RAY IANNICELLI: FROM JOKER, DE NIRO & BILL MURRAY, HE'S SEEN IT ALL -- PART II

Ray Iannicelli is a man of many backgrounds. Born in 1942 Brooklyn, the Italian-American talent began his time in feature film in the mid-1980s. Only after serving 18 months in the United States Army and selling pianos for a short stint while he dipped his feet in the New York City theatre scene.

Though he started acting at age 30, and he didn't make his feature film debut until 1985, Iannicelli has racked up quite the impressive resume in film and television in the decades since.

Working with the likes of Robert De Niro in 2017's Wizard of Lies, Bill Murray in 2014's St. Vincent and Joaquin Phoenix in 2019's Joker, the 77-year-old has plenty of stories to share about his long career in the industry. Zach Catanzareti spoke with Iannicelli on May 22, 2020 to talk about his early days in New York, his rise to feature film and some of his more notable roles. Here is Part II of our conversation.

CLICK HERE for Part I

CLICK HERE to listen to the full interview on Soundcloud

Zach Catanzareti: Another movie was St. Vincent in 2014. Obviously, Bill Murray, one of the most popular actors in the world.

Ray Iannicelli: My experience was that Bill Murray is a force. Even though he has this bumbling demeanor about him. He's a big guy, too, physically. I didn't realize that. He looks like he could have played a linebacker in high school.

Really? Wow I would not have guessed that.

Yeah, he's a big guy [laughs], you wouldn't guess that. Again, for me, he was easy to work with. We did some improv, he was definitely the star. He's bigger than life. At least he was to me in that movie. You have to remember, this isn't a comment on their lives, it's a comment on the week I spent with them on a movie set in Brooklyn, in a bar.

And he came up with some ideas [saying], 'Oh, let's do it this way, that way.' He's a star and he controls his surroundings.

Was he someone whose work you watched beforehand and now seeing him -- I'm assuming that was the first time seeing him?

I'm not impressed with big names anymore. I worked with [Robert] De Niro, who I always wanted to work with. The only one I haven't worked with who I want to is [Al] Pacino. My impression with him was firstly, him physically. Big guy. Secondly, he controls his set. He gave the orders, and they were all good. All in good spirit and in a creative mindset.

You did mention Robert De Niro. You worked with him on Wizard of Lies in 2017. Robert, he's so big, especially New York movies.

He keeps to himself a lot. Again, this is just my experience, it was just one day I worked with him. So, I never met him until we were just about to rehearse the scene. [Director] Barry Levinson, he’s got a fantastic resume. He’s directed some incredible movies.

They said to go to set, the camera was on a track. I'm standing there talking to the director and from behind me, De Niro comes up. The director goes, 'Oh, this is Bob.' I turned to look at him and -- he's famous for being in character 100 percent of the time, which is not true.

I turned to him and said, 'Holy shit, you look just like him!' He looked just like Bernie Madoff. He looked at me and laughed. I took him out of his head a little bit. But he looked just like him.

Guys like him who maintain that status, they are very determined people. Very focused. That was fun, an easy day. 

He does seem like a quiet type of person. Even when I see interviews, he can be with Al Pacino, Joe Pesci and Martin Scorsese talking about something and he's always the quietest one.

He's the quietest one.

What did I want to say about Bill Murray? Oh, we went to an opening night party or wrap party for St. Vincent. I’m in the venue and having drinks. Bill comes over and says, 'Ray, come here, I want you to meet Weinstein.'

Weinstein must've been a producer on the movie. Unbeknownst to me and everyone, he would be in a lot of trouble a couple years later.

Was he nice to you? Weinstein?

He wasn't nice, he wasn't un-nice. He just shook my hand and went onto something else.

About one year later in 2018, you started shooting Joker. Man, that was a huge hit with fans, it grossed more than a billion dollars at that box office [...]

I think it was made for $60 million, I'm not sure.

Yeah, it was little. When it came to getting that role as one of the Haha's Clowns, how did that initially come to you? How did you hear about that?

Well, I had a manager who you spoke with. She got the audition for me with the casting director. That's how that happened. I got a call back to meet the director and audition to him, which I did. And I didn't get the role I auditioned for, I got the Haha's Clown. I auditioned for, I think an office manager or something.

I had a scene with Joaquin, but it was cut. But that's not unusual. It's funny, I've gotten a few roles without auditioned. I heard Joe Pesci never got a role through auditioning. I heard him say that. Raging Bull put him on top.

In this film, there were a few scenes you were shown in. You said one of them got cut. There were three or four scenes you were in, wearing the make-up and all that.

It's just part of the job. You go in, they make you up and that's it. It's just part of the job. Also, I did a lot of theatre and you're usually made-up more. It's much more costume-oriented with wings.

Obviously, Joaquin Phoenix put on a great performance, won for Best Actor. You talked about his presence, what was that feeling like seeing him?

Well, as I said, he was very committed to staying in-character. He didn't speak much to the other actors. And that's not saying anything bad about him, because he's doing his work. Hs' a very intense actor. He improv’s and he communicates well with the director. I mean, he'll come in and say, 'Good morning. How you doing?' [And I'd say], 'Good, how are you? Good.'

That's about it. He was in character. That was an intense role. He was prepared for it, man. He put his heart and soul into it.

And he was so skinny.

He was so skinny, oh my god. Oh my god. It was kind of scary he was so thin.

I think you said he didn't talk to you guys much, just coming in and coming out?

No, he didn't talk much to the other actors. Just small talk, a little bit. But in between takes, he was in character. He would speak only to the director. Other actors don't work that way, but he does, in this film anyway. Again, I give him kudos for such a wonderful performance. Obviously, he was doing the right thing [laughs]. 

Bryan Callen was in this scene, he's a real-world comedian. He spoke of Joaquin's demeanor and what place he was in.

He has spoken about that?

He did, yeah. In an interview, he talked about how deep he was.

Yeah. Like I said, unbelievably committed to the role and to doing well in the movie. I spoke with Callen, I didn't know who he was to be honest with you. I know he's a comedian and an actor. He didn't have the role Joaquin had so he was more accessible and joked around a bit.

I've always been an actor who went to do this job and then I came home. I didn't socialize much. Maybe because I had a kid and a wife. If I did a job out of town, I didn't even socialize that much. I don't like going to bars, I’m not a bar guy. I like to drink wine, but at home with a plate of spaghetti. It's sacred that way, anyways.

Did you have an idea of what this movie was going to be like? What the scene was going to be like or what Joaquin was going to look like? Was it a surprise when you first arrived on set?

It was a surprise seeing him. He was so thin. I didn't see him -- I don't think I saw him in his clown make-up, I believe it was just his street clothes. There was a scene that was cut where we had a gun in the locker room he talked about. He was a very impressive actor, man.

Did you get to hear his laugh? There was that one scene where he left the room.

I heard his laugh, yeah, I did hear his laugh [laughs]. That was something. Also, there was a thing he improv'ed. There is that timeclock and he knocks it off the wall. That was not in the script. He did that on his own. And he did it... it wasn't fixed. He busted up his fist a little bit.

He kept doing it because you have to re-shoot it. So, they put it back up, he did it again. I said to myself, 'He is going to break his fist, man.'

Did that keep you on his toes? He's doing all this improvisational stuff, he can do anything.

It keeps you on your toes, absolutely. Because he could come over to me and do something or to the actor next to me. Slap him in the head, I don't know. Yeah, it keeps you on your toes and it's good stuff.

And the director was wonderful. Todd Phillips, again, very easy to work with. Very nice, very direct, simple. Those Hangover movies are the funniest things I've ever seen. They're amazing.

Oh, they are incredible movies. Speaking of Todd, this ended up being a very different film for him. It had comedy in there, but it was a dramatic movie. How did he work with you guys?

He had a very light touch. That was my first impression of him. Very light, but he gets everything out of the actors he can. He'll come up to you, sit down, 'Hey, how are you doing? Why are you from? Your name is an Italian name. Oh wow, you're from Brooklyn? I'm from Brooklyn, too.'

He [has] a very calm presence. Very likeable guy. Obviously, very creative. That was nice working with him, I greatly appreciated him.

Being a native of New York yourself, seeing what Todd did to recreate the city from the early 1980s. What did you think of that overall mood he set?

I think the movie is going to be a classic. I think it's going to be one of the great movies of the last 25 years. Some people were upset with it, but it's a movie.

As far as setting the scene, yes, it was perfect. The 80s, man, they were tough for the city. Oh yeah. Crack and crime, seeing how politicians abandoned the city. It was a tough time.

One last question. Being a part of a film that big -- and you've done it before -- something that receives such high praise from professionals and fans, what does that feel like for you in terms of being fulfilled about the work you got to be a part of?

It's wonderful. You answered your question in your question. You feel fulfilled, you feel like you contributed to a piece of work and a piece of art. A small part of it but it's very satisfying.

Like Prizzi's Honor, it's a wonderful comedy. My first big-budget movie and I still am glad I was a part of that. I did a small film called 'Diane' which was a very low budget movie, won a lot of awards. There's just satisfaction, that you're doing something worthwhile.

Everyday life isn't like that. If you're an accountant, you go to work and it's fine. If you want to be an accountant, that's a wonderful thing. But people who are out of the business, they hold you in a certain scene because you're doing something creative. That's what we do.

Every once in a while, you work on a project that's recognized throughout the industry and throughout the world as a piece of art. It's nice to be a part of it.

I'm from Brooklyn, I grew up on the streets. My mother used to say that I was the only boy she knew who brought home a book from high school. I loved the streets, I got into some trouble as a kid. Who knew this was going to happen to me? It's an amazing kind of thing. I'm very fortunate. I made a living out of it, I still make a living out of it. It's a great thing.

RAY IANNICELLI: FROM JOKER, DE NIRO & BILL MURRAY, HE'S SEEN IT ALL -- PART I

Ray Iannicelli is a man of many backgrounds. Born in 1942 Brooklyn, the Italian-American talent began his time in feature film in the mid-1980s. Only after serving 18 months in the United States Army and selling pianos for a short stint while he dipped his feet in the New York City theatre scene.

Though he started acting at age 30, and he didn't make his feature film debut until 1985, Iannicelli has racked up quite the impressive resume in film and television in the decades since.

Working with the likes of Robert De Niro in 2017's Wizard of Lies, Bill Murray in 2014's St. Vincent and Joaquin Phoenix in 2019's Joker, the 77-year-old has plenty of stories to share about his long career in the industry. Zach Catanzareti spoke with Iannicelli on May 22, 2020 to talk about his early days in New York, his rise to feature film and some of his more notable roles. Here is Part I of our conversation.

CLICK HERE for Part II

CLICK HERE to listen to the full interview on Soundcloud

Zach Catanzareti: Starting from the beginning, you grew up in Brooklyn, NY. You were born in 1942. What was your childhood like? Did you have any siblings, what did your parents do?

Ray Iannicelli: Yeah, there were five kids. I had three sisters and a brother. Two of us are left -- my younger sister and myself. I grew up in the segment of Brooklyn called Bensonhurst, which used to be a lot of Italian Americans but it's mostly Asian now. I grew up in sort of a typical home at the time. My grandfather lived on the third floor of the small apartment, my aunt and uncle lived in the middle floor and we lived on the main floor. It was a busy house [laughs].

It's interesting because growing up then -- because I was born in the 40's -- the neighborhood was a very European culture. It wasn't a typical American culture. We ate different foods, we addressed people by their -- my neighbor was Mr. or Mrs. It was a whole different thing. Southern Italians, we ate a lot of fish, a lot of snails [laughs]. Not your typical American.

It was a nice childhood. I went to a Catholic school, my mother was a school teacher. She taught in a public school. My father was an office manager at the stock brokerage. He was the first of his family to be born here. His oldest siblings were born in Italy.

My mother was of Irish descent from upstate New York and she married my father very young and moved to Brooklyn. I consider myself biologically or by nature half Italian and half Irish. But by nurture, I'm probably 90 percent Italian.

Growing up during those times, throughout the 40's and into the 50's, film and television was going through a remarkable shift. It was being shown in living rooms more regularly, drive-in movies, more tv shows. Do you recall witnessing this time in history?

I wasn't in the industry yet, but times were certainly changing. Also, culturally. We weren't the first ones in our block to have a television and it was a big deal. We'd go watch the Lone Ranger on a black-and-white television the size of a computer screen.

It was changing. It was right after World War II, the culture was changing, people had a little more money. It was a different -- I didn't have anybody in the industry. I didn't have a cousin or uncle who was an actor or director, I was the first to go into the entertainment business.

I went into the Army after high school, came out and then I went to college. I started dating this woman who was my English teacher [laughs] and she introduced me to my first acting teacher. I started taking lessons. She was an actor/director/writer in the New York City theatre scene.

She played [John] Travolta's mother in Saturday Night Fever. She also was in Moonlight with Cher. She was a tough lady, a tough broad from Brooklyn. So, we got on pretty good.

So, I took lessons. She had classes, 10-15 students in each class. I started doing plays and that's where I started gaining my experience. In the village, I used to say that for 10 years, my career never got north of 14th Street. Sometimes, there would be eight people on stage and four people in the audience. But it was a great learning experience.

Things were a lot cheaper than, too. I had a one-bedroom apartment for $90. I could afford to bounce around a bit. That was a different time. It was easier for artists to make a living in the city.

Do you think you could have made it today?

I have no idea. I don’t know. You know young people, they live three or four in an apartment now. They share expenses, they share rent. But it's a much more expensive way of life.

I never had a second plan. I did a lot of different jobs. Mostly, I sold pianos. I never really had a back-up plan really. I just did it and took it as I came. I did a lot of plays. It was great training. If it gave you anything, it gave you confidence. That's about it.

You mentioned the Army. How many years were you on duty? I know you did electrical repairs.

Oh Jesus, how did you find that out? I went to school when I was in the Army outside of Baltimore and became an electrical system repairman on tank engines. So, working on the engines on tanks. Thank god we weren't in a war because I don't think I was a very good mechanic [laughs]. I guess if you have to learn real quick, you'll learn.

Altogether, I was active duty for 18 months. In the Army, I never left the country. I would do the Army bases around the country.

When you did come back, you became a piano salesman. It seems like an interesting job to have. Why did you get into that?

I got into the office -- I answered an ad in a newspaper. It was under the New York Times employment section. So, I went to the company and they were looking for help. Let me try selling, and I did. It worked out well, it was fun. That was on West 42nd Street.

I met a lot of people from different walks of life. Got to meet some girls, that was fun [laughs] some women. In fact, that's where I met my wife, she came in to buy a piano.

Oh really?

How do you like them apples? We're still together, I don't know how that happened. We haven't killed each other. Especially during this shutdown, the pandemic. My god. We've been fortunate enough to be able to travel, relatively a lot.

I'm just going down my IMDb as a reminder. I just did a couple stints on the Stephen Colbert Show that aren't listed. That was fun. I’m also in the process of shooting a second episode of a series we're trying to sell. We did one episode and finished the acting part yesterday. The second episode takes place all on Zoom because of the pandemic. I play the father, we're in the basement. We're all isolated.

Sandra James, who plays my wife, we've known each other for 25 years. She was in the Joker, she plays the woman who's on the TV talk show. Joaquin Phoenix comes out and kisses her, which was improvisational. That was not in the script. He's a wonderful actor, an incredible actor. Wow. He's in a zone man, when he is working, he is in a zone.

I'm going to ask about him. I have a few earlier roles I wanted to ask about. I wanted to start with Prizzi's Honor [1985], your first role.

That was my very first. I did student films, little films before that, but that was my first studio movie. Which a wonderful experience. Wonderful, oh my god. I was on set two weeks, had my own trailer. Things have changed [laughs].

Working for [director] John Huston, working with [Jack] Nicholson, who was very gracious. Very easy to talk to, interested in doing the work. And getting to work with John Huston, that was a thrill. I think I walked on water for about three months after that.

It was cool, I was so nervous. Oh my god.

What was your role like?

I was playing a wedding photographer, I was at the church during the wedding. I think I had a mustache then. It was a big scene, it took a while to shoot, a number of days. A lot of people involved, a lot of movement.

