Interview With Actor John Ruby

Here is an interview with Touch star - John Ruby.

John plays Tam's (Porter Lynn) new customer, Brendan. Brendan is a shy guy who is looking to clean the oil stains off of his hands, something he hopes will fix his strained relationship with his wife.

Q: You have some impressive credits (You, Me, and Dupree, The Event, Cougar Town), but how do those experiences compare to your experience on Touch?

A: For me, each job I get to work on is unique. 'You, Me and Dupree' was my first studio picture. 'The Event' and 'Cougar Town' were two of my very first network television shows. But 'Touch' holds a special place in my heart because it was my first lead role in a feature film. What I loved the most about working on 'Touch' was heading to set everyday and working with such an amazingly talented cast and crew. The whole process was a dream come true. And I am eternally grateful to Minh for giving me the opportunity to do that.

Q:How did you become involved with Touch?

A: I actually didn't have a theatrical agent at the time and found out about the audition through a website called Actors Access. It's a website where actors can submit themselves for projects. So that's what I did, I submitted myself. Once I got the audition, I worked like crazy on the sides and after three callbacks, Minh informed me I had booked the role. That was a great phone call.

Q: How was it to work with Minh Duc Nguyen?

A: Minh is amazing. Even from the first audition I could tell how much this project meant to him. His work ethic, commitment, openness, honesty have all been an inspiration to me.

On the set of 'Touch,' his passion was infectious. He helped create a professional, comfortable, collaborative work environment. That's all you can ask for as an actor.

Minh also has a very clear vision. He knows what he wants. But within that framework, he allows for a dialogue to occur between actor and director. And for me, this is so important in truly developing the character and finding the truth in the scene. I felt so blessed to be able to work with Minh on this project and hope to work with him on many more.

Q: What was it like to work with your Co-Star Porter Lynn?

A: Porter was just fabulous to work with. And I'm not just saying that because she laughed at all my jokes. She's a wonderful, talented actor. And so natural. I'm really impressed that this was her first feature film. During filming, she carried herself like a veteran actor. To me, this says so much about her skill and confidence as an actor. I really believe she's going to have a long career in acting. What an amazing experience it was for me, to be able to work with such a lovely, talented, beautiful actress.

Q: What are some of your favorite films?

A: I grew up watching comedies with my dad and grandfather, so those hold a special place in my heart. Movies like 'Duck Soup' (with the Marx Brothers), 'The Jerk' (with Steve Martin), and 'Vacation' (with Chevy Chase) still make me laugh.

But the movie that influenced me the most was 'A Streetcar Named Desire.' Elia Kazan is one of my favorite directors. He was really an amazing storyteller and he knew how to create an environment to bring the best out of actors. And the actors involved with 'Streetcar' were brilliant. Marlon Brando, Vivian Leigh, Kim Hunter, and Karl Malden were such amazing leads. And to me, Streetcar is Brando's best movie. He just dominates every scene he's in. It's a travesty he didn't win the Oscar that year for the role of 'Stanley Kowalski.'

Q: Who are your favorite actors/actress'?

A: In my mind, no one can touch Marlon Brando. He is by far, my favorite actor of all time. When I watch old films, I really believe there was acting before Brando, which was very presentational and 'showy.' And then there's acting after Brando got ahold of it, which is naturalistic, raw and real. He is the nonpareil. His naturalistic style, his strength, his compassion and caring, all of this came through when he was acting. No one else comes close.

Q: What projects are you currently working on?

A: I'm currently working on play called 'Conversation Storm' that will be going up in June at the El Centro Theater in Hollywood, CA. I'm also writing a feature film that I'm planning on shooting in Wisconsin next summer. You can also find updates at www.johnruby.com or on Facebook.

Q: What would be your dream role?

A: Oh, there's so many roles I'd love to play. I'm always interested in learning and trying new things and exploring different parts of myself. I think the main reason I got into acting is because I love how challenging it is. So any role that challenges me as a person and as an actor, I would love to try and tackle. I look at it as a continuous learning and growing process and that's what I truly love about acting. Before we wrap it up, I just want to say thank you so much to my parents, Jake and Gay Ruby. Without their love and support, I wouldn't be where I am today and I am so thankful to have them both.