AOL Live Chat mit J. August Richards vom 17.11.2000

TV Guide Online: Tonight we are chatting with J. August Richards from the WB series Angel. Hi J! Thanks for coming!

Richards: HI!!!!

Question: Im intrested in acting, how did you get a role on such a popular show?

Richards: Well basically, I got an audition. My manager called me with an audition for the show. I had never seen it, cause I had an acting class on Tuesday nights that I was really into. I auditioned twice and ended up getting the part.

Question: Gunn and Cordelia sorta have chemistry. Is there anything going to develop from that?

Richards: Well I hate to not answer the question but you`ll just have to see. The ironic thing is that the episode we did, "First Impressions", and people were weighing in on whether there is a relationship ship or not. There wasn`t anything in the script, but as actors we just have chemistry. I think that might be something that people are seeing. And the fact that she`s probably one of my favorite people on set showed too.

Question: Is it hard to do the fighting and do you do your own stunts when need be?

Richards: Yes I do as much of the fighting as I can. I`ve had no experience in fights before, but for some reason I just did. Was able to do it well, but I have stuntman as well who is really great. He does the slams into walls and falls and he does the driving for me. I won`t do the driving.

Question: Hey August.. how are you?? I was wondering first, where are you from, and second, has your life changed at all since you got the part on the show? Thirdly, Can you help me out? Hook me up with MTV!

Richards: I`ll start with 3rdly. I can`t hook you up with MTV cause I have no ins on MTV and I`d love to be on MTV myself. Maybe we can help each other get on MTV. I am from Bladensburg, MD. I was born in Washington DC. My life hasn`t changed. I get recognized walking down the street. I have fun talking to people I meet. I`ve only had one strange fan encounter. I was at a newsstand and this woman who is not a small women. She comes up to me. She told me she was in an magazine. I asked if it was Ebony or Essence. She said no, I`m in Big Black Asses. Before I can say no, she whips out the magazine and she was the centerfold. I was so embarressed. I just turned and ran away, basically.

Question: Well, I`m gonna ask something that everyone is probably dying to know...are you single?

Richards: No, I`m not single actually.

Question: If you could be any animal what would u be?

Richards: I like those kind of questions. I`d like to be...gosh there are so many. I`m trying to figure out which one I`d settle on. I`m going to go with a cheetah. For speed and just that cat energy is very interesting.

Question: If you were trapped on an island with the Buffy cast, who would you eat first? LOL!!!!

Richards: Who would I eat first? I wouldn`t eat any of them. I`d do like the Survivors and have rat.

Question: Why a cheetah??

Richards: I`m going for the pure speed thing. The pure layout in the grass thing. The all around kind of rebel vibe of a cheetah. It`s just that cat energy is very sexy.

Question: What`s your preferred weapon for dispatching evil?

Richards: You haven`t seen it on the show yet, but on an upcoming epsiode, I use a curved stake made of Mahogeny. That`s going to be my new weapon of choice. I think it`s in two episodes from now. Incedently I`d like you to check out the next episode, "The Shroud of Ramon". It`s a cool episode for my character. A lot of insanity ensues.

Question: What do u think about what has happened in the presidential elections so far? wat party or candidate do u favor?

Richards: I`m like everybody else, I`m just tripped out over the whole situation. At this point it`s a little ridiculous. I think people are dissapointed that it`s not handled as it should be. The actual vote should be right anyway. I`m just hoping that it all resolves itself and that Gore wins.

Question: Wazzzzzuuuuup J. August Richards, You look kinda young, so i was wondering how long youve been in this business & how you got your break. P.S. You are fine baby!- Nina

Richards: Thank you, Nina. I have been a professional actor for the last four years now. I did two movies, Good Burger and Why Do Fools Fall in Love. I did 2 tv movies, The Tempations and Mutiny. Tons of guest star work on The Practice and Nash Bridges and on Undressed on MTV.

Question: You are awsome in Angel. Will there be any guest stars soon?? If so who will it be????

Richards: Yes. On the episode on Tuesday, Tony Todd, who played Candyman plays a huge demon called Viasa. W. Earl Brown, who played, Cameron Diaz`s Brother in There`s Something About Mary, plays a demon called Menlo.

Question: hey J! you said you were in Goodburger...what part did you play?

Richards: I played one of the villian`s sidekicks.

Question: If you could be any kind of tree, what would you be and why?

Richards: I`d be a redwood. Just because it`s so big and lives for so long. I`d be a redwood cause the roots are so deep and strong.

Question: Will we be delving more into all of your personal demons? Your character seems to have a lot of hidden anger.

Richards: I wouldn`t call it anger, I call it pain in a lot of ways. He`s just hurt that they took the most important person from him. I think it`s more hurt than pain. I don`t see him as an angry person. I think he`ll go to any extent to protect the people he loves. That`s what I love about the character.

Question: What was your favorite childhood toy when you were young?

Richards: The Millenium Falcon. We always played Star Wars growing up. I always had to be Lando. I didn`t mind. Everybody wanted to be Han Solo, but I wanted to be Luke. Sometimes I wanted to be Boba Fett, I loved Boba Fett.

Question: Boxers or briefs sorry LOL! Sorry had to ask!

Richards: Both. Depends on the mood, depends on the day.

Question: What do u do on your free time?

Richards: I like to go to the movies a lot. I really love movies. I actually paint as well. I just switched from oil to acrylic. I hang out with my friends and travel to visit my family as often as I can.

Question: What do you paint pics of?

Richards: Nothing real, really. Just very abstract things. The last painting I did was I painted the entire painting with a cork. I just pressed the cork against the canvas to show the pattern. So nothing real lately.

Question: August I read that your favorite bread of dog speaks a lot about you...so what is your favorite bread of dog?

Richards: We have a dog and that dog is a Labrador. It was rescued from a pound from friends of ours.

Question: If you found a magic lamp and it gave u three wishes what would they be and why?

Richards: Resolve the election no matter who wins. That`s number 1. Two, is my own real live Millenium Falcon. And Three, no more domestic violence.

Question: Where do you see your character going in the next few seasons?

Richards: I hope that he continuely changes. I hope that he grows some hair. I`d like to see how hanging out with Angel, Cordelia and Wesley changes him. I`d like him to come closer to resolving his demons, which are numerous. I love who he is, I love what he stands for and I hope the core of that never changes.

Question: WHAT IS YOUR LATEST AND NEXT PROJECT?

Richards: I`m not working on anything cause the hours are grueling. It`s very hard to do anything during the season. Over the summer, I want to do a play or a movie. I absolutely, want to do a play once the hiatus hits. On a closing note, I`d like to say to all the fans, thank you so much for all the support through my first episode season 1, "Warzone". You sent me letters and e-mails and made it possible for my character to continue. I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. I want to send a shout out to my boy, David. To Charisma, To Alexis, To James, Amber, To David Greenwall, Joss Whedon. A shout out to the script supervisor Jane. One of my number 1 fans, Lisa Miller who keeps writing me. That`s it. And to my baby, Tangi, I want to send a shout out.

TV Guide Online: Thanks J! We had a great time!!! Good luck with everything and we`ll be watching!!!

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