Hot off the press!

This guy in the Vietnamese newspaper looks mighty familiar...

Nguoi Viet newspaper featured an article about me and my non-profit - h.o.p.e.fly - when I got back from the "warm souls project" in New York a few weeks ago. If you'd like to check it out, here's the link!

Vien Dong Daily also interviewed me for an article last week while I was on the set of Hangover 3! The article was published in their highly circulated newspaper (as pictured) and here's the link to the online version.

For those who aren't fluent in Vietnamese, here's the transcript to our interview:

*******************

- What’s up Alex! It has been quite some time. How’ve you been?

Life's nothing short of a blessing. I'm living amazing adventures, one moment at a time!

- Awesome, now this is the second round of questions since our first interview – just to refresh everybody’s minds - you are a 3 time gold medalist in Wu Shu and are now a Hollywood stuntman...

I've added actor, non-profit organizer, and President of Reflex Entertainment to my resume as well!

- Describe a typical week in your life these days?

On a week when I'm not on set or jetting off to interesting locations for my dream job, I'm usually taking meetings, going out on auditions, fine tuning my martial arts/stunting skills at JAM (Joining All Movement gym), vocal training and scene study classes with my acting coaches at the Aaron Speiser studio, creative brainstorming/writing sessions with my team ReelKick, and conference calling with my charity partners for h.o.p.e.fly. And somewhere in there I find time to eat!

- Please tell us about the recent project that you just finished for Hurricane Sandy? The goal, the plan, and the results? What was your drive for this project?

My non-profit project - h.o.p.e.fly - was established with the goal of empowering young people and to help them share their unique gifts and abilities. Far too often, we overlook the greatness that exists before our very eyes! That being said, after Hurricane Sandy, I thought about those being overlooked amidst the reconstruction of New York City: the homeless. The weather is getting much colder as winter is approaching, so I thought, "how could we help keep those in need warm?" Thus, the h.o.p.e.fly warm souls project was born!

The idea is simple: gather coats, jackets, and sweaters and send them to New York. However, I wanted those who contributed to see how their donation was being brought directly to the needy, so I hand-delivered them myself to the Rescue Mission. So many times when we donate to a cause we don't know where our contribution goes. I documented the entire journey from start to finish (you can watch the video on my blog) so that everyone could see how they themselves are helping make this world a better place.

At first, Los Angeles, CA was the only city I had planned to collect coats from, but then Orange County, CA, Richmond, VA, Washington, DC, and Philadelphia, PA joined the cause! I collected over 250lbs of warm clothes from California alone, and when Virgin America heard about my efforts, they offered to pay for all the shipping! By the time I traveled to the east coast and made my way up to New York City, I had 10 full boxes of coats, jackets, and sweaters!

The goal of delivering these warm clothes to the New York City Rescue Mission was achieved. And we did it right before Thanksgiving, so that after Thanksgiving dinner folks could leave the shelter with a warm meal in their stomachs and a warm coat on their backs.

- What are some projects that you’re currently working on (non career wise)?

Outside of my career, I really enjoy traveling and have been wanting to reconnect with my roots in Vietnam. Southeast Asian travel is certainly on the itinerary for the near future.

- How has life as a stuntman been coming along? What’s your favorite part of it?

It's funny that you should ask that, because as we're doing this interview I'm on the set of The Hangover 3 getting ready to jump into an action sequence that's sure to keep the audience's eyes glued to the movie screen! I've been very blessed as a stuntman, and now it's propelled my career into the acting world. Being an actor/stuntman has introduced me to fascinating people, intriguing cultures, and exciting experiences that enrich my life in so many ways. When you push yourself beyond limits and fears you truly feel that you're living life at its best.

- Least favorite?

Not enough hours in the day to do all the things I want to do!

- What’s the craziest, busiest part of your week? Least busy?

I try to reserve Sunday as a day to connect with my family and faith, so that's probably the most calm. As for the the craziest? Look at me: everything's wild and crazy about my life!

- Most exciting? Most boring?

Never a dull moment when you're living fully in the moment!

- Compared to 2 years ago when we first interviewed you, how has your mentality changed?

Two years ago I tried to control every aspect of my life. The heavens have a funny way of teaching us life lessons though, and I learned that you can only do the best with what you have in front of you. After that, just let go and trust that whatever will be will be, because whatever happens is what's supposed to happen. Every moment can be a special one if you embrace it with love in your heart and a smile on your face.

- Have your professional goals changed since then? If so, how?

The goals are similar, the methods have just been refined and are more advanced.

- Personal goals?

I want to represent the Asian-American community positively in Hollywood and serve as a role model to Vietnamese people all over the world. One should lead by example through their words and actions.

- Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 20 years?

Taking over the world. Hopefully with a beautiful wife and kids by twenty years! Haha but in all seriousness I'll be consistently working as a well-known actor in film and television and h.o.p.e.fly will have accomplished several successful charitable projects around the world.

- How would you define success?

Success is fulfillment of goals, and personally my goals have been the same since I was five years old: to bring people together, entertain audiences, and give back to this world.  When the wealth and recognition I gain through my work affords me the ability to illuminate the lives of people all over the world, I think I'll feel that much closer to "success."

- Do you have any mentors that have helped you along the way?

Countless family and friends have served as inspiration to me, two of whom are Hollywood legends James Lew and Simon Rhee. I've picked up motivation from working alongside actors I admire such as Johnny Depp, Robert Downey, Jr. and Will Smith. I also have a great team, ReelKick, who keep me motivated and laughing all the time!

- How has your Vietnamese background played a role in your life?

Brought up by my grandparents who only spoke Vietnamese and being raised in American culture, I learned early on how to translate my thoughts, feelings and intentions by way of communication beyond words. My Vietnamese background is personified by the amazing Vietnamese family who raised me. They exemplify loyalty in spirit and family, hard work in the face of adversity, and service above self...all values that I carry with me every day of my life.

- What is your life philosophy?

Two pieces of personal wisdom I share often are "Humility is a skeleton key" and "Take a leap of faith, you just might fly!" My main philosophy in life is "Live in love." Love is one the greatest feelings we can experience, and when we live in its greatness, its greatness will live within us.

Thanks for sharing your life with us Alex!

[[ HOPEFLY :: warm souls project ]] SUCCESS!!!

"Be the change you want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi

[[ HOPEFLY :: the warm souls project ]]

***********************************************************************

In the winter of 2006, the concept for the non-profit project: h.o.p.e.fly was born. The main goal is empowering young people to realize their potential through the arts and helping the youth of this world share their unique gifts and abilities. It's incredible the hidden greatness that exists before our very eyes! All it takes is not overlooking what's right in front of us.

That being said, our country faces a challenge right now. Hurricane Sandy has devastated the eastern seaboard, causing tremendous damage and displacing so many residents near coastal communities.

New York City was hit particularly hard. With winter approaching, the cold snap bites harder as some residents are still without heat and electricity to warm them. Worse off are the overlooked ones - the homeless and needy - whose only access to such comfort is in the overflowing shelters and rescue missions.

Through h.o.p.e.fly’s "warm souls" project, I've organized several coat drives to provide a little warmth for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Here in Los Angeles, we've gathered almost three full boxes of coats, jackets, and sweaters. With boxes set up in the valley at J.A.M. (Joining All Movement Gym) and the Aaron Speiser Acting Studio in West Hollywood, the generosity of the City of Angels has shone brightly.

With this being the sunshine state, the project beamed down to Orange County. In Fountain Valley, we have a box posted up at Bella Vi Spa for the locals to donate their old warm clothes. And now, we have mirrors reflecting this light on the east coast!

Richmond, VA and Philadelphia, PA were the first east coast cities to follow suit. In both locations, good-hearted souls are gathering items and filling boxes for those in need in New York. The light continues to stream upwards to Washington D.C. and the northern Virginia metro area, where locals are also contributing to the cause.

On November 19th, I'm boarding a plane at LAX with all the boxes we've filled up over here. Crossing the nation and landing at Washington's Dulles airport, I've rented a van to pick up the boxes that the northern Virginians and Richmonders have prepared. From there, I'm trekking north with a stop in Philadelphia to pick up another box, and then…New York bound!

