September 22, 2008
Kari from Norway writes:
Hey handsome! I was just wondering...purely hypothetically of course...Could you ever fall for a cute 26 year old librarian from Norway? Hahaha.
And do you have any favorite restaurants and bars in Los Angeles? I was there last summer and fell in love with Hotel Café and Largo. What places do you reccomend?
Of course I could fall for a cute 26 year-old from Norway and ESPECIALLY if she’s a librarian. I am an equal opportunity employer when it comes to dating cute librarians!
Largo and Hotel Café are great places to hear music and two of my favorites. I also like the Catalina Bar & Grill for Jazz. (http://www.catalinajazzclub.com/) For food I have so many favorites but here’s a few - for sushi: Asanebo (http://www.yelp.com/biz/asanebo-studio-city) for Italian: Terroni (http://www.yelp.com/biz/terroni-los-angeles) for Korean BBQ: Soot Bull Jeep (http://www.yelp.com/biz/soot-bull-jeep-los-angeles). Mmmmmm. Now I’m hungry.
Maybe I’ll see you at one of these places but remember to wear your glasses and your hair in a bun so I’ll recognize you. Grrrrrrrrrr!
Emily writes:
Scott!
First off, I would just like to say that you were absolutely amazing on Queer as Folk, and I can't wait to see you and Peter Paige in Ping Pong Playa!
Now, I have two questions:
The first one being: Do you ever get annoyed when people always bring up questions and/or comments for you about QaF - would you rather people know you for other works that you did that you might've enjoyed doing more?
My second question is: If you can remember, what do you think one (or some) of your favorite songs from QaF were?
Well, thanks Emily. I hope you’ve had a chance to see PPP by now and that it gave you some good giggles. I am more than happy to have people talk to me about QAF and am not annoyed at all. I realize that, to date, it’s the work I’ve done that’s had the greatest impact on people all over the world and I am very proud of the work I did on the show. When something bigger comes along to eclipse my work on the show I STILL don’t think I’ll mind talking about QAF because I know how much the show means to so many people. I am honored to have been a part of it. As far as my favorite songs from the show, the #1 is “Proud” from the first season (It so completely encapsulates the show for me) and a close follow up would be “Where Do I Begin” by the Chemical Brothers (w/Beth Orton). It’s the song that was playing under the scene where “Ted” checks himself into rehab. Still makes me tingle when I hear it.
Colleen writes:
Scott!
Just saw the QAF reunion luncheon, and I was thrilled to learn that you and Peter came up with the idea of the Ted/Emmett pairing, which became one of my favorite partnerships on the show. Props to both of you! I wish they would have ended up together, but then I have a LONG post-finale wish list, which is a subject for another day. You and Peter are fine actors and would have made us believe the love story no matter what, but your friendship added yet another layer to the scenes. Blake and Ted made a very hot couple, as did Emmett and Drew, but Ted and Emmett were quite the dynamic duo.
P.S. Good to see you on Criminal Minds.
Thanks, Colleen. I know many people were disappointed in “Ted” and “Emmett” not ending up together and who knows ... now that they’re talking about spinning off “The ‘L’ Word” maybe Showtime will bring back “Temmet!”
Nicole writes:
Hi Scott! First of all I wanted to express my deepest thanks to you for your work on Queer as Folk. I'm a young straight woman who has been on the coming out journey with many gay friends and I can honestly say that the show has been a crucial part of helping many people very dear to me (and maybe myself a little bit too) learn to love themselves.
I'm currently studying acting at NYU and am having enough of a hard time trying to figure out who the hell I am let alone trying to join myself together with some character. I was wondering if you had any advice for a young actor that you wish you had known when you were still in the midst of training.
Another thing I'm curious about is many times when I see members of the cast giving interviews, the actor will comment on the experience of watching the show and on how hard it is to "watch their character go through that" or how they "love watching their character in this scene". It seems a little odd to me, almost like you're not commenting on yourself but are commenting on the work of another actor. I was wondering if you could comment on that.
Thank you!
Thanks so much for your kind words, Nicole. It really gladdens me to hear that the show still impacts people’s lives in such a positive way. As far as advice to give you, I’d have to say it sounds like you’re well on your way to figuring out a big part of it. Being able to know who you are and bring that into your work is HUGE. The “Nicole-ness” you will bring to each character you portray will be what makes your “Ophelia” so different from every other “Ophelia” out there. Figuring out who you are is an ever-changing, life-long thing and what’s wonderful about that is that means your acting will constantly evolve as well. So keep exploring. The only other thing I wish someone had told me was how, in the end, there are so many things beyond your control that go into casting decisions (your ears are too big, the person they’ve already cast is younger than you so you’re now too old, etc.). So the only thing you can do is go into an audition and do the best job you can and then ... walk away. Don’t take an of it personally. Easier said than done, but SO helpful to know.
As far as separating yourself from what the character is going through, that was something I know I had to learn (and struggled with) through the 5 years of QAF. When you’re filming a series and spending up to 18 hours a day “living” the life of that character it’s easy to lose yourself in him. So when the day is done and the filming is done you need to remind yourself that all that happened to the character and not you. So even in watching it (if your work is good and true) you see only the character and not yourself. Not sure if that sounds like anything other than actory mumbo-jumbo to anyone who hasn’t experienced it but trust me, it just happens.
