A few of weeks ago, Justice announced to the Twitter-verse:
Last night, I got his answers to my questions in my Inbox.
Here's a little background: after we started talking about Justice recently, I decided to contact him and ask if he'd mind doing a Q&A for us. I think he was a bit surprised to hear from me, but he was incredibly gracious in his response. We conducted our interview by email, and even though it took him a bit longer to answer than he anticipated, his thoughtful responses were well worth waiting for. He even surprised me by sending along some amazing, behind-the-scenes photos that were taken of him by writer Jill Blotevogel.
What follows, I think, is a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective that we don't often get to see in regard to our favorite show, and a lovely first meeting with a wonderful actor and delightful individual.
Justice, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions and talk with us about your work.
As I told you before, I am a moderator on the Moonlightaholics fan forum, which is devoted to appreciation of the TV show Moonlight and of the people who brought the show to life. Most of us "met" you through the character of Ray Fordham, Mick St. John's best friend, in the episode "What's Left Behind." Although most of the guest stars on Moonlight were either villains or victims of the week, Ray was different. He was part of Mick's history. I hope it's gratifying to you to know that Ray Fordham touched the hearts of many Moonlight fans.
Absolutely. I think it’s every actor’s desire to have people connect to the characters they bring to life. From a job standpoint, it means that we’ve accomplished what we were hired to do. Bring the words on the page to life in a way that communicates the story its creator intended.
From a personal standpoint, it sort of equates to us being accepted as human beings. While the character is never “us” exactly, it is certainly an extension of our own hearts and personalities. So acceptance of our character is in some ways an acceptance of who we are as people. Which, for a guy like me who was picked last for Kick-ball in Elementary School, is huge.
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Ray was a wonderful character -- so down to earth and real -- and he grounded Mick and gave us insight into the man Mick was before he became a vampire. Mick's relationship with Ray informed us as to his sense of honor and loyalty. It was a true friendship -- and the way you portrayed that left no doubt that these two had grown up together and probably had many adventures together before they ever went off to war.
Yes, I think we all had hoped there would be more opportunities to explore the relationship between Mick and Ray had the series continued a second season. It seemed like that friendship in particular had helped shape Mick’s current relationships in a meaningful way. Just look at the closing moment of the show when Mick finds out that child was indeed Ray’s after all. You can tell he was deeply moved and legitimately happy for his old friend. -----
In 2008, the year you did Moonlight, you were also cast in guest-starring roles on Women's Murder Club and Cold Case. That was a busy year! Do you remember much about your time on Moonlight, or is it all a blur now?
2008…ahhh yes. That was a great year! I booked those jobs back to back to back then got as far as a screen-test for “Lie To Me” at Fox all following the end of the Writer’s Strike. So to say it was a blur would be an understatement! But I do and will always remember MOONLIGHT because it was the first job I booked after moving to LA. It was one of those moments I just knew I had the job after the callback with the Producers and Director, Chris Fisher. After I passed the other actors still waiting to audition, I remember leaping up into the air and doing a Tom-Cruise-fist-pump as I walked through the gates of Warner Brothers. It was glorious.
It was at the table read I met the full cast and recall Alex O’Loughlin looking across the room and saying, “There’s my buddy, Ray!” He was fantastic, start to finish. Still being new to town, Alex was a great source of encouragement and loved telling a good joke to loosen you up.
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Were you familiar with Moonlight when you were cast as Ray? What did you think of the concept of the show?
I had just moved to LA a few months earlier and had only recently moved in to my own place. Prior to that, I was literally “couch-surfing” at friends’ places all over town. So needless to say there was not a lot of TV watching at all that first year! I had certainly heard great things about MOONLIGHT, but had not actually seen an episode prior to booking the role. I loved the concept, because it was a twist on the tried and true cop show. Unfortunately it was just another freshman series casualty of the Writer’s Strike.-----
The episode, "What's Left Behind," had, at its core, a tale of brotherhood, loyalty, loss, guilt and ultimately love. The story of Ray, Mick and Lilah could have been a pretty powerful 2-hour movie in and of itself. It's a shame there wasn't more time in the episode to explore the history of the friendship between Ray and Mick. As you were preparing for the role, did you have any thoughts about Mick and Ray as boyhood friends, and about Ray's earlier relationship with Lilah? Did you have the opportunity to talk about the characters' pasts with the other actors, or with Jill Blotevogel, who wrote the episode?