Once in Manhattan, I'll be delivering all the donated items to Catholic Charities of New York as well as The NYC Rescue Mission. The goal is to achieve all of this before November 22nd, so that when folks leave Thanksgiving dinner at the shelter, they'll have a warm meal in their stomachs and warm clothes on their backs.

Here's where I need your help. I’m doing this all out of my own pocket, and it’s adding up! From the airfare ($500), the shipping costs (at least $25 per box), to the van rental ($400), to the gas (who knows!)…

So please spread the word out to businesses and anyone who may be willing to toss a couple dollars toward the cause. Any contribution will help tremendously.

Everything you are doing counts and I'll do my best to record it so you can see how your presence in this world is truly making it a better place.

Many thanks,

Alex Huynh

P.S. Here's some examples of what we've accomplished so far...please Like us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/events/557240320968531/

Richmond, VA

                                                                            Los Angeles, CA

Mysterious Ways

[This entry was written prior to Hurricane Sandy devastating the east coast. Obviously my scenario is nothing in comparison to what my family and friends back east are going through and my thoughts and prayers are with all of them during this recovery period]

Tucked comfortably now into my upright seat on a flight to eastside America, I'm smiling from my random run-in at LAX with a friend I haven't seen in almost three years. Life can be funny like that sometimes...where random occurrences give way to pleasant surprises.

Take these past couple weeks, for instance. The story starts with me and some homies reconnecting at the Abbot Kinney festival in Venice Beach. Hopping on our bikes, my buddies Matt Berberi, Jon Foo, and myself cruised the streets of Venice looking to make our lazy Sunday a funday.

Laughing and pedaling for about 7 hours, we called it a night around 1AM and headed to our respective homes. As I careened into my driveway, I noticed a small post-it note on my door. 

"Hi, a water pipe broke in my apartment but the plumber has already come over. He said that the problem is fixed for now…"

That's an odd thing to come home to. But I didn't think too much of it. Things like this happen. And at first glance, everything in my place looked tip top, so I sat down at my desk to unwind as I recapped the day's events. Taking a big yawn, my parched lips needed some refreshment, so I sauntered into my kitchen.

Splish. Splash. Splosh.

Frozen in my tracks, my eyes slowly made their way down to my feet, only to catch a glimpse of my toes swimming in an inch of water. I flicked the light switch and my eyes couldn't believe what they were taking in. My kitchen looked like it was the battlefield for one of the most epic watergun fights ever. The walls, my appliances, my food…soaked. The floors and counters were filthy from where the water came gushing into my apartment. I stepped into my bathroom to grab a towel, but none were dry. Every towel became a victim of the ferocious broken water pipe's wrath and the bathroom saw no mercy. Half of my apartment had been converted into a waterpark without my approval and my things were soaked and ruined.

I slept that night on the dry(er) side of my bed (go ahead, make the "he wets his bed" jokes) and woke up bright and early to call my landlord. He already knew why I was calling and we sussed out the plans. They'd come in and assess the damage and make the proper repairs, as well as reimburse me fully for all the things I'd need to replace.

In came the renovation crew. They took a look at the situation and then looked at each other. Words were exchanged. After a while, Tony, the head of the crew, approached me saying, "This is worse than we thought." At that, holes were drilled into the walls. The ceilings were ripped out. I didn't expect it, but my place was getting a full makeover. And because of all the dust and odors circulating through the air and powdering overtop of all my things, there was no way I could stay in my apartment in a healthy manner. My landlord promised me they would compensate me as well for any lodging charges that would be incurred, as they'd much rather pay a lodging fee than a medical bill.

And now, the twist.

Searching for a place to stay for the next week, I checked out this new website that my friends had been raving about, airbnb.com. Essentially, home and apartment owners rent out their places to travelers, much like a hotel or bed & breakfast, but instead you're staying at someone's residence. So I scoured my neighborhood as I wanted to be close to my place and my things. Results for neighboring communities popped up, so I sifted through to find the most ideal place to stay during the construction. Then I saw an apartment on my street. Cool! That should be close. But as I scrolled through the apartment's photos, some things began to look more and more familiar, until I realized: this is right next door!

