Thomas Ian Nicholas Interview - Portrait Magazine, March 2007

Thomas Ian Nicholas Interview
Interview by Eleni
Interview date: February 2007

Name: Thomas Ian Nicholas
Career: Actor
Myspace: Myspace.com/ThomasIanNicholas


Thomas Ian Nicholas

Would you care to introