AN INTERVIEW WITH JOHNNY ALONSO
Artist’s House: Who is Johnny Alonso–both as a professional and as a person?
Johnny Alonso: (Laughing) Why did you start with this one? I could go on for days off this two-part question, LOL. As the professional, I've dedicated more than half of this life to the industry. I found out a long time ago that I can work a room and have the spotlight on me without really doing anything out of the ordinary. My agent calls that STAR QUALITY—I call it work (laughs). Many want to have this star quality thing. I think its innate and that some are just born with it. There are people in my life that have star quality. It’s great seeing them—unknown to them—how they use it in public. It’s what others call the "brightest light in the room" thing. Now, it’s not easy always having to be "on" when you’re out with friends or at an event, and we'll talk about that in a minute. I have to add, before I forget, that through the years, I've learned you can’t do this journey alone. It’s nice having a mentor or someone you look up to, to get ideas from—to try and make those ideas and choices genuinely your own. No posers here. You want to know what looks like an amateur hour? One who won't follow industry standards. That's a rookie move that'll keep you on square one. Don't think you know it all, because you don't. Hell, I’ve been roaming the earth for 300 years, and I can say that this vampire doesn't know everything, LOL. But one thing's for sure: I know more than you, and I passed your exit years ago (laughs). Always be open to taking advice.
Let me end this first half of your question with this, LOL—I’ve learned, as a professional, you also need to be a great promoter of your own work. No one can cheer you on and promote your projects like yourself. I shouldn't say that; my agent and publicist do one hell of a job promoting me to the right circles of casting directors, directors, and producers. Whoever they meet with, they always say, "When you book Alonso on a project, you don't just get the actor Johnny Alonso. You get his fanbase, his promotion, his film and television history, his loyalty, and his professionalism.” That's how you build your positive image and your name within such a tough industry. That's raw fucking power.
Artist’s House: And Johnny Alonso as a person?
Johnny Alonso: Here we go...LOL. All jokes aside, I'm a creative, artistic, musically-inclined, loyal, and talented person. With all the work I've done, it brings in levels of notoriety. I don't like the heavy spotlight. I never have. I’m good at being in the light, but for only a limited amount of time. So there will be times when I try to avoid the spotlight, but that’s backfired on me too…because it always finds me screaming for vengeance, LOL. I get it—people love to be around the ones they come to see at premieres, shows, or they even become background actors on set, just to meet or be in the same room with an actor they like. And we, the actors, have a real obligation to meet, greet, and genuinely thank them—the ones who enjoy our work. These are the ones who make up our fanbase, and it's awesome meeting everyone. Some people crave this sort of attention. It’s really easy to fall into that once you’ve had a taste of the Hollywood red carpet spotlight. It almost becomes an addiction. But anyone who really knows me knows that I’m socially awkward when it comes to extended periods of time being any center of focus. Maybe that’s why I love auditioning in person so much. I can give casting, or who we'll call "the audience," my undivided attention, and after 10 minutes, leave them with a powerful impression; not just from my read, but who I am as a real person. My personality. That's a big deal, having a likeable personality. Come on, who wants to work with an asshole for six weeks? LOL. I know this may sound weird, but I act and perform for myself. That's why I'm so tough on Johnny Alonso the actor. My standards of acting are very high. I’m blessed there are people out there who enjoy what I do. And anyone I compliment and consider my equal, I hold in high regard, because I study their acting too. I study everyone. Like I said earlier: never stop learning. Be a sponge. Soak everything up. I want to be a rogue shark in deep waters. If I was a Great White, I’d tell other sharks around me, "Dude, stay out of my way, I'm thinking here..." LOL.
Artist’s House: You’re currently starring as Asher Daniels on the new series Rosemary Street. What do you find most interesting about the series and Asher as a character, and what do you like about playing him so far?
Johnny Alonso: Rosemary Street Series is going to be the next big break out project. We have Elena Moscatt to thank for being such a great writer with a vision—a true artist. She wrote the character Asher Daniels pretty much for me. Backstory on Asher: Asher Daniels was introduced on her first show called Jaime's Way. They spoke about Asher on a couple episodes, but he was never seen on the show. When it came down to getting the Daniels-family team together for Rosemary Street, I knew the family would be at the center or the nucleus of it all. So when Elena asked me to play Asher, how could I resist? Asher is one of the coolest characters ever. Once we cast the perfect actors for the perfect family, the rest of the ensemble cast just fell into place. I love my character Asher. He’s a role that most guys would love to play. And Asher is not a low-ceiling, limited character—there's so much range and dynamic dialogue and acting for this rockstar stud role, LOL. Every actor booked on Rosemary Street LOVES their character. Elena has hand-tailored each of our characters to play a certain part in the storyline, but we get to also drop in much of our own personality and creativity into our characters. Early in my career, I was on several top-shelf primetime TV shows, either as a guest star or as a recurring character. I was on national television every Wednesday or Thursday night for almost three full seasons on the WB/CW Network. I know what it’s like to be on a show that people couldn’t get enough of. It was even wilder when you’d get spotted at bars or at the store. Rosemary Street Series has the potential to become one of those shows, with that kind of excitement, raw energy, and power. Many of us grew up watching Growing Pains, Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, Gotham. I was on each of these primetime shows mentioned, and the way we're putting together Rosemary Street, it has a One Tree Hill meets Glee vibe. “One Glee Hill,” as Elena calls it, LOL. So many actors are waiting in line to join our Rosemary Street cast. It’s a show that I like to say is "late enough to be right on time." I love Rosemary Street, and I can’t wait for you to see the pilot, which is dropping in a week or so.
