Back Row and Chill with Jahannah James and Noel Clarke - Stay Home Special Series - Episode 3 - Anto Sharp, Alex Mytton, Louisa Harland, Phil Dunster, Nathan Bryon, Anthony De Prezzo, and Duane Henry

Episode Date: May 9, 2020

In this episode of Back Row and Chill Stay Home Special, Noel and Jahannah spoke to Anto Sharp, Alex Mytton, Louisa Harland, Phil Dunster, Nathan Bryon, Anthony De Prezzo, and Duane Henry.

Back row and chill with Noel Clark and Johanna James on Fubar Radio. Hey man! We've got Anto Sharp in the studio. What's going on? Thanks for having me. So if people listening don't know who Anto is, he's an internet. How do you like to describe yourself? Internet. He's an internet person.

Making videos on the internet. Kind of across a lot of mediums now. Yes. But you started off on Vine? I started doing comedy videos on Vine, which was amazing. And obviously, resting in peace. And that's gone. And then came over to Facebook.

got a following over there and yeah just been having fun ever since really and making some videos one of the original vine daddy there's a lot of americans went huge on vine and then we're always second in the game but with them social media to america i just got to say man i respect you guys that did the vining thing because you know it was six seconds six seconds to be funny you might know i don't know why they chose six seconds it seemed like the most random fucking time it's like they did it to make it hard when they started vying what were they actually thinking do you think that was their thing people are going to make funny things or do you think they actually thought people just going to do short tweets and like it's a bit like Snapchat you get 10 seconds to be

oh i fucking hate Snapchat i love Snapchat as a medium because you can make it pre-edits it for you so you've got this story that you can make you only get 10 seconds or you're trying to talk and it cuts you off so good rip oh yeah i've never got the six second thing but i mean and vine kind of was like live fast die young wasn't it it was like a blaze of glories two years and then it was gone it started off smaller but well do you know why it died no I don't. Because I heard from some people, you know, in the people who know people, saying that it was, so it was the top American vines.

There's like 12 of them who live in like Vine Street in L.A. and like they all vine together and stuff. And then apparently they were in talks with Vine saying like, look, we get millions and millions of hits and we want to have a little bit more creative control in this app. So we want to have sort of back access to something and we want to have this, this and this. And Vine said like, no, it's our app like piss off. And so they boycotted it and said, okay, well, we're all going to jump off Vine. So apparently they stopped vining and they went to Instagram

and that's why Instagram's blown up with the videos and Vine died because of the influencers. Oh my God. So apparently it was like influence revolt, which I loved. It's like inside information. Like power to the influencers. I remember when someone said that to me, yeah, yeah, there's all the big viner's live down Vine Street.

I was like, you're joking, right? They actually do. They all live together down Vine Street. Just a made-up word. They live in, and I went past it when they went out, Vine Street. They live in an apartment block. That's why they just hop into each other's videos all the time because they literally live on top of each other.

Interesting. And earn millions and millions and millions. They got the business theory just so right. Well, I don't know if that story's true firstly, because this is a multi-billion dollar company, and I don't know if that. But I'm not saying it's not. I just don't know if it is.

Well, for some reason or not, all of the main viner stopped vining. I think it was gradually dying anyway. And maybe that was like the straw that broke the camel's back? Maybe. Is that the same? Well, the thing with six seconds is that there is a, it's such a talent.

to be funny, I think we're finding it a little, well, I'm finding a little bit on Facebook. There's a limited amount of what you can do with one minute 30 seconds. But that's self-imposed. You guys don't have to do one minute 30 seconds. That's the recommended time. No, no, no, you do. Facebook things can last longer than that. They don't, though. They don't. They can.

But they don't. You guys choose to do it. I get what you're saying. But again, it's like, that's what's being said to you guys is like, oh, don't go longer than one minute 30 seconds. I feel like doing one and be one minute 40, motherfuckers! Yeah. I try. to do log of form and it just doesn't seem to take off and that's it because people drop off

that's why they say so a hundred percent the intentions but it's like basically it's like a sugared up toddler that you're trying to entertain and if you're just like look at me that's spot on so what's happening recently man actor director entertainer yeah i've sort of put the title on there you know just sort of polish me up a little bit but no i've got into an acting school which one it's a international school of screen acts fantastic so i'm over the moon with that you do have a movie style look about you Thank you, Noel. And I did not know how much went into acting. That's what I can say.

It's hard work, isn't it? Very hard work. My career before, I'm a carpenter, so I was very hands-on, hands-on. And that was, like, physically demanding. Makes you tired that way, where this is mentally... Yeah, you can go home with headaches. Yeah, it's crazy. And I've never really experienced that before.

I'm glad you have, because I think a lot of people don't know. They think, oh, you walk on certain, you just do stuff, and they don't really know what goes into actually doing the job and why it can be so tired. Question for you, do you know another actor? That was a carpenter that then became a massive actor. Indiana Jones guy. Harrison Ford.

That's the one, yeah. Mate, you wouldn't mind that career, eh? I was thinking, I was like your life's paralleling Jesus. He was a carpenter. Then he got world famous. He's turning into Jesus. You know, he's been many movies. Was he an actor?

I don't think your mom's going to like that talk. What is he? I think he's going to like that talk. Mrs. White, I'd hold no responsibility about this at all. Yeah, I'm out as well. See that. Yeah, I'd be great, though, to have that career, eh? That's cool.

Kind of parallel Harrison Ford. Well, yeah, obviously, but yeah. Slash pieces. So you're going, basically, you're equipping yourself with more tools in your belt. More tools in the shed. If you want to get into it, don't tweet me. I want to be an actor, bro. Help me.

Fuck you. I'm not helping you. Like, I will help you when you actually do something about it. You become an actor and then you work hard and you finish your acting training and you're still working, still training. I help you all day long. But don't just tweet me like, I want to be an actor, help me. That's what you did with me, no.

You were like, want to be an actor. Okay, go train. Exactly. And then I went out of training. I did a year. Oh, wow. a year intensive and then I came back I'm like I'm gonna you train where did you try I trained at the London School of Dramatic Art in Kensington and it was a year

intensive but they try and do the three year degree but in three terms so they do the whole breaking you down and getting you to neutral but really quickly and then they throw you through all the techniques and then you kind of just take what you like and then it's a perfect example like that is literally what I said to her 2011 I think it was and she's since being like you know we've got a radio show together she's been like two or three, two of the movies. Two of the movies, nearly three. Like, it's like, if people work hard and put the graft in, then they'll succeed.

And I like what you're doing. So you listeners, make sure you do that as well. You absolutely smash sort of like the flamboyant comedy guy. But would you want to play, like, a sort of villain or what's your dream? Yeah, I mean, well, it might be surprising to some, but I don't really want to get into comedy. Comedy's a very hard, I think, a very hard genre to move into. For me, it would definitely be something more dark. Comedy's good, but I think the real experience.

exciting roles of them dark roles that you can sink your teeth into and really do some hard work and research on these characters it excites me thinking about it maybe he could be a flamboyant villain yeah yeah you can be in the middle of a really dark scene and then do your line yeah yeah do your basket thing when i first i remember you so who wasn't it someone popped up and they were like oh my gosh this guy is like hilarious you got like follow this guy so about a year and a half ago and the whole in your basket thing so i started to follow you and i was like this is great but i had no idea that was a character and then I saw saw you outside of it and was like oh bloody how he's putting it all on he's really straight yeah it was going on yeah I was like he's

like proper geezer like what so that was amazing because yeah I followed you for a while thinking that you were this flamboyant gay shopper it's funny you say that but it's not obvious to me that people thought that but I've met people in the street and they're like hey you're the guy on Facebook that does the oh yeah do it do it do it and I'm like what's that my dreams are broken yeah I was like what you don't actually speak like that no And then I was like, oh my God, I'm ruining people's lives. You're actually doing the character. That's good.