It was such a wonderful experience. As I said, working with Nicholson and Huston. I learned to relax on set, so on and so forth.

You said you got to speak with Jack?

I forget what we talked about. I mean, I didn't socialize with him. We didn't go out to dinner afterwards, didn't go over his house. But on set, because we had a scene. So, they yell cut and for five minutes you're sitting there and you talk.

He was very accessible and very kind to the extras. He would often ask 'How are you all doing?' Because there was like 100 extras in the church. He acknowledged them, which is a kind thing to do. Makes it a more interesting and productive working atmosphere, everyone is on the same page, nobody is better than anyone else.

Any time I’ve worked on a movie set and any of the bigger actors turned to us -- I've only done background work. But any time they turn to us and say, 'You guys are doing a great job', that is something you never forget.

No, absolutely. Being kind, being human. I didn't start acting -- I think my first lesson I was 30 years old. So, I didn’t start until late relatively speaking.

Through this times, the 90's and 2000s as you progressed, how were you balancing your roles with regular life? Did you have a day job outside of acting?

Yeah, I had a day job, sure. At first, I was selling pianos. Then, I couldn’t do that because I would accept a job out of town. Eventually, I had to let that go. Then, I did some jobs to maintain myself. I painted apartments, sold things at a flea market. It's funny because I used to buy these pots and pans in south Jersey, I would go to these flea markets twice a week. We would walk away from each market and I would have $300 in my pocket. That helped sustain me.

I did these odd jobs. You always have to have money coming in. My wife had a regular job, so that helps. Somehow, you work it out. I guess that's what happens today, you work it out.

As you got older and got more experience, did you feel there was a certain role you fit best? Comedic role, more dramatic, maybe more subtle performances.

I hadn't done that much comedy. I have a sense of humor about me, so I wish I could have done more comedy. But mostly it's been drama. It's just the way it goes. I'm not a major star, so I can't pick and choose. There are very few roles I've turned down, I just want to work so whatever comes by, comes by. You get into a rhythm and a mode, that's how the casting people see you.

As a matter of fact, I auditioned for a film six months ago, eight months. They asked me to improv, it was a comedy. I started and asked them, 'Should I keep going?' and he said, 'Yeah, yeah keep going.'

I finished it, they were happy with what I did. They didn't cast me, but they were happy. But the casting director said to me, "Ray! I didn't know you were so funny. I didn't know you could improv.' The guy has known me for 15-20 years. So, that's the way it is, you know.

Especially for the movies I've been in. Joker, I played a clown. But that's a dramatic movie. Did you see it?

Oh yeah, I have quite a few questions about Joker.

[Phoenix] is amazing right? Isn't he?

Incredible. But before I get to that, there were a few more that caught my eye. The first was from 1998, a movie called Rounders with Matt Damon and Edward Norton.

That's an old favorite now, they say. I was at one of the scenes and I sat next to John Malkovich. I think he was living in France at the time, he was talking about France a lot when we were off camera. He seemed to be a very nice guy, very introverted, very civil. Again, easy to work with. We started talking, did our scene.

He seems to be a very bright guy, too. I don't know if it's from the movies he's been in, he's always a bright guy.

CLICK HERE for Part II

(VIDEO) INTERVIEW WITH STUNTMAN STANTON BARRETT

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Stanton Barrett has lived a fast-paced life in more ways than one. Growing up under the wings of father and stuntman Stan Barrett, the life of thrills and spills became a part of Stanton's life in no time.

With more than 200 stunt credits in movies and TV,  Barrett also has balanced a career in auto racing, (a career father Stan also dipped in over the years) running part-time in the top divisions of NASCAR for more than 25 years.

In 2019, we spoke with Stanton at Talladega Superspeedway to discuss his long career as a stuntman in various feature films, his experiences on set and his relationships with some big names in the business.

Below is the full interview with Stanton Barrett.

ALEX SKUBY DISCUSSES KING OF QUEENS ROLE, TRUE ACTING & MORE -- Part II

(Alex Skuby & Kevin James)

Spending decades in the world of theatre, film and television, Alex Skuby, 45, has learned the in's and out's of the business of acting. Moving to Los Angeles in his mid-20s, he grew from a theatre talent to a reoccurring comedy character in King of Queens. 

In the second and final part of our conversation with Skuby, we dive into his role as Doug Pruzan on King of Queens, how it came together and some backstories during his time on set. 

Click here for Part I

NEW! Listen to full interview on our SoundCloud channel: CLICK HERE

Zach Catanzareti: Your most well-known position was in King of Queens as Doug Pruzan. You were on it from 2000 to 2003, a show that hit off around the country. I wanted to know when that started for you. Where did you first hear about that show?

Alex Skuby: I didn’t really watch much TV back then. I never watched the show and they brought me in their first season for a part, a guest star role. I went in over at Sony Studios and I didn’t book it. Then, they brought me in again for another totally different role, didn’t book it. Two more times they did that. So, by the fifth time I finally watched the show and [I said], 'Oh, this is a funny show. This guy, Kevin James, he's funny.'

The fifth time they brought me in, my agent said that King of Queens wanted to see me again for another part. I’m like, 'What? Is this a joke?' Because after you go in a few times, you’re like, 'OK, why do they keep bringing me in if they’re not hiring me?'

What I realized was, they were looking for something more for me to do, so it wasn’t just one episode -- they would keep bringing me back, which was wonderful.

And I booked it. I booked Doug Pruzan, the goofy, high-anxiety attorney. It was a good accomplishment.