Johnny Alonso with Rosemary Street writer Elena Moscatt
Artist’s House: Do you see a bit of your own self in the character Asher, especially with both of you having backgrounds in being musicians?
Johnny Alonso: Are you kidding me? :) 1000%. At the same time, it’s also new territory. That’s what keeps one's character interesting, relatable, and new. Looks are one thing, but looks are transitory; they fade. It’s what you bring from within to your character that packs the punch, making your performance one to remember. I was into music waaaaaay before I got into acting. I have my parents to thank, because they were/are still very supportive of anything I do creatively with the arts. Music, singing and playing guitar, piano, etc., comes from my mother’s side. My dad will argue this, but it’s totally from her side of the family. They both opened the doors to be musically creative. :) She sent me to piano, saxophone, and guitar lessons. She bought my brother and I guitars, drums, amps, bass guitars, mics, you name it. Instead of playing sports like everyone else, we were encouraged to start a band practice at the house. Casa Alonso became the house everyone wanted to go to after school, but we Alonso and Ramos brothers (two sets of brothers) didn’t want anyone over! Except for some girls who later followed The Unknown everywhere, LOL. My dad, early on, helped us take our amps, drums, and guitars to gigs. He even shot videos for us. Then—after two records pressed; national distribution; two tours; a number one song on college radio stations across the country; write-ups in Maximum RocknRoll, New Music Express; playing clubs like CBGB's in NYC, the old 9:30 Club in Washington D.C., Rocket and Living Room in New England, S&Js in South Carolina; sweeping the Baltimore City Paper for Best Band, Best Record, Best Live Show—we were the biggest indie band out of Baltimore, at the ripe, old ages of 15, 16, 17, and 18. Our shows drew so many people, but mainly a lot of girls. So other local bands didn’t mind opening for us, LOL. I don’t know how we conned our parents into letting us tour and play at all of these clubs at these ages, but we did. Man, the stories I could tell. But like anything else, nothing lasts forever, and we hit the crossroads. Either continue and gamble our time when music styles and sounds were changing at a rapid rate, or go to college. Yup, that was the end of The Unknown (check out this link —this is “Dear Mrs. Jones” by The Unknown). I was super lost at college. I couldn’t adjust to NYU life. I kept missing the band and how great it was to be expressive through our music with my brothers, and getting recognized for it as a band. But I realized there was a lot of acting on stage when playing our music opening for national acts, so I decided to take acting classes at The Actors Studio and Tisch, and that's where my professional acting began.
Artist’s House: How do you hope Rosemary Street will impact viewers? What message do you want to send with this series?
Johnny Alonso: This is a question Elena, the producing team, and I have brought up a few times at our meetings. We miss the old, schematic primetime shows we grew up with—the shows that really meant something to us and helped define a generation, the shows that brought people together. They represented family time, style, image, music, values, love, and life. Positive power. Rosemary Street is all of this and more. Whenever we wrap filming and everyone is flying back home, we feel a little sad to leave set—or at least I do, LOL—because I love everyone on Rosemary Street and cant wait to see everyone again. I think maybe a couple of our actors feel the same way I do....I’m not sure. But I am sure of this: we're not casting just to cast people who don't fit our vibe. It’s taken years to get this far, and my old saying is, "I didn’t come this far to get this far..." So any of our beloved cast, as far as I’m concerned, is family to me. Keeping the circle small so the smiles get bigger. I’m blessed to be a part of the casting process, and I’ve brought in some great actors that Elena and the team can’t live without, LOL. Elena, too, has brought in some amazing talent that I call familia. Any and every project starts at the top. If you have a yutz running the show, you’ll get a yutz production that no one cares about. If you have a team that actually cares and respects one another, it shows not just in the footage, but in the lifelong bonds we’ve now created. I’ll be dropping some names in this interview later, so, you actors, keep reading. Yes, that means you... :P (laughs).