I mean, like I said, you do have a good leading man look. So, you know, just keep training, man and see what happens, you know? Thank you. My other question was, do you get absolutely harassed over that, like, catch line? Is it? Are you pissed off at it? I mean, it's died down now because I've sort of moved away from that character and the sort of the line and stuff.

But at the time, it was crazy, especially around my area because I think it's spread like wildfire on Facebook. So, you know, how it goes from friends to friends to friends. It obviously comes from one point, which would be me putting out. the videos and then my friends sharing it to their friends so I didn't really know I was like oh yeah I got a video on lad by one unilad and I've just got like loads of million views and I was like this is awesome and I just went out of a night out of a few friends and it was crazy like no way you're the guy like I was like hey you're right and then this other guy I was like no way

I was like what the hell's going on this is so weird but yeah no it was fun yeah it was real fun you know obviously played along to it and stuff and yeah it's quite nice that it's died down a little bit because I can concentrate on other stuff and not be like keep having to do the same sort of character and stuff. You've managed to move outside of that character and still have a following and because it would be annoying if people are just like, just put it in the basket. Obviously, if something does go big, that's the worry of actually sticking and getting stuck in this sort of little rut of being in one character or like a catchphrase or whatever. So we made sure that we had other things going on and we could move into different areas and stuff that would continue the following,

that you saw you're so yeah back row and chill with Noel Clark and Johanna James on Fubar Radio Alex Mitten in the studio Hello Yasquin

Yasquin how you doing that is the little studio audience that we have sitting in the corner we don't pay them much They're great though They're brilliant are they

They are great fabulous so Mitten Hello Hello welcome Welcome to my old studio Thank you for having me on So you are let's just look If anyone's like

Who likes Alex Mitten Who are you? I'm just this guy You're just a guy sitting here in Fubberton radio with you, Johanna. I am a guy that ended up on reality TV somehow on one of those shows. Accidentally or accidentally just like sort of stumbled into it. They were filming and they said, hey, you want to do it? And I said, yeah. Well, they were filming in the street and you just

live too long and like, oh, hi. They actually, they phoned me up. And at the time I originally said no, because I just started a new job and, you know, I was trying to do this sort of professional route. What were you doing? I was working in PR. Oh. Very, very proper. And then after four months of sitting behind a computer, I went, Actually, do you know what? Fuck this. I need something else. I'm a star bitch. I'm born to be on the screen. So I went and said yes and I think it's six years later or seven years later or something. You're still there. Do you remember the first time that you came out on TV and the first time people clocked who you were?

I'm sure you sort of experience it too with the stuff that you do. The first time that you get this recognition in the street, you're like, why do people care? Yeah. I'm looking at it. Yeah, yeah. It is a bit weird. The worst times when we're really hung over. And obviously, you kind of have to adopt this persona of like a really sort of, happy, lovely person, but when you're hung over, you're not always happy and lovely. Yeah, and you are, like, 90% hung over all the time, right? Hey, it's 89, but... I'm just calling you. Yeah, okay.

So you have to sort of put on this, like, brave smile and not smell of booze, which is quite hard sometimes. I mean, I've heard that Chanel is a good perfume to kind of disguise the booze. Chanel's good for... Because it's very alcoholic-based anyway, so you can just be like... I think I just end up smelling of women and booze. Well, that's not a bad thing all the time, is it? Chanel... Depends.

Odour. That's my perfume. Wow. I think you're in the wrong game or maybe the right game. That voice is beautiful. Yeah, so okay, so you spend most of your time on Maiden Chelsea. Where are we now in Maiden Chelsea? So we are, I think, believe it or not, series 60?

69! Series 69, which has been my favourite series. And we've actually just come back from Croatia, so we filmed these like sort of summer series where we go away. You literally went to the land what we're not allowed to talk about now. I know. Was it nice, though? It's a lovely play.

No, actually, it's fucking shit. It is. It's a beautiful place, obviously. But it's not London. Nothing is London. Nothing is. I always go away and do these things and they are great and it's beautiful scenery. But you can't beat London. I always want to come back. And I've been back for like five days and I'm like, I can't want to go away.

No, because you've already gone. I'm just following your Instagram. I'm like, oh, where's Alex? Oh, he's in, he's in Hawaii. Is that you that keeps DMing the... I just keep spamming you. The naughty pics. Spamming you with dick pics every day.

A nipple a day. Well, I've got seven, so I can keep going. Oh, seven days. You are on holiday a lot, but I guess it's your job, so... I've kind of lucked into this situation where I can call a holiday work and a work holiday. You fell on your feet, sir. Yes. I fell on your feet.

I have. But no, Croatia was amazing. Kind of what always happens. You take a group of people away in a sunny destination and give them booze. They can end up doing some shagging and they can end up doing some naughty stuff. And yeah, that kind of happened and bad things do go down. But there's also a lot of good times in it as well, so we had a great time. I do have to admit that Maiden Chelsea is probably the only.

reality TV show I'm not putting it in there they are real I'm not quote I'm doing air quotes but it is actually reality TV show that I genuinely watched and enjoyed like I never got into Tawi or any of the others I got into men's interesting and you get really involved you do I think it's filmed in such a like sort of pretty way everything just looks yeah everything just looks so filtered and gorgeous no wonder you can turn up hung over I tell you no I tell you what for some reason TV makes me look worse I look more hung over than I actually am I've watched some like stuff back and I'm like I wasn't that bad Jesus Christ shit yeah I think it's an age thing as after a while you just you crack a little bit

more it was it been six years isn't it's been six years I mean does it have to be real drama or can you guys fabricate the drama no it has to be real has to be real I mean obviously you could if you were a great actor you could you could be like yes he's an absolute dickhead and I shagged his mom or something but I shag the dog yeah I'd be wild on that show I'd be like a loose cannon they're like they should actually one day just let like it's a really highly trained actress or actor just to cause just to mix it up with it a little bit yeah exactly no I really I really like it.

I think one of the reasons why I like it, though, is I watch it. And I think probably why everyone likes it. They watch it. They love to see other people in distress, and it all go to shit. Because then they go, I feel so much better about my life. It's quite sick, actually, relatively. I thought my relationship was bad, but, oh, it's not as bad as Benkeith. So, yeah.

I think it's the same as any sort of drama. It's like, oh, God, he's having a terrible time. And then next week, oh, he's in love again. Did you ever get any abuse? I still get on the way here. You had some guy was like, oh, I didn't really. Sorry about that. I just couldn't help shout out.

Yeah, because obviously you're putting your dirty laundry out to dry on TV and not everyone's an angel. That was a really stupid episode actually. Shouldn't have hung up my... You shouldn't have put those boxes on. They were a bit pooey. Do you ever get any actual hate from people who get so involved and they're like, you cheated? I think people, people view it almost as though we're sort of these, like, we're not real people.

So they throw abuse over social media, like over social media, which you kind of have to be like ready for. You know what you were getting into. I used to get sent some pretty horrible stuff. I once got sent. This was going through a particular bad period of mine where I was being a bit of a dick. Yeah, the dick period. Yeah.

