And honestly, honestly, like

270

00:10:56,875 --> 00:11:00,915

I came from living out of a

van, eating noodles from seven

271

00:11:00,915 --> 00:11:02,884

11, barely making any money.

272

00:11:03,204 --> 00:11:05,814

And then I get to this set,

everything's new to me.

273

00:11:05,835 --> 00:11:08,314

And they're like, okay,

Aleks, welcome to the set.

274

00:11:08,385 --> 00:11:10,914

Um, the buffet for breakfast

is right over there.

275

00:11:10,915 --> 00:11:12,415

And I'm like, whoa, whoa,

whoa, wait a second.

276

00:11:13,295 --> 00:11:16,585

Like I can eat that stuff and as much

as I want, they're like, yeah, I'll go.

277

00:11:17,155 --> 00:11:20,635

So that was one of the Genesis for

me of going, okay, I think I want

278

00:11:20,635 --> 00:11:24,735

to learn this craft so I can eat

whenever I want, as opposed to getting

279

00:11:24,735 --> 00:11:26,025

these little noodles and stuff.

280

00:11:26,284 --> 00:11:27,975

So anyway, I made it on set.

281

00:11:28,255 --> 00:11:30,969

It was, um, It was a great experience.

282

00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,069

Became friends with the stunt coordinator

there, Rick Skeen, and because the

283

00:11:35,079 --> 00:11:39,569

stunt team is so small, he suggested,

you know, why don't you come out?

284

00:11:39,590 --> 00:11:41,739

You can do some more,

uh, more stunt stuff.

285

00:11:41,740 --> 00:11:43,670

I don't have a big guy for fight scenes.

286

00:11:44,079 --> 00:11:47,765

So because, again, Very small

city, any movie that came in

287

00:11:47,805 --> 00:11:49,205

that stunt team was a part of.

288

00:11:49,205 --> 00:11:53,055

So I started learning my craft that

way, but it was really interesting.

289

00:11:53,105 --> 00:11:57,535

It was a huge ego check because I

kind of felt like I was falling out

290

00:11:57,575 --> 00:12:01,924

of the music stuff because the band

started falling apart and you know,

291

00:12:02,254 --> 00:12:03,744

we've been together since high school.

292

00:12:03,744 --> 00:12:07,944

Now we're in our, you know, getting in

our thirties and, and we didn't break,

293

00:12:08,004 --> 00:12:12,920

but, um, But it was one of those things

where I was really kind of doing,

294

00:12:12,949 --> 00:12:17,480

doing a shift and I really was, so I

was playing cover band, so I would.

295

00:12:17,985 --> 00:12:20,925

Be in a band playing till

two o'clock in the morning.

296

00:12:20,925 --> 00:12:23,255

Dance floor is packed, women everywhere.

297

00:12:23,255 --> 00:12:24,365

You're on a pedestal.

298

00:12:24,365 --> 00:12:25,355

Like you're playing music.

299

00:12:25,355 --> 00:12:28,675

You're a rock star in those kinds of

atmospheres, but drinks are flowing.

300

00:12:28,875 --> 00:12:31,785

But right from when we,

I would wrap at 2 a.

301

00:12:31,785 --> 00:12:32,094

302

00:12:32,094 --> 00:12:35,425

With playing the band, I would go to set.

303

00:12:35,895 --> 00:12:40,335

And be basically a gopher so I could

just be on set and learn what's going on.

304

00:12:40,335 --> 00:12:44,625

And, and Rick would, uh, always

go, okay, so do this and do that.

305

00:12:44,795 --> 00:12:47,545

Hey, why don't you get us some

coffees and then, oh yeah, by the

306

00:12:47,545 --> 00:12:51,034

way, don't talk to the actors like

that, that your job is to do stunts.

307

00:12:51,034 --> 00:12:54,015

So I was just enamored with the

whole thing, but I was, part of me

308

00:12:54,024 --> 00:12:55,855

was like, I kind of want to do that.

309

00:12:56,195 --> 00:12:57,525

I want to, I want to do that.

310

00:12:57,525 --> 00:12:57,645

311

00:12:57,845 --> 00:13:02,005

And I have so much respect for the stunt

community, massive respect, but it was

312

00:13:02,005 --> 00:13:03,855

something I just wanted to tell stories.

313

00:13:04,225 --> 00:13:07,985

And, um, so I, then I just started

taking workshops cause I didn't

314

00:13:08,014 --> 00:13:10,665

take acting seriously till I was 35.

315

00:13:10,985 --> 00:13:13,095

I really didn't start booking till I was.

316

00:13:13,370 --> 00:13:17,090

40 in my forties and I didn't

start actually making a

317

00:13:17,090 --> 00:13:18,800

living till my mid forties.

318

00:13:19,229 --> 00:13:25,039

So I started quite late and uh, I felt

like I w I was just quite fortunate and,

319

00:13:25,039 --> 00:13:26,949

and I didn't want to go to school for it.

320

00:13:27,250 --> 00:13:29,489

I wanted to do like workshops.

321

00:13:29,489 --> 00:13:33,350

So I did a bunch of workshops in Los

Angeles and New York and Vancouver just

322

00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:36,430

to get a condensed, idea of the craft.

323

00:13:36,930 --> 00:13:41,680

And, but when I was in Winnipeg, I

realized I do love this, but what if I

324

00:13:41,719 --> 00:13:43,520

can't get a job in front of the camera?

325

00:13:43,890 --> 00:13:45,819

So I wanted to learn

everything behind the camera.

326

00:13:45,819 --> 00:13:49,669

So I went to the National Institute

of Broadcast just to learn more, uh,

327

00:13:49,680 --> 00:13:53,949

basically about broadcasting and making

little clips and making commercials.

328

00:13:53,949 --> 00:13:58,160

And, and I was like the cameraman

for the, in Winnipeg, in the CFL,

329

00:13:58,170 --> 00:14:01,745

the Canadian football league,

I had no Basically no money.

330

00:14:01,755 --> 00:14:06,585

And I said, I'm going to go to Vancouver,

then to LA and try this acting thing.

331

00:14:06,605 --> 00:14:09,415

And that's when nine 11 hit

when I got to Vancouver.

332

00:14:09,875 --> 00:14:10,124

Yeah.

333

00:14:10,124 --> 00:14:14,635

When a nine 11 hit, I was, um, we

could, I couldn't go, it was, it was

334

00:14:14,645 --> 00:14:16,455

a lot harder to get across the border.

335

00:14:17,359 --> 00:14:20,680

So I just decided to stay in Vancouver

and just kind of cut my chops here.

336

00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:22,010

And, and I'm glad I did.

337

00:14:22,010 --> 00:14:23,170

I got a lot of experience.

338

00:14:23,170 --> 00:14:26,699

There's once, uh, after nine 11, you're

still up there working in Vancouver.

339

00:14:26,699 --> 00:14:30,060

When did, did you ever make your way

down to LA and, you know, yeah, I did.

340

00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:35,550

And I just found it, uh, I just

didn't find my people there yet.

341

00:14:35,599 --> 00:14:37,180

And I found a lot of great.

342

00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:42,080

People in Vancouver and, and then I

got an agent in Vancouver and then

343

00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,190

it's, it's the audition started coming.

344

00:14:44,190 --> 00:14:48,150

And I just felt like I felt like this

was a great place to cut my teeth.

345

00:14:48,150 --> 00:14:52,159

Cause I know a lot of people that,

um, went to Los Angeles and then

346

00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:55,229

just wouldn't work and like, wouldn't

even get, they would be excited for

347

00:14:55,229 --> 00:14:59,460

like two auditions a month and I was

getting two auditions a day sometimes.

348

00:14:59,460 --> 00:14:59,910

And I was.

349

00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:04,500

I just felt like the, the quantity of

what the work that I could possibly

350

00:15:04,500 --> 00:15:07,480

get in Vancouver was something that

would help me get there a lot faster.

351

00:15:07,510 --> 00:15:10,210

I mean, you're 6'5 you know, you're

a bigger guy and were they, was

352

00:15:10,210 --> 00:15:13,240

it mostly physical roles that

they were looking at you going,

353

00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:14,259

this is the guy that can do that?

354

00:15:14,290 --> 00:15:14,570

Yeah.

355

00:15:14,570 --> 00:15:14,820

Yeah.

356

00:15:15,010 --> 00:15:19,080

I mean, I feel like everyone's typecast

in, in, in, in a certain manner.

357

00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:20,660

Like you don't see Tom Cruise.

358

00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:23,840

Being a bouncer, like he, he is who he is.

359

00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:26,790

And I, and I, and I understood

that, but I knew I wanted to

360

00:15:26,790 --> 00:15:31,750

tell more stories, more than thug

number two or, or things like that.

361

00:15:31,750 --> 00:15:34,140

And then those were the ones that

were coming to me, which were fine.

362

00:15:34,639 --> 00:15:38,649

And then I, I really started to kind

of dive in because I wanted to, I

363

00:15:38,750 --> 00:15:43,330

just wanted to tell more stories

from, from the vessel that I had.

364

00:15:43,710 --> 00:15:50,150

And, uh, there's an amazing acting

coach who, who, uh, who, uh, Coach

365

00:15:50,150 --> 00:15:54,750

DiCaprio and Hillary Swank to their

Oscars, Larry Moss, one of the best.

366

00:15:55,439 --> 00:15:58,559

And because I come from a boxing

background, I have three generations

367

00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:02,060

of boxers in my family, and a music

background, you have to rehearse.

368

00:16:02,060 --> 00:16:06,139

Like, everyone rehearses, or Michael

Jordan practices, he has this thing.

369

00:16:06,255 --> 00:16:08,314

Bunch of shots before he

actually hits the game.

370

00:16:08,314 --> 00:16:12,194

So I, I think it's essential

to, to get coaching and to work

371

00:16:12,194 --> 00:16:16,094

through a project with somebody

that gives you options and ideas.

372

00:16:16,094 --> 00:16:21,754

But Larry changed my brain because

like I said, I wasn't a very good bass

373

00:16:21,754 --> 00:16:23,704

player, but I was a great entertainer.

374

00:16:23,984 --> 00:16:28,804

And I brought that ideology to

acting where I felt like if I

375

00:16:28,804 --> 00:16:33,280

was big and Either funny or scary

that I can get away with it.

376

00:16:33,690 --> 00:16:38,250

And I, and he changed my life with this

one thing where, where I, I got on stage

377

00:16:38,250 --> 00:16:42,319

and he, he knew through somebody else

that I used to play in a band, but no

378

00:16:42,319 --> 00:16:43,729

one told him what instrument I played.

379

00:16:43,729 --> 00:16:46,390

And so I got up there and

I was kind of smacking.

380

00:16:46,430 --> 00:16:49,870

I wasn't really doing a great

job, but I was having fun.

381

00:16:49,870 --> 00:16:52,310

And I think not really doing a great job.

382

00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,410

gave me an excuse to go, well,

I wasn't really trying if I

383

00:16:55,430 --> 00:16:56,820

sucked, I wasn't really trying.

384

00:16:57,300 --> 00:17:00,989

And so, so I was up there and

it was probably in front of 300

385

00:17:00,989 --> 00:17:02,589

people and he stopped the scene.

386

00:17:02,989 --> 00:17:03,329

Yeah.

387

00:17:03,329 --> 00:17:04,839

And he stopped the scene.

388

00:17:04,879 --> 00:17:08,839

And again, I'm like, I have no problem

in a band, but this was new to me.

389

00:17:08,839 --> 00:17:11,500

So I loved performing,

but this made me nervous.

390

00:17:11,500 --> 00:17:14,790

And so he stopped the scene

and he said, somebody told

391

00:17:14,790 --> 00:17:15,879

me that you played in a band.

392

00:17:15,879 --> 00:17:17,189

And I went, Yeah.

393

00:17:17,189 --> 00:17:17,829

Yeah, I did.

394

00:17:17,829 --> 00:17:18,730

I'm joking around.

395

00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:21,800

And then he says to the audience,

no offense to anyone who plays this

396

00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:26,449

instrument, but I, I'm guessing you

played the bass guitar and people

397

00:17:26,449 --> 00:17:27,840

laughed and I kind of air banded.

398

00:17:28,070 --> 00:17:29,800

I kind of air banded a bit, right?

399

00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:30,650

I went, yeah, I did.

400

00:17:31,140 --> 00:17:35,760

And then he yelled, he was like

quiet and everyone just stopped.

401

00:17:35,810 --> 00:17:38,120

And he looked and he just

pierced me with this.