Johnny Alonso on the set of Rosemary Street
Artist’s House: What has been your experience working with your new Rosemary Street cast mates? Are there any on-or-off-set moments or general tidbits you would like to share?
Johnny Alonso: Nope (laughing). Too many! Where do i begin? As I mentioned earlier, this show is cast not just on the talent, energy, acting style, and look, but the vibe the actor brings to set. Since Elena and I are at the helm of casting, we already have an idea of how good some actors are. But we also know how they are firsthand on set or in real life, and that becomes the major deciding factor. Come on, man, I said it earlier. Who wants to work with a jerk for six weeks? No one! LOL. Again, our cast on Rosemary Street, the experience is like any network show I’ve worked on. We build our characters with our vision, along with the guidance of our director, and we trust each other when they say, “Action.” At this point, our work doesn’t really feel like work anymore. It becomes more of a heightened reality. It becomes life on set. You couldn’t get any more real than that. Thats why there's such a buzz about Rosemary Street Series. I did a short film called Where Did you Go?, and I co-starred next to my talented, good friend—actress Paula Black. The acting chemistry we had on that set was strong. She was also a blast to have around. We needed to cast a strong actress to play opposite my character, and the character's name is Angela (or, as Asher calls her, Angie). Elena has always liked Paula's acting and look, so I approached Paula with the idea of her playing Asher's wife on Rosemary Street. She said, “Sure why not?” (Wow, that was easy, LOL). So, I think other than myself being cast as the first male actor for the show, Paula was the first female to be cast on Rosemary Street. I remember we were also looking for the daughter role. Originally, there was only supposed to be one daughter on the show—keep reading, and I’ll tell you how it became two daughters. :) We needed an actress who could act and take direction, have chemistry with me and Paula, and also be a powerhouse singer. Elena got in touch with casting director Connie Lamothe, and Connie said, "I have the perfect actress to play the character Stashi.” She sent actress Aubrey Ditmar's audition to us. We knew immediately that she was the one for the job, Connie knew Aubrey well and said, “She's a sweet and talented actress with a glowing personality. You’re going to love her.” We absolutely do! :) I remember when Aubrey and I, along with Paula and several band members, did a test shoot for Rosemary Street—Aubrey could power-act on the spot, and when she and I sang together on the rooftop on that hot summer afternoon, we totally connected. Our musical skills and talent gelled instantly. And, dude, you could hear her voice several blocks down Calvert Street. Plus, she’s just an awesome, awesome person. I’ll never forget that shoot.
Johnny Alonso with Aubrey Ditmar and Paula Black
Johnny Alonso with Paula Black
Now…let’s talk about how the Daniels family went from one daughter to two daughters... I was working on a film in Florida, where my character, once again, was a family guy with a wife and children. I didn’t know any actors coming into this project—at least, the ones playing my family. I didn't know what to expect. Little did I know, I was in for a big surprise. The actresses cast to play my wife and daughters were spellbinding, impressive, intelligent, and quick to work with. Michelle Procopio played Georgina, my wife; Bailee Bonnick played my youngest daughter, Addie; and like a bat out of hell, comes this fireball of an actress—Carson Jean Holley—to play my eldest daughter, Amber. I don't know why, and I don't know how, but the connection was instant. I always say that meeting Carson was like me meeting another vampire. You're thrilled because you've finally met one of your own kind, but as time goes on, you realize this vampire has powers you don't have. And she's learning from you, quickly soaking up how to possess what cool powers you have, making them her own. Now, I’m like, “What the hell is going on?” LOL. :P No, man…I said it earlier in this interview: be a sponge and soak up what's around you. Never stop learning. Michelle Procopio recently said to me that Carson and I have a special bond. It’s true. I really do see and respect her as my equal. Because she listens. She observes and takes notes. She takes chances with her image and her acting, and I like that. Carson is also just so much fun to have on set. I’ve seen her at an audition we both had for the feature LOWBALL, and she ran rings around her competition. I swear she’s more hyperactive than I am, and that’s almost impossible to have happen (laughs). When we wrapped The Haunting of Cottonwood, I reported back to Elena and said, "Elena, is there any way we can add a younger daughter character to Asher's family? A sister for Stashi…because I have an actress that will make the perfect troublemaker. She’s quick with her acting, an amazing singer, and I just love working with her. I want to work with her on every project ahead. Oh, yeah, she’s blonde, so she and Aubrey can totally pass for sisters. Elena replied, "Sure, she'll be like Asher, in the sense that she's always in trouble and loves music. And Asher tends to side with Casey without realizing it, so it causes more tension and problems within the family." I replied with, "Perfect. Get writing, because you're going to love Carson." And we do.
