INTERVIEW WITH LES BRANDT (RAFAEL) Part #2
Part #1
AWT: Despite being a new character, you were thrown right into stories with heavy hitters like Nancy Frangione (Cecile) and Charles Keating (Carl). What was that like?
LB: Nancy and Charles are both interesting, larger than life people, which is why Cecile and Carl were such interesting characters. The one thing I noticed about Charles specifically, was that he was so dynamic, and his energy reached out so far in person. The camera just loved him because that's what it would capture for him, he was just so brilliant. He’s a brilliant guy. I respected that man and learned a lot from him. Nancy was a spitfire on and off camera, and she was very witty and full of life and just funny; a very funny lady. We became good friends. We really related on an esoteric level. She loved the metaphysical and I was at a time of my life where I was just starting a spiritual path. she helped me along. She was more than just a co-star, she became a true friend. Even though we lost touch over the years, she’s in my heart and she knows it.
AWT: What did you learn from AW's vets during your introduction to daytime that you still use in your career today?
LB: Those veteran actors were secure and confident in their abilities, and with who they were. With that confidence and security, they wanted to elevate everybody else to that level of performance and comfort, and to embrace actors into the show because an embraced and welcomed actor on their show adds to their show. They understood that importance. Nowhere else have I seen that level of family-like closeness. I mean, I’ve come close, but AW holds a special place in my heart, like it does with the fans and there is something about why that is. I think the fans got that sense of family and closeness and sincerity and depth from the show that I got from being on the show and being with the people that made that show. I’m not talking just about the cast, but the crew and (Executive Producer) Jill Phelps, and everyone there. Those people were just one in a million. It came through and that’s why the fans are the way they are, so hard-core. A lot of those fans still keep in contact with me today.
AWT: Where do you think Rafael is today?
LB: I believe he’s still with Maggie. They took off for Spain and they started traveling out there and through Europe. I think they ended up somewhere in Southeast Asia, maybe trying to cultivate a deeper understanding of life because they have money now and money is not an issue. I think they developed a deeper love connection. Now that he has money, Rafael realizes that all the henchman stuff and money stuff was really irrelevant and that there’s more to life. All this parlays into where I am today, in that I feel the same way. Once you’ve done a few things and have seen the other side, you realize a deeper meaning of everything. You get a sense of it and you start pursuing that more than anything else.
AWT: Tell us about your current and upcoming projects.
LB: My latest project is The Resolve. A great web series for the Internet age. I play the series lead, an unsuspecting serial killer. The characters are full of colors and it’s going to be great. You can check out it out at TheResolveSeries.com. Recently, I did two runs of 12 Angry Men in Los Angeles. We were actually supposed to be in New York this spring to do an Off-Broadway run of it, but things just started changing, so unfortunately that looks like it’s not going to happen. For the last eight years, I’ve been running my clothing line, BrandtSkinz, which has kept me really busy. It’s a great creative outlet and a phenomenal line of exotic skin garments that incorporates precious metals and stones into the garment. It's like nothing else on this planet.
AWT: Any message for the AW fans who've followed you since your Bay City days?
LB: Just keep giving us all that support! It’s nice to know that the work that we do, that we’ve done, still has such a resounding effect and appreciation after all of these years. And I love to keep in contact with those fans, let you know what comes next and what to look for down the road. Just sincere love, genuine love, from me to them.
AWT: Despite being a new character, you were thrown right into stories with heavy hitters like Nancy Frangione (Cecile) and Charles Keating (Carl). What was that like?
LB: Nancy and Charles are both interesting, larger than life people, which is why Cecile and Carl were such interesting characters. The one thing I noticed about Charles specifically, was that he was so dynamic, and his energy reached out so far in person. The camera just loved him because that's what it would capture for him, he was just so brilliant. He’s a brilliant guy. I respected that man and learned a lot from him. Nancy was a spitfire on and off camera, and she was very witty and full of life and just funny; a very funny lady. We became good friends. We really related on an esoteric level. She loved the metaphysical and I was at a time of my life where I was just starting a spiritual path. she helped me along. She was more than just a co-star, she became a true friend. Even though we lost touch over the years, she’s in my heart and she knows it.
AWT: What did you learn from AW's vets during your introduction to daytime that you still use in your career today?
LB: Those veteran actors were secure and confident in their abilities, and with who they were. With that confidence and security, they wanted to elevate everybody else to that level of performance and comfort, and to embrace actors into the show because an embraced and welcomed actor on their show adds to their show. They understood that importance. Nowhere else have I seen that level of family-like closeness. I mean, I’ve come close, but AW holds a special place in my heart, like it does with the fans and there is something about why that is. I think the fans got that sense of family and closeness and sincerity and depth from the show that I got from being on the show and being with the people that made that show. I’m not talking just about the cast, but the crew and (Executive Producer) Jill Phelps, and everyone there. Those people were just one in a million. It came through and that’s why the fans are the way they are, so hard-core. A lot of those fans still keep in contact with me today.
AWT: Where do you think Rafael is today?
LB: I believe he’s still with Maggie. They took off for Spain and they started traveling out there and through Europe. I think they ended up somewhere in Southeast Asia, maybe trying to cultivate a deeper understanding of life because they have money now and money is not an issue. I think they developed a deeper love connection. Now that he has money, Rafael realizes that all the henchman stuff and money stuff was really irrelevant and that there’s more to life. All this parlays into where I am today, in that I feel the same way. Once you’ve done a few things and have seen the other side, you realize a deeper meaning of everything. You get a sense of it and you start pursuing that more than anything else.
AWT: Tell us about your current and upcoming projects.
LB: My latest project is The Resolve. A great web series for the Internet age. I play the series lead, an unsuspecting serial killer. The characters are full of colors and it’s going to be great. You can check out it out at TheResolveSeries.com. Recently, I did two runs of 12 Angry Men in Los Angeles. We were actually supposed to be in New York this spring to do an Off-Broadway run of it, but things just started changing, so unfortunately that looks like it’s not going to happen. For the last eight years, I’ve been running my clothing line, BrandtSkinz, which has kept me really busy. It’s a great creative outlet and a phenomenal line of exotic skin garments that incorporates precious metals and stones into the garment. It's like nothing else on this planet.
AWT: Any message for the AW fans who've followed you since your Bay City days?
LB: Just keep giving us all that support! It’s nice to know that the work that we do, that we’ve done, still has such a resounding effect and appreciation after all of these years. And I love to keep in contact with those fans, let you know what comes next and what to look for down the road. Just sincere love, genuine love, from me to them.
Posted by Another World Today at
5:24 AM
1 Comments:
So interesting and insightful! Thanks for sharing with us!!
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