The story was indeed complex for an hour-long episode. But what a great story, huh? Jill Blotevogel was a wealth of information on and off set, but I seem to remember even her questioning whether or not she had written more than was possible to flesh out in under an hour. In the days that followed the end of the strike, there was a mad dash here in Hollywood to tie up the seasons of the shows still remaining on air. So the final three episodes of MOONLIGHT as well as WOMEN’S MURDER CLUB for that matter, were turned around very very quickly.
I don’t think I even received the full script until the day before we began shooting. Given the nature of the show, the audition material was kept top secret. They changed the names of characters and written slightly different material so as not to let details of the episode leak to the public. So obviously, I had very little time to prior to shooting to delve into their past that is not specifically talked about in the episode.
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You shot your scenes on the Warner Bros. Studio backlot, most of them in "The Jungle," which doubled for the forests of WWII Italy. They created a war zone there, complete with bullet hits and explosions when the unit came under fire. I know that a lot of what we saw was enhanced in the editing process, but were there any special challenges with shooting in those conditions? Did it take a lot of choreography to get the timing and blocking just right? Were you under more pressure to get it right the first time? Any anecdotes you can share with us about your experiences in shooting the episode, working with the other actors and behind-the-scenes people?
Believe it or not, besides Audio FX, I don’t believe post-production visual enhancements were added to the attack scenes. There were live explosions happening all around us. It was a funny story actually. Minutes before we were to begin filming the big explosion that nearly kills my character, Ray, the Special Effects Coordinator gathered the entire cast and crew around to go over what was about to happen. I remember him warning everyone to stay far away from the area of the road that had just been set with live ammunition. Moments later the director came over to me and talked through what my blocking was to be, which just so happened to be mere INCHES from the explosion!!! I was like, “I’m pretty sure that guy just told everyone NOT to get close to that spot.” He said, well, we have a stunt guy ready to do this, but we’d prefer to have you since we will basically get only one shot at this.
Not wanting to back down from a challenge, I chose to suck it up and go for it. It couldn’t be too dangerous, right?
Well, action is called and I step on my spot right next to that explosion and hurl myself into the air and fall to the ground. Ouch. As I laid there, I kept saying to myself, “Don’t move, Don’t move. You’ll ruin the shot.” Thankfully I only managed to bruise my hip and strain my wrist as I attempted to catch my fall on the hard ground. It was only later I realized they had given the stunt guys rubber guns and “softened” the ground where they were hitting the deck around me. But we got the shot…in one take…and I learned a valuable lesson. If they have a stunt guy for you, take it.
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The original script for "What's Left Behind" had one final flashback with Mick heading down the street toward Lilah's house carrying a bouquet of flowers, his voiceover declaring that he was in love with her, when suddenly he sees an Army vehicle parked on the street. Ray is being helped into a wheelchair, and Lilah comes running out and throws her arms around him. It would have been so moving to see that flashback when the episode aired. Did you film that scene, or was it cut from the script before it was ever shot?
Wow, you really did your research! Not many people knew about that. Yes, we did in fact shoot that scene and it was very moving. I was able to see an early edit with the writer before the show aired. I believe we were actually watching the edit when Jill received word that, among other cuts and changes the network would be making, they were cutting the reunion scene. They were afraid that people may find it too emotionally draining and lose the audience altogether.
I could not have disagreed more. But the network has the final say. I actually felt more for Jill than for myself that so much had been altered. While the episode was really good, I believe it could have been great had they stayed true to her initial vision.
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Have you watched your Moonlight episode since it aired? In general, do you like to watch your work, or do you prefer not to?
I actually downloaded it on iTunes to prep for this interview. I think I’ll get back a penny of that for my residuals. Party!Prior to that, I don’t think I had seen it since 2008. Even though I had not caught it myself, periodically a random email from a friend or family member who happened to be channel surfing would see a re-run on cable.
That, by the way, is both the good and the bad about working in Film and Television. Your work lives on long after you, so hopefully you are happy with your performance! Either way, people are gonna be seeing it. Ha ha ha!
Although I feel I’ve grown as a lot as an actor since ’08, in the case of MOONLIGHT, I happen to be pretty pleased with my work. That tends never to be the case when I first see a performance however. I think there are two good reasons for that. One: actors are inherently self-conscious and neurotic people. Two: we rarely have the opportunity to see footage during the shoot, so the first time we see ourselves giving the performance it seems never to meet our expectation of what we imagined it to be. For better or worse, inevitably it will be different.
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Are you in touch with any of the people you worked with on the show?