Johnny Alonso with Carson Jean Holley
Johnny Alonso with Carson Jean Holley, Michelle Procopio, and Bailee Bonick
When Rosemary Street got into production, there was mention of a son, and his name is Rocky. I remember Paula saying, "Rocky? Dude, I’m sure that name was your idea!" LOL. I wish I could take credit for such a cool character name, but it was Elena's idea. We introduced the Rocky Daniels character in our most recent shoot, and Patrick is the perfect young, son type to piss off his older sisters and his mom, LOL. We didn’t have much of a scene with Patrick, but I’m looking forward to working with him. He also has the vibe I’ve been talking about that our Rosemary Street cast has. Welcome to the family, paisan (laughs). I’ll speak more about these actors and characters and add some names as we get moving in this interview. By the way, how many more questions do we have? You know I like to talk (we don’t mind, we're just happy to have you with us on the phone). :)
Johnny Alonso with Patrick on the Rosemary Street set
Artist’s House: You’ve played many roles throughout your years of being an actor. Which ones have impacted you the most and how?
Johnny Alonso: Good question. There are seven credits that have shaped my career into what it is today. The first—All My Children. I was very new to acting and the industry. The newbies (which I was) arrived on set before everyone got there, and they left when everyone was gone. I learned how to hit my mark and not look down when crossing to the next mark, sometimes having to walk over camera and lighting cables without tripping. I learned quickly how to memorize and deliver. I really learned the technical side of television acting from working at ABC on the set of All My Children in New York City.
Next—Homicide: Life on the Street. When I got the word when I booked Homicide that my scenes would be with veteran actors Ned Beatty, Andre Braugher, Kyle Secor, and Richard Belzer, I almost lost it. True story—I was on set, and they were getting lights adjusted for my interrogation scene with veteran actors Ned Beatty and Andre Braugher. All of a sudden, it started getting real, and I began to lose my grip on my dialogue. I was forgetting and tripping all over my lines. I grabbed my script and started reading out loud, when Andre Braugher came over to me and said, "Hey, slow down. You already know the lines. I heard you earlier. If the heads of casting and NBC didn't think you were right for the role, you wouldn't have booked it. You're going to be great." Those 10 seconds that Andre spoke to me like a mentor, or a coach, pulled me back in and helped me refocus. I was back. We did our interrogation scenes perfectly. And when they said, “That’s a wrap for the night,” Andre came up to me, put his hand on my shoulder, looked me dead in the eyes, and said, "I told you you’d be great. See you tomorrow." I will never forget that moment. And that was the start to all my primetime series bookings. You can catch my Homicide episode, “COLORS,” (S3 Ep19) now that Homicide: Life on the Street is on Peacock Television. How's that for a plug? LOL.
Number three—my first guest-starring role on the primetime paranormal series, A Haunting. I played Mike Speranza in the episode “HIDDEN TERROR” (S3 Ep3). This was the first A Haunting episode where the person with the story wanted complete anonymity. They dark lit his face so you couldn’t see what he looked like. So when I'd pop on the screen portraying Mike, there wasn’t too much disassociation of the character being portrayed in the situation and myself. Mike being dark-lit helped my character become the center of focus (which I don’t like to be, but in my character work, I’ll push you out of my way to be the center of focus, LOL). From the one-hour episode, I had almost 40 minutes of screen time and well over 300 lines of dialogue. This was when A Haunting episodes were one hour long and we were given real room to act. “Hidden Terror” became a very popular episode, always re-airing several times in October, right before Halloween. It became a spotlighted episode of the season and eventually a series favorite. One night, I was in a bar-restaurant with my brother in Fells Point when my episode showed up on the television. I told my brother not to say anything. Of course, he let everyone know that was me on the TV, and now everyone was all in my face, asking me questions, and taking photos with me and whoever in the foreground, with the TV behind us when my character showed up on screen, LOL. My brother and I did get a lot of free drinks and dinner that night. That was rad. Since “Hidden Terror,” I’ve been on two other guest-starring episodes on the A Haunting series. The latest being an episode entitled “NEVERMORE” (S11 Ep7), which, again, has turned into a season favorite. You can catch my episodes on Discovery Plus. The reason this had such an impact on my career is because it helped me dive into the darker side of drama. I got to work on the New Dominion Pictures haunted house soundstage for almost two weeks, and I just couldn’t get enough of the horror/paranormal/thriller dark dramas. I found a home in the dark-drama den.
