NOCC: Louis Gossett, Jr. Q&A Company: Wizard World Product: Louis Gossett, Jr. Q&A Louis Gossett, Jr., best known among this crowd for his role in Enemy Mine, is an entertainer whose career spans some 60 years. Louis talked about how happy he was to return to New Orleans and how pleased he was with New Orleans pulling up its bootstraps and coming back. He talked about his role as a mentor, having been offered several university positions and how important mentoring the younger generation has been to him. He, himself, comes from the time of the Depression, so he understands what it is like when a country like America faces economic crisis, but in his time, the people pulled together to make sure everyone's needs were taken care of and that is what this generation needs today. Louis was asked if he has any advice for people in this day and age, facing economic depression. He stated that he has learned to redefine what the good times are. He said that good times aren't about the exterior, but rather the interior; they involve the growth of the spirit, replacing fear with faith because fear is a killer. But faith is at its strongest when things are at their hardest. He says it's less about show business and more about the art of acting and it's all about longevity for him. With a 60+ year career, he knows what he is talking about. He talked about his grandmother who was a former slave who taught him the value of having a good work ethic. She was not mistreated in her role, because she was the best she could be in her job. He applies this attitude to acting and strives to be the best. Louis spoke about his belief in God and the messages that He is sending to us through the planet. Extreme weather conditions could be telling us to take care of the planet we live on. He discussed the need for clean oceans and healthy food for our children and he states he's learned that it's not what you get but what you give. He discussed a center for children that recently opened in Los Angeles where children will be taught the ideals that he learned in the old days. Hygiene, behavior, all of the things learned back in the "hard times" that seem to have slipped by the wayside these days. He was asked if he was frustrated by the selfishness of young Hollywood and he said he prays that they see the light, but he's not frustrated by them. He talked about current films like The Fighter and The King's Speech that he was happy to see come to the big screen and he mentioned films he would like to see come out on topics such as stories about black cowboys and American soldiers. He wants to be able to point to films like these when his children and grandchildren ask about the contributions of African Americans. Lou was asked what one role impacted him the most and he responded that there had been several, actually. The role of Fiddler in Roots broke the mold for television and of course, An Officer and a Gentleman. He also did a movie called A Gathering of Old Men and played Anwar Sadat in the film Sadat. Naturally, Enemy Mine had a big impact as well. He talked about his role as Jerry and all of the difficulties in getting into costume for that role. His face was covered, his eyes would bleed because of the two sets of contacts and no one wanted to date him because he looked so terrible with his puffy eyes. The makeup took 5 hours to put it on and 3 hours to remove it, but the story was so good it was worth it. He relayed a funny story where someone on set had a skin problem and the doctor that was called was a young woman fresh out of school. He came out of his trailer in full Enemy Mine saying he was the one with the skin problem and she immediately bolted. He was asked about the transformation of black actors from the time that he began acting to what they have become today and Lou said we have Denzel Washington to thank for that. He's a fan of Will Smith and Eddie Murphy, Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Don Cheadle, Terrence Howard and so many black actors that have gained prominence and become so successful. One fan asked Lou if it was difficult writing a book on his life story and he shared that it was very hard. His ghost writer would surprise him by calling him late at night to spring questions on him. Prior to writing the book and getting everything out on paper, he felt like he had a lot of things bottled up inside, but once he was able to share his feelings, he felt a load lifted. He was sick from toxic mold from his house and he had cancer and since then, he was able to beat cancer and rid himself of high blood pressure and he attributes his change to the cathartic effect of writing the book. He was asked about the Hollywood attitude and whether he thought New Orleans would adopt that with all of the film industry coming here. Lou shared that he hoped New Orleans would keep its own attitude and he mentioned other states like Georgia who have also had a growth spurt in the film industry. He also stated that although his next film comes out very soon, he couldn't wait to film again in New Orleans. His faith-based movie coming to the big screen is called The Grace Card opening 2/12/11 in churches and theaters everywhere and is the story of two policeman. He also discussed The Lamp, which is a story about a messenger from God. Another fan asked about his vast array of co-stars and which ones were the most influential. He said the best was Sidney Poitier. He's worked with Jimmy Woods, but he's nuts and Chuck Norris, who hits too hard and Dennis Quaid was alright too. James "Blue Cheese" Belushi was fun to work with and they challenged one another. He loved working with actresses such as Cicely Tyson, Beverly Todd, Gena Rowlands, Maggie Smith, Bonnie Bedelia and Lynette McKey. He feels very fortunate to have worked with such great actors and actresses, of which the list goes on and on. Lou was asked if there was anyone he hasn't yet worked with that he would like to and he immediately said Meryl Streep and then followed up with Helen Mirren and Cate Blanchett. He relayed stories about working as a black cowboy in Africa and feeling like he was freezing to death and he talked about how much he enjoyed working with Dolph Lundgren. He was asked what country he considered the hardest to live and he immediately answered Iceland, but when asked what country was his favorite, he answered hands-down South Africa a place getting better by the day. But naturally, New Orleans is his favorite town. -Psibabe, GameVortex Communications AKA Ashley Perkins