402

00:17:38,120 --> 00:17:42,320

He goes, how dare you play a

poorly played bass when you

403

00:17:42,330 --> 00:17:43,879

have an orchestra inside you.

404

00:17:44,850 --> 00:17:46,919

And it melted me.

405

00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:51,600

He goes, I don't, you're

ripping the whole audience off

406

00:17:51,800 --> 00:17:53,159

from the vessel that you have.

407

00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:56,790

And you're only playing the

bass and you're wasting my time.

408

00:17:56,810 --> 00:17:58,040

And you're wasting my money.

409

00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:02,019

Why am I sitting here watching

you do the best that you can?

410

00:18:02,610 --> 00:18:04,419

And he saw right through it.

411

00:18:04,419 --> 00:18:06,070

And that changed everything.

412

00:18:06,070 --> 00:18:10,320

I just started really like, like

it basically opened up my recourse.

413

00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:14,840

ribcage and I decided, okay, if I'm going

to tell stories from this vessel and the

414

00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:19,070

history that I'm, that I've had in my

life, then I've got to do it full on.

415

00:18:19,189 --> 00:18:21,809

The most interesting students are

usually ones a little bit older.

416

00:18:21,809 --> 00:18:23,160

They got more life experience.

417

00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:28,060

They've had more life experience,

known more people that and kids

418

00:18:28,180 --> 00:18:31,220

because kids, uh, the kid actors I

work with, like some Disney channel

419

00:18:31,220 --> 00:18:33,530

kids, they still remember how to play.

420

00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:34,890

You know, and that's the thing.

421

00:18:34,890 --> 00:18:37,110

I think if you're an adult and

you remember how to play and you

422

00:18:37,110 --> 00:18:40,520

got life experience, it's gotta

be so much more fun for you.

423

00:18:40,590 --> 00:18:42,720

It is, but I had it backwards.

424

00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:44,920

Like I was playing without

actually doing the work.

425

00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:49,679

So I got to be able to play and then

really concentrate in doing the work,

426

00:18:49,680 --> 00:18:54,470

find, finding the motivation and,

and, you know, regardless of, of, um,

427

00:18:55,580 --> 00:18:57,564

how, like where it, where it's going.

428

00:18:57,774 --> 00:19:00,304

Where the hurt was coming from

when I was telling a story that

429

00:19:00,304 --> 00:19:01,975

was, had to be very vulnerable.

430

00:19:02,445 --> 00:19:05,835

And so once I started tapping

into that and being serious about

431

00:19:05,835 --> 00:19:07,025

that, it allowed me to play.

432

00:19:14,544 --> 00:19:18,924

You said you came from a background

of, uh, or from family who, who boxed.

433

00:19:19,075 --> 00:19:20,915

What'd your folks do back home?

434

00:19:21,685 --> 00:19:22,535

Well, back home.

435

00:19:22,565 --> 00:19:24,985

I'm like my dad in the old Yugoslavia.

436

00:19:25,540 --> 00:19:29,230

My dad was like on his way to the

68 Olympics, cracked his knee.

437

00:19:29,290 --> 00:19:30,110

And that was it.

438

00:19:30,110 --> 00:19:33,540

And by that time, my mom was

already pregnant with my brother

439

00:19:33,540 --> 00:19:36,730

and saying, look, are you, I'm going

to move to Canada, you and you out.

440

00:19:37,070 --> 00:19:38,370

And he goes like, all right, I'm in.

441

00:19:38,419 --> 00:19:43,169

So they came over and my, my dad

basically was a carpenter and my mom.

442

00:19:43,419 --> 00:19:44,649

Was cleaning houses.

443

00:19:44,649 --> 00:19:50,169

It was, we, we grew up quite poor, uh, but

you don't know when you're a kid, really.

444

00:19:50,220 --> 00:19:50,590

Yeah.

445

00:19:50,639 --> 00:19:50,970

Yeah.

446

00:19:51,060 --> 00:19:55,669

And then, but my mom's drive was she,

she always wanted to see the world.

447

00:19:55,669 --> 00:19:59,090

She loved the idea of history and

she wanted to be a travel agent.

448

00:19:59,090 --> 00:20:02,810

So she got a job as a travel agent

and then she opened her own travel

449

00:20:02,810 --> 00:20:06,310

agency and became very successful with

her own business for over 40 years.