Catherine writes:
Hola Scott!
My name is Catherine and I am from beautiful España (Spain), but I have been living in Texas for the past four years for university...my Texas roommates all loved QAF when I first met them and they tried to get me into it, but I never really had the time for TV while in college…until recently. Last spring, when we were all about to graduate and go our separate ways , I started watching it b/c we would have QAF watching parties and I now love it as much as they do! I really like your character Ted b/c there were certain things about Ted that reminded me of my older brother. One thing, for example, is he had a similar experience with drugs; it was such a hard time, but fortunately he has been sober for 4 years and is doing great in NYC! (I am about to move out there as well..even though I LOVE Texas..I hope I can handle the wintertime there!). Anyways, we (my roomies and I) were all just wondering if there is any hope for a QAF movie!! We think that would be AWESOME! On the big screen it could reach even more people! What % possibility would you say there is for a QAF movie? What are the possible obstacles that would stop something like that from happening? I honestly can’t think of any reasons why not to do one! Also, if there is a QAF movie you better be in it!!! I would not like a new Ted..lol.
Also, Do you do everything on your website yourself?
I hope to see you in more stuff; you are a great actor!! Muahhh
~Catherine
PS: Sorry if this has mistakes I am in a hurry!!!
Well, you make far fewer mistakes in a hurry than I do at a pokey pace. Thank you so much for sharing your story with me Catherine. I sure hope your brother continues to thrive and that you can adjust to wintertime. After 33 years of winter I dropped out and headed for the sun!
I know a lot of people would like to see a QAF movie and while I have learned never to say never I would put the % of it actually happening down in the 20’s. The big obstacle is that a number of the key cast members have really and fully moved on from the show and would have 0% interest in doing a film. Perhaps if a gigantic “you could live on it for the rest of your life” payday was involved they might be persuaded but given that QAF never reached the status of, say, “Sex and the City” in terms of popularity I just don’t think that’s going to happen. I’m sorry to disappoint you and all the fans who would like to see it happen.
As far as the inner workings here at ScottLowell.com the reins have indeed recently been handed over from the inimitable Annie Taylor (who first started the site) to a whole team of hardworking internet elves here in LA but as they are a rowdy, drunken lot I do have to keep a stern eye on them and oversee things quite a bit.
Bob from Pittsburgh writes:
Scott,
I know you must get asked this question over and over, but I'm curious. QAF had an incredibly talented cast, but I think that you were one of the best actors on the show. How has the fact that you so successfully portrayed a gay character on the show affected the publics perception of you in other roles, as well as in your personal life? Has it presented many problems for you?
As a gay man myself, I would like to thank you so much for your support of the gay community through so many of your endeavors.
I wish you continued success in your professional, as well as your personal life.
You are obviously a man of incredible taste, Bob! Playing a gay man on the first dramatic television show for five years obviously causes some false perceptions but I wouldn’t call an of them problems. When people have assumed that I myself am gay I gently correct them if necessary or not. Unless it affects me finding the romantic partner I desire it doesn’t really matter to me in my personal life. Professionally I made an effort after the show stopped filming to stay away from portraying gay characters only to avoid any pigeonholing and my own sense of “been there done that” in exploring a character. So there has definitely been a “transition” period since finishing work on QAF but not all of that had to do with “Ted” being gay.
Jon writes:
Hey Scott,
My names Jon Albert. I am a 33 yo. I wanted to thank you for being such an inspiration to me. I just got finished watching all 83 episodes of QAF in the last three weeks. I love it and wish it never ended. I understand all good things must come to an end. I hope you guys do a reunion show. My question to you is how were you and all the others able to play gay guys and be able to perform what looked like real gay sex. was it weird for you? Whats the secret or trick to doing it? Do you feel it has helped your career? Do you still talk to the gang? But for the record I think you and the rest of the cast are wonderful. Thank you soo much. One more thing anything in the works. I would like to see other works from you. and will check out your New movie in September.
Man, you are some kind of hard-core QAF addict. All five seasons in three weeks? I hope you found time to shower in there somewhere ‘cause you must feel all sorts of dirty. After watching all of those episodes front to back (pun intended) I’m surprised you missed one of the basic points to the show. Sex is sex and love is love. So there’s no real trick to heteros playing homos or vice versa. In any acting project sometimes you have to act a love scene with someone of your normal sexual proclivity who you’re just not attracted to. As an actor you just make the “switch” - find something beautiful in your scene partner and play it. You’re not ACTUALLY having sex and the environment on set is generally the least sexy vibe you’ll ever encounter. So it all just requires good acting. That’s it. NO magic involved.
I do indeed still talk to the majority of the gang and we get together as often as possible. They are my family from a very important stage of my life and I hope to never have them leave it.
Check the “News and Updates” section of the home page for upcoming projects. Thanks for all your support, Jon.
Peace!
Scott