The setup was perfect, I definitely wanted to contact the owner and see if her place was available for the next week. I click on her profile and read through it. 31 years old. Advertising. Educated in Virginia. Graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University. Wait. Just. One. Second.

I'm 31. I studied advertising. I went to school in Virginia. I graduated from VCU. This was getting weird.

The both of us ended up connecting and found out we shared mutual friends. After sorting through the particulars and paperwork, I ended up crashing at her pad for the week, practically at arm's length to my own place. An ideal setup, a pleasant surprise.

Sometimes life hands you unexpected challenges that take control out of your hands. It may appear filthy, damp, complicated, and just plain difficult. But if you maintain an optimistic mood in your soul, focus your mind on the positive, and continue to offer love to everyone and even to the circumstances, the air will clear to allow you to smile through the oddities. You may even discover treasures right before your eyes that might have been overlooked before. This remarkable experience, though wild and unpredictable, unfolded into something pretty amazing!

Oh and by the way, the old friend I ran into at the airport earlier today is a guy who's well-known for unexpected twists in his movies, M. Night Shymalan.

2012: Act II - I'll tell you a secret...

This year has been such an adventure! One of the things that stands out a lot is the development in my choices as to how to live my life. I got off to a rough start, some issues from the tail end of 2011 rolling over momentarily, but what happened had to happen. I'm not upset...life is a constant process of change, and discomfort signifies the opportunity for growth. It's a matter of perspective and choice. You have to actively make a choice, and from there, growth will take its course. Progress and forward mobility are products of fully living in the now. The past is back there not here, and tomorrow is out there - hasn't happened yet - and, again, not here. NOW is what we have and NOW is right here where we're living and NOW is where we can do the most!

Bruce Nauman's piece that caught me at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

I used to try to plan every move, so much so that it became a required routine I had to perform every day. If anything was out of place, my day was a disaster and I would have to fight to rectify the mistakes. It pained me immensely if I didn't check something repeatedly, if I didn't mentally chant specific mantras perfectly, if I didn't do something the exact way I thought it needed to be done. This mandatory disciplinary schedule developed into a monster that played like a incessant hiccup in my mind. I'd be paralyzed by self-judgment and on most occasions I'd be late to any event because I was so preoccupied with performing these rituals perfectly before I could even leave the house. It held a cloud over my head, no matter how sunny the skies were, for over a decade of my life. My OCD was a dictator and a control freak.

But in my early 20's I made the conscious decision that it would no longer have any power over me. You gotta fight for the things you love, and the first step was learning to love myself completely...not only for my great qualities but also for my flaws. Then came the fight, and I'm a scrapper!

I broke down whatever self-imposed walls that confined my spirit from shining out brilliantly from within. I actively would go against the grain and would face whatever would come. And most times, if not all times, I'd be alright. Sometimes we need to deconstruct to reconstruct a bigger and better foundation. We all have the strength and ability to make this life exactly what we want it to be.

Play chess by understanding the moves you have to make, but move one piece at a time, as that's the only thing we can do. Act and react. Talk and listen. Don't get ahead of yourself and just enjoy what's going on right now. Live absolutely in the moment. As my buddy once put it in a very funny rant: "You can't live two days at a time, so let's try to just live one day at a time." Haha! The now...this is where the golden moments, the treasure, truly lives.

I wanted to share this because I know that most people who read my blog are often given the impression that I'm the happiest guy alive. That's not too far off from the truth! But we all have pains that have played a role in our lives, and this is one that has shaped me to be the life-loving dude I am.

The second act of 2012 has already begun, and so far it's been a thrilling, fantastic adventure filled with excitement and memories. With that, I leave you with some wise words from Deepak Chopra, whose "Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" book I highly recommend. Live good, live happy, live in love. Let's get it...NOW!

- "What happens is supposed to happen"

- “Don't try to steer the river.”

- “Even when you think you have your life all mapped out, things happen that shape your destiny in ways you might never have imagined.”

- “There are no accidents... there is only some purpose that we haven't yet understood.”

