LOU FERRIGNO — A BOOK OF MAGAZINE

Hi Lou. How are you? Aside from acting and filming, what’s keeping you busy nowadays?

Hello! It’s such a pleasure to be here! Besides filming, I’m constantly auditioning, reading scripts, writing, and watching quality content on every platform. During the periods of the year when auditions slow, I like to spend time with my family, sketch, paint, and recently I’ve been learning how to hand-stitch fabrics to one day make clothing from scratch! I enjoy so many forms of “Art” or creating something of meaningful from nothing.

Tell us about your character “Ryan” from the 3rd season of Outer Banks. What drew you to his character and how did you prepare for the role?

Ryan is a trained mercenary who works as the enforcer to the notorious crime boss, Mr. Singh, played so terrifyingly well by Andy McQueen. Ryan is a tough, hungry, ambitious force of nature who pursues his objective with an unrelenting tenacity. Initially I was drawn to the toughness and physicality of the role, but later discovered the subtle nuances to his character which can be seen in his interactions with Mr. Singh. I worked a lot on Ryan’s accent, which is a cockney from North of London.

What’s the best way to describe Ryan’s character?

Ryan is an imposing figure, highly disciplined with premiere tactical firearm experience and a checkered past, to put it lightly. He’s allegiant to his cause and ferocious in his pursuits, with an anti-heroic perspective of “will do wrong to do good.” From a rough upbringing, Ryan has struggled his entire life staying out of trouble and making an honest income, which is the reason for his profession and lifestyle he currently enjoys. Aside from working for a criminal enterprise, Ryan possesses a skewed moral code that, ironically, among gangsters is highly respected. Ryan thrives off the adrenaline rush of what each of his delegated task’s demand, and the rewards his unlawful excellence provide. He’s a loyal, admired leader amongst his peers, and a deadly adversary. Ryan is definitely someone you don’t want working against you.

What are the challenges and the highs that you faced while filming?

As a Los Angeles native, shooting in the middle of a lush, humid jungle with massive insects crawling everywhere was definitely the biggest challenge for me personally. At first, the tropical climate and unrestrained foliage was a lot to take in while working, but I eventually became more comfortable as shooting progressed. Between the massive African snails and array of poisonous centipedes, It was challenge just to not freak out when one could crawl near me.

How did you rise above these challenges?

As an actor, I was able to act like a tough guy who fears no such insect, but internally I was petrified most of the time. I found areas of jungle that seemed to be clear of any horrifyingly scary creatures and remained still for most of the time spent in the jungle. Regarding the humidity, there wasn’t much that could be done during the warm spring and summer months, so I used breathing and meditation techniques to calm my brain, and tried to drink ice cold water before my coverage so I could modulate my body temperature internally. Nevertheless, being dirty and sweaty under the Bajan sun actually looks pretty good on Netflix.

Where do you get your inspirations from?

I love watching documentaries and learning about interesting personalities. Whether it’s a casual conversation with a stranger or speaking with an expert in a particular field, people in general are so fascinating to me. I’m quite a mimic when it comes to specific behaviors or idiosyncrasies, so when I discover interesting characteristics in others, I store the idea in my brain and recall them when I need further aid in bringing characters to life.

How was it to play Sergeant Donovan Rocker in S.W.A.T.?

I absolutely love playing Rocker on S.W.A.T., as it has been a childhood dream come true for me to be playing make-believe “cops & robbers” as a job. I connect with Rocker so much because his intense passion for being a SWAT officer is quite comparable to my intense passion for acting. I love every aspect of the acting profession while on set, in costume, bringing a fictional character to life in a very real way for millions to see.

How would describe his character evolution throughout the show?

In the first few seasons, Rocker was a bit snarkier and more antagonistic in his relation to the other characters on the show. As the show progressed, Rocker was eventually assigned as the new “50-David” Squad leader when his predecessor, Mumford, retired. With the new responsibilities as the commanding officer of his team, Rocker has really settled into his role within the LAPD SWAT division and now matured significantly. I really like where Rocker is now within the show and will hopefully be featured more often in the upcoming season.

What’s your top 5 favorite films of all time?

-Coming to America

-Forrest Gump

-Nobody

-Pulp Fiction

-Dumb and Dumber/Bridesmaids

Favorite movie characters (dead or alive)

-Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis) – THERE WILL BE BLOOD (This ruthless oil tycoon is masterful)

-Walter Sobchak -- THE BIG LEBOWSKI (Such a character, bold, brash, foolishly inappropriate)

-Simon Phoenix (Wesley Snipes) – DEMOLITION MAN (Wild and exciting)

-Yoda – STAR WARS (does that count? Yoda is so wise and seems sweet and cute but a master in his field)

-Miranda Priestly – THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (so ice cold and direct!)

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

I’ve received a lot of great advice and not-so-great advice in my career but the one line that often calms me is “whoever tries to bring you down is already below you.” The entertainment industry is incredibly competitive with so many chances to succeed and fail, making it even harder when another person is negative or disparaging. I do my best to focus on what lies ahead on my career path as opposed to having a pessimistic outlook or feeling as though I’m in competition with any of my fellow actors and filmmakers. I enjoy celebrating the wins of others and keep my heart and mind full of positive vibes because it's so easy to fall into the trap of comparative jealousy and the distraction of unwarranted negative criticism from strangers on the internet.

What’s your ultimate goal?

One of my ultimate career goals has been a promise I made to my mother when I was a young boy, that I would bring her as my date to the Academy Awards if I were to be invited. Although I recognize that I still have a lot of work to do before that actually happens, it’s definitely a career objective that I have my sights on for a long time.

How do you mentally deal with success?

I try not to get too elated when good things happen and likewise not too depressed when times are tough. There are so many peaks and valleys as an actor, most of which are completely out of my control. I truly love a thoughtful compliment of work I’ve done in the past or inquiry as to the process of acting, which reinforces to me that my work really does impact viewers in a meaningful way.

Is there a skill / talent that a lot of people don’t know about you?

Besides acting and all the training, exercising, and researching that comes along with it, I love to paint, sketch, and read non-fiction and biographies/memoirs of successful people. Although I never went to culinary school, I’m also quite the unaccredited chef in the kitchen! I just love to create things and to keep my imaginative brain active in a positive way.

Anything else that you want to share to the audience?

I’d like to say thank you so much for this opportunity and thank you to all my fans for their continued support as I aim to create relatable, purposeful art! AND I would like to encourage everyone reading to check out Outer Banks Season 3 on NETFLIX if they haven’t watched yet and let me know what you think!