Andrew Levitas...Joins the Party of Five
An inteview by Chaunce Hayden for Steppin' Out Magazine

CH: Congratulations on landing a role on Party of Five!
AL: Thanks!

Have you followed the show at all?
Actually, I'm not a big television watcher in the first place.  For me, the only time I've really watched TV is sports or when I pop something in the VCR.

Wasn't it difficult being on a show that you weren't familar with?
Not really.  The truth is, my character didn't know any of them anyway.  So it kind of worked out nicely.  I'm not really supposed to know anything.

Any young actor in Hollywood would kill to get a part of "Party of Five".  How did it happen for you?
I don't really know. [Laughs]  I just went in and I read for the part and they liked me.

It's that easy?
Pretty much.  I think that acting is really about confidence and preparation.  It's all about being ready to go and being loose.   I don't know if acting is necessarily like that but auditioning certainly is.

How old were you when you started acting?
I didn't start acting professionally until I was 17.

Did you go into it seriously or whatever happens happens?
I was in Business School in New York City majoring in finance.   I didn't take acting seriously at all in high school or college.  I took acting classes just because I loved acting.  I thought it was a fun thing to do.  To be honest, I only took acting classes because I thought it would help me in the business world.

How so?
I thought acting would help me feel comfortable dealing with people.  I thought it would be a confidence builder.  So since I was taking acting classes I figured I might as well start auditioning because it would be great if I actually got to do that for a living.   So I went on two or three auditions and ended up booking a recurring role on "As The World Turns".

You make it sound so easy.
The trick is not to care.  That sounds terrible but it's true.  

Well, you've gotta know that the odds of making onto a hit television series are one in a million.
That's what they tell me.

At what point did you start thinking you could make a living at acting?
During "As The World Turns" I was still in school.  So I was doing double duty, studying finance in my dressing room.

So you still weren't convinced you had made it as an actor?
Not even close.  I mean, I was hooked, no doubt.  I just didn't know if I would be able to live the kind of life I wanted to live as an actor.  I didn't want to come to L.A. and be a struggling actor.  I didn't want to be a waiter.  But then I booked a film with Kevin Kline called "In & Out" but I eded up getting completely cut out of the movie.  

You got cut out of "In & Out"?
Well, they made a four-hour movie and then just cut a lot out of it.

Doesn't that suck when you tell all your friends and family you're going to be in a movie and then your part gets cut out?
You know what, it totally sucks!  But at the same time I got to work and sit down for breakfast with Kevin Kline.  Then later in the day I'm playing hoops with Tom Selleck and smoking a cigar with Matt Dillon.  There were so many great people on the set - I was really able to get a lot of different perspectives on acting.

What was your part in the film?
I played one of Kevin's students.  But really it was more about the experience of working with these people than anything else.  It was a tremendous leaning experience for me.  That movie led to my getting a role on "Nick Freno: [Liscensed Teacher]" for the WB network.   I got lucky again because they tried all the 'working actors' and they couldn't find anybody they liked.  So they came to New York and met with me.  I guess they liked me, because I got the part and started making money.  At that point I realized I would be crazy not to move to California and take a real serious shot at acting.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but "Nick Freno" wasn't exactly "Seinfeld", if you know what I mean.
[Laughs] We don't have to talk about that too much.  It wasn't exactly one of the highlights in my life.  However, the show did validate a lot for me in terms of my finally choosing acting over school. 

So how does a New York City kid survive in a place like Los Angeles?
I grew up in New York City.  I went to high school in the city and I went to college in the city.  But I have to say, L.A.'s OK.   The weathers nice and I have a pool.  But to be honest, it't really lacking in the culture area.  First of all, it's really spread out and you don't walk.  I know that doesn't sound like a big deal to most of America, but to a New York City kid who's used to walking every day, it's a big deal.  I mean, you have to get in your car and drive 20 minutes to go for a walk in LA.

What else?
And there's no theater in LA.  I mean, there is but it's not really at the same caliber as New York City.  I mean, don't get me wrong.  I like my life in LA.  It's just not New York.

How do your parents feel about your acting success?
It's taken `til now for me to truly understand my parents' approach and feelings on my being an actor.  Because I wanted to do it when I was in high school.  I mean, I was ready to go.  I didn't feel like I wanted to drop out of school
but I did find an agent who wanted to represent me and send me out on auditions.  But my parents wouldn't let me do a lot of things.  My agent had to clear roles I was offered with my parents.

For example?
I got offered a "Don't Do Drugs" commercial and I got to play the drug kid but my parents wouldn't let me take it.

Did that make you angry?
I was pissed at the time.  It definitely created a rift in my relationship with my parents.  However, at a later date it turned out to be the greatest thing they could have done. 

Why?
Because it motivated and made me more prepared the next time an opportunity came.