Work Hard Play Hard

Wooooooowheeeeee!

That's my inner country boy emerging as I sit here at the ReelKick Ranch up in amazing Malibu, CA. I've taken this week to marinate at the ranch as kind of a retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life in Los Angeles. Not to say I've been around this marvelous city very much though lately (as you'll find out as you continue to read my captivating blog haha), but hanging out here with only horses and chickens to talk to definitely inspires me to speak to my human audience of blog readers. Unless chickens and horses can read this. *insert eerie sound effect and shifty eyes*

So a friend of mine who runs movie screenings text messaged this to me the other day:

She was screening a movie I had worked on called Bounty Killer starring Kristanna Loken and the Ruff Ryders Queen, Eve. Funny thing is, I've been so busy recently that it completely slipped my mind that I worked on that film! But a special shout out goes out to my friend Randall Archer for bringing me on to have some good ol' fashioned fun on this project! As you can tell from the delay in my blog entries, I've been satisfyingly occupied these past few months.

Better at pretending to have a desk job rather than having a desk job.

In addition to meeting lots of awesome casting directors and auditioning for some really fun shows and commercials, I've been working my robust tush off as well as making great memories around the country!

I started the summer up in New York, where my ReelKick teammate Fernando Chien was stunt coordinating a pilot being directed by our good friend Gavin O'Connor (Miracle, Warrior, etc). We scouted locations in the Bronx for an amazing action sequence (every corner in New York is so picturesque that it deserves its own cameo) and I returned to Los Angeles to run a pre-visualization to send to the network so they could see how impressive our actors were. Needless to say, the actors and stuntpeople (including our very own badass Sam Hargrave) shined, Ferny did his thing and rocked it, ReelKick delivered, and the show, The Americans, starring Keri Russell, is getting some great buzz! I can't wait to see it on TV!

Speaking of buzzing in Hollywood, another project I worked on is the bee's knees! My teammate Thayr Harris took the reins to coordinate a short film called "Prototype" and signed me on to choreograph the fights. In the beginning, we didn't know how sweet this project was going to turn out. In fact, the first rough cut of choreography that I pieced together was shot on a New York rooftop with me wielding a broomstick as the weapon of choice for our hero. Of course when I got back to Los Angeles we refined it and made it super cool and delectable to please every palate. Here's the super dope trailer that's getting a lot of attention!

This summer also saw me traveling up the Pacific Northwest to Portland, Oregon, to stunt double my buddy and just simply a good ol' soul, Reggie Lee, on his show "Grimm." The stunt coordinator, Matt Taylor, is one of the best guys to work with...super chill and down to earth, and he hires me to get beat up by pretty girls. I ain't complainin' at all! Thanks Matt!

Protect. Serve. Stare off dramatically into the distance.

So yeah, I've been busy and I love it. My workaholism knows no bounds, so bring it on!

Comic Con 2012 + BTS Video!

To commemorate Comic Con going on this upcoming weekend in San Diego, I wanted to share a quick snippet of what goes on behind-the-scenes during the production process of video games and cinematics. Just remember the next time you're embarking on a mythical fantasy adventure in Dragon Age or dodging bullets and defending freedom in Call of Duty, there was a real person living in that make-believe world that makes it all possible!

Oh, and I'm a comic book superhero now (courtesy of my awesome friends Tara Macken and Matt Berberi!)!!

2012 1/2

Wow. July is here. Amazing how time flies...half of the year has gone by! Sometimes things get to busy that I forgot what I did the day before. But look at me, neglecting my blog. Tsk tsk. So to quote the celebrated poet and philosopher Lil' Jon: "Whass happenin'?!"

Well for one, my website, www.alex-huynh.com, is getting a facelift, tummy-tuck, and augmentation so it can be the website you can't take your eyes off of (ahem, my eyes are up here). Stay tuned for a blog post in the near future that will feature its update. In the meantime, check out the latest "Alex Huynh: I Do My Own Stunts" reel for 2012:

As you might have caught in the video, I've been hard at work to deliver you, the audience, the finest entertainment I can provide. I talked about my experiences on the sets of Kickin' It and Ringer in my previous post, and there's a clip of my booty getting handed to me by the lovely and legendary Bridgett Riley on NBC's Grimm at the 0:47 mark of my reel.

Reggie and I dressed as police twins. You should see our
synchronized dance routine.

Bridgett stunt doubles for the amazing Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, who plays the "Woman in Black" in the episode I worked on, which is appropriately titled (you guessed it!) "The Woman in Black." Mary Elizabeth's also Tony Montana's sister in Scarface. So I got beat up by Scarface's sister. Um. Pretty wicked. ANYWAY…Grimm is a fantasy drama that takes place in Portland, Oregon, where the show is filmed. I had the pleasure to travel up to the Pacific Northwest to stunt double my friend of whom I've doubled before during the years we shot Pirates of the Caribbean 3 together, my homie Reggie Lee!

My stay in Oregon was short but left a really strong impression on me. I had never been to Portland but really enjoyed the friendly people, street food vendors, walking-city culture, and art everywhere around town! My hat goes off to Matt Taylor, the super cool Stunt Coordinator of the show for bringing me up to such a nice city!

Three hours away is a small town called "Seattle." I had heard much of this place, as my best friend now lives there, so I decided about an hour before my flight back to Los Angeles that I'd take a short detour and head up north to this "Seattle." Much to my surprise when I arrived, it was downpouring! *Please take note, there's a lot of sarcasm in this paragraph.

Of all the photos I took in Seattle, this is the one
I chose to post. It's THAT DAMN GOOD.

First of all, there's a monorail in the Emerald City. I. Love. Monorails. Expectedly, I boarded it and traversed the railways to visit the Space Needle. After admiring the architecture, I made my way back to Pike Place Market, where employees famously throw fish at each other. I imagined a food fight with gamey smelling seafood, but it was rather tame. So I wandered into a cheese shop where I had no idea my tastebuds were going to explode into cheesy happiness! Beecher's Handmade Cheese. I'm not gonna describe it. Just go there. Maybe not if you're lactose-intolerant, but have faith in my judgment and dine upon amazing cheesed-up food while watching them create the wonderful food product. And if you want, go for your post-meal coffee at the Starbucks next door. Edit: the FIRST Starbucks. Ever.

All tourist attractions aside, there's one monument in Seattle that I HAD to visit. It's my Graceland. The gravesite of BRUCE LEE. From martial arts' impact on my lifestyle to my career as an entertainer in Hollywood, Bruce Lee's words, philosophy, and example have shaped and influenced me tremendously, and I wanted to pay my respects.

So that's SOME of what I've been up to. Stay tuned for more posts in the next few days/weeks...I'll really stay on it! Boy scout's honor, I'll be more frequent and regular than a fiber diet! Prepare for some goodies!

- Alex

(P.S. Thanks for reading my ramblings. I really do appreciate it. I love you. Now say it back.)

Taking to the Stage And Screen!

From the hustle and bustle of traveling to a new location to work on a show, settling into my temporary living quarters, and prepping for another great adventure in the world of living my dreams (woohoo!) I'm finally taking a moment to wind down and taking on some light reading. Among the literary pieces of choice are my Twitter news feed, throngs of freshly delivered magazines, and my writer-extraordinaire-friend's blog. The 140-character quips and glossy-covered manuals on fashion and culture take my mind on a brief holiday, but it's when I read my friend's words about blogging that a certain inspiration struck: I'm WAY overdue for a blog update!

It's been a fantastically busy past few weeks since my last entry, riddled with the kinds of busyness that keep a smile plastered to my face! Absolutely awesome auditions, magnificent meetings, greater than gold gigs, and hangouts of the highest happiness are among some of the happenings that have filled my days. I'd talk in depth about them all but I might lose you readers by chapter 25, so here are three short and sweet things I'll share to tickle your fancies:

Kickin' It!

I had the pleasure to work for my friend and stunt coordinator Mitch Gould a while back on a show he was putting together called Kickin' It. Our episode, Kickin' It In China, just aired on Disney XD a couple weeks ago and it came out great! We had so much fun on the set and Leo Howard is a total badass. If you wanna check out the action we did on the show, jump to 9:34 on the video link above (that first Tournament Fighter in purple is quite the handsome punk *wink wink nudge nudge* haha)!