I was the dick period, yeah. And I got sent quite a lot of vicious images of penises, one of which was a stiletto going right through the tip of someone's penis and a girl saying, I'm going to do this to you. And I still actually wear a cockade today. Just in case. And if anyone's wearing stettos, I sort of flinch. So you have an actual trauma of stilettos.

yeah I mean we can work through that I'm sure there's therapists out there willing to work with you we can get you so you can go out to a club and not be like a little features position on the floor we'll help you babe don't worry about that my penis don't worry not at all what do you like to do when you're not being on TV what are your favorite things do what do you I just like Instagram I just like you know I just like they're insolide most of the time no what do I like doing new weird hobbies slash fetishes what stiletto is it it's sort of gone it was a fear at first and now I'm kind of into it I'm

I'm actually wearing a pair right now. How can you imagine? Yeah, it'd be hilarious if I got off the seat and just trotted off in the pair. What do I do in my spare time? I mean, I have, to be honest, I like to party a lot. It's a sort of cliche, I like to party, but I do end up out quite a lot. I just, I like meeting people. I like getting out and about.

Do you know how many hobbies, not going golf or anything? Not got into golf yet. No, I've gone into, like, a junkyard golf, you know, like kind of mini golfing? I went to one in Dahlston, yeah. Called FAs something rather, snook club. Yeah. And it's kind of like, it's a bit of a trippy experience. It's like, loads of stroof.

lighting in there it's all like luminescent that's just the toilets yeah that was just the toilets and it was really fun I could that's like it said maybe that's a sort of goal I went to one called swingers it was a club called swingers which was kind of hard to find you were you thinking it was something out yeah I turned up like super disappointed I was like oh those kind of balls you were there in full leather yeah it was well awkward like my mate came in a gimp costume you heard you heard 18 holes and you thought I'm there babe have you ever opened up your laptop or phone when someone's asked to use your phone and they've been something so

Avery. Let's have a look. Let's have a look in my mind. You're like, what's acceptable? My laptop, no, because my laptop is literally, I just like edit on that. And like, it's just my workstation. But my phone, yeah, I think there has been like, there is that moment of terror when someone takes your phone

and they took a picture and then they start scrolling. And then you're like, oh no. I was checking that mole on my anus. And I might have taken a few pictures, medical for reasons. And they're going to find it at no, oh my God. There's that sort of swipe, Anzai. so you like to stop swiping, don't go? Oh, okay, he's found it.

Have you ever had, like, an eye cloud mishap? Because obviously... I don't use eye cloud for this reason. You guys, you know, you're famous, you're family now. So I think there should be some ground rules when you're famous about the whole sexting nude thing. Like, I have some rules. I never put my face, and I never show a nip or anything.

Like... So it sounds quite tame. What do you include? Oh, you can get creative, babe. You can get creative. Yeah, so I don't show my face and I don't show anything that, like, if it did get out to the cloud, if it did go into the wrong hands or whatever,

it's not going to affect my career. It must be a really horrible feeling, actually, knowing that someone has gone through your whole thing and just put it out to the world. I think some people actually do on purpose, though. Well, the celebrities, no, I don't know. But some of the photos are like, they look like this. So I guess you kind of do that for a nude anyway.

You're not going to send a shit nude, aren't you? You're not going to be like, sorry, the angle was wrong. I got five chins. No, you're going to make sure that you look shit hot. What I like is I like the fact that the time it takes you to send a nude and then the editing. and then you've got about 106 options of your bow. I guess in that sort of that process you kind of lose most of the erotic.

It's like it's taking me 29. They've already fallen asleep. Yeah, yeah. What's the point? Let's just eat instead. Yeah. Much easier. You could probably make a pizza quicker than it does to take you to make a good nude.

You could. I mean, in what angle as well? I know, I'll leave it to the kids. The kids of today. The kids of today know how to take it. They're going to be pros actually when they get. Well, apparently there's this theory, right? So nudes and selfies and those kind of things.

It's going to go out of... fashion again and it's going to become in fashion to not show your genitals immediately to strangers. I love that it's just such the norm now. I've never really got dick pics like to random. It's maybe in a relationship. Yeah. I get that but like I just don't think a girl's going to go, oh actually you know what, maybe some girls would, I don't know. Has a dick pick ever sort of, you know? Never in my life ever. Turned you like suddenly. Trust me. And this is something that I don't get what guys, what their thought process is. Because if I've ever received a dick pick in a DM, it has go straight in the girls group chat and we are laughing.

about it for days and we're meming it and we're naming it and you know putting a quiff on a little tash we're gonna put a quiff on a tash and we're gonna call it gollum and like do I mean like this is never I don't think it's ever worked if anyone has ever successfully sent someone at a dick pick and got like a relationship out of it then let us know

at Food Bar Radio romance story can you imagine how did it all start grandma how did you meet granddad well he sent me this gorgeous picture of his head and you look up on the wall and they've just got this huge framed dick dick it was all because of this it was 2 a.m. 2016 I was very drunk.

Back row and chill with Noel Clark and Johanna James on Foobar Radio. A huge welcome to Louisa Harland. Welcome. Oh, wait, let's give you a proper. There we go. Whoa. Oh my God. You guys. Stop it. Stop it. You've come in to chat today

about Derry Girls, which has been a bit of a surprise smash hit. Definitely. For us as well. I mean, we love it, but we didn't know everybody else was going to love us. And we knew it was probably going to be enjoyed in Ireland. To make the jump as well, we're delighted. For anyone who doesn't know

what Derek goes about, if you want to just give a quick synopsis, it is about five young people, four girls and a guy set during the troubles and the Notties about their lives. They're school kids, we're all 15, 16 year olds

and in real life. You look quite seldom. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, we're off 18, yeah. In real life as well. Exactly. Yeah, I was like, oh, this is a very mature looking. Yeah.

Do you mind? Do you've got a school uniform on anyone? anyone looks a bit like a school kid. Yeah, I think so. We're across. We're nearly 30. I mean, you need to... Shut up, Kevin.

Do not tell... I mean, we're only 21. We're like... Don't tell a woman's age. Jesus! I'm talking about myself, Joanna. Yeah. You're like 14.

I'm well younger than you. Fuck off. All right, sorry. I'm 15, so... Yeah, she's 15. I'm the same as her. Jeanna's 44 if anyone's asking. Oh, my God.

All right, get out. You're not coming back on. So, Derry Girls, love the trailer. I haven't been watching TV recently. So, now, I've seen the trailer now, and I'm like, actually, you know what, that is going to make me sit down and watch television. And for something to make me do that is actually quite a lot. The soundtrack is so good.

Yeah, well, as we were talking earlier in the show, I'm in love with like late 80s, early 90s is just my period of fun. So I'm loving it. So where did you film and how long for? We filmed in Belfast during the summer for three months, thereabouts, and we had so much fun doing it. And how did you get the role? Just auditioned.

Pretty long process. But yeah, we all auditioned. And then we had a lot of chemistry tests because it was pretty essential that all of us, Yeah, because you're quite a little cliquy group in the story. So, yeah, it's very lucky. Before you got Derry Girls, what was your sort of acting history? I'm from Dublin, and I came to London to train. I've always wanted to do theatre.

