I recently got the chance to talk to Lamar Stewart about his role in ‘Quarantine 2; Terminal’. Here, Lamar talks about what it was like working with the cast and crew and how he got into acting in the first place…
Hey Lamar. Thanks for taking the time out to talk to me – ‘Quarantine 2: Terminal’ is currently out on DVD.
What’s the general plotline surrounding the film?
Well, I love that the story picks up from where the first movie stops. A group of passengers get on a plane from Los Angeles to Kansas City and…. all hell breaks loose.
Tell us a bit about the character you play in the movie…
I’m Preston, a business man who just wants to get some work done on the flight but with what occurs on the plane…it just doesn’t allow that to happen.
How did you get involved in the project in the first place?
It was a blessing! I worked with Brad Luff, an executive at Sony, on ‘Stomp The Yard 2: Homecoming’. He was part of the production of ‘Quarantine 2: Terminal’ and thought I would be a great fit for Preston in the film and brought me on.
I’ve seen the trailer – how would you say this film is different to other horror films? Obviously, it’s set on a plane…
There is no wait for the action!! They bring it and never stops. If you think it could happen…it happens!
The film stars Mercedes Masohn, Josh Cooke, Mattie Liptak and Bre Blair – with John Pogue onboard as director – what was it like working with the cast and crew? I imagine it must have been pretty confined in places…
It was the best!! Those guys are amazing and I still regularly talk with quite a few of the cast. John Pogue’s vision for the film was so clear but he was never over bearing and let us bring ourselves into the film. John was simply fantastic. We had so much fun shooting!! It was horror film but we were laughing all the time!
Let’s talk a bit about you Lamar. What made you want to get into acting in the first place?
I got my degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Georgia Tech and while in school and interning during the summers off…I just wasn’t overly happy with the direction of what I going to do with my life. I didn’t want to get the engineering job, work for 30 years, and retire. I wanted to do something that I had a passion for and would never would want to retire from. I have loved entertaining since I was in diapers. So, I stepped out on faith and I decided to do what I have been doing naturally for my whole life.
What advice would give to anyone wanting to pursue a career in acting?
First, accept the worst case scenario. Understand that there are a lot of talented actors who don’t become leading men and a lot of actors who never get to where they really want in their career. And if you continue to pursue your dream you might end up working in a job you might not want. If you can accept that, you will become fearless and not afraid to do whatever it takes to “make it”. Second, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time.
What is currently on your I-Pod right now?
Rick James and Watch The Throne album by Jay-Z and Kanye West.
If you could have a dinner with three historical guests, living or dead – who would they be and why?
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Maya Angelou, and Sammy Davis Jr. What Dr. King did for the everybody is remarkable and can’t be summed up in words. Would love to pick his brain, hear some stories and I heard he was pretty funny too. Maya Angelou, she is so amazing and soulful. I think she would have great life advice. Sammy Davis Jr., was one of the most talented entertainers and coolest guys ever! I love to talk with him about the industry and hear about him and the rat pack living it up in Vegas!
What has been the most interesting / funny news story you’ve heard in the past month or so?
The earthquake in the Philadelphia / Delaware area was quite interesting. That was a little out of the norm. I know they were freaking out! We get earthquakes here in California, it doesn’t happen on the East Coast.
What is coming up for you in 2011?
Commercials and working on some webisodes that I will be starring in.
Thanks for the interview!
Matt J. Horn 