450

00:20:06,970 --> 00:20:07,600

So, okay.

451

00:20:07,649 --> 00:20:08,050

Yeah.

452

00:20:08,050 --> 00:20:13,770

So it was really, it was really, um, An

ascension from, you know, we literally

453

00:20:13,830 --> 00:20:17,270

lived in this small little house, like

when we talk about it now, I'm like,

454

00:20:17,270 --> 00:20:21,510

I had no idea that we were that poor

where, you know, my, my dad would,

455

00:20:22,349 --> 00:20:25,769

uh, you know, Eastern European thing

where you don't, when you don't have

456

00:20:25,769 --> 00:20:29,249

money, you think you're a failure and

you can't even buy milk for the, for

457

00:20:29,249 --> 00:20:31,899

your kids and how, how tough that was.

458

00:20:31,899 --> 00:20:34,459

And again, you know, we

didn't know growing up.

459

00:20:35,030 --> 00:20:37,650

Um, But yeah, it was really,

really tough for them.

460

00:20:37,650 --> 00:20:41,300

And they just persevered and gave

my, like my brother's a doctor and

461

00:20:41,300 --> 00:20:43,280

I'm an actor and we're both thriving.

462

00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:47,280

And, um, it's really great to kind of

sit with the family and go, man, you

463

00:20:47,289 --> 00:20:52,350

know, you, you've got this Eastern

European mentality, work ethic.

464

00:20:52,625 --> 00:20:54,115

Uh, did that really influence you?

465

00:20:54,115 --> 00:20:54,504

You think?

466

00:20:54,524 --> 00:20:57,485

I mean, as far as like you said, your

father's carpenter, you know, you

467

00:20:57,514 --> 00:20:58,965

know, to me, that's art, you know?

468

00:20:58,975 --> 00:20:59,245

Yeah.

469

00:20:59,245 --> 00:21:04,364

Well, he, he, I mean, when I say that he,

he, he was, he was, uh, like, you know,

470

00:21:04,365 --> 00:21:05,935

putting nails in the stairs type thing.

471

00:21:05,935 --> 00:21:08,874

He was building houses in

that, in that aspect of it.

472

00:21:09,224 --> 00:21:09,564

Yeah.

473

00:21:09,595 --> 00:21:09,825

Yeah.

474

00:21:09,825 --> 00:21:10,904

That, that kind of thing.

475

00:21:10,905 --> 00:21:12,975

He used his hands a lot, worked up North.

476

00:21:13,405 --> 00:21:16,305

Um, it was a very, very, very tough job.

477

00:21:16,305 --> 00:21:17,705

So it wasn't very artistic.

478

00:21:17,705 --> 00:21:20,485

It was just the thing that

he knew to do after boxing.

479

00:21:21,110 --> 00:21:24,639

So, um, yeah, so, you know, and I had no.

480

00:21:25,165 --> 00:21:29,095

And him and I had a tough relationship

because we're alike and he wanted

481

00:21:29,105 --> 00:21:32,455

better for me, but he didn't know how to

explain that in the Eastern European way.

482

00:21:33,015 --> 00:21:35,685

And so anything sports

wise, he was right in there.

483

00:21:35,695 --> 00:21:38,114

But again, we, you know, we butted heads.

484

00:21:38,505 --> 00:21:42,704

And then all of a sudden, you know,

when the, when I asked for a bass

485

00:21:42,735 --> 00:21:44,485

guitar, he had no interest in it.

486

00:21:44,615 --> 00:21:46,899

And I was like, Oh, Oh, okay.

487

00:21:47,189 --> 00:21:48,489

I think, I think I like this.

488

00:21:48,489 --> 00:21:52,470

I like the, him not being

around for me creating.

489

00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:58,470

So that's actually, you know, the impetus

that led me to music and the arts was

490

00:21:58,590 --> 00:22:00,320

that he didn't want to be involved in it.

491

00:22:00,729 --> 00:22:03,260

Well, it sounds like you were kind

of carving out your own space.

492

00:22:03,269 --> 00:22:03,789

Yeah.

493

00:22:04,099 --> 00:22:04,409

Yeah.

494

00:22:04,409 --> 00:22:08,189

But that was pushed into because

I didn't want him hanging around.

495

00:22:09,075 --> 00:22:12,255

So, so, and then, and then

I discovered the love of it.