That's great for a 15-year-old. Did you come in your own? So that would have made me nine when I moved here to go to drama school. It's the youngest actress. To try to work out the maths here, sorry. And came to drama school, and then I've just been plugging away at it, and I've been quite long. this year so happy days where were you when you found out that you got the

role because I always think that's quite a nice moment like do you remember what you were yeah I do cool yeah I know but I was at my friend's house and we were about to go out and it was annoying because I really wanted to be ridiculously hysterical on the phone to my parents but you can't play really cool yeah oh my but would you let people know that you'd got the part was it all hush hush no I was like to we yeah nobody said anything I was literally yeah so ringing the whole of Ireland just ring anyway Hi, do you know, hi, who is this? It doesn't matter. I'm going to be a dairy girl.

Exactly, but I had to pay it so cool. I was with my friends. So it's just for my mom and be like, hey, mom, yeah, you know that thing that I've been auditioning for my mom? I've got it, no big deal. I'm just going for a few points. 21 pints later. Yeah, literally. So, yeah, I'm delighted. And even better now that it's been received so well, and we've just been picked up for a second season. I was going to ask, do you know yet about number two? Yeah, so literally after the first episode was aired, we got the call, like, after a couple of days.

We were sexual activists. They're so God. So Derry Girls is set in Northern Ireland in 1994. What were you doing in 1994? Well, I'm 15, so I wasn't born. What would you do? Good answer. I was probably learning to poop at that age.

Really? When you were five? You probably were learning to poop, Kevin. Probably fair. My parents had immigrated to Canada, so I was living in Canada in 1994. I've always wanted to be Canadian. I know. I can, like, semi-say that I partly grew up there.

I wish I was Canadian. Yeah. And Jewish. All my old... Welcome to Bair. Two of the greatest chances to be in life. Can you make that happen for me? We can ask Santa.

Thanks so much. Just try every year. Yeah, I was living in Canada. Canaria. If you look back at my old VHS and stuff, I've got like a proper strong Canadian accent. Yeah. I'm like, mommy.

Was it Canada colonised by the French, if I'm worth? Yes. I mean, like a really like... Long time ago, I was a really brief kind of ratchet history of America and Canada. I believe that like the English took... Colonized America. French took... Canada, Spanish, down, Mexico.

Mexico. I had French, Canadian friends, I remember when I was a kid, they could speak French and I couldn't. Do you know, I was going to speak French? It's completely off topic and I'm sorry, but it's just talking with, Batch the entertainer. It's fluent in French. It was shot me, though.

Really? And there was a French woman and he went, I can't do it, but he just went. You just went out, boom, boom, boom, boom. I was like, what the fucking? It's attractive, isn't it? When someone could just burst out in another language? You like that?

You like that. Yes, if I talk like this. Not quite that game. It's really warm in your name. So just going back to Derry Girls, was what was it like working with a huge cast of young actors? It was so fun. Was it banter or was it everyone was quite serious?

It was banter every single day. No, it was just so, so fun. Everybody. And the whole crew was Irish as well, and a lot of us don't live in Ireland. We've all kind of migrated to London. Yeah, so it was nice to just go home and to be part of something.

Would you say you're all friends for life from this or? Definitely. Is the only one that you don't really like on set? No, I love it. It's actually so boring because I've got no... Nothing bad to say. No dramas. There's nothing to talk about on set because we loved everybody.

How boring is that? No, it's good when you're working with people like, though, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. Right, Louisa, I would love to play a game with you if you would like to take part. It's movie quiz time. Okay, so you guys are going to be in your own teams. Would you like to create a buzzer, just a sound that you'd like to make? Kaka!

Okay, great. And that's... Meow! Meow! Let's start. Let's... One thing quickly. Sorry, we're going straight in the game, babe.

All right, okay. In which country was Arnold Schwarzenegger born, USA, Austria. Switzerland, Austria or Germany? Oh, Kaka! Yeah. Austria. That is correct. One point to Kevin.

I forgot my. I am. Question two. What is the first rule of fight club? Kaka! Do not talk about fight club? Second one to Kevin. I'll let you have that one.

The first one, no. Okay. I'm taking no prisoners, honestly. Question number three. I think my sound's too complicated. Which folklore hero is portrayed by Russell Crowe in the 2010 film co-starring Kate Blanchett? No idea. King Arthur, Robin Hood, William Tell, Robert the Bruce.

The answer is in fact, Robin Hood. Me? No, no. Okay. I did not know that or not. No, well, I went blank. That was my time to come back. Okay, so at the moment we've got, Kevin's got two. Nothing quite yet.

Don't worry. Who won the best actor Oscar for the film The Pianist? Was it Russell Crow, Kevin Spacey, Brad Pitt, Adrian Brody? Yeah, Adrian Brody. It was. Well done. Well done. Well done. I felt like you knew that, but you thought I'm going to say that. I have no idea. He wouldn't know. Okay. Would you like to continue? Yeah. Preferably. Okay. So I'm still one point down. You're still one point down. The music makes it so intense. I know, right, isn't it? I'm getting anxiety attack. Oh, just having. I'm feeling anxious. Okay, and right here we go. Right back in the game.

In the Twilight saga, New Moon, what childhood friend does Bella reconnect with? Packer! Oh, I don't need to name, but... Is it... Meow? No, keep going, Jay. I just found it.

John, Jacob. Camas. Yes, okay, it is neck and neck now on the movie quiz. But I think I deserve that. But I live there, because I'm a gentleman. Let the lady have her time, you know? She's here for one time, maybe. Listen, if you're more of a Twilight fan,

you're more of a Twilight fan, No, no, that's right. It's true. Okay, here we go. The final question. Oh, we lost the music. Oh, it's suddenly not so... Is it dead luck? Scary with the music, is it?

No. We're back into the intensity. Okay. No pressure, then. No pressure at all. Game has just shut down the game. The game is totally, totally. Technology is failing.

Then we'll just say, Derry wins this one. Here we go. The final question for 100 million points. Yeah. Who plays Elizabeth Swan in Pirates the Caribbean? Taka! Is it Mandy, more here nightly it goes to Kevin did you do that did you do this

thank you so much Louise for playing that that wasn't her bother back row and chill with Noel Clark and Johanna James on Feebar radio a huge welcome to Phil Dunster let's see if we can go yeah have a bit of applause for you there lovely welcome welcome on the show quite an impressive save me. You've done lots of bits and bulbs. Been on the merger on the Orange Express. Yeah.

If you blink, you'll miss me, but I crop up. It was good fun. Never blink when I watch movies. That's just like a thing. You've just got to take everything in. Rule 101. I have to have eyedrops by the end of it. Mine's just streaming.

You're just streaming, but it's great. Like Daniel Kaliland on Get Out, you just like, just like eyes screaming down your face. Okay, so you blink and miss you on Murdering the Orange Express. But it was wicked to do. It was one of those where I was knocking about for quite a bit, and got to meet quite a few people on it.

And it was so much fun to do. You know, you leave each day just being like, wow, that's such a cool. Did you fan girl? Big time. Yeah. Yeah. Who did you fan girl the most day? The most was Olivia Coleman.

Oh, yes. She was amazing. Oh, yes. She's amazing. Oh, good. What a woman. And I bumped into Daisy Ridley, and I was a bit like, hi. You're a Jedi.

Yeah. Oh, my God. It was definitely, definitely really professional. You know, I go. I did this weird thing when I meet famous people that I kind of, I counteract. the fan girling we're playing it really cool yeah yeah but to the point where I'm like a bit rude because like I'm kind of like sorry what's your name again that's like Dwayne johnson you're like who are you again why are you here hey mr pitt so cool yeah actually no it probably was the rock

yeah just because i was such big wrestling fan when i was a kid and i just met him as a 10 year old it was just like oh but then it freaked me out that i was kind of nearly eye level with him He's not as tall as you think he is. And that's the main thing, isn't it? They never are. I always meet celebrities in their midget versions. It's like, oh, who knew Zach Efron was five foot two? I'm like, he's about five, nine, but still.