The writer, Jill Blotevogel, is the only one I’ve actually kept in touch with since the filming of our episode. Although it is fun to run into actors on other sets who were featured in the series at some point. That has happened a couple of times.-----
Thank you very much for answering so many Moonlight-centered questions. We'd love to know more about you, your history as an actor, and your other work. To begin, you have a very interesting name. I read on your website that your dad made a promise to himself to name his children Liberty and Justice when he was fighting in Vietnam. Did you like having such a distinctive name growing up, or would you have preferred to be named "Joe" or "Brian"?
What about now, as an adult? Do you think your unique name is a help or a hindrance to your career? Or do you think it makes much of a difference? As a kid, I hated it. The last thing you want to be is different growing up. Plus I happened to be painfully shy. Without fail, every time someone found out my name they made a big deal of it. So even if people made the mistake of calling me Justin, I rarely corrected them. I much preferred having the safety of a normal sounding name. During my audition for “The Great Debaters”, however, Denzel Washington made that mistake but I actually corrected him. I had developed a fairly healthy ego since those tough playground days and since realized that my unique moniker could be an asset as an actor. Denzel ended up laughing at the whole thing and shared his own story about being “cursed” with an uncommon name. He said he was teased all the time by other kids growing up. He certainly had the last laugh there!
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You kind of stumbled into acting while in college, right? You were helping a friend run lines, and ended up with a leading role in The Crucible. That's quite a story. And I have to ask: did your friend get a part as well?
I am happy to report… she did! After chatting with her in the lobby, I discovered she was new to Auburn and didn’t know a soul. So I offered to read with her and the rest is history. I was cast as the Reverend John Hale and she as an understudy for the role of Tituba.
I had been taking Theatre classes but had never performed because my job required me to work at night during the week. Since I wouldn’t be able to rehearse and acting wasn’t my focus, I never had auditioned.
It was a Sunday night while waiting for a classmate to audition, I struck up a conversation with the girl who would unintentionally change the trajectory of my life. I was thrilled one night during the run when she got the opportunity to take over the role for the actress who’d gotten sick. I pulled her downstage with me during my curtain call as a way of saying “thanks.”
Now you’ve gotten me thinking…what’s she doing now?! I wish I could remember her name…
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You grew up in the South. Did you suffer from culture shock when you moved to Los Angeles?
Not really. I had lived in Atlanta, Georgia for a couple of years after college. I mean it’s no Los Angeles, but it’s a pretty big city. I probably would’ve stayed there if I had chosen any other career. It’s a great city. But I’ve always kind of been a “city boy.” Don’t get me wrong, I love the sleepy pace of small town southern life when I go back to visit my family, but I need the hustle and bustle of a city. I need good concert options and access to rollercoasters. -----
Other than acting, what career would you choose?
Easy. Anything with music. I’m one of those who LOVES music! All kinds, virtually any genre. While I played the Trumpet and Euphonium in the band through grade school, it wasn’t until I became Drum Major (some people call it, Field Conductor) my senior year in High School that I fell head over heels in love with the movement and creation of music.
When you are standing up there conducting, to me it’s like flying. Such an unbelievable rush, so powerful. And just really fun.
So if I could do anything else I’d be a conductor and composer. But I still don’t rule them out as a viable options. In fact I’ve been exploring my passion for music these days by taking guitar lessons. Yep. I’m gonna be that annoying guy at parties who brings his six-string and plays “Body is a Wonderland.”
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You started out working behind the scenes in the theatre department in college. Have you ever thought about screenwriting or directing at some point in the future?
Well when I first began my interest in films at the end of High School, I thought I would become a Director. Not really knowing anything about how a movie was actually made, I figured, “Hey, I’ll be a Director!” So when I started taking acting classes at Auburn, it was with the intention of learning how to act in order to direct. I quickly realized I would not be able to do it, at least initially. It turned out, I had a knack for acting. But being able to communicate that to another human being, is different skill altogether. I could tell when something wasn’t working, but I didn’t know why it wasn’t and my only direction would have been, “Hey, do it like this.” or, “Just say it like this.” Not great direction.
Almost ten years later, I think I’ve developed a pretty good vocabulary that would serve me well in Directing a project. I’ve had some great training here in L.A. with Lesly Kahn (an acting genius), among others, and have even begun coaching other actors. When I’m able to help another actor better execute the material or book the job, it is almost as thrilling as doing it myself. So while, I wouldn’t have dreamed of subjecting actors to my directing several years ago, I’m inching ever closer to branching out someday.
