Interview with Elizay Pierre-Louis

I am Elizay Pierre-Louis. I group up in the Bronx NY, a typical inner city street kid I suppose, never knew or even consider that I had a talent in acting, or acting as life. Although when I was younger in elementary and Junior High, I was in chorus and did a few music shows for fun. I went to a law and community leadership high school so opportunities to perform there where limited, but towards the end I had resolved my self to learn more about music. I wanted to get into studio composition, and make beats, which lead me to go to a performing arts college. That’s where I first encountered acting, but it wasn’t until a long time after that, that I would begin to seriously pursue acting professionally. Where I was from, the thought of acting as a lifestyle just wasn’t realistic. It wasn’t until after college, joining the workforce and slaving away in a miserable 9-5 for a few years and a near death experience, that I would come to the realization and decision that I owed it to myself, to pursue my dream.

Did you study acting
My first experience with acting was in college, truth be told, I was doing poorly in school and wanted to take a class that was an ‘Easy A’ to help bring up my GPA. As I was going to a pretty major school for the performing arts, I decided to take an acting course. Well, the class turned out to be anything BUT easy; however I did get my A. and my GPA up. The teacher of the class Leonora Champagne also, turned out to be the head of the drama studies program at my school and a professional actress in her own right. She saw something in me and began encouraging me to followup on my potential. After about a year or so of of pressure from her and friends and floating aimlessly; I began to consider it more seriously. Before I knew it she had taken me under her wing and I was bitten by the bug! Since then I’ve taken Theatre at BMCC, home of the Tribeca Film Festival, the excitement of which help propel me further into the field, I did drama studies at SUNY Purchase, taken a two year Miesner program after done with college and other classes throughout my career to keep my chops up to par.

What acting technique do you use
I, Elizay Pierre-Louis don’t resign myself to an exclusive school or method of acting. I’ve trained in a lot of different technique’s, from Stanislavsky method, dealing with sense memory; Meisner technique, working with imagined circumstances, emotional prep, and relationship work, etc. I’ve taken training in scene study, character development and others. Workshop on various style, from On Camera acting, vs. Stage acting; Film vs Commercial; and more. What I’ve learned, is that they are all just tools in a toolbox. The more tools you have available the more versatility you have to get where you need to go.

What wrong impressions do actors hold about acting
Hmm… I don’t know what wrong impressions ‘Actors’ have about acting, but I think there are many wrong impressions ‘People’ in general have. One of the most bothersome to me is the thought that acting is all fun and games, and not to be taken serious. Yes acting can be fun, but there is so much more to it than that. We have a gift, not just for entertaining; but for expressing and communicating ideas, thoughts, emotions and the varied human experience to the world. The gift to connect people through sharing our {mankind’s} stories, helping people to relate to each other, educating and informing people on experiences and things they may not have been aware of, or exposed to. There is an honor and nobility there, that deserves to be taken serious and treated with respect.

Do you take courses to improve your craft
I take courses as often as possible when I have the time and/or the money.

What acting books do you read
I have a ton of books, I have a small library in my home, and I’m always adding more. I’ve read a lot on the craft of acting, but also a major part of my collection are books on the business of acting, as quiet as kept, if you want to make a serious go at acting as a profession, you have to understand the business side of things. An aspect I think is often far to overlooked in the studying of the craft.

How do you keep fit as an actor
Beyond training, occasionally teaching? Through life! Simply Living! You cant be afraid of being open to Life, I think. I love trying new things, staying curious to learn and explore new things that interest you, and even some things that don’t. That’s how I got into skydiving, and am now kickboxing… looking into trying some wing chun soon. The more various experiences we can have in our personal world the more we have to offer to the world at large. The more we can relate to different roles and characters. Plus it just keeps things fun and interesting. Staying abreast and informed on a lot of things also, keep the mind sharp, current events, interest and hobbies, etc. Lastly keeping that curiosity and sense of wonder and play. I’m a big goof… I love running around with the kiddies .. making up songs, telling jokes making up stories, playing monsters and make believe.