Lek of people, they bulk up for movies. And then when they're not in that, like, three-month shoot, they do not look like that. So I'm just, like, comparing guns and being like, you know what? Ain't all that. Not to the rock, though. Not to the rock. He's just wide. He's quite wide.

Dense. It's such a dense. It's such a drench. It's like, it's like, it's. He's like a mountain of a man. Just charging at you. Like a rock. But when I met the rock,

I also met Kevin Hart, because they often do loads of movies together since they're such big drums. And I made a massive faux part. Like, I couldn't have, yeah, I did not make friends with Kevin Hart. Because what happened was, everyone was in the room for the interview,

and they set us up on these really tall bar stools. And Kevin was on his own, so I thought, I'll go say hi to Kevin. So I went up and sat on the bar stool, and then I didn't mean what to say, my legs were just swinging away, and I was like, wow, these stools make me feel really small. And he just looked at me like,

But seriously And I was like Oh my God Yeah but you were doing your thing Where you pretended you didn't know who it was I was like I just called Kevin Hart small No he didn't like me He like parted my high five later on in the interview

And like really embarrassed me so That's not cool Oh oh Yeah he left me hanging Which is fine You know it's a moment at least it's a story Kevin Hart hating Kevin Hart

It's not a fan of me It's tough That's sort of his like Part of his brand isn't it The fact that he's really small Which he plays to Yeah Yeah a lot

But I guess if that's your vibe and then someone's like, hey man, you're short, you're like, I know. Yeah, I know. She just ride the wave. That's what, that's the number one box office films is because it's small. Yeah, and incredibly funny. Very, very funny. Who have you found Goldover clip? Denzel Washington.

Oh, my God. Oh, my favorite actor. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Years and years ago. Wow. Yeah, it was amazing. What did you? Did you speak?

I just stared at it. You know, he looked to me. He was just, you know, like, wow, he's looking to my soul. Yeah. And he's just, that. like yeah we did speak i just said you know i was doing it was my first show leaving drama school and then he was just like you know don't worry about his son your instincts brought you here wow yeah it was it was a stage door of um he just did brutus and julius easel off on broadway and yeah it's amazing

that time limit than washington a stage door that he gave me to go to life advice and that in the alleyway you are in a brand new sky atlantic show yeah save me which i've seen they've done a lot of promo for this because i keep seeing the posters of rower how did you get involved in that and what What was that about? My agent sent it through, and it was one of those where there was this director's note that came along with it, and Nick Murphy, who directed it, had basically just written out what he wanted from the actors. You sometimes get with it in an audition. They sometimes tell you what it is.

The vibe. I read that first, and just was immediately like, yeah, this is the sort of thing that I'm into. This is a bit of me, this. Because it's like, the way that Lenny had written it out, the sort of the structure of the script meant that, like, you could tell how, it was going to be and it was like quick and it was like fierce and energetic the whole thing so basically the story is that jodie mcgrory a young 14 year old girl goes missing and it was you not sorry yeah i was the 14 year old girl we follow lenny james's character who also wrote it and who is for those who have seen it or are currently watching it will know he is an absolute powerhouse and it's so good

man and this script itself so we follow him throughout his journey basically trying to find his estranged daughter and there's lots of people that we see on the way it's a sort of who done it but like it's a thriller at the heart at the core of it it does London so well is it filmed in london yeah okay so i'm like so this article saying it's set in london but where is it filmed and i was like what did they film it in like westgate like well yeah you see some of the stuff i was speaking to someone last night and who i was playing football with and he was like yeah the palm is my local this where the pub that they spend their time at is local local pub is local pub real drinking real beer and getting drunk it was all real everything

was real yeah even the murder snow method the insurance was insane on it they killed like four people it was bad but the response has been amazing it's been really good you know you go on twitter and you sort of sometimes when you're looking up the hashtag of the the show is you're bit sensitive because you're like I don't want people to think it was shit but then you go on and like and it's It's been amazing, man. It's been such a cool response. And also, the amazing thing about it is that whilst you've got Lenny James and Stephen Graham

and, like, Kerry Godlyman and Saran Jones. Serran Jones, yes. Such a brilliant lead cast. Clearly, I'm including myself in that. For sure. Nice. I skyplussed it, so I'm definitely going to watch it. I mean, I have to, anyway.

Lenny was my mentor for a long time. Really? But since drama school, he's at Guildhall. So, yeah. So, was Lenny and Denzel, obviously, oh, gosh, just throwing your mentors around. Look, it's talking Black Panther Premier. You know what I mean? This is a red carpet.

What I'm going to say. I meant in a dance move, actually, accidentally. It's called the White Kanda. Could you explain it for the listeners? Well, you kind of like, oh yeah, you can't be seen it. I have to do like an audio explanation. You kind of do the... There's arms flapping.

You've got the Wakanda cross, right? Yeah, yeah. But then you've got to move it with your knees at the same time, and that's called the White Kanda because it's really white dancing. Nice. Yeah. So, quick, cross action, I think. You know, what can I say I start friends?

But it's amazing. Back row and chill with Noel Clark and Johanna James on Fubar Radio. Oh, oh. Didn't mean to put that on, but one amazing. Okay, that was my little intro that I meant to do accidentally on purpose. But to introduce Nathan Byron. Welcome. Welcome to the show.

Nathan is wearing a great shirt. Yeah, it's like 8-bit donkey cone. It's brilliant. It's beautiful. vintage, I love a little vintage fine. There's a matching bag somewhere, but I don't own it. There's some old lady somewhere who's got like the purse, the matching purse

that goes with you. Who's welcome to the show. Thanks for having it. We're going to have a chitcher about Benadorm, the TV show and the place, I guess. Yeah. Because you are in fact in the show. Yeah, man. Have you actually been to the Benadol? Oh yeah, we film it in the middle of it all. In here, in the real place? Right in the real place. So yeah. That's amazing. So I lived there for five months of a year.

Did you get it been a dorm? Yeah. Yeah, so it's like, it's wild, but I absolutely love it. Yeah. Well, so how did you get involved with the show? Because you were in the last series? I auditioned, got lucky. I think someone got it.

They dropped out, and then they were like, shit, we ain't got someone. Then I auditioned, so I got it. Yeah, so I'm a backup dancer. I know, but, but, but I've kept it. I'm a good backup dancer. Right. Do you mean? Underdog all the way.

Yeah, man, yeah. So I just noticed that the character you play is called Joey Ellis. Yes. Which is weird because I have an actor friend called Joey Ellis. Wow. Maybe it's based on him. I was thinking I was like, has he been written into Benadol?

Yeah, maybe. Maybe if he's been to Benadol and experienced it, maybe they've written him in and I'm paying him your friend. Shout out, Jailis, the real one and the character. What is your character about? What was he doing? Oh, my character, he's a bit dim, but he's got a really, really sweet heart,

and he'll do anything, and he falls in love quickly, and he wants to be a lad, but he's a useless lad, which is kind of true to my life. And yeah, he's constantly trying to impress various people, and it fails dramatically. Like, first year I ever did it, I always say this, I probably will this out too much,

but I'm still, like, paying for it. My first year I had to do a strip tease to a girl I fancied in a luminous green mankini. So it was like week one of the show. Well, a girl you fancied in the show. Yeah, in the show, in the show. Oh, this was just you not are like off-set. Oh, no, no, no, no.