496

00:22:12,485 --> 00:22:15,655

And that's what really kind of

got me, got me into the arts.

497

00:22:15,655 --> 00:22:18,285

I love the idea of

expression, even boxing.

498

00:22:18,285 --> 00:22:20,445

Like, even though we butted

heads, I love boxing.

499

00:22:20,445 --> 00:22:22,025

Cause there's a physical expression.

500

00:22:22,294 --> 00:22:23,835

It's not just two guys punching us.

501

00:22:24,055 --> 00:22:24,485

each other.

502

00:22:24,485 --> 00:22:25,435

It's a science to it.

503

00:22:25,435 --> 00:22:27,045

It's movement of its body movement.

504

00:22:27,375 --> 00:22:28,495

So I love the idea.

505

00:22:28,495 --> 00:22:32,705

And I always bring boxing into my

work in, you know, when I, I, when

506

00:22:32,705 --> 00:22:37,114

I did one of my first plays and how

nervous I was to do a first play.

507

00:22:37,115 --> 00:22:40,054

And I was like, wait a second,

this is exactly what it feels

508

00:22:40,054 --> 00:22:41,364

like before I go into a fight.

509

00:22:41,395 --> 00:22:42,844

I know how to manage this.

510

00:22:43,245 --> 00:22:46,374

So I was lucky that I can

con I connected the two.

511

00:22:46,374 --> 00:22:49,445

And I just started shadow boxing

in the back before we would go on.

512

00:22:49,794 --> 00:22:54,054

Released all the, all the excess energy

and then I could go out and do my work.

513

00:22:54,314 --> 00:22:58,784

So I was lucky that I could compare it,

um, that I had something to compare it to.

514

00:22:59,364 --> 00:23:02,194

So that, so that's how I got

into the boxing end of it, but

515

00:23:02,195 --> 00:23:05,794

I love the creativity of it

and, and, and I had no one.

516

00:23:06,194 --> 00:23:07,394

To teach me acting.

517

00:23:07,394 --> 00:23:11,854

I didn't, it wasn't like, you know,

my, like my mom wanted me to take

518

00:23:11,854 --> 00:23:15,974

over the travel business and then,

and I kind of knew a lot about the

519

00:23:15,974 --> 00:23:19,524

travel business just with, you know,

her around the house, but it just

520

00:23:19,624 --> 00:23:21,464

wasn't something that I wanted to do.

521

00:23:21,834 --> 00:23:27,474

So it had come from a place where no one

knew the arts and was almost kind of, um,

522

00:23:27,484 --> 00:23:32,070

looked down upon if I didn't, cause again,

my brother's getting a doctor's degree.

523

00:23:32,560 --> 00:23:36,330

So, um, but, but they were very

supportive of what I wanted to do.

524

00:23:36,330 --> 00:23:39,889

At least I was off the streets and I was

doing something that was productive and

525

00:23:39,889 --> 00:23:42,040

they were hoping I would get a solid job.

526

00:23:42,430 --> 00:23:45,419

Um, and everything worked out and

they were always supportive of

527

00:23:45,419 --> 00:23:46,549

me, which is, which was great.

528

00:23:46,610 --> 00:23:49,459

You were talking about that first

film and, uh, in, in Manitoba,

529

00:23:49,579 --> 00:23:50,499

where'd you go from there?

530

00:23:50,499 --> 00:23:55,315

You know, what was, cause I know that,

you know, you started showing up, On TV.

531

00:23:55,495 --> 00:23:59,005

Uh, was there like a preference to, you

know, be a more episodic kind of stuff or

532

00:23:59,025 --> 00:24:02,685

did you want to be in movies or is it just

wherever the work was you wanted to go to?

533

00:24:02,705 --> 00:24:03,285

Was there a plan?

534

00:24:03,285 --> 00:24:05,454

I'm a big yes guy.

535

00:24:05,454 --> 00:24:08,785

So wherever the word, whatever,

wherever the work was that allowed

536

00:24:08,785 --> 00:24:11,025

me to be creative TV or film.

537

00:24:11,185 --> 00:24:13,235

And I did a film called seven times lucky.

538

00:24:13,255 --> 00:24:17,245

That was, um, like a pretty

soon after, like, uh, probably a

539

00:24:17,295 --> 00:24:20,345

couple of years after another one

with Dean Cain called Christmas

540

00:24:20,345 --> 00:24:22,545

rush, just because I was the big.

