DM: You have such an interesting career how did you get your start in acting?
GS: That’s a funny story how. It was my senior year in high school in my English class, we had to write an essay about what we were going to do when we got out of high school. My essay was about how I was going to NY and pursue acting and start with stage and try to get off in film and become a big super star. My teacher at the time, Patricia Hill was a local actress and she was very impressed that I wanted to be an actor. The whole time I was in her class she had no clue, because I was not really pursing acting, only in my mind. So, she took me that night, to an Ethiopian Project Theater. I sat in on the table read for “Raisn In The Sun.” I was suppose to just sit their, you know to get my feet wet, but the guy that was suppose to play a part did not show up and I had to read. So, that is how my career started. I did plays for the next few years. By the time I did my second show I was starring in the play. So, I went from a small part in one show and featuring in the next. I just started working with their theater company.

DM: What was your first film debut?
GS: It was “The Big Easy.” I had a couple of scenes in “The Big Easy.” One scene got cut out, that is another thing people don’t know about film. You can do three, four, five, six scenes, but when it gets down to the editing you have to sometimes cut the story down. Sometimes you can end up on the floor. So, I was in the film with Dennis Quaid and John Goodman. Remember, back when John Goodman was really hot with Rosanne? That was my first film and it was in New Orleans. Blaze came shortly there after. So, after Blaze, I felt like I had a couple things under my belt and it was time to hit Cali.

DM: When you Hit Cali what was your first major film there?
GS: Now that’s a funny story. People need to know this, a lot of folks will leave their home town and go on to California and take that town by storm. However, you become a very small fish in a very big ocean when you get to this town. So, I started to do TV work when I first got to California. Television was a bit easy for me, some commercials, things like that. The first movie was a little known movie starring Denzel Washington, called, Velocity. The movie did not make much, but I think his kids wanted to see him make the film. This movie introduced Russell Crow to the United States. I had one scene in that movie. When I actually saw the movie, they put a voice with some white guys voice over mine. That was my first experience in film in Cali …hahaha!
Next, I did a film called Volcano with Tommy Lee Jones, I had one scene. After Volcano I would not do another movie until the next eight and a half years. I started doing voice over work and promoting films. Doing voice promotion work with films like, “Wood,” “The Brothers,” with all these black actors in them. So, I started thinking why am I not in them, they only call me when its time to read them. It was a pretty rough road for a long time, until I started doing some of the more popular films like, ”Daddy’s Little Girls,” “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” and “Pride.” These films brought me in front of the Afro American audience. This made a difference. Everything I had done was pretty much main stream until those roles. I guess I was crossing back over, instead of crossing over, which most people do. You see, I would go read for say NYPD Blue in one read and get a co-staring role. However, when I go and read for a black show ten times and couldn’t get a bit role. So, I guess, I finally crossed back over. So, my people can get a chance to see what I actually do, its been a blessing.

DM: Tell us about your voice over work?
GS: It was a surprise for me. I was actually on the cover of Hollywood Reporter in 2002 for voice over work. I’ve done animation, video games, voice shows for UPN. I’ve done just about every black show UPN has ever had. UPN kept me floating and alive. WE MISS YOU UPN!!!

DM: What was it like working with Tyler Perry?
GS: Working with him is a joy. I’ve known him for 23 years. I worked on House of Payne and Meet The Brown’s as a writer. He is good at what he does. I’ve been in the capacity with him as both writer and actor.

DM: What do you think you would of done, if you had not become an actor?
GS: The first thing that comes to mind is a M&M song hahaha!!! Cause he has a lyric in his song that says, “If it ain’t a rapper that I make it as, then I would be a *&**^% I would make it as. hahaha! The only other dream I’ve ever had, out side of entertainment was playing sports. I always wanted to play football. If I had not pursued acting, good chances I would of played football, because that’s a serious passion of mine. I’m sure by now at 42 I would be retired, (hahahaaha) so that would be over. Next, moving on to a broadcast career by now. So I think football would have been the thing for me. That’s the only other passion I have.

DM: Did you come from a small family or large?
GS: Actually, I came from a small family. I have three brothers no sisters and mom and dad still together. So, it was always just us in a nice tightly knit group. We had relatives in the neighborhood. My grandmothers from both sides lived in walking distance. We had solid family relationships. However, we weren’t a big family, with big family reunion thing every year and all that. I have cousins that I’m finding on face book. So, sometimes, a person would say, hey did you know we are cousins. hahaha!!!