Those mankini are different nights out. I have one for every night out. Okay. That was like a big scary thing. Big scary moment. Yeah, man. He's got like 200 people looking at you. Well, like in a mankini.

Yeah, there's no idea. I think that that is, as an act. or anyone really doing sort of a strip tease or something like that. So me and Carla went to drama school, they basically sat down all the girls and they were like, right, all of you we're sensing have an issue with kind of playing the femme fatel. You're all a bit scared to like embrace your sexuality and be sexy, which we were like, oh, can't we just play the goofy thing?

Yeah. And they were like, no, so we're going to force all of you. You've got to create your own burlesque character and you have to perform to the rest of the school, the teachers and all the boys, you have to do a full-on burlesque routine. Did the boys have to do a ballast? No! No, we're out, we're out. They did have to do anything.

I was like, wait, wait, wait. I was like, the boys got to do burles. I was like, if they're not doing belest, they've got to do stand-up. They've got to do something. They're like, Chippendales. Yeah, exactly. Something. Not that I would have seen any of the boys that are dressed.

What is Chippendales? What is the chippendales? It's like a, it's like a old-school magic mic. It's like greasy boys. But that's what they should have, that is only fair. What do you mean one-sided burlesque? I know. I agree with you.

We had to do that. And it was the most terror for all of us. We were shitting ourselves. Of course. But actually, the experience of doing it, I'm sure with your man, Kini afterwards, you were like,

actually, I bossed that. That was great. Yeah, I'd bossed it, but I was shook. The night before I got my girlfriend up on Skype, because she was in England, and I was stripping to her via Skype.

But she's got to practice then. Yeah, and she was just, like, it's not meant to be funny. I was like, oh shit, it is meant to be funny. It is funny. Laugh at me more, but like, yeah, it was real shit.

Free sex show. Yeah, and I'm sure there was nothing sexy about it, so pull her. Yeah, you got to have balls. Do you or do you? I guess about, yeah, who knows? Well, you don't have to. Actual balls. You don't have to, metaphorical balls.

Yes, you do. Metaphorical balls. Or the best ever, like, saying for that is having testicular fortitude. What does that mean? That means just having balls. Yeah, you got testicular fortitude. And I put that as my Twitter bio. Exactly.

Such a popular show, isn't it? So many different kinds of people. I think what's really cool about it is, is that so many TV shows are London-centric. So all the comedies played and it's very, like, subtle, and it's really, like, smooth and cool. In Belenorm, we make fart gags, and people wear mankini's. It's about, like, laughing at the things we laugh about, tripping over. Exactly. Yeah, just life, you know, in life.

Life, life stuff. I actually happened on holiday in Beledom. I'm one of those. What happens? Yeah, well, it was when I was a kid, and it was all that my kind of family could really afford. How old were you? How old were you? I think I was about nine.

We must have been friendly, it. I thought it was, like, the best thing in the world. I didn't really notice. I went to the kids club. I made a friend in the playground who spoke only Spanish, so I don't know how we had a game, but we somehow worked out a game. hand signs maybe yeah it was just like want to play this okay and then i do remember that there was a huge hurricane and we yeah and all of the windows got blown in on the hotel and we all had to go down

to the basement i thought it was the coolest thing in the fucking world i was like this is like a movie and all the parents are like having them absolute cows yeah like wow yeah because that's kind of scary that's a big deal so i remember bened dorm from being in a hurricane and making a friend i couldn't speak to that's a nice trip that's a nice memory i'm so glad i haven't had any hurricanes that would be dead i mean not do you Yes, you live there five months of a year. I mean, I must have gone in the one freak hurricane thing. Yeah, I'm really glad that that hasn't happened,

because I'll be shook. I've run away, boy. So, I've been told by little birdie producer that you do a lot of writing? Yeah, I do loads of writing. I write a lot for CBs. I've written for, like, Rastomouse and cartoons like that, which is fun.

And then I write loads of my own stuff. I've got a web series out and stuff like that. Oh, that's fun. I love writing. I adore it. Do you type write, or do you, like, write down? How do you get an idea? I wish I was poetic like that to, like, write with a.

a pen. You've got a pen. I do. I write all my life. Yeah. I'm not that poetic. No, I'm more at the laptop but I stay in my pajamas all day and write about unicorns for CBBs. It's rad. Yeah. I do love CBBs. Yeah. Can't go wrong, can you? It's just like, it's really, in this world where so much wild shit's happening, it's really important to, like, write nice things for the young people growing up. Like, I wrote for a show called Apple Tree House and we write an episode about Carnival and it's so important, like, so many negative connotations about Carnival. And I'm like, yo, do you definitely need to understand. It's a So we did an episode

Baby Carnival Baby Carnival Yeah, but like, you know They were all playing like Stil Pans And I think we got Still Pamp band in Oh yeah, used to play the Steel Pans Did you?

Yeah, I know Like, why did you stop? We did at school as well Because at school they were like What my mum was like, you can pick What you want to play I was like, I want to play the still drums You were cool

They put me on bass which was annoyed out I got the six big, big drums Oh, that's cool! And I really wanted to play the tenor Because they were the ones That got the cool little ones Yeah So I eventually got up

and I got to do like one assembly where I played I think like winter wonderland or something like so you can you could play the whole tune by the end of it I was like felt really cool and then I realized I'm never gonna use that skill so I did stop oh see I learned my parents were like oh you need to learn an instrument and I was like oh long but my dad was like if you go to these lessons I'll buy you KFC afterwards I was like bam secured it start to learn the violin which great if you're not good at playing the violin you sound like trash so for like a year I sound like trash. It was terrible. So my dad just hid it. He just hid it. Yeah. That was it. Just give you KFC to stop playing.

Yeah. And I was like, sweet. Dill done. Unless you tried. Yeah. I think I tried. Like now being an adult, wouldn't it be cool

to be good at something like that? I wish I'd continue. Yeah. Imagine if you were a still pan player. Exactly. Yeah, I don't look like I'd be able to like whip out a steel pan. Well, maybe.

That could be the intro to your show. You could have the pants here like, bum, bump, pop, pop. I should definitely do that. I'm just saying. Producers, let's buy a steel pan. and I'm going to work it out. Immediately get it in here.

And we're going to make a jingle. Yeah. And it's going to be great. I inspired that. Thank you to you. Yeah, please do. Please do. Sing it.

Back row and chill with Noel Clark and Johanna James on Foo Bar Radio. Anthony DeBrezzo. Welcome, welcome, welcome. It's really great to get you on. It's happy to be here. So what do you do in the day to day? I've started doing events.

