Josef Cannon Interview

Josef Cannon was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, writer, director and producer, known for White Elephant, Paul's Promise, Debt Collectors, Three Bars and Snowfall.

 

 

- Thank you Josef Cannon for your time for the Fans.

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1. The dream of every Trekkie is to be in Star Trek. How did you get cast for your role as Klingon Warrior in Star Trek TNG Episode "The Icarus Factor" ?

(I HAD JUST ARRIVED IN L.A. FROM CHICAGO, A COMPLETE NEOPHITE TO THE INDUSTRY. A BUDDY OF MINE NEEDED A RIDE TO PARAMOUNT STUDIOS WHERE HE WS TO HAVE AN AUDITION FOR ANOTHER PROJECT. WHILE WAITING FOR HIM I WANDERED AROUND ON THE LOT, IRONICALLY "STAR TREK V-THE FINAL FRONTIER"  WAS ALSO BEING SHOT AT THE TIME. I CROSSED PATHS WITH WILLIAM SHATNER WHO WAS ON THE LOT.

THEY WERE HOLDING AUDITIONS FOR THE KLINGON ROLE AND I SAW A LINE OF ACTORS, SO I JUST JOINED THEM AND AS THEY SAY THE REST IS HITORY. LOL LOL  SIDE NOTE, BECAUSE OF THE FILMING OF THE MOVIE AT SAME TIME, THE KLINGONS FOR THE SERIES HAD TO WEAR BOOTS THAT WERE FROM "THE PLANET OF THE APES SERIES" )

 

      2. Star Trek 1989 was one of your first jobs in the Buisness. When was the time you knew you wanted to be an actor?

 

(IRONICALLY THERE'S ANOTHER STAR TREK CONNECTION.....ACTOR LAVAR BURTON WAS IN CHICAGO IN 1978 FILMING "ONE IN A MILLION-THE RON LeFLORE STORY" JUST UP THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE, I BEGGED MY GRANDMOTHER TO ALLOW ME TO GO WATCH THEM FILM.

HE WALKED OUT OF A BAR ON THE CORNER WHICH WAS THE FILMING LOCATION AND HE POINTED OUT TO THE CROWD OF SCREAMING FANS WHO KNEW OF HIM AS KUNTE KINTE FROM THE AWARD WINNING MINI SERIES ROOTS. AS HE POINTED WE MADE EYE CONTACT AND IT FELT LIKE HE WAS PASSING ME THE BATON TO JOIN HIM IN THE ACTING WORLD, I KNOW IT SOUNDS CRAZY BUT AT THAT MOMENT I KNEW!)

 

      3. Could you share some funny, remarkable, weird stories regarding the filming of your scenes?

 

(BESIDES THE 3 HRS IT TOOK TO PUT ON THE MAKEUP, I LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT BEING A PROFESSIONAL. WE HAD TO ARRIVE AT STUDIO AROUND 4 A.M. SO THERE I WAS IN MY PJ'S, THEY TOLD US TO JUST REST OUR EYES SO IM IN THE CHAIR AND I FALL ASLEEP. WHEN THEY WOKE ME UP I FELT LIKE I HAD ONLY BEEN NAPPING A FEW MINUTES AND KINDA FORGOT WHERE I WAS. I LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND ALL I SAW WAS THIS KLINGON AND I SCREAMED LOL LOL EVERYONE IN THE MAKUP ROOM LAUGHED!  ANOTHER STORY WA WE HAD TO EAT SOME OF THE "KLINGON" FOOD WHICH WERE SHAPED LIKE WORMS, PLUS WE HA TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK KLINGON, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY A LANGUAGE)

 

      4. As SyFy fan i saw that you also work in "The Orville". What was more your part, Klingon Warrior or Moclan Delegate? 

 

(MOCLAN DELEGATE, MOCLANS WERE BASICALLY KINGLONS AND ON THAT EPISODE I WAS DIRECTED BY JONATHAN FRAKES WHO WAS IN STAR TREK TNG, WHEN I PLAYED A KLINGON, SO THAT WAS FUN AND IRONIC. ALSO THAT EPISODE HAS SO MANY OF MY MOVIE/TV HEROES, OSCAR WINNER F MURRAY ABRAHAM, CHEERS STAR TED DANSON, ORIGINAL CANDY MAN TONY TODD AND VICTOR GARBER FROM TITANIC AND ALIAS)

 

      5. One reason i ask you for this interview is the movie "Paul's Promise" , based of a true story. What can you tell us about and your part as Jimmy Lipkin?

 

(PAUL'S PROMISE IS BASED ON TRUE STORY AND BOOK SET IN 1957, THE CHARACTER OF JIMMY LIPKIN WHICH I HAVE BEEN HONORED TO WIN MULTIPLE BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR AWARDS FOR, IS ONE WHO HAS TO DEAL WITH RACISM IN THE SOUTH WITHOUT LOSING WHO HE WAS AS A MAN)

 

      6. Another movie i cant wait for will be "White Elephant". You work with Michael Rooker and Legends like  John Malkovich and Bruce Willis. How was this experience for yourself?

 

(OVER MY CAREER IVE BEEN BLESSED TO WORK WITH SOME OF MY CINEMATIC HEROES AND ITS ALWAYS REWARDS FOR MOST OF THEM SHARE THEIR KNOWADGE AND WISDOM AS DID ROOKER AND MALKOVICH. IVE KNOWN BRUCE A LONG TIME SO ITS ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE AND WORK WITH HIM)

 

      7. Josef, you are not only an actor. You also an producer , director ,writer and owner of  CannonVision Productions. Whats your favorite part and why?

 

(EACH ROLE REQUIRES A DIFFERENT MINDSET AND TRAIN OF THOUGHT. THEY ALL HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE OTHER MUCH BETTER. DON'T HAVE A FAVORITE FOR THEY ALL OUR MY BABIES!)

 

      8. Is there something special you would love to do in the future?  A special
role or actor to work with?

 

(I WOULD LOVE TO DO THE "TEDDY PENDERGRASS STORY", HE WAS A PHENOMANAL SINGER AN TO BRIGN HIS STORY TO LIFE WOULD BE AN HONOR. AS FARE AS ACTOR/ACTRESS TO WORK WITH IT WOULDD HAVE TO BE LAURA DERN, I THINK SHE IS SUCH A TALENT AND IT WOULD BE AN HONOR TO FILM OPPOSITE HER.)

 

      9. In closing, some words to your fans?

 

(A GIANT THANK YOU FOR WITHOUT THEM THE CAREER OF AN ARTIST WOULDNT MEAN AS MUCH AS IT DOES!! I ADORE THEM ALL AND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO YOU AS WELL FOR BEING PATIENT AND UNDERSTANDING THAT MY FILMING SCHEDULE OFTEN TIMES ALLOW FOR US TO FORGET THINGS WE HAD PROMISED TO DO INTIALLY!)

 

(I JUST FINISHED A SPY THRILLER IN BUDAPEST "CHIEF OF STATION" WITH OLGA KURYLENKO & AARON ECKHART, HAVE A WWII FILM ON HULU "HELL HATH NO FURY" AND CURRENTLY SHOOTING A NEW TV SERIES 'ROUTE 187")

 

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

 

SORRY FOR THE DELAY

 

JOSEF