The Young Storytellers "Big Show"

The future genius screenwriters of Hollywood

There's something about the wonder, amazement, and laughter in a kid's eyes that reminds us all how simple life can be. Looking out into the audience at the Young Storytellers "Big Show" there definitely was no shortage of that!

The program mentors children in elementary schools all around Los Angeles County to let their imaginations run free and encourages them to take their wildest ideas to pen and paper. The result is a stack of some of the most original scripts you'll ever read.

Photo-opping with possibly the next Judd Apatow

After the scripts have been polished and fine tuned, the organization puts on a grand assembly to showcase these students' great ideas. We actors come in and bring life to the characters and words these creative kids write. It's a fun and hilarious collaborative effort and most recently it's had me reprise my recurring role of Justin Bieber in several different forms (i.e. "Gummy Bieber"). Adoring fans and killer dance moves? I can live with that. 

The CW's "Ringer"

Sarah Michelle Gellar may be one of the toughest (and prettiest) actresses out there. So you can imagine when stunt coordinator and Kung Fu brother of mine John Medlen called, I was totally game!

In this episode of Ringer, I double Zahn McClarnon, whom I actually worked alongside with years ago on an episode of NBC's "Life." We chase around and tussle with Sarah's character, Bridget, not knowing that she's actually a twin. The result is a maniacal showdown which involves swinging knives, breaking glass, and exploding through doors and leaving no prisoners behind!

John Medlen, Michelle Waitman, and I after having a blast on Ringer!

And (if it's still online) you can catch all the action in this video...the really fun stuff starts at 37:09! Enjoy!

Funny thing happened on the way to happy...

From time to time, we all experience days that may be cloudier than others; ones where we might be confused or feel lost or just plain sad. I went through a bout of these days recently, searching for answers and trying to rediscover the happier me that I knew lived inside. But it was when I let my guard down and stopped staring so hard to find those silver linings that the light found its way right into my heart. It permeated every molecule of my being and enlightened my soul and before I could even acknowledge it, a smile had grown on my face from ear to ear. Here's one of the great stories from this experience:

The Wonders of a Good Slice

My close friends and I reunited one Saturday night, painting the town Johnnie Walker black and other such intoxicating colors. As the night wound down, we grabbed a few slices from the closest thing to New York-styled pizza that we have here on the westside - Joe's Pizza Shop - and proceeded to walk over to the coastline to nosh and catch up with one another. As the pizza worked its magic and the words we were saying to each other began to make more and more sense, a man approached us politely and sat next to us on the bench.

"I don't mean to intrude - you guys seem to be having a good conversation - but would any of you be able to spare forty cents?"

Naturally there was a moment of hesitation, but when it was assured that this man was harmless, we dug into our pockets and scrounged around for some loose change. One of my buddies pulled up two quarters and handed it to the man.

"Oh. That's too much. I don't have the dime...you want me to go get it from somewhere for you?"

"No worries," my friend said. "You can probably do more with that fifty cents than I ever could." The man laughed genuinely and so did we. This communal laugh seemed to warm up our engines and broke the ice for a real-talk conversation of sorts.

He talked about his descent into homelessness and how it upset him that society shuns him. He was angry at the world because he felt like a human being, just like the people who walk and talk around him, but they didn't treat him like one. He said folks looked at him like he was an animal, scared to interact with him, if even just to respond to his hellos and waves.

He looked up at us, our eyes and ears locked in, listening intently to his stories. Then he suddenly stopped, put his hand on his heart and said, "this...this here's a God shot."

I'd never heard that phrase. "What do you mean by that," I asked.

"This is a God moment. You don't have to be here. You don't have to pay attention to me. You didn't have share this bench with me or listen to a word I said or give me a penny...why are you still here?"

"Well, I think everybody knows that feeling of being lost in this big world. Wishing for something better but not really knowing how to go about getting on the path to achieving those goals. I know at some point, when we felt like we were at the bottom, some people thought we (my friends and I) were crazy...like social outliers, because of our goals and dreams. But we still go for it, and I think we're doing alright. We've been blessed."