So I put on comedy events. Before I do them in sort of like, you know, standard venues, started putting them on a party bus, which has been really, really fun. That's a really good idea. Yeah. different so basically I have live DJ on the bus and then I have two stand-up comedians performing back to back just about maybe 10 15 minutes each the main point of the part

of the night is DJ and the music it's cool because you know everyone there is really friendly we all gets on with each other yeah a lot of people have messed me saying oh you know I want to come but I don't want to go my own and I say to him look believe me everyone's friendly by the time you leave you'll have a whole bunch of best friends by the end of the night happens every single time so where did it like go where do you catch this bus so you catch the bus at Clapton Junction Station It starts there probably around about seven And then we do a sort of mini tour around like central London

So we go past like big Dan and stuff And like it's crazy Do you get to like stop off for pee breaks and stuff? Yeah well there's toilet on board Oh well that's interesting There's a tear there's a toilet on there But we do stop off like for food Yeah no cigarettes yeah

There's a nice stop off as well by the London eye So we get some really cool pictures there as well Selfie opportunities Oh yeah You're gonna have the selfie opportunity We have to do it for the ground That is reminding me of I'm just envisioning like Harry Potter

Have you seen Harry Potter? Yeah, I have, but I don't remember a bus. No, in the third one, there's a thing called the night bus, which you can hail. It's like a wizard magical bus. It's three levels. It's a triple-decker bus. Oh, wow. You know, just to say there's like expectations have been set.

So maybe I need to get another deck on that bus. It's a triple, it's like a big purple triple deck of bus. Is there a DJ on the bus? No, there isn't, but there are beds. Oh, okay. So the Phantom bus got beds, yeah. That's a late-night version. It's the overnight, right?

Yeah. What comedians have you had on there? I've had Junior Booker. I've had Filio Huff, who's an American guy. He's come up and he's a savage. He's a real savage. I've had Matt the comedian

and I've had Salman Malick. Oh yes, no, I just saw him perform. Yeah. Yeah, he crank me up. Yeah, he's pretty funny. He's pretty funny. Would you do stand up? I've started writing it.

Okay. Oh, you like me? Should we do like, should we look together? A double, yeah, when we're finally ready. But I'm in no rush. I want to make it real good. I don't want to clown around and... You want to get up after.

Yeah, I'm looking for the awards. Go big or go home. That's cool. And so you also run like a comedy Instagram. Yeah. Deprezo. Banta. Banta.

So you just basically like everything to have banter in. It's got to be banter bus. DePrezo banta. Banta bansh. Bantabot coming soon. I'm so excited. I hit my glass. That actually sounded quite cool.

Yeah. It's the banter bus. Thank you. I like it. I've made a few videos and I've put them onto YouTube. But you know what? I just can't be bothered to build up the following on YouTube as well. So I just stick with Instagram.

Yeah, stick with what you know. But Instagram, it's the fastest growing platform in the world at the moment. One billion users. No, it's amazing. I love Instagram. Back row and chill with Noel Clark and Johanna James on Foobar Radio. Oh my gosh. Right now, I'm proud, I'm humbled, I'm excited,

because right now in the studio sitting right opposite me is my man, DeWaine Henry. What's happening? What's happening? Woo! Yes. And Dwayne, for those who don't know, we know each other a long time, probably go back to 2007,

where we did West 10 LDN pilot that I wrote. And Dwayne was a star, an absolutely amazing lead he was with another lady doing well, Ashley Medequay. It's Mendequay, man. Right? And Dwayne was a star. And since then, Dwayne has been doing this thing.

He went off to America. He started various things over here. Like, let's get that clear for a start. Starting various things over here. Then he was like, I'm going to go to America. He's been doing this thing on the choir, and now he is the star, one of the stars, but I'm always going to say the star of N-C-I-S. So my man, how you doing, man? Bro, I'm good, man.

It's good to see you because, yeah, we go back, man. Like, we didn't have no scenes together, but before West 10, bro, we did do play drama together, man. That's right. Man, I'm even forgetting that, Luke times. I still speak to Luke, man. Yeah, good guy, man. So, yeah, it's been a long road, bro. So obviously, people like yourself and people like Amalameen and our man, are you actually.

I see Thomas and Arnold O'Shen, you know, it's weird to see us in this position because we've been a lot of miles, bro. There's a lot of miles, man. There's a lot of miles, and I think people don't realize that. Yeah, that's my boy, Arnold and Ash. I'm not my boys, man. Back in the day, man, yeah.

And it's beautiful to see everyone, the seeds, everyone planted 10 years ago, starting to grow now. Yeah. And there's space. Yeah. You know, there used to be, I think, an old guard, like the generation above us

or maybe a bit guarded in terms of like, no, I've got it. There's no space. Yeah, there is. Especially now. Yeah, there's more room now than ever. They've ever been, especially in the States as well, so, you know, they're feeling us right now, man. So tell me about the journey, much like myself, you aspire to be an actor from around the age of five?

Young, man, playing cops and robbers and cowboys and Indians, and I just never fell out of love with it, you know? It was something that I felt came effortless to me that sort of compassion and empathy you have as an actor, and I just sort of ran with it. And I figured to myself when I was young, young, young. If I do this and it comes effortless to me, I may never have to work a day in my life. I figured that out early on, and I think that's what the problem is a lot of young people. don't really know what they want to do so it's difficult to make a choice and walk down a certain path if you have no idea of what comes to you and I always tell young kids do what comes natural to you then you'll never have to work again so you said something there but actually is interesting when you say you never have to work a day in your life what I think you mean is actually because acting is incredibly hard work yeah what you mean is because you enjoy it yes it's not work yeah you're living your dream you're doing what you wanted to do but when you've wanted to do something so much and you love it it's not like you become a pop star you sell some records then you vex that you have to go on tour yeah it's not really about that it's like well why are you vexed this is what you wanted yeah it's like when you love something and you want to do it it's not work yeah it's a pleasure it's a pleasure

yeah I enjoy it's a pleasure you go and set and you're you're happy you're gonna have difficult days that's life that's life yeah you're gonna get a lot of nose but without those nose you won't know what yes means and how yes feels and how hold it tight and hold on to it I love that if I the shotgun I shoot it in the air in celebration you know because I know what you're saying man it's like people don't see that there's a lot of nose yeah there's a lot of hard take and let's talk about some of that so you mean you've always made brave moves and I've always going to give you that you know you've always made very brave moves at 17 because you were born where Birmingham West Midlands

West Midlands right one has been actually there's five at 17 you came down to London to the big smoke to pursue your dream I did man that's a brave move in itself thank you and how did you find that because it says I'm understanding that when you came down here it wasn't all easy like you went straight into acting you were homeless for a bit yeah I came here with a suitcase in a dream like what most young people do you know bright eyed bushy-tailed and drunk on that's it, you know, that was mainly my thing. I didn't, 17, I didn't care. I just wanted to be out of my familiar zones

where I was for many years and just wanted to be in the big city and I just loved to act and I didn't know where it could take me, but I knew the possibilities were endless, you know? The day I got here, I said I gave myself 10 years to the day. I've always said that and that was November 27, 2003 and it was a Thursday. So November 27, 2013, I booked my flight to LA and I was in LA by December 3rd.

At first you were homeless? Yeah. And you started struggling, but then what, little things started coming? Yeah, first year, just on my artist's couch, you know, for a little bit. And then after that little section, she gave me the corner of a living room, started to get bigger and bigger. He was like, you have to come old, man. You have to come out of my yard.

Yeah, you just got a little bit much. After, yeah, I got a little bed sit. And that's when it really started, you know, I got an agent and then just started to do the grind. Like what most people do, just little guests and parts here. But yeah, most majority is, you know, just homeless. And then dub plate. You know what? Yeah.

Duplate was such a blessing for me, man. It was such an experience. Star with Shishty, Chanel. Yeah, Chanel Canica, crazy girl, man. A lot of legends in that. A lot of people, like, obviously, end-dubs before they blew up, started off in that. A lot of stars, Adam Deacons were still coming up.