You talked about it there but the auditioning process, did they give you who Doug Pruzan was going to be? Or was it open-ended and they wanted to see what talents you had?

There is a character description, pages from the script you audition with. But it's up to the actor to make the choices and what they want to do. They had brought me in before so many times that I think they already had a knowledge of who I am as an actor.

When I went in with the producers that day, there were about 15 other actors who were recognizable who went in for that part. Again, it's a crapshoot, you’re sitting there going, 'Well, one of us is going to get it.'

It worked out in my way.

There are a lot of big talents on that show, led by Kevin James. Can you recall your first encounter with him, when you met?

He was in the audition room when I auditioned for the part. I got to talk to him. That pretty much steered our relationship throughout the entire show. I didn't -- Kevin was nice, a nice dude -- I didn’t build a relationship with him but he was cool.

Overall, you were in 13 episodes. Your first was "Big Dougie" where Carrie accidentally says she loves you over the phone. That first experience on set, reading over the script, multiple takes, all the work that goes into it. Was it something you fell for?

I tell you man, it was a blast. Leah Remini is great, very friendly, very sweet person. Patton Oswalt is an amazing dude, Jerry Stiller was phenomenal to me, Victor Williams is great. I’m actually still friends with Larry Romano, who was on the first season on that show.

(Skuby with Remini & James on King of Queens)

That first episode, again, it's a new gig, I was... nervous. You do a table read on Monday then you start rehearsing on the soundstage. Tuesday, you do another rehearsal, Wednesday is a network walkthrough, so the whole network comes to watch the show that is going to be put up Friday night in front of a live audience.

And you’re not off-book yet because they're constantly changing lines to make it funnier or better. By the time the live audience came in I was prepared but it was my first half-hour sitcom with a live audience.

But that's where theatre comes in. Because theatre is a live audience. And the best thing about a half-hour comedy is that you can cut and do another take [laughs] whereas theatre, you can’t do that.

It was a great experience. I had a pretty wonderful experience all around.

You got to work with Jerry Stiller a lot. He was in that episode "Work Related" with you and Leah. I see him as a master of delivery when it comes to his comedy. Was he someone you watched beforehand or on set when it came to having that skill?

I didn’t know much about Jerry Stiller other than he was married to Anne Meara and they had their comedy routine years and years ago. I knew of him but not him, I didn’t know his work.

But I will say this: Jerry is one of the most amazing, just a big heart, a great person. I learned a lot by watching him work and his delivery like you said. He was really good, man [laughs] really good.

There are some people out there who just get it -- comedy is not easy to do. It's not. It's easier to make people cry than it is to make them laugh. Jerry said to me one day, we were in his dressing room just chatting and he said, 'Comedy is more dramatic than drama... because in comedy, every scene is life-or-death.'

I was like, 'Man, that’s good!'

(Skuby pictured with Jerry Stiller)

He was in his 60s or 70s during this show and he was always on his feet and he captivated the whole show. Did you really feel that working alongside him?

Oh yeah, he was someone to admire. Like any person you admire in any field, sport or whatever -- in this field, he was an icon. And of course being able to work with him was an honor. It was just awesome.

What I liked more than working with him was the conversations we had. The show is over, the audience has left, we're still on stage. I'd hang out with him, Anne Meara would be there. I'd listen to them talk and I'd have conversations with them. That's where you learned. It's not just about watching their act. Off the stage, you get a little more insight.

After that, your next episode was "Better Camera" one of the more popular ones around Christmas time. I believe you had only one line for that episode and...

That was so long ago, I don’t remember what I did in that.

You were only in one scene, that's when Carrie gets the big camera from Doug and you gave her a small one.

Oh, the scamp! [laughs] That was long ago, man.

You had just the one line: "It's a good little camera for a good little worker." And that was it. Was the preparation ever different when you have one small line compared to other episodes where you had a lot.

Sometimes it's harder to have one or two lines because you don’t know where you’re supposed to come in. It can get kind of confusing. But yeah, once you’re there... only one line? And I get paid the same amount as if I had 100 lines? This is great!

That changed a lot with "High-Def Jam" the Super Bowl episode. Multiple sets, you were in the office, the movie theater, the Heffernan house and also your house. Was this one of your favorite episodes? You got a lot of screen time.

Yeah, it was a lot more fun because I was in more of it. It was a fun episode, the co-star, Ricki Lake, she was great, a lot of fun. Didn't I tell her to sit on pappy's lappy?

It's smooth like a western saddle!

There you go! You know the lines better than me, man! [laughs] And Lou Ferrigno was wonderful. That dude is awesome. He is a great guy.

I was going to ask you about him. Do you ever foresee playing in a part alongside him?

Hell, no. I grew up on The Hulk, David Banner, Bill Bixby played him. I remember the first day I was there -- I'm 6'5 and he's the same height but he's this mountain. Still, even on an old age, he's working out like he used to. He was physically impressive human being.

"Pull it together, Pruzan. Pull it together." 

Skuby, King of Queens.

We learned how odd of a characters Doug Pruzan really was. Was it an exciting challenge to match a strange character? Not only funny but you had this weird side.

The fact I collect marionettes? [laughs] It's all the dialogue, whatever they write, you’re going to do. I thought I played that kind of crazy person but once you write it down and say the line, it all seems to work out.

They wrote some really good stuff for me. There was one episode where I wanted [Carrie] to cut me up a banana real thin. I thought that was so wonderful they wrote that because it defines the character. It shows you what he is, his personality. A banana sliced real thin? That's such an odd request.