The fourth credit would have to be working next to Samuel L. Jackson in the film Rules of Engagement. To start this off, the director of this film was the mighty William Friedkin—the director of The Exorcist, one of my all time favorite "let's get scared" films. I auditioned at the Ficannon's office in Wilmington N.C., and when I got there, I was up against 30, maybe 40, other actors from that surrounding area. Some of these actors I recognized from other projects. I didnt think I had a chance. I have a great rapport with The Fincannons, and when I read for Mark, he said, "Give it that Johnny Alonso signature acting." I basically fell into what I call my “Dangerous Default” mode, which is usually over the top for most film and television reads, but I figured it will at least turn heads. Three days later, I found out I booked Rules of Engagement and that I’ll be working with Samuel L. Jackson, Tommy Lee Jones, and William Friendkin. So stoked! I get to set, and literally every actor that had dialogue was a known actor; I was the only actor that had dialogue who was an unknown. When I got to set, I was introduced to William Friedkin, and he said, "Yes, good audition. Welcome aboard." Next, I met Tommy Lee Jones. He was under the weather, so he unfortunately had to leave, but he was super cool to meet. Finally, I met Samuel L. Jackson. He was one of the nicest guys ever. We talked about our golf game and how Tommy Lee Jones had to leave, which just added more dialogue to Sam's work day, LOL.
Now, it was time to block the scene. With Friendkin's direction, I did my dialogue the way he saw the scene play out at half speed. Now for the actual take—they set up all of the background around me, Samuel L. pulls up in his military vehicle, and I do my lines and spit on Sam Jackson. CUT! Friedkin comes up to me and says, "What was that? I need what I saw at the audition!" I was taken aback a little, but then composed myself and found a way to mentally reset. ACTION! This time, I brought back my power-10 acting and broke through the protestor line and MPs, and said to Sam's character, "You fucking baby killer! Fuck you!” and spat on him. We played out the scene, then Friedkin yells, “Cut! Perfect, perfect! Let’s do a few more just like that!” Then he gave me a thumbs up. :) Sam Jackson came up to me and said, "That was good—great energy. Do not spit in my face..." LOL. I learned that day how to take direction from a power director, and take direction from a power actor, without stepping on either one's toes, LOL.
The fifth great credit also brings me back to primetime television. My first recurring role on the very popular teen drama—Dawsons Creek. I auditioned for the pilot episode of Dawson's Creek and continued to audition through all six seasons, until I finally booked my five-episode recurring character, Jimmy Franco, a junior stockbroker next to actor Joshua Jackson. I auditioned 28 times for the show, traveling to Wilmington, North Carolina and back. 28 damn times, LOL. Talk about being committed...(laughs). I was on national television every other week! It was pretty cool seeing all my episodes on commercial television. Once the network said goodbye to Dawson's, it was going to be replaced by another young adult primetime series called One Tree Hill. The casting directors I love from Dawson's Creek—Mark, Craig, and Lisa May—put me in front of the new producers and said, “Johnny Alonso is perfect for the band manager Joey D.” I read once and booked it: a six-episode recurring role on a new WB/CW Network show, One Tree Hill. Being on primetime television on the WB/CW Network, practically every Wednesday or Thursday night for both shows—spanning over three seasons—I built a huge fanbase that has grown up and followed me to this day. I still get messages from all over the world about how they love my characters on both shows. You can see Dawson's Creek on Netflix and catch One tree Hill on HBO Max.
My sixth credit that has made a change in my career is my old series NASA 360. I shot 40 episodes all over the country and all the way over to Hawaii. The show also went to Greenland. I learned how to become a solid television host while working with my great 360 team. Just because you can act, doesn't mean you can host. Hosting is not the same as acting. And a good host knows how to bring out the best of the person you’re interviewing, especially if they're not used to being on camera. We won countless Tele awards, including an Emmy for editing. I’ve seen things at NASA that most people will never see in their everyday lives. I’ve interviewed astronauts, including Alan Bean from the first man-on-the-moon Apollo Mission, flown flight simulators, jumped out of helicopters, experienced zero gravity—you name it. We traveled and shot at every NASA site in America. This show made us a national household name in schools across the country, again adding to my fanbase of followers.
My seventh credit that has made a positive impact on my career—my Coffin film franchise. This was the first film I booked in Los Angeles, and I have director Kipp Tribble to thank. I remember Kipp saying something along the lines of, "When Alonso walked in to meet me for the first time, he had this Johnny-Reznick-from-the-Goo-Goo-Dolls vibe. He was perfect for Trick." The character Trick from Coffin and Coffin II is still one of my favorite film characters ever. I changed the register and inflection in my voice pattern, and created an entertaining mastermind who isn't intimidating physically, but a superior mental-game player. My horror fanbase skyrocketed into realms I didn’t think were possible. I did an appearance at ScareLA in Los Angeles a few years back. I had a booth and a bunch of glossies to sign, etc., etc. I didn’t think one person would show up or even know who I was. And then I actually had so many people come up to my booth who were fans to the franchise and other projects I’ve been on. It was nice getting recognition from fans who paid admission to the big event. But the best fan was a 12-year-old boy who was dressed up like my character—Trick—wearing an army jacket, rings, necklaces, and a burlap bag mask. I came around the table, stood next to him, and said, "Are you dressed up as Trick?" He said, "Yes." I replied, "Do you know I play the character Trick in Coffin and Coffin II?" He looked at me, paused, and said, "I thought you’d be taller." We were all laughing so hard! I replied, "That is such a Trick answer," LOL. I’ll dig up a photo I have with the boy and send it to you. Best compliment ever! I’ve really been a primetime television actor for years. Doing SAG indie projects are great, but my place, my home, is on television. Rosemary Street Series will be the next national TV series I’ll be on with my incredible cast.
My 8th and final mention is The Holocaust Museum. I am the voice of Daniel at the Holocaust Museum exhibit “REMEMBER THE CHILDREN.” To date, the exhibit has seen over 15 million visitors, and my voice has carried them through the museum. It's one of the highlighted exhibits at the Holocaust Museum. My voice has ran non-stop at the museum since it opened. I remember auditioning for this in NYC at national Geographic. They had over 300 submissions, with about 100 auditioning in person, I remember my agent saying to me. The producers were looking for a voice that everyone could relate to. I remember going into the sound booth. The producers didn’t want to see the voice actor, they just wanted to hear the voice. I remember giving them my first read. Then a voice came through on my headset and said, "That was good. Can you add more emotion? But watch the clock; keep these lines under 15 seconds.” I did what I thought would work. Again, the voice came back in my headset. "Excellent. Read the whole thing with that emotion. I’m beginning to see visuals after your read." I thought to myself, “Cool!” LOL. When they released me from the booth, as I was leaving, one of the producers came out and said, "I just had to see what you looked like," meanwhile, here I am in a rockstar tee and leather pants, LOL. It didn’t matter, because I booked the gig. So many people worldwide have visited the museum. There have been artists from Germany who have painted portraits and murals of the exhibit. It’s so funny and so cool seeing a painting of who they think the "Voice" of Daniel is, because the face always changes.
I recently visited the museum, and one of the curators told me they’ve had school kids visit the exhibit who have come back years later with children of their own, saying how much they love the exhibit and how it’s "living history." Here's a link to when the museum shut down the exhibit, just for me, so that I could make this walk-through video of my voice touring you through the “Remember The Children” exhibit.
Artist’s House: Can you tell us about your new and upcoming film LOWBALL? Is there any news regarding that project?
Johnny Alonso: LOWBALL is an incredibly well-written script, written by my good friend—actor and director Steven Gillilan. I can’t give away too much, but I can say that the film is based in 1987 Baltimore, circled around a real serial killer coverup—and that’s only one storyline in the movie. It’s a very dark story. With the 80s underground music, the styles of that era, old dance floors, drugs, smoking, more drugs, live underground music venues, college scene, all meshed into the Baltimore City landscape, this film is going to be one to contend with. Casting Director Josie Peterson and 1st AD Dina Chao-Johnson received well over 12,000 submissions for a casting call that only had nine characters in the breakdown. This film has caught the eyes of many in Backstage and Actors Access. I was at two live auditions held in Baltimore and New York City, and each casting had actors flying in from Los Angeles, Florida, Ohio, Las Vegas, not forgetting all the actors that drove in from the surrounding states. It was mad. This was the audition where I saw Carson run rings around her competition. Casting director Josie Peterson and director Steven Gillilan had Carson read 15 times, maybe more, pairing her up with other actors that afternoon. It was great auditioning with her and also just watching her in what I like to call "audition mode." We both have very similar approaches to our live audition techniques. We both get in attack mode—combining dialogue, acting talent, and our larger-than-life personalities. When you have this talent down, you become unstoppable. The casting director and director wll have their eyes only on you. I don’t know how she learned this at such an early age, but hell, man…good for her, because it’s working. Even Steven said, "When Johnny Alonso and Carson read against one another, I didn’t know who to watch! You two were like two magnets trying to connect, but kept bouncing off each other’s energy! We were mesmerized!" LOL. Best compliment ever! Keep your eyes open for LOWBALL. It’s going to blow you away.
Johnny Alonso with Steven Gillilan
Johnny Alonso with Carson Jean Holley
Artist’s House: Do you have advice for people aspiring to enter the field of acting? What do these people need to know about the industry, how everything works, the art of acting itself, etc.? What blunders, if any, do you notice novices usually make; and how can they make the learning process, as well as the transition into a serious acting career, easier?
Johnny Alonso: (sips his Topo Chico club soda) If you can find something else other than acting that will make you happy, do that instead, LOL. But, if you absolutely love the art of acting, performing, expression—then the aspiring actor needs to study, needs to train, and needs to invest the time and energy into their business. Even after doing all of this for years at a time, there's still no guarantee that you will succeed. The question is this: what do you want? To become a working actor? Have stardom and celebrity status? A little of both? I learned a long time ago that I don’t want celebrity status. I do like being recognized for my work, because I’m proud of what I’ve done (most of it, anyway, LOL). I’m happy being a working actor, having to go to in-person auditions, going against the competition, and being a part of film and television history.