And it's just one of those shows where you look back and it was like, it's a part of culture, man. It's a pop culture. No matter how you look at it, you know. We had a time. It was a moment and everyone loved it at that time, especially the actions of, you decide in the ending of the show and stuff.

It was something that was never been done before. And it was interesting, because I knew Luke and we would sit down. And I mean, I'm not going to take credit for his thing. But me and Luke would sit down. and chat a lot about, oh, he's like, what do you think about this person? I'm like, yeah, bro, you should cast that person. They're coming up and blah, blah, blah, blah. And he always said to me, you need to be in the show.

And I was always like, bro, I can't be in the show. I'm an old, blah, blah, blah, blah. And he convinced me to come do that one cameo. I loved it. I loved it. You and T.J. I remember the scene like it was yesterday. And the door and the hostel with that. And he convinced me to do that one cameo.

But I was always like, yeah, man, these guys are good. That girl's good. And then, of course, West 10 LDN. Listen, bro. And that was interesting Because that show was ahead of its time I feel like the reason that show Never went to series

From the pilot Is because actually it was almost In a weird way Top Boy before Top Boy Yeah Kind of Yeah they weren't ready for it And not disrespecting that show

Because I love that show I love Ashley And I love those guys Cano and all that But West 10 was that Wasn't it? It was our community Yeah it was

It was something that And honestly You know Not to take it here But being an outsider In that show Being from Birmingham And you know

The show called West 10 With a lot of Londoners And to be like a principal The lead Well the lead He was the lead. He was the lead. If the series got made, he was the lead.

Yeah. That was just incredible, man. You know, and obviously your brainchild and menhous brother and I had writing a book, Courtier in Newland. Yeah. When I read that book, I knew it, I was like, I'm Oren. I was like, I'm Oren. I don't care.

From the first page that opened, before I even got the part, I was like, this is me. I swear to you, I was like, I'm getting this part. And you did, and you were great. And Ashley Medekway and she's gone on to great things. But I think you're right. I think that show, they weren't ready for it at the time. Because you're thinking that's 2007. They just were not ready for that show.

Powerful, powerful, very smart. You know, not to say I'm writing it because it's from the book, but it's powerful, very smart show that I think just showed our people in a positive light as well as the realness of it and they couldn't get it. They didn't know what to do with it.

They didn't know what to do with it. They didn't, hold on, there's black people smiling. Yeah, yeah. And hold on, the father's still there. Yeah. Why is the father still there? Right. This is confusing me. You know what I mean?

And they just didn't know what to do with it. Yeah. I mean, that's unfortunate. But so, fast forward, 2013, man, you go to L.A. another brave move i had to bro because it was drying up here and i figured to myself look mate you're 28 29 i don't know what's going to happen here but let me go to the states for a minute what you have to offer is kind of celebrated out there a little bit so just see what you can do you

worst cases you come back against everyone's will including my owed agents you know they were like don't go yet and all this stuff i was just like i'm out of here so yeah i'm out my plan was to go there and take a year out so i took a year out when i got there just to learn the logistics learned to drive any other side of the road you know tone up a little bit and work on the accident What did you call it? The Yardy fat, man. All that, all that, all that, all that, all that had to get. Man, I'm getting a bit of my old age. I'm getting a little bit of titty on my left peck.

It's my age, bro. It's not even a love handle, man. It's my age. It's not even a love handle. My sides are good. It's just on my firm pecks. Just on the age now, getting a bit soft on the end, like a little push-ups. A little bit.

No, it's not. I've done the push-up. The pecks there. It's a little bit of boobage on top. It's a little fat on top. You know, I was holding my baby. You tried to suck it up there. I was like, no. I was like, okay, I think I need to get some Kardashian LIPO or something up in here.

You know what? Anyway, so yeah, you're in LA? Yeah, took a year out after about a year. Well, when I first got there, I sat down with my manager now and he said, are you ready to come out and do this? Is he still your manager? Yeah, yeah. He must be dancing in the gym, man. Yeah, he asked me when I first got it. He said, are you ready? And I went, no. He went to seriously. I was like, no, I need a year.

So literally took year out, made me a year later. I didn't hardly recognize me and I said, I'm ready. First audition was a show called Shades of Blue, Jennifer Lopez. That was my first audition in the States. Long story short, I read for it, and it ended up between me and another guy. That was my first gig, and being at the top of the NBC Tower with Barry Levinson, the director, Rain Man, you know, Benny Medina, Janeo's manager, and Jalo, you know, and she's like, this is your first audition in America?

And I'm like, yeah, my first audition. And I was like, wow. Did you ask her out for a drink or something? I was shook. I would have been like, yeah, it's my first, man. You want to be my second or something, man? In her dreams. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, that's right. She looked good, though. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I didn't get the part, obviously. I wasn't, you know, lack of experience. But I just kept my head down for six to eight months And we knew I could work But it was just about finding all right gig

So I booked a pilot after that called Paradise Pictures That was set in the 40s You know, be out of a lot of Americans for it So that made me feel good Little saxophone player Didn't get picked up Cruel Intentions, the TV show Which is based on the film

Exactly Yeah, I got a part in that They dropped my character from regular to reoccurring And when we got the word it was reoccurring That's when I went up for NCIS And it was at the end of pilot season All the man them are booked Ashley Thomas

All these guys had booked 24 I still didn't have nothing I didn't have nothing, you know, homeless or there. So I remember sitting with Ashley Bashy, sorry, and then telling him... Sorry, I think we can call him Ashley now. Yeah, we can call him Mr Thomas. Mr Thomas now. He's a big boy actor in 24.

I think we can call him Ashley Thomas. I love that kid, man. I remember sitting with him just before we both had booked anything, and I was just down and out. He had to borrow me some chains for food. And I remember saying to him like, right, is this going to happen, bro? Like, man, man's nearly 30 and that. Like, what's that?

And he's like, fam, trust me. Just have faith, do your work. And literally a few months later, he got 24 and I got NCIS. So when we see each other now, like we hang out and stuff it's just that look we give each other like man of course man it's amazing yeah so it's amazing crazy man obviously this is going to have you booked for a while hope so man i'm just i still sponge no man i got a lot to learn you know we all do we all do we all do so just head down and just do the work and as i said most actors most of people in the

industry we just want to be useful and feel like we're working because ultimately we just want to work yeah an actor without work is like a broom without bristles do you know what I'm saying it's kind of useless really right you know what I mean sweeping up and you're just scraping up the floor Like, no point. That's it. That's it. So we want to be basking in bristles, my friend. Basking in bristles, man.

I love it. Listen, my friend, after all these years, I know you've been doing your thing, it's been a pleasure to see you. I've got to tell you, I'm massively proud of you. Thank you, man. Seeing you grow up.

Thank you. And watching what you've been doing on the UK and then over there, watching from afar, because I'm not even seeing you really. I think we bumped into each other about six years ago before you went. Yeah. I've not really seen you.

I'm proud of you, man. Thank you. Can I just say something about you as well? I'm sexy. I mean, you're looking at my boobs. I've heard that. I've heard that. I don't know.

You're a pillar, man. You know you're a pillar. You're a pillar in this community. And without people like you, there won't be no people like me and the next generation under us, you know. So for you to break down the doors and tear off the roof, thank you on behalf of everyone, because you've had to go through a lot as well.

I've seen you from when I was a kid, you know? Yeah, you've known. And you still look 12 years old now. So well done. Thank you very much, man. Lots of love. Back row and chill with Noel Clark and Johanna James on Fubbar Radio.