Speaking on talents you worked with, Leah was the big one. Pretty much every scene you were in she was also there. To me, you two had great chemistry. One scene, you came in and you always sat on her desk. And she didn’t like that, so she put that small tower on her desk. Did you gel with her like you thought you would?

I did. She's an East Coast girl. She was reminding me of my cousin, who is from New Jersey. They kind of had the same personality, an edgier person, says what they want, what they feel, no filter. I really liked her a lot, Leah is great.

I actually ran into her -- my wife was nominated for an Emmy and we went. I hadn’t seen Leah in years and I ran into her at the Emmy after-party and we had a nice conversation.

That's great to hear. Do you run into people from the show often?

I haven’t seen Jerry [Stiller] in years, I mean, years. Victor Williams and I used to hang out regularly years ago. He moved back to New York, I know he just got a part on another sitcom.

I ran into Patton Oswalt a few times over the last five, six years. As far as Kevin [James] goes, I never had a relationship with Kevin James, ever. On set, it was fine, we chat here and there, side conversations. But we never had a relationship. I don’t know the last time I saw him.

To wrap up King of Queens, 2003 is when your character saw its last episode. What were those emotions, did you know that would be your last episode?

It's a funny story. I didn’t know that would be my last episode. I got the script and I was like, 'Wait a second... this cant be the last episode.' And then they explained to me after the table read, they came into my dressing room. I was bummed [saying] 'What the hell?'

They said, 'Hey, we want to go a different way with Carrie's character at work.' They explained it to me and they were nice. They were cool about it.

I was bummed but at the same time, I wasn’t going to be a regular on the show. It was a great experience, I truly appreciated all of it. Not a lot of people get to do that stuff.

As I mentioned, 15 years since that last episode. You’ve done so much work since then but when you see those King of Queens episodes come on air today, what comes to mind?

I had hair. That's what comes to mind! I look at it and go, 'Wow, I still had baby fat and I had hair. Holy cow!' [laughs] It's funny, it is was it is, it's weird to see because it's so long ago. I was 26 years old, I had hair.

And you were so healthy, too.

[laughs] I look better now than I did then. Let's just say that. I don’t want to get cocky but at 45, I look better!

What do the kids think when they see dad on TV?

They kind of grew up in it but I think they’re over it. At first, the first couple years, 'Ah, this is so cool.' Now, they’re talking to their friends -- my daughter is going to be 19 next month, my son is 16. They’re friends will be like, 'Oh my God, your dad is on the Fosters. He's a bad guy.' And I think that makes them feel good.

But as far as sitting down and watching it on TV, they're like, 'Eh, can we watch something else?'

The whole acting thing I try to keep separate from my children always. Those two things, personally, don’t go together. Two separate parts of my brain and two parts of my life.

You touched on the Fosters a little bit, Jennifer Lopez exc. producer, on Freeform. After all these years, a more serious role, how much did you really enjoy being a part of this show?

I loved it. The guys, Peter Paige, an exc. producer on it, he was a good dude. I got to play opposite of Terri Polo, a wonderful actress in her own right. I was a dirty detective and she was a cop. It was really nice. It was a drama, so it was very toned down, specific and direct.

It was just a really good time, man. I love doing drama -- talking about TV and film -- a little more than comedy because it's more... it fits home a little better. I don’t know how to explain with words.

Maybe you would feel like a performing monkey trying to entertain people. But when you’re doing a dramatic, you seem to hone your skills and show off in a serious way?

Yeah, I guess you could say it somewhere along those lines. Again, comedy is hard. I have a great respect for people who are really good a comedy. I’m not too bad at it, pretty decent at it. The play I’m doing right now, for people in Los Angeles, see Damaged Furniture. My wife, Mo Collins, is in it. It's a really good, dysfunctional family play.

Local in L.A. you said?

Yes, at the Whitefire Theater. If you live around this area in Los Angeles, come check it out.

(CLICK HERE for more information on Damaged Furniture)

Final question here, I've been checking out your YouTube channel and I see you’re a passionate musician. I saw your tributes to Chris Cornell and Prince. Pretty good work...

Why, thank you.

Is that something you’ve done for a long time?

I had a band called the Alex Skuby Band for about seven years, we toured the East Coast, mid-west. I haven’t looked at that stuff in a long time. But yeah, I had a band for a while, we had a manager, toured. That was from 2004 to 2010 I want to say around there.

We had great musicians, we had fun. We wrote a lot of original stuff, did some covers, went around and did our thing. We played casinos, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Boston, Iowa. In that area. It was a lot of fun. Good stuff, I enjoyed it.

ALEX SKUBY DISCUSSES KING OF QUEENS ROLE, TRUE ACTING & MORE -- Part I

Alex Skuby is a man of many faces. And most of them have been seen on TV sets around the country.

Spending decades in the world of theatre, film and television, Skuby, 45, has learned the in's and out's of the business of acting. Moving to Los Angeles in his mid-20s, he grew from a theatre talent to a reoccurring comedy character in King of Queens. 

Playing as Doug Pruzan from 2000 to 2003, Skuby's career continued to lean on the TV side for 15 years, recently working on Freeform's The Fosters in 2017. 

Skuby spoke with Zach Catanzareti of the Catch-Up Blog to discuss his career in acting and his growth from a "blue-collar" New Jersey upbringing to the big screen. We also dive into his King of Queens role and what he's up to nowadays with his LA play, Damaged Furniture.

NEW! Listen to this interview on our SoundCloud channel: CLICK HERE.