Artist’s House: Switching gears, can you tell us a bit about your musical equipment? Like, what is your favorite guitar to play, and what do you like about it? Are there other instruments you play that you would want to mention?
Johnny Alonso: I love collecting guitars. When I was a kid, my mother bought me a toy guitar that I just wouldn't put down. She said I'd carry the pink guitar everywhere. I remember, one day, my mom's brother was playing the guitar for us, and I just couldn’t get over how he could play the song to sound like the record. Now, here's something you may not know about me: I'm a lefty—I'm left handed. I pretty much do everything with my right hand, except I write with my left hand. So, when I begged my mom to buy me a guitar, she didn’t know they even made left-handed guitars. So she went to Music and Arts and picked up a beginner's right-handed guitar for me. I can say when you first start out on guitar, or any instrument, it's all foreign to you—so whatever the teacher says, goes. It probably would’ve been easier for me to learn on a left-handed guitar, but whatever. I just practiced harder in trying to make my notes and chords ring clear. I'm glad I learned how to play on a right-handed guitar, because it’s a right-handed world. Most guitars you come in contact with, whether it's in school, at a friend's house, at an open-mic jam session, live concert performance—99% of the time, the guitar will be a righty. Plus, I think left-handed guitars look lame, LOL. I’ve tried playing a lefty guitar. I can play chords on it, like a caveman, LOL.
I have eight acoustic and 11 electric/hollowbody guitars in my collection. Like leather jackets, you can never have too many (that is for another conversation). Most of my electric guitars are vintage, high-dollar collector axes. My favorite guitar from the collection—my 1983 Silverburst Gibson Custom. It's one of the guitars made by Gibson that used Factory Ford paint, and through the years, the paint has had a chemical reaction to the wood and clear coat finish, turning the paint from awesome silverburst to the silver having a greenish hue to it. At first, I thought it was from my guitar being around so much cigarette smoke (laughs). Years later, I did research on my Gibson, and it explained on the site that Gibson bought Factory Ford paint in the late 70s to early 80s and used the paint on these Silverburst guitars. My Gibson is in excellent condition with the original pickups along with the super tacky case. The headstock has the eight and three in the serial number sequence. I recently brought my Gibson to a guitar road show, and it was priced at $11,000 in the condition it’s in. So, yeah, that’s my favorite guitar, LOL. But I can't say that, because each guitar has its own sound and personality. Each guitar handles differently. I have my travel guitars and the ones that never leave my studio. It’s like having kids—you can’t say this kid is your favorite (or can you? LOL).
Artist’s House: Other than acting and music, is there any endeavor that you want to dive into eventually?
Johnny Alonso: Yes, I want to compose music and score a film, and eventually become a talent manager. Let's start with composing and scoring film and televison. Some producers just have a talent when it comes to using music or score in a film—many do not.
Many use score and music to "mask" their mistakes. We artists know the difference. Silence also plays a big role in a film, but when you have driving music going on the entire time, it just shows us (the ones who know what we're doing) that you don’t (laughs). Again, bringing up Kevin Winn and Tom Maseth along with Elena Moscatt and Steven Gillilan, we've all said that music is key, especially for a period-piece film or television series. You can’t cheap out on music and score, because it’ll always be caught by the public. I love when amateur filmmakers use non-copyrighted free music in their films and expect the world to not catch it, LOL. Come on, man. Free music sounds like free music. You need to spend money to make money. Stop disrespecting the process, because you’re making yourself look very cheap to all of us.
Talent management. I’ve always had the knack for networking and knowing the right people to get from point A to point B, through roads C, D, and Z. Being a people person, knowing the industry, making powerful connections—and staying friends with the right ones making a difference—is key with any profession, but in particular, the film and television industry. In order to be a cut above the rest, you need to forever be working on your craft, working on your brand and image, being the best at in-person auditions, sharpening your memorization skills, making a great name for yourself while staying humble and current, while also maintaining a level of being an interesting individual. That’s not easy to do. But with the right person being your guide, it’ll help you get to your goal line without so many extra wasted years. Believe me, time is a thief in this industry. Why listen to someone who doesn’t have a clue with what they’re doing? You’re simply wasting time. Find someone you respect and admire. Follow their lead. I want to eventually manage talent to help actors that believe in themselves. The ones that know there's a higher ceiling than the one in their small, lawless market where everyone is making their own rules. There are real rules. They don’t call it "Hollywood" for nothing. It started in Hollywood and it ends in Hollywood. Sure, they shoot everywhere in the country, but don’t kid yourself into thinking the main roles are booked in the city where that film or show is being shot. Most of the principal casting will always be done in Hollywood. I said it earlier here about my career: I didn’t come this far to get this far. That's the attitude I want to see with the actors I work with on set, the actors I’m blessed to be cast with, and the ones I’ll be eventually managing. That's my attitude, and I haven’t been wrong yet. Don't forget—you also need to be in SAG-AFTRA. If you’re not union, you haven’t left the dugout. This is not difficult to understand.
