Interview with Joe Manganiello

We got the opportunity to do an interview with actor Joe Manganiello. He told us about his decision on becoming an actor and doing stunts on set. If you want to know more about his upcoming projects go ahead.

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1. You did not only act in "Out of Courage 2" but also directed this movie. Would you like to spend more time behind the camera than in front of it? Or do you try to keep the balance?

I didn't direct "Out of Courage 2"... I did just about everything else though. I wrote, acted in, and produced it. But, yes... I would like to produce movies/projects for myself in the future ala: Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt... etc.

2. You do some of your stunts on your own. Do the directors ever want to stop you from this? Why do you prefer doing the stunts on your own?

I do all of the stunts they will let me do safely. Obviously they have invested great amounts of money and time in me completing the project I am working on and no one wants to see me get hurt. I think it's also important to note that I'm not a stuntman... I'm an actor who used to be an athlete... there is a difference. My stuntman Oliver Keller was almost killed by a runaway jeep while filming "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" and had it not been for his experience and expertise... he would have been decapitated. Some of these stunts are extremely dangerous and on any given day anything can go wrong. I try to do whatever I can to help the finished product and if my doing a stunt can help make the film better then I will do what needs to be done.

3. When and why did you decide to become an actor?

I was a three sport athlete growing up, football, basketball, and volleyball and I thought that my future would have something to do with one of them but we had a TV studio in High School which was unheard of back in those days... complete with editing bays (before computer editing), teleprompters, sound mixing equipment, etc. I would borrow cameras and write and produce films and TV shows starring me and all of my friends. It was truly my first love. Then my senior year I auditioned for and got the part of Jud in "Oklahoma!" which meant that I had to give up playing volleyball (I was the team captain and a four year starter)... so I did, much to the chagrin of the coaches and colleges looking at me and from there I never looked back. The following year I got a scholarship to attend The Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama which is one of the best schools in the world for acting. I studied there for four years and the rest is history.

4. You've done comedy and drama on television. Do you prefer a genre?

I think comedy in terms of the sit-com format is harder to do. It requires a level of precision and timing that drama doesn't necessarily call for. You can be much more sloppy with drama and get away with it. In comedy there is no room for extra words, ad-libs, etc... and even though it unfortunately is becoming more and more rare... sit-com is usually performed in front of a live audience which I think even further "separates the men from the boys"... with that said... I just got to shoot a movie in which I learned rifle and handgun tactics from a Navy SEAL and knife fighting from a martial artist... so drama definitely has it's advantages too... but I think that aside from straight up sit-com... all of my performances have a little of both in them... you gotta make em laugh in order to make em cry right?

5. On "How I Met Your Mother" your character Brad was a very good friend of Marshall. Is there any chance we'll see Brad again on HIMYM or is his story told after law school is over now?

I was actually asked to shoot several episodes last year for "How I Met Your Mother" but one got pushed back due to the writers strike and another didn't work out because of my shooting schedule for "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia". But... I am pleased to announce that after several attempts already this season and last season it looks like Brad will finally be back!!! Possibly for several episodes so stay tuned to my blog on myspace for airtimes.

6. On "One Tree Hill" your character Owen was introduced very well and everyone was wondering where his story would go (with Brooke or with Rachel). But then he seemed not to fit in the storyline anymore and finally left Tree Hill. Do you know why this happened?

Yes, once again it's because of how busy my schedule has been lately. My "One Tree Hill" contract expired during the writers strike and before they had time to renew it I was offered the starring role in FOX's feature film "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia". We tried to work out my schedule so I could shoot more episodes of OTH around my shooting schedule in Puerto Rico for BEL:C but FOX wouldn't allow for it... so, it's taken until now to get Owen back to Tree Hill.

7. If you could choose two other characters from "One Tree Hill" to have their own spin-off with your character Owen, who would it be? And why would you choose them?

My spin off would be called "Tree Hill Vice," in which Owen and Quentin (Robbie Jones) would be partners hell bent on cleaning up Tree Hill's drug and gang infested streets... and Brooke could play Owen's "on again, off again, separated, and fed up with his lifestyle, but still loves him like crazy, wife." ...and we'd definitely have to work Jamie (Jackson Brundage) in their somewhere cause he's seriously the cutest kid in the world.

8. As you wrote on your blog on mySpace Owen will be back this season. Can you give us some scoop about what is coming up next on "One Tree Hill"?

I really can't say anything right now except that as anyone who has been following the "Browen" storyline knows... Owen's got some big time apologizing to do... oh, and Owen's last name is revealed... so that's pretty cool...

9. Do you have any new projects you can tell us about?

Yes, along with continuing to recur on "One Tree Hill" and possibly returning to "How I Met Your Mother" this season, I will also be recurring as Stu on the FOX sit-com "'til Death" starring Brad Garrett and Joely Fisher. So, once again be sure to check my MySpace blog for the dates and times... AND my Navy SEAL movie "Behind Enemy Lines: Colombia" will be out on DVD on January 6, 2009 so be sure to check it out!

10. Since myFanbase is an online magazine about TV series, do you have a favorite one?

Other than the ones that I act on... I LOVE "DEXTER"!!! I watch "Lost" every week... I like "Entourage", I loved "Rome" when it was on... and my guilty pleasure I have to admit is... "Survivor" although the last two seasons have really pissed me off... I hate it when the lazy people gang up on and vote out the strong people...it makes me nuts!

Annika Leichner - myFanbase