Not to change the topic, but you also appeared on "The Nanny" with Fran Drescher.  What was it like working with her?
Fran is the greatest!  She was unbelievable.  And I've got to tell you, the greatest training ground for an actor is sitcomes.  It's tough to be thrown in the middle of it all but it's a great way to learn your craft. 

What makes appearing in sitcoms so tough?
Well first of all, you have a live audience.  And it's comedy but you don't get ten takes like you would in a film.  It basically comes down to whether or not you are going to make the audience laugh.  In drama you have a little more leeway.  But in comedy if they don't laugh you didn't do your job and that's very tough.  It's especially tough on a young actor who hasn't really worked much and who's not a comedian.  I mean, I never saw myself doing comedy.  But as it turns out most of the stuff I've done so far is comedy and some people seem to think I'm funny.  But I don't get it.

Let's talk about "Party of Five".  This season you'll be playing the boyfriend of Claudia Salanger, played by Lacey Chabert.
Right.

How's the chemistry between the two of you off camera?
When you come onto a pre-existing show like "Party of Five" you try to make friends, I mean, you have to. Everyone on the show has been very receptive towards me.

And Lacey?
She's a phenomenal actress.  The girl is almost 17 years old and she's brilliant.  She really is.  It's not hard working with someone who's a great actress.  As far as friendship goes, we all hang out and you try to get to know people as best as you can.   But with Lacey it was tough because I can't really go out and get a beer with her.

How old are you?
Twenty-two.

Money, success, good looks and loads of women.  Mind if I tell you I hate you?
[Laughs]

So do your friends in New York drag your out to all the clubs so they can meet women?
Yeah, my friends and I definitely have a good time!  I mean, my friends and I are a really tight group.  Basically, anything I do work-wise they see as positive for them.

The "Your success is my success" school of thought.
Exactly, and let me tell ya, in Hollywood it's impossible to find friendships like I have in New York.  Yeah, when I'm in New York my friends and I have a really good time, but I probably shouldn't get into that right now.  But it's a lot of fun.

Have you checked out the strip club Scores yet?
Am I allowed to talk about this?

Sure, why not?
Actually, I've been going to Scores since I was 17 years old.   I mean, when you grow up in New York City you grow up quick and that includes partying.  When you're 17 you do things that most people would do in their 30's.
And I find this has actually helped me, because I've found that a lot of the actors in LA aren't really as streetsmart as people who are from New York.

That might have been true a few years ago but today New York City is way too sterile for me, thanks to Rudy Guiliani.
Yeah, I know, I'm a big fan of Rudy.  I used to work as an intern in his office.  However, I think he's gone a little overboard with the way he's cleaned everything up.  I think New York's become a little boring.  I mean, it's nice to walk down the street and feel safe so you can't really complain, even though we would all like to be running around like rock stars.

Getting back to your love interest on "Party of Five".  So the show has you meeting Lacey on the Internet...
I didn't meet her on the internet exactly.   What happens is she breaks up with some boyfriend who nobody really knows about.  Meanwhile, I'm captain of the football team, prom king...that kind of deal.   But my character is not really happy with his station in life.   I mean, he's a super rich kid with a lot of problems at home but he hides it all.  He's the kind of kid whose parents would give him a Porsche and he would drive it to school but he'd feel bad about it.  Almost to the point where it's sickening.   And the only way for him to vent and relieve his guilt is to go on this website and anonymously tear apart all his friends and expose them for what they are.   Meanwhile, my girlfriend at the time - who happens to be the prom queen - befriends Claudia and so then Claudia discovers I'm actually the one who is bad-mouthing everyone.  So she sees me as something more than a rich spoiled kid who gets anything he wants.  She doesn't buy into all the superficial things like cars and social status and that makes our relationship different than any other relationship my character's ever had before.  

How much of a character stretch is that for you, considering you seem to have most of the things in real life as that of the character you play in the series?
I grew up on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and I went to Dalton High School, so I definitely led a privileged life growing up.  However, my parents were very conscious of what they gave me.   But don't get me wrong, I definitely lived a great lifestyle, but my parents made sure I didn't turn into this bratty kid who spent every dime he made.  That's not saying I'm not a bratty kid, but they tried.  And to be honest, I've never had to work while I went to school and I always had time to do other things.   That's why acting came about.  I had time.  I never really cared about high school.  I was privileged enough to have the time to go out and do stuff.   I just couldn't think of anything better to do than acting. 

Okay, have you ever heard of a book called "The Book of Questions"?
I don't think so.

I'm going to open the book and whatever it asks you have to answer.  Deal?
Sure.

Question number 134: "Would it disturb you much if upon your death your body was just thrown into the woods and left to rot?"
Um...yeah, that would disturb me! I've actually thought about that and what I would want to happen to my body.

And?
I haven't really come up with a good answer yet.

My guess is you'll have a long time to think about it.
I hope so!



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Email: jenita@alphalink.com.au