"And besides, you're a good storyteller and we wanna hear your story," I expressed with a smile. It was true.

He smiled brightly. You could see the confidence well up in his chest. Seeing this, I took a chance and asked him what it was that he wanted - truly wanted - to be when he was growing up.

"A chef. I loved being in the kitchen, coming up with stuff. There's just so much happening in a kitchen...it's a lot of fun."

When he said this, I pictured a little kid watching his family in the kitchen during a get together, taking in all the sights and sounds and smells wafting through the air.

"Sounds like a long shot, but you should go into a restaurant and see if there's any job openings. Even if it's for a busboy it'll bring you much closer to a kitchen...who knows. Maybe you'll pick up some skills and when they see what you're capable of doing maybe they'll give you a chance."

He went into a contemplative state. Shoot. Did I say too much? Was that offensive? I couldn't gauge his response. He just sat there, eyes darting around...first on his clasped hands, then at us, then up to the sky, then to the pizza box we tossed in the trash can.

"Where'd you get that pizza," he asked.

We pointed to Joe's and said we were heading back in that direction if he wanted to head that way. He joined us on our walk back.

He wanted to stop in and see if there was anything they needed help with at the shop and that they didn't need to pay him but with a slice of pizza. 

As he marched into the shop and straight up to the manager, he shouted back to us, "hey, it's worth a shot!"

A God shot.

***

"The first step before anybody else in the world believes it is you have to believe it" - Will Smith

HAPPY YEAR OF THE DRAGON!!!

Welcome to 2012! Chúc mừng năm mới! Gongxi gongxi! Kung hei fat choy! CEEEEELEBRATE GOOD TIMES COME ON! 

It's an exciting time as we enter into this new adventure of a year...one that's sure to be filled with marvelous successes, soul-fulfilling moments, and plain ol' fashioned good times!

As I'm launching into the Year of the Dragon, I look back thankfully on a 2011 full of diverse victories. Here's a few of the wonderful reflections I'm grinning about from ear-to-ear:

As an Actor: Along with booking a principal role in a national commercial for Slim Jim, I played the villainous rogue, Ludd, in the 1-million-views-and-rising web series, "Dragon Age: Redemption" starring internet royalty, Felicia Day!

As a Director: I wrote and directed a promo spot for Power 106 featuring the Party Rockers themselves, LMFAO!

Also, I shot and put together a music video for Liz Fohl, an incredibly talented emerging artist and all around beautiful soul.

As a Producer/Writer: I worked with my homie Mando Fresko developing a show for MTVtrés…and it got picked up!

As a Fight Choreographer: Teaming up with my ReelKick brothers Thayr Harris and Fernando Chien, we put together Santigold's new music video for her upcoming single, "Disparate Youth"

As a Stuntman: I got to work in my home state of Virginia on the new feature film, "Jamestown" (aka "To Have and To Hold"). Additionally, I got sweet haircut out there!

Also, 2011 brought me the great honor of working with an actor I truly respect and admire, Mr. Robert Downey Jr, on the reshoots of Sherlock Holmes 2: A Game Of Shadows! Here's the sequence I helped choreograph with him and an amazing team of guys led by stunt coordinator and my Kiwi mate Markos Rounthwaite (from 0:28 to 1:33)

And last but certainly not least *drum roll please* my 2011 Action Reel!

So as the sun rises in the dawn of 2012, I stand here with great appreciation for where I've come from. Eight years ago I moved out to Los Angeles with a couple bucks in my pocket and dream so big it could barely be contained. The passion for what I do has spurned an unquenchable thirst for creating great work in movies and television shows and I pour all my love into my work. Fortunately for me, I've got a big heart and it's a massive reservoir overflowing with love! 

I look forward to sharing my gifts and abilities this year through my work in Hollywood, connecting more richly to myself and to others through this great career that I'm a part of,  and sharing the victories and awesome moments with the amazing people already in my life and the ones I have yet to meet. Let's live it up in 2012…time for this dragon to soar!