Emerging Magazine InnerView: Craig Robert Young

Emerging Magazine InnerView

Craig Robert Young

Andy & Chaz Bugger Off To America

 

By S. Rothe' du Bois and Cher Ferroggiaro

July 24, 2011

 

Emerging Magazine: You were born in Nottingham, England where your first professional role was portraying Mark in Barry Hines' "The Prince of Coal." Was this one of the motivations that determined you would pursue acting as a permanent career?

Craig: Well, my sister Sharon was my motivation, she dragged me out of bed to catch a bus into town  - we walked a mile in the rain and ebtered the auditions like drowned rats. We were auditioning to play brother and sister, age 13 and 10 and children of a coal Miner - All of this was tur for us so i guess the stars were aligned at that moment. And the bug, as they say was born. A leading role of Oliver followed soon after cementing the bug. 


Emerging Magazine: You joined the hit group, "Deuce." The band had a number of hits in the UK, why did you leave the band?

Craig: We had a good run for a pop band. Shelf life for any band was around 2 years and we were just over that so wanted to get out on a high. - I didn't want to go down with a sinking ship.

Emerging Magazine: Why pursue music?
 
Craig: It was a chance opportunity.

Emerging Magazine: What did you like most about performing in the band?

Craig: To be completely honest - the screaming fans was a rush like no other - It's a very strange feeling to be rushed by crazy girls who wiill scratch themselves and beat each other up in order to get close to you. I know I'm sick - lol

Emerging Magazine: Ha, I'm sure everyone would understand getting rushed by crazed girls might be an incentive. How is that different from acting? Do you think you will ever perform musically again, other than theatre?

Craig: Never say never - we talked about doing a ten year reunion a one night only gig - but I think that's as far as it will over go - plus all those screaming girls have probably turning into sensible housewives and mothers.

Emerging Magazine: Your next major role was Alex Wilkinson of the award winning British television show, "Dream Team." You were hosting a show on MTV at the time, how did you land the villian role?
  
Craig: Yes hosting gigs came in thick after Deuce. I met my UK agent Vivien Wilde at a party and Dream Team was the first audition she put me up for - I was living back home with my parents in Nottingham at the time and would catch the train in to London for auditions. I remember I'd just finished a charity walk from London to Belfast for the NSPCC, I think that was definitely in my favor - I loved playing Alex he was a definite layered character.

Emerging Magazine: Did you have football experience in the past, or did you receive training during the show?

Craig: Football exp - Nope. Clever editing. We had a lot of training and the actor Gary Lucy was semi-pro so during our breaks and lunchtime he would teach me a lot of tricks.

Emerging Magazine: After leaving Dream Team and arriving in the U.S. your career seem to propel, landing film and television roles. Whom do you credit or whom was instrumental in your success for landing these roles?

Craig: Louisa Spring without a doubt - she was my very first manager and we had a break for awhile, as I was young and naive and took a chance to swim with the sharks for awhile.
But, with a little humility about 8 years later I asked Louisa to take me back and I am so lucky and fornuate she did. She's the best manager ever and a really good friend. She works her butt off and I appreciate her so very much.

Emerging Magazine: That's cool that you are still working together, even after the break. Of the following, which do you prefer or enjoy most? Film, Music, Television or Theatre?

Craig: Def not singing -- It's like Skateboarding and bike riding - All mediums are the same in that they move you but are very different within the same category - Acting is acting - theatre is more moment to moment, where as film and TV everything is shot out of order, so it's very much puzzle solving - you have to be on your feet much more, remembering where your character is at the point in time - even if you havent shot the before yet. 
 

Emerging Magazine: Okay, let's discuss your transition from crime drama (NCIS Los Angeles) to crime comedy. How did you make that transition. Have you been considered a comedian growing up? 

Craig: I had always been somewhat the class clown - And used humour as a sort of defence to not get bullied at school. - I have been lucky to have a mix of both comedy and drama.

From Charmed and Sabrina Teenage Witch, I also have taken classes at The Groundlings and learned so much there.

We also do a  thing each year called the TOSCARS where we parody the 10 nominated oscar movies for best picture. Darren takes part in these two - but we are always team leaders so have never made a parody together, yet. So far, I've parodied Brad Pitt twice, Justin Timberlake, Tommy lee Jones and James Macavoy

Emerging Magazine: Is comedy something you feel comfortable with?

Craig: More and more so (I sometimes break quite a lot though- as its pretty easy to make me laugh). Especially with Darren - we have quite a lot of outtakes from making A&C.

Emerging Magazine: Speaking of A & C,  we have watched the current 5 episodes of Andy and Chaz Bugger Off To America. The show is quite hilarious and your role, along with Darren Darnborough's character, Chaz seems to come off effortlessly for the two of you. Have the two of you worked together before?

Craig: We hadn't except for the Oscars like I said above. But we had been friends for awhile before making A&C.

Emerging Magazine: I am inserting a clip of the new show here so that readers can get an idea of the chemistry between you and Darren Darnborough. Naturally, to introduce readers to the hilarious new show, Andy and Chaz Bugger Off To America.
Warning: Explicit Language 

 



Emerging Magazine: Did the two of you meet in England prior to coming to America?

Craig: We didn't know each other, no.

Emerging Magazine: What can you tell us about Darren Darnborough that he may not reveal about himself?

Craig: He's a workaholic, he has a tentacle in each ocean and he loves women from the Orient. He is also mister social - He has the ability to be out everywhere having a great time, but yet he is able to be up early and function and run his sucessful business - HERO!

Emerging Magazine: Behind the scenes, are the two of you as comical as the characters you both portray in the series? 

Craig: Darren is for sure - we can be naughty boys together for sure.

Emerging Magazine: How did Director, Richard Keith find you? What is he like to work with?

Craig: Richard held auditions for a short film about 10 years ago called Exhinbit A - He cast me as the lead and we got on so well we started writing together.

We decided to make a feature called WANNABE together that we sold to Warner Bros Studios and our showrunner was MARTA KAUFFMAN the FRIENDS creator. At the time we had been developing Andy and Chaz with Darren.

To work with Rich is great, he is a visionary. He has a great creative mind and he has an idea and he will see it through. It's tough for him, as a lot of the time he works alone so he's doing everything from sound, to camera to editing.

He's very much an auteur. Very talented and obviously I adore working with him for the past 10 years.

Emerging Magazine: How did you prepare for your character Andy?
 
Craig: I didn't really - we had been developing our character through a series of improv's for awhile before we got to shooting - it was more important to have that Brother relationship with Darren more than anything.

Emerging Magazine: Any similarities between you and your character, Andy?

Craig: Not reallly - I'm not a criminal and never been on the run. Andy's pretty sensible and I'm a little more daring and carefree.

Emerging Magazine: Give us some deeper insight into Andy.

Craig: Family means everything to him and he will take a bullet for his brother but he dreams of living the 'straight' life - The wife, kids, dogs white picket fence, but knows thats probably never going to happen.

Emerging Magazine: Will you act in more comedy roles?

Craig: I would love to - I just auditioned for  aTV series back in the UK called THE GATES - Being directed by Sam Cadman. (Trigger Happy TV)- I lost out but it was great to be seen by such a talented director.

Emerging Magazine: What comedy films or television are your favorites?

Craig: Only fools and Horses, Black Adder, any of the Carry-On films or the old classic ealing comedies of the 50's and 60's

Emerging Magazine: Whom would you most enjoy working with in film or maybe in television, would you consider this person an influence or idol?

Craig: My idol is Anthony Hopkins.

Emerging Magazine: What other roles can we except to see you portraying in the near future?

Craig: Gosh, crystal ball.... Well I'm on NCIS:Los Angeles right now playing a romanian baddy called Dracul Comescu - I tend to be playing a lot of Europeans lately - Something with an American accent next perhaps...

Emerging Magazine: What is your favored charity or cause, specifically?

Craig: Amyloidosis Foundation - I lost someone very close to me to this horrid disease. So, I raise money for them to help find a cure.
 
Emerging Magazine: Sorry to hear of your loss to the disease. I'll place a link on the website so that others may learn more about the disease and how to help. Amyloidosis Foundation

Craig: Thank you

Emerging Magazine: May I ask, what is your favorite luxury?

Craig: My Mini Cooper with Union Jack Wing Mirrors!

Emerging Magazine: Favorite watering hole, where do you go when it's time to unwind and enjoy yourself?

Craig: Watering hole, I love the restaurant and bar Cecconi's and Soho House located in West Hollywood,California.

Emerging Magazine: Ideal vacation getaway?

Craig: Ideal getaway - Palm springs or/and Ojai.

Emerging Magazine: It is said an automobile is a good judge of character?  What is your favorite car?
  
Craig: My mini.

Emerging Magazine: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview, Craig. 

See Related Stories:  

 

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Comment

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Comment by Sebastian Calbet on July 24, 2011 at 11:48pm

One other thing, congrats to Craig Robert Young and to Darren Darnborough. Looking forward to learning more about Darren as well.

I am definitely going to follow the two of these guys in this outstanding comedy.

Comment by Sebastian Calbet on July 24, 2011 at 11:45pm
An absolute winner, hands down! This comedy is one of the best I have had the pleasure to actually enjoy and laugh through. I give this 5 stars out of 4. A bloody good show!
Comment by Reagan Jeremy on July 24, 2011 at 4:34pm
Best wishes for success!
Comment by Cher on July 24, 2011 at 4:28pm
Such a fabulous cast of characters.   :)
Comment by Anibal Harding on July 24, 2011 at 4:26pm
OMG! They're too funny!
Comment by Dragomir Blagojevic on July 24, 2011 at 4:16pm
great!

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