Artist’s House: What drives you to keep going in your career and to keep your head up despite any possible setbacks in the entertainment industry or on set? How do you keep a positive mindset?
Johnny Alonso: I’m a very positive person. I get this from my mother. The world could be set on fire and she’d be like, “Just put it out. Everything is going to be alright,” LOL. If you don’t have that power and mindset to stay positive, I’m sorry, but you’re not going to get far in this industry. It’s a very volatile business. It’s a loners business. Loner in the sense that we, the artists, need room to create on our own, but still run with the pack. But which pack do you run with? Unfortunately, that’s a live-and-learn thing. There are many who poison this industry because they don’t know what they’re doing and keep shoveling out, "Their way is the best way," when, really, they’re just a bunch of nobodies. Don’t get caught in the crossfire with these people, because they’re only out for themselves, and they’ll keep you on square one. They haven’t even left the dugout when they haven’t even been to first base.. You’ll never advance working with these rookies. If you stay away from these people and just circle yourself around minds alike, you’ll see there’s a positive power that no one can take away, and that’s what will keep you going in this industry. I keep trying to remind actors that we—the actors—have the power. Not the director, not the producer. The actors. We're the face of the project. Remember this—as many actors that there are in this world, there is also an equal number of directors, writers, scripts, producers… It’s time actors remember their value. An actor's career isn’t hinged on one film, but that film is hinged on that director's career and reputation. Two good friends of mine, actors Kevin Winn and Tom Maseth, have recently brought this up in conversation—how there are so many rookie filmmakers that ruin it for others, leaving a bad taste in one's mouth about the industry. When, really, the industry can be a fun and exciting place to be. In order to stay positive, you need positive people in your corner, and that's what we’ve done with our project Rosemary Street Series. Everyone mentioned so far in this interview is a part of the Rosemary Street Series familia, and I’m looking forward to getting on set, creating character, enjoying the friendships, and making television history. That's what drives me and helps me to carry on. It’s all about positive energy. Go SAG!
Johnny Alonso with Kevin Winn
Artist’s House: Your Twitter/Instagram bio says, “I'd rather be someone's bottle of whiskey than everyone's cup of tea.” Does your relatability to that quote come from personal experience in your life? How did you get that self-confidence to be yourself?
Johnny Alonso: 1000%. I’ve always been a loner. Not lonely, just alone. I'm my own pack of wolves, LOL, the lone wolf. :) I’ve carried that saying since I was a teen. I don't have to be loved by everyone, I just want to be loved by the ones I love. Another favorite saying of mine is "I want to do the project. I don’t need to do the project." Actors—remember that line—because that’s all about power. You WANT to do the project—you don’t NEED to do the project. Show these directors and producers your value.. Their project isn’t the end-all. There's always another script out there that’s better written, better directed, with better actors.
Part of my brand, image, and style is the leather-jacket, loner quality I’ve carried thoughout my entire life. So, yeah, "I’d rather be someone's bottle of whiskey than everyone's cup of tea." In fact, Elena just wrote that line in for my character Asher on Rosemary Street. Now watch how others will start using my line, LOL. You better quote me, actors! LOL.
Johnny Alonso and Tom Maseth
Artist’s House: What’s next for Johnny Alonso? Are there any words you would like to say to your supporters and the readers of this interview?
Johnny Alonso: Hopefully sleep. :) I always say, "If I could just find the day between Monday and Tuesday, I’d be able to catch up on my life." Beyond forever auditioning, yes, two feature films—and, of course, the Rosemary series. Snowboarding season is coming up, so I’m getting my gear ready for the mountain resorts. Of course, I’ll be shooting acoustic videos when I’m able to. I do want to go horseback riding more often than I do. I like riding horses with others. Beyond that, not too much more. :) Rumor has it that my old show, One Tree Hill, is making a comeback on Netflix. I can’t say too, too much, but I’ll post info as soon as I’m able to. :) I just want to wrap this up with a big thank you and shout out to Dorota, Sara, and Michael for this interview here at Artist’s House. Thank you for following my actor's life, and all the things I do to keep my hyperactivity to seem interesting, LOL. It’s always great to speak with you, and I look forward to our next interview after my upcoming films and series. Maybe a zoom interview next time? See you soon!
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
Interview and editing by Skaivi