All Photos: Alan Mercer
Luca Ellis is best known for the original musical play'Hollywood To Hoboken' that he starred in and co-wrote. It ran for seven months to sell-out crowds,and received rave reviews from over 30 publications, including the Los Angeles Times.
Originally from Michigan Los Angeles
His singing ability got him cast as 'The Chairman of theBoard' in the play 'Louis and Keely Live At the Sahara.' Then he played 'Ole Blue Eyes' in Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show in Las Vegas. It seems fate was trying to tell him something. It wasn't much longer and Luca was playing 'The Crooner' in 'Hoboken To Hollywood.' He can count among his fans Lee Iacocca who has seen the show four times.
I met with Luca at his apartment building close to downtown Los Angeles to take these photos and learn a little more about this charnming and talented man. First off, he is a modest person and instantly likeable! He has everything he needs to become a big star! I promise you will be seeing more of this man over the next few years.
I met with Luca at his apartment building close to downtown Los Angeles to take these photos and learn a little more about this charnming and talented man. First off, he is a modest person and instantly likeable! He has everything he needs to become a big star! I promise you will be seeing more of this man over the next few years.
AM: Luca, from what Iunderstand you are an actor who sings and singing is rather new for you.
LE: Singing hasalways been something I enjoyed doing for fun.
AM: Well you soundlike a professional singer.
LE: Most people singin the car and in the shower and that's where I did my singing. I never had an interest in being a liveperformer, I always wanted to be a film actor on a closed set with a couple ofdozen people, making the performance intimate for the camera. Then I started singing professionally and Ifound it was more exciting and exhilarating than acting. Music is such a personal thing topeople. It essentially becomes thesoundtrack to their lives.
AM: Just to make sureI understand it all...You came out to
LE: Yes because Istarted making money as a singer so I decided I could do that for a living instead of waiting on tables. I just started getting attention as avocalist. I decided to put my effortsinto that. I found a certain joy and Ididn't know I could share this joy with others.
AM: Were you awarethat you had a similar vocal quality to Sinatra?
LE: Not until Istarted listening to his music.
AM: Did you listen toFrank and music from the great American Songbook growing up?
LE: I listened to alittle bit of Dean Martin when I was young and Harry Connick Jr. in myteens. It didn't really hit me untilsomebody gave me a Diana Krall CD that is was an actual genre of music. I decided then to pick up a Sinatra album andwithin a week I was singing along.
AM: Did you everlisten to punk rock music?
LE: Not really I waslistening to modern R&B like Bobby Brown. Then I started listening to classic rock like The Doors. Jim Morrison said one of his influences wasFrank Sinatra. Morrison's singing issimilar to Frank because he was always singing in his natural speaking voice. That's what I learned from Frank...is to singin your natural speaking voice and not to go outside your range. I didn't know I was a baritone until Istarted singing along with baritones and I saw how comfortable it was.
AM: It's hard to finda good singer these days.
LE: It reallyis. It's a lost art. Singers need to realize it's never about thembut about the song. I think it'sdisrespectful to sing around a melody. It's like paraphrasing and ad-libbing Shakespeare.
AM: So you care verymuch about the songwriting.
LE: Yes I care aboutthe songwriter and the message. I liketo stay true to the way the song was written. I don't have the liberty to change a song.
AM: Where did yougrow up?
LE: I was born in Michigan
AM: So Lee Iacoccameans something doesn't it?
LE: Yes he is a fanof the show and has seen it four times. The last time he came he brought his daughter and granddaughter. He is a sweet guy! He hired me for a Christmas party inDecember.
AM: That's great tohave such a famous fan! You must have alot of fans that like your striking good looks too! It must get you some attention.
LE: Thank you, goodlooks don't hurt in this town, but again there's a lot of good looking peoplein Los Angeles
AM: There are a lotof good looking people but not everyone is striking!
LE: I won't be flyingunder the radar then. (laughing)
AM: Do you want tokeep doing the 'Hoboken Hollywood
LE: Yes, since it'skind of my baby. It's been a wonderfulvehicle for people to enjoy this music live. We have a live band with nothing pre-recorded. It's a real and living work of art. It's theater with a safety net. The environment that we have created allowsus to flex and move. I want to keepdoing this show and delivering the music to people the way it should bedelivered.
AM: Do you want to bea recording artist?
LE: I want to be arecording artist for sure and have multiple CD's available at some point butacting has always been my biggest passion.
AM: Is this what youwanted as a child?
LE: Ever since I wasseven years old. The singing is a newkind of bonus for me that I've really enjoyed. I don't think I could ever walk away from the singing anymore.
AM: I'm surprised youdidn't realize all this sooner.
LE: I think with thismaterial I probably wasn't old enough to really appreciate it.
AM: What would yourideal career be?
LE: I wouldn't mindfollowing in the steps of guys like Dean and Frank, even Jennifer Lopez andWill Smith who have a strong presence in the music industry but also have aneven stronger presence in the film industry.
AM: What about TV?
LE: I'd love to doTV...sure.
AM: I'd love to seeyou with a Variety Show!
LE: You know I've been talking about doing a showthat would be interviews, skits and songs. Have candid moments with your guests and the host sings a song or twoevery night. I think television needssomething like this.
AM: Television iswhere it's at for getting people to see and hear you.
LE: It used to betaboo for a film actor to do a TV show but not anymore. The sky is the limit. I have these abilities that I'd love to lendto any project that could use them.
AM: Would it be hardfor you to branch out and play a serial killer?
LE: No, I'm acharacter actor. I can certainly playany part. I have the diversity to dowhatever I want to if someone gives me the opportunity. It's a tough racket and quite the rat race inLos Angeles
AM: Do you have whatit takes to endure and stay in it?
LE: Yes, the musicallows me to do that. I couldn't livewith myself now if I walked away from what I've accomplished in this shortamount of time. I moved to LA six yearsago. Within a year I was a full-timeSinger. I stopped all the other work Iwas doing. I've been supporting myself asa singer for the past five years. LA hasbeen very good to me. I love LA. I love her dearly. This will always be my first home.
AM: What about New York
LE: I'd like to havea second home in New York New York New York
To learn more about Luca Ellis visit his web site www.lucaellis.com
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