As for screenwriting, if you are an actor in this town, you had better be a writer too! Sure, you can wait for someone else to write the perfect role for you and the planets align so that you not only book the part but the project actually makes it on air…or you could make it happen for yourself.
That being said, I’ve started to take my advice and develop my own projects. Some that would be a vehicle for my acting career, of course, but others that are stories I’m passionate about telling.
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You've done quite a few roles on TV, appeared in the movie The Great Debaters, and have also done live theatre. What do you enjoy about each of these forms of acting, and what do you dislike? Do you have a preference?
I believe any actor who’s had an opportunity to work in live theatre will tell you that that is where the fun truly is. Several reasons. One, because we as actors love to FEEL like we are acting. And given the presentational nature of theatre, it allows us that slight degree of heightened reality so we can get away with “acting” hard enough we can feel it. It’s true. When working in TV and Film, the process tends to be very technical. I thought Tina Fey really summed it up best in her book “Bossypants.”And the camera catches E-VE-RY-THING. There’s no need to “show” or “present” like you do for stage. So often times it can feel to us as actors that we’re not “doing” anything at all. (And some of them sadly are not) So therefore, less satisfying. Plus you are doing scenes out of sequence, in fits and starts, and you miss out on the relationship with the audience. Months or years down the road when the show airs or the movie is released YOU will be the audience too. Which can be cool, but nothing compares to the dance you share when performing before a live audience. That’s why I think Multi-Camera Sitcoms (Cheers, Friends, Big Bang Theory) where you have a live studio audience, is the best of both worlds. And why I dying to do one!“Film Acting is…mostly about not standing in other people’s light, and remembering what hand you had your papers in. When you do your ‘off-camera’ lines for someone, you try to put your head real close to the camera. That’s about it. You’re a trained film actor now”
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What are you up to these days? Do you have any projects in the works? Is there any truth to the rumor that you're going to be the next big rap star -- Just~[ICE]? What up with that?
Well, yes. I’ve sort of already eluded to my goings on, but in between auditions, my time is filled with music and writing. Both incredibly satisfying. While it’s a little early to talk about the shows I’m developing, I can tell you about my newly discovered passion rap. Now, it’s not a new appreciation for the genre. I’ve always loved it! Growing up in the Alabama and living in Atlanta, I was exposed to the BEST rap music in the world! I mean come on, Ludacris, Jermaine Dupri, OutKast?!?! Amazing.
So fast forward to 2011 and friend of mine, Ellen Wroe (Final Destination 5), had an idea to make a music video parody much like Andy Samberg and Justin Timberlake do for SNL. She pitched me the concept about “Gatorade”, we tossed around some lyrics and before you knew it we were in a recording studio making it a reality.
The response has been so positive and I had so much fun creating lyrics and mixing beats, that I’ve since come up with three more songs! I’m really happy with the music video that I can’t wait to shoot the next one! And here’s a little scoop...it involves Just-[ICE] breaking it down on a football field with a marching band. Can you guess where I came up with that inspiration? Ha ha ha!
Until then, checkout “The Gatorade Rap” to whet your appetite. http://youtu.be/6Cyi3JnJVPo
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Justice, thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. You may not know this, but Moonlight fans are incredibly loyal. We'll be looking forward to seeing you in whatever venture comes next. Please keep us posted.
MOONLIGHT fans are the best. Thank you so much for having me. It was an honor to visit with you guys! Find me on Twitter, I’ll keep you updated on the latest in my music career. Ha ha ha!Here are the photos Justice sent along...
This is the setup for the group shot of Mick and Ray's army unit.
Listening intently as they prepare for the scene.
Could this be Justice having second thoughts about standing so close to those explosives?
Here we see the troops scattering as they come under fire. That's director Chris Fisher standing in the middle with the tie around his head.
Justice, Jill Blotevogel and Alex
Best buddies: Ray and Mick
(We kindly ask that these photos not be posted elsewhere.)
It's not enough to be talented in Hollywood these days. Creativity and innovation are the keys to getting noticed. Actors need to make their own opportunities and create their own successes rather than waiting for that "big break."
Please show your support for Justice by watching and "like"-ing his video and by following him on Twitter: @JusticeLeak
Lilly! Great interview and pics. 
Hey, Justice, good luck with your future plans. Any friend of Mick's is a friend of mine.. 
I almost choked watching the Gatorade Rap, and I can hardly wait to see what he comes up with next! 
Or maybe a somewhat wrinkled one that Mick had tucked away that he couldn't ever bring himself to look at.