Zach Catanzareti: Let's start with where it all started for you in New Jersey. You grew up in the 70s, how was your childhood growing up? Did you have any siblings, what did your parents do?

Alex Skuby: I was born in 1972, I was the oldest of three siblings. We're all six years apart, so my brother is six years younger than me and my sister is 12 years younger than me. And my father was a salesman, he worked in New York City for IZOD, Ralph Lauren, stuff like that. He was pretty much on the road and my mother was a stay-at-home mom.

It was a pretty straightforward childhood, I had a lot of friends, grew up in Jersey. It was interesting, when I got older my brother was growing up I hated that he took some of the attention away from me. Just that sibling rivalry. It was pretty normal, I guess. My father was always telling jokes at parties and going above and beyond to get attention. That bigger personality came onto me I would say.

Was it through your father that you started getting into acting? Or was that something that came a little later?

It came later. My father didn't have anything to do with my acting, he actually did want me to pursue that. He wanted me to have a real job with benefits and health insurance. I knew that wasn't for me, that normal every-day existence only because my brain doesn't work that way.

I did not do theatre in high school, I didn't think about it too much. But what happened was when I graduated high school, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I had to go to school so I enrolled at Brookdale Community College, a two-year college in Lincroft, NJ. I had to go full-time there because my parents were divorced at that point. In order to stay with my father's home insurance, I had to be a full-time student.

There was a marketing class and an acting 101 class. Well, I didn't want to take marketing so let's see what this acting 101 is all about. I took it and I had a blast. It was therapeutic.

Why do you think that was? Was it something that came natural, performing in front of people, perhaps with comedy if that's how you started?

I didn't start in comedy, most of my credits, if you look at my resume and stuff, it's drama. Especially with Tv and stuff. When I went to Brookdale, they cast a play called "A Few Good Men". It was a movie that came out but it started as a play. I auditioned for it, it was pretty high drama and I got the part. It was just so wonderful, the feeling.

As far as being a natural in front of people, I don't know if you're born with that or if it's something you grow into. I remember doing that play -- I did a play in third grade, but in third grade, you don't give a shit. 'Yay, I'm in a play!'

I'm 19 at the time, so I cared. I was very nervous. It was the first time I had something at stake, you know?

But the role was amazing. Opening night, I played Col. Jessup, Jack Nicholson played that part. I remember being so nervous. There was a scene where another actor comes in and says 'I hate lawyers, kill them all.' Something like that. I was so nervous I went blank. I brain went blank and it seemed like it lasted five minutes, it was probably only 10 seconds.

When did you feel comfortable?

It's funny because every job you do is different. For instance, I'm doing a play right now, we're doing in Los Angeles, it's called Damaged Furniture. It's a comedy written by Howard Skora, it's an original play. We're doing this play, we just got extended through August at the Whitefire Theatre. To answer your question, each job is different. This theatre we're talking about here, it's live, no safety net -- once the lights come up and you roll on the stage, you're in it. Sink or swim.

(Damaged Furniture, 2018. Alex Skuby, Instagram)

I don't think you can actually feel comfortable before the show starts. I'm speaking personally, but once you get that groove and the rhythm with the audience then it starts to flow and there's more quote-on-quote comfortable feeling. You're in the moment.

It's definitely more at-ease and more fluid I would say. More connected. But with TV and film you have take after take, you show up for a scene, you're not really feeling it. But after a few takes, you're OK and feel better. It's a whole different set of skills.

You said you didn't really know what you wanted to do. Kind of not having a Plan B, did that really motivate you to get rid of the nerves?

I would say it is but what makes a solid performer is work. You have to focus. I'm going to bring up this play, I'm in 96 of 100 pages in the script. That's a lot of dialogue. I'm in the entire play, I'm on stage with other brilliant actors, a cast of five of us. So, I knew we were going to start rehearsal at the end of January, so I started reading the script.

I learned all my lines to make sure I was off-book for the most part in a matter of 10 days... so in 10 days I did nothing but sit in my office -- I would take five pages and go, 'OK, I'm going to learn these five pages right now.' And then I'd take the next five and keep doing that.

And fear [laughs] is a great motivator, too. I got to know this!

But that goes into what you were saying, did that make me feel with a Plan B? Yeah, it did. But again, in my brain, there is nothing else I could do. Nothing. I remember when I was eight or nine, my whole family is Russian. We're all from the Jersey Shore and I remember Russian Easter my cousin had brought a friend of his to this party we were having. I was a kid and she was a casting director for soap operas.

I didn't know much about it then but when she explained to me at that age what he did, casting actors on TV, I started doing these dances for her [laughs]. 'Look at me, look at me!' I think it has always been there.

Also, I had this psychology teacher in high school. My grades weren't great, I didn't feel the schoolwork. Anyone can say they hate school, I get it. But I really wasn't that good. I remember my psychology teacher one day in the hallway he said to me, 'You know Skuby, you're not going to need any of this.' I go, 'What are you talking about?' He's like, 'All this stuff, this work. You're going to get somewhere on your personality.'

I'll never forget him saying that. I was like, 'Holy shit.' I didn't think of it then but now 30 years later, wow. He said that to me and he was kind of right.

It makes you feel it was meant to be a little bit. This wasn't by accident, you found what you wanted. You were dancing as a kid and before you knew it, you saw yourself on TV.

"There are two different types of actors in this business. There are celebrity superstars and there are actors. I'm an actor."

You have your superstars, your Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis. Those are more superstars to me. Then there are actors, those who move throughout this business in smaller parts, bigger parts, but they're always there auditioning, working, going for it. And you build a nice little life for yourself. That's kind of where I'm at. That's kind of what I am.