541

00:24:23,770 --> 00:24:29,739

So I started learning it in that way, but

I, I just love the idea of, of, of taking

542

00:24:29,739 --> 00:24:34,330

the craft to, to the, a different level

for me, but I, it was always a yes for me.

543

00:24:34,330 --> 00:24:36,499

Like television or film, it didn't matter.

544

00:24:36,499 --> 00:24:41,339

I was just happy that I got picked and,

and, and I, I could go play and be on set.

545

00:24:41,750 --> 00:24:46,070

And, um, and I did a lot of

things for free just to be on set.

546

00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:51,245

Like I, I did a, uh, you a bunch of

independent films and short films.

547

00:24:51,245 --> 00:24:57,945

I even put money into a, a short film

that, um, what's quite a vulnerable, uh,

548

00:24:57,965 --> 00:25:00,415

film that no one would usually cast me in.

549

00:25:01,015 --> 00:25:03,175

And so I had to kind of

put the money behind it.

550

00:25:04,064 --> 00:25:09,065

I could get that energy out and it wasn't

necessarily like for everyone to see me.

551

00:25:09,065 --> 00:25:11,855

It was more for me to go,

can I actually do this?

552

00:25:11,875 --> 00:25:15,485

Can I, can I, can I tell the stories

that I think that I can tell him?

553

00:25:15,545 --> 00:25:19,125

Or am I that American Idol audition

where my mom says I'm really good?

554

00:25:19,335 --> 00:25:20,025

You know what I mean?

555

00:25:20,464 --> 00:25:24,425

So, so it was one of those

things where I like, you know,

556

00:25:24,825 --> 00:25:26,345

put up or shut up type of thing.

557

00:25:26,385 --> 00:25:31,190

Um, And I just, I just, I just wanted

to put myself in positions to work.

558

00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:32,690

And I still feel that way.

559

00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,790

I, you know, there's a few short

films that came, came my way.

560

00:25:35,790 --> 00:25:38,650

And if it wasn't for me working,

I'd probably do them just because I

561

00:25:38,660 --> 00:25:42,280

like the people and the older I get,

the more I want to work with people

562

00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:43,830

that I really enjoy being around.

563

00:25:43,950 --> 00:25:44,120

Yeah.

564

00:25:44,169 --> 00:25:47,010

I saw you were in the most dangerous game.

565

00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:50,010

And I, I spoke with Billy

Burke, I think right way back.

566

00:25:50,285 --> 00:25:51,715

When he was about to start doing that.

567

00:25:52,095 --> 00:25:54,245

But did you have a chance to

spend time with Christophe Waltz?

568

00:25:54,285 --> 00:25:56,135

Did you have a chance

to do any work with him?

569

00:25:56,175 --> 00:25:59,815

Dude, I was so looking forward to

working with Christophe, but I had a

570

00:25:59,815 --> 00:26:05,095

different storyline, so I wasn't with

him, but I was just really, I w I was,

571

00:26:05,385 --> 00:26:10,195

I was blown away that I was even in

the same show as him, but, um, I did

572

00:26:10,195 --> 00:26:14,215

not get a chance to work with him,

but I did the, uh, Nick Santora, who.

573

00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:15,460

cast me in that.

574

00:26:15,790 --> 00:26:19,830

He also, um, he, he enjoyed my

work there and, and he offered

575

00:26:19,830 --> 00:26:25,329

me, uh, a part in, um, uh, FUBAR

with Arnold Arnold Schwarzenegger.

576

00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:25,769

Oh yeah.

577

00:26:25,769 --> 00:26:25,959

Yeah.

578

00:26:25,959 --> 00:26:26,279

Yeah.

579

00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:26,669

Yeah.

580

00:26:26,729 --> 00:26:31,689

And so I have a, so I'm a huge

Schwarzenegger fan too, like back

581

00:26:31,689 --> 00:26:36,580

from, You know, uh, well, just,

just, uh, why was it pumping

582

00:26:36,580 --> 00:26:38,269

iron and, you know, Terminator?

583

00:26:38,269 --> 00:26:38,939

Oh yeah.

584

00:26:38,939 --> 00:26:39,139

Yeah.