When you’re offered a role, what do you do next
When I get a role, time permitting, I go through the entire script as much as I can to get a feel for the world and my characters place in it, then I dig into my character

How do you take a character in a script to a honest, believable and breathing person
To develop a character, first thing I always do, is finding the connection and commonality, between myself as a person and the character I am bringing to life. I tie that in to my own emotion, making my point of view his or vice versa. Then I break down the lines and intentions. I make his words as naturally mines as possible, and build up from there. taking cues from the rest of the script, the world around him, my directions etc, I mold myself into the character emotionally and mentally, and then lastly I begin to work on the physical. Voice, mannerisms etc. Finally I allow the production to add those final touches like wardrobe or make up that really solidify my choices to a deeper level.

How do you stay fresh on set
To stay fresh on set, I (Elizay Pierre-Louis) personally peace and/or solitude between takes or backstage. It helps me get into or stay in the zone of where my characters at. But this varies also on the depth of the role and the moments I’m about to perform. If i am about to do a fun social scene, I find it helpful to join in the camaraderie with my cast mates, etc.

Describe creative choice you made on set of a production
I once did a period piece on the African diaspora and slavery here in the states; where I played multiple characters. One of the characters, ‘Solomon’ had escaped and was on the run. He was sharing a story of him and his best friend growing up together on the plantation and how they tried to escape with only him making it. In his story he spoke of a time when him a his friend got into some trouble with the master and how he got injured on his foot. I made a choice to make that injury part of who he was… and I decided to give him a life long limp because of that. The director loved the idea, and I really connected to the idea of a barefoot slave on the “run” who had a “limp” ” really connected to that pain and was able to connect more to the character through my bare feet on the ground. Made for really emotionally charged powerful performances.

Describe a memorable character you played
Of the top of my head, one of my most memorable characters, happens to be from one of my most recent shows. The mo10dern adaptation of Moliere’s “The Misanthrope”.  The production was put up at The Hudson Guild in NYC, in 2011. I played the character of “Oronte”. What made the character and play overall memorable to me was how much fun it was. in that, A modern adaptation of a french comedic classic; that stayed true to the rhythmic couplets in the original, while transporting the characters and situation to modern day hip hop culture. It was a lot of work bringing life and believably to this production, while speaking in rhythmic prose, playing outlandish characters and hitting all those notes of comedy. I had a lot of fun doing it, and the show received rave reviews.

What do you want most from a director
Communication, and openness from a director allow me to explore and be honesty

What actors do you long to work with
I long to work with every actor, everyone! Lol!

Why
I think there is a lot to learn from working with different people and different approaches… I get so much from my partners energy, motivation, experience etc… and I love to work… so If I’m allowed to work with everyone that’ll mean I’m always working, always being pushed, always being inspired and always growing.

What advice would you give actors
Actors learn your craft, understand the business, commit to your characters, to you craft and to the long haul.

Write about your career
Wow, well I guess I’ve been doing it for a while, but I still feel new to the game in a lot of ways. Elizay Pierre-Louis started in professionally working in 2005. I’ve done feature roles and under fives in films with the Dir Sidney Lumet, tfilm “16 Blocks”, “American Gangster”, and  “Law and Order” etc. I got to interact with guys Like Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington. and Mos Def. That let me know that even the biggest starts are just people (cool people at that) and that I too was just as capable; and that others thought so to. I’ve done a lot of theater living in NYC, Having lead roles in Productions like “One monkey don’t stop no Show”, “The Piano Lesson”, “Lyrical Arts”, and “Passage: Stories from the Maafa”. These let me know that I really was capable of helping to carry shows and production with amazing team, cast and crew of collaborators. I’ve have great supporting roles in films like Phantom Images, which has had an amazing run, being shown in international film festivals and airing multiple times on cable. Stage shows and adaptations like Moliere’s “The Misanthrope”, Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, “Gone with the Wind” and more. I’ve learned to be a great collaborator, because that’s exactly what it takes to make a great production, and I’ve learned to come into my own as a content creator. Now I’m stepping out developing some of my own projects as I’m still looking, and working with others. Currently developing a brand new website.

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