When I first moved to LA when I was 25, it was like I wanted to be that star. Then after 10, 15 years of learning about this business and the people who ran it, I came to the conclusion I like being an actor, man. I just like being an actor.

Do you think people get stuck wanting that limelight?

I think there are people who do, yeah. There are people who look at the size of the paycheck, they look for how much clout this is going to give me. They live in that white, fluffy cloud -- they surround themselves with a lot of yes men. I've never been in that, I've never had that. I've worked with people who were that.

I can't speak for who's into that but just by looking at it, how did they do that? They already have $200 million in their bank account why the hell would they do that movie?

I started in theatre, I love theatre. Of course, I do love working in television and film, I do. Theatre is where it all started for actors. Going back hundreds of years, this is where it is, where it's sink or swim.

With theatre, I hear that a lot with actors. What are really the differences when you're on a bigger set on a TV network and theatre? Do you keep that same mindset or are they too different to bring those skills?

You hone your skills and work on your craft in theatre. In my opinion, others may have a different opinion. But with mine, that's where I learned my stuff. When I was doing King of Queens or when I was just on a show called The Fosters, I bring those skills into that environment.

Essentially, it's the same thing but two different skillsets. TV is smaller, the physicalities are smaller, especially in drama. That's very low-key and played down. Whereas in theatre, you have to be bigger, the people in the back row need to hear you and see your facial expressions.

To answer your question, I do use the same skillsets just in a different way.

You quickly became a fairly familiar face on TV from A Will of Their Own, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, ER. Did you anticipate your career leaning toward the TV side?

(Alex Skuby, Instagram)

That's just how it panned out. I didn't think too much about where I would end up, I just went with it. When I moved to LA, I was an actor in Chicago -- I grew up in Jersey, moved to Chicago when I was 20. I did a lot of theatre out there. I was cast in a show called Early Edition and I was so nervous I couldn't even hit my marks.

The camera guy whispered to the director, 'I cant get him in the shot.' The director would come up to me and go, 'Alex, you have to hit your mark. If you don't hit your mark, you're not going to be able to do the job.'

But again, I don't see myself as comedy or drama, I see myself as an actor. The last gig I had was in December for The Fosters, the last six months have been pretty dry. But I do have the play I'm doing which is keeping my brain occupied and my feet wet. You never know when your number is called and here you go, you're back in a series, back doing your thing. You have to stay... loose.

You hear about these actors who played in stuff a long time ago and you wonder if they still have that fire in their belly to still act. Obviously, you still have that.

I do. Has it lessened a little? Look, I've learned a lot in this business. When I first got here, I was more about the show and less about the business. The problem here is that I was young and naive, I didn't think about the business side. And it worked for a while, I booked jobs.

But after a while, you start to learn it's not about that. It's about relationships you're creating, business relationships. I was never really good at ass-kissing and schmoozing. I just never was. I'm a blue-collar kid from Jersey, a guy who loves the art I do.

As far as going out to bars and schmoozing with directors, producers, I was never good at it. As a matter of fact, most of the time I did try to do that, I'd wind up drinking too much [laughs], you know what I mean?

Now I have kids of my own and my son who's 16 wants to be an actor. I'm like, 'Oh God. Kid, please. Do something else, do something else. Because I know how it is.'

You talked about Early Edition and early on how nervous you were. When you look back and how your skills have grown tremendously over 15, 20 years. How do you look back on that and how far you've come?

I look back and go, 'Wow, I wish I knew then what I know now.' That's just a cliche, we all say that. But you have to go through these moments to learn, A. If you want to keep doing it and B. If you're even right for it. Trials and tribulations we go through in any business, not just acting, it could be accounting, a car salesman. You go through these things to help us grow and figure out if it's what we want. Is this something I can fight for the next 40 years.

You brought up earlier that I still have the fire to go out and do that. A lot of the time, I don't. There are days I don't want to do it anymore, I don't want to walk into a small little room on Warner Brothers with more producers, a casting director sitting there staring at me. Most of the time, I got to tell you, if they are bringing actors in with a resume, they know when you walk into the room before you say a word, they have a thought in their head if you're right for the part.

Again, this business isn't all about talent. Very little of it is. These days they're casting on how many YouTube followers some of these kids have or their Instagram followers or Twitter. If that's the case, I'm screwed. I'm a 45-year-old guy, I have an Instagram account, Twitter, all this stuff. But some of these people have 600,000 followers, who the hell is that?

They put up videos and them bouncing a pink ball and it gets like 200 million hits. You're like, 'What is that?!' I feel I am aging out of this, like one of my parents like, 'What is this Instagram thing and how do you use it?'

Everything is changing, man. The whole business, everything. The last 10 years are so different.

You said your son wanted to get into acting?

My son has been bringing it up. First off, he knows how I get when he says, 'Oh, it looks like fun.' I' be like, 'Don't say that.' Yes, maybe two percent of it can be fun but the rest of it is, 'Oh my God, I'm so stressed, I'm not going to get the part. I got to look at my lines, got to get rid of the nerves, maybe take a Xanax.

I tell him all time, if you're going to do it, start in theatre. Do it the right way, not like these people putting up a video of them chewing gum and they think they're going to get a TV series. Maybe they will, I don't know how it works. But I try to tell him that, I want him to be smarter about this decision.

I have a daughter and she wants nothing to do with it.

CLICK HERE for Part II with Alex Skuby.