585

00:26:39,139 --> 00:26:39,310

Yeah.

586

00:26:39,310 --> 00:26:39,629

Oh God.

587

00:26:39,659 --> 00:26:40,459

You're on the way back.

588

00:26:40,459 --> 00:26:40,769

Yeah.

589

00:26:40,799 --> 00:26:41,870

I'm I'm going way back.

590

00:26:41,870 --> 00:26:44,959

Cause my brother was huge

into, uh, um, bodybuilding.

591

00:26:44,969 --> 00:26:48,899

So, uh, pumping iron when we

watched it, I was like, my God.

592

00:26:48,939 --> 00:26:51,209

And so now I'm actually

in a, in a show with them.

593

00:26:51,409 --> 00:26:53,639

But again, I didn't have any

scenes with Arnold, but when I

594

00:26:53,679 --> 00:26:57,990

went to, to set for wardrobe, it

was his last day of the season.

595

00:26:58,000 --> 00:26:59,620

So everyone's saying bye to him.

596

00:26:59,620 --> 00:27:00,490

Um, Type thing.

597

00:27:00,490 --> 00:27:03,200

And I'm like, Oh my God, I

just, I would love to meet him.

598

00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,600

So I asked the AD, I love fangirling too.

599

00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,300

I I'm a big, big, I love it.

600

00:27:09,330 --> 00:27:13,350

I love being like blown away by people's

work and then getting to meet them.

601

00:27:13,740 --> 00:27:15,280

And he, he was one of them.

602

00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:17,969

And so I asked the AD, I look, man,

if there's a chance, I can just.

603

00:27:18,165 --> 00:27:18,504

Meet him.

604

00:27:18,514 --> 00:27:20,695

It would be great, but I

totally get he's super busy.

605

00:27:21,044 --> 00:27:21,874

Let me ask him.

606

00:27:21,874 --> 00:27:26,494

So he went to go ask him And he

looks over the ad shoulder And i'm

607

00:27:26,494 --> 00:27:30,235

kind of like kicking rocks kind

of do to do And uh, and he goes.

608

00:27:30,235 --> 00:27:30,405

Yeah.

609

00:27:30,405 --> 00:27:33,335

Yeah, i'll meet him and he kind of

waves me over I'm, like this is awesome.

610

00:27:33,454 --> 00:27:37,274

So I put out my hand and I said Hey,

thanks so much for having me a part of

611

00:27:37,494 --> 00:27:41,715

a part of the show and i'm a big fan

of pumping you and terminate I mean

612

00:27:41,945 --> 00:27:46,219

pumping iron and terminator and he goes

whoa You're a big fan of pumping me.

613

00:27:46,239 --> 00:27:47,139

I went, no, no, no, no.

614

00:27:49,449 --> 00:27:51,879

Big fan, big fan of pumping iron.

615

00:27:52,110 --> 00:27:54,040

And, and terminally goes

and he grabs my shoulder.

616

00:27:54,040 --> 00:27:55,479

He goes, I don't go that way.

617

00:27:55,549 --> 00:27:58,219

And he laughs his way away from me off.

618

00:27:58,219 --> 00:28:02,410

He goes and, and, and he had so much

joy that he caught me in this little

619

00:28:02,459 --> 00:28:06,760

flub and that was my experience

with, with Arnold Schwarzenegger.

620

00:28:06,980 --> 00:28:07,459

So funny.

621

00:28:07,459 --> 00:28:11,070

I was, uh, last night we were, uh, my, my

daughter, I'm always trying to find movies

622

00:28:11,070 --> 00:28:14,260

that, you know, she would want to watch

she's on her gap year down here with me.

623

00:28:14,370 --> 00:28:18,800

Um, and like, I was like, okay,

we haven't seen true lies yet.

624

00:28:18,810 --> 00:28:19,840

And that's kind of a cool movie.

625

00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:20,770

And I, they know the story.

626

00:28:20,770 --> 00:28:22,679

Uh, that was 21.

627

00:28:22,679 --> 00:28:27,429

I was working at ABC radio and I went and

did a press junket in LA for true lies.

628

00:28:27,449 --> 00:28:29,279

And I was like, Oh, that's kind

of, it's kind of a fun movie.

629

00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:33,319

Aleks Paunovic | Sweet Science & A Base Riff

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