DM: Which film would you consider to be the most exciting one to work on?
GS: Hands down, without a doubt, “Pride.” Everything about the movie with “Pride” was perfect. The way it all went down, was like this. While laying in my bed my home phone was blowing up. You see, I never answer my home phone, if you want to reach me you know to reach me on my cell. So, my wife comes in and says, “did you know your agent has been calling you?” Well, what did they want? My wife said, “they have a movie for you in New Orleans.” I said, well that sounds good and it’s my home town, Bernie Mac and Terrance Howard. Where do I sign, I thought. My wife went on to say, “well they want you to take a physical and they will send you the script.” “They are going to put you on a plane tonight.” I did not read for anything they just saw me in “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” and liked my work. Well, when I get down their and I read the script and find out it is about swimming. You see I don’t know how to swim. I have a scene where they are going to push me in the water. What are we going to do about that, I can’t swim. So, I’m thinking can we do this on the shallow end. It was a bitter sweet victory. When I watch the movie I smell chlorine every time I see it.

DM: You were fortunate enough to have worked with the late wonderful talented Bernie Mac, tell us about it.
GS: Just wanted to mention, Bernie Mac is one of the most giving and wonderful people in the business that I’ve ever met in my life. Bernie, knowing that I could not swim, told me, “man this is your life, we make movies and everything, but if you feel at anytime your life is in jeopardy you can’t do it, you just can’t do it.” He was just very, very encouraging. He was such a kind man and a joy to work around. It was my first time meeting him. I was embarrassed that after my first time meeting him I was chocking on some chlorine. I did see him again in Philly and he had nothing but nice things to say about my performance, as so did I. I’m very fortunate to have worked with him in my life time.

DM: What are your feelings on Hurricane Katrina?
GS: It’s strange because when another major tragedy in the world becomes daily news and as soon as something else happens, that daily news becomes old news. New Orleans, will never every be the place I grew up in. Too many people have been displaced. The area I grew up in, the 9th ward still looks like it happened yesterday. Nothing has been done on the whole block. It’s like losing a parent, we really can’t go home any more. Sure we can go back and enjoy Mardi Gras and good food. However, the abeyance of what made it home…like me seeing Terry Smith at the liquor store every time I go home, no matter when I go home or guys at the grocery store are all gone. All of my childhood friends, that I grew up with, now live in Texas, Atlanta and other places. I actually see more of those people when I go and work in other states verses New Orleans. It’s hard being an American citizen and can’t go back to a place where you call home.

DM: What road map would you give to a person wanting to pursue acting?
GS: This is an interesting journey. It’s like a snow flake, no ones journey will be like the last persons. I can give you a blue print of what I did, but I can promise you, what happened to me, want happen to the next man. Also, what happened to Tyler Perry, want happen to the next man. You remember when Robert Townsend did the credit card making a movie thing. At the time, that was very innovating. So, every one will have a different route. I tell everyone there are some industry basics you should have. You need a 8 X 10 photo; you need a resume and an agent. Also, it should be a SAG franchise agent. Not the kind of people you see in the mall…hey you look good, give me a thousand dollars and I will guarantee you work…this is impossible. You can teach theory, but you can’t teach talent. My biggest advice is, just be honest with yourself and you still have to have the drive. This is not a job that will kick off the first time you have to do it. People might say, hey I want to be like Will Smith. Well, you don’t know what Will Smith went through to get to Fresh Prince. It’s a hard, hard job, but a rewarding job when it works. It’s a job that can break you down mentally when it is not rewarding. Anybody that has been in it knows what I’m talking about. One role out there and five other people want it.

DM: So what’s next for you Gary?
GS: I have a few projects now that I’m working on with Toi as a producing project. All the work that I’ve done has been like planting seeds that are now being fertilized and growing.
DM: Wow, you’ve done so much with your career. How do you feel about your accomplishments?
GS: If my career ended today, I tell my family this all the time. I’ve succeeded at everything that I have every set out to do. I may not be Oprah Winfrey rich at it. However, I proved that I can act and I proved that I can write. I’ve been paid to do this and now I just want to accomplish them even bigger.

Special note: May all of New Orleans communities heal and continue to follow your dreams, Gary Sturgis did and so can you.