As part of our March Magazine which you can get at the link below, we have posted a selection of our interview with Lance Broadway.
March Magazine
LANCE BROADWAY, first known as the all-American Major League pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, will be making his big-screen debut in one of 2013’s most-anticipated action thrillers “Olympus Has Fallen.” Directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day).
In this Die Hard meets the White House style drama, a former Secret Service agent works to save the President after he is captured in a terrorist attack. Broadway stars as a secret service agent working directly with Gerard Butler’s character as they scramble to retake the capitol.
What can you tell us about your character in Olympus and what attracted you to the part as well as the casting process?
Agent O’Neil is a young secret service agent who looks up to those ahead of him and is determined to protect the President anyway that he can.
I auditioned for the role out of Dallas before I really knew anything about O’Neil. I only had the sides to go on. At this point in my career, I do not have the luxury to become attracted. It was, “here is your audition, go”.
How did you get into acting from baseball and can you compare and contrast the two?
I fell into acting by accident really. It was the end of the 2010 season and I wanted to learn improv but the class I enrolled in did not start for a few months so I was advised to enter an acting class in hopes that I could gain some confidence performing in front of others. It was a month into that that my teacher told me to get head shots and think about doing this during the off season. I fell in love with it over the next few months and decided I was done with baseball. Plus, my numbers from the previous season were leading me down a future path of unemployment so I thought now is as good a time as any to hang them up. Baseball and acting both require an extreme amount of dedication and hard work. There is too much talent in both careers salivating for the opportunity to bypass any who are not prepared to give it everything they have. In contrast, the one thing that I do miss about baseball is the camaraderie you have with your co-workers. Once on a team, you spend most of your waking hours with guys who you end up developing wonderful relationships with. In acting, you get to develop friendly relations with people but it is only for a short time and once filming wraps everyone sort of goes their own way.
What sort of research did you do for the role and how did it compare and contrast with past roles?
I watched “In the Line of Fire” starring Clint Eastwood. I originally only had a few lines in Olympus but once on set I was blessed with more opportunities with my character. I then made sure to pick the brain of a former secret service agent who was on set to make sure I was following proper protocol. He was invaluable.
What do you look for from a director to help you give your best performance?
What were some of the more memorable moments on set and how was working with the cast?
I loved every minute working on this set. I was blown away with how warm and comforting everyone was. That goes all the way from the crew to the actors. The first day stands out to me most. The first day of shooting was in a small cafe and it was extremely hot and humid. Everyone was sweating profusely and due to weather delays it ended up taking two days to complete the scene. What I remember most was the lack of complaining. Everyone remained positive and determined to finish the scene no matter what the situation was. It was a wonderful learning experience to see veteran actors go about their business in such a professional matter. No surprise they are all so successful.
Final question, what is the one thing about acting that most people are shocked when you tell them?
Quite simply the fact that I am an actor now is what shocks people the most. Most people have known me as a baseball player so to hear that I quit baseball in order to pursue an acting career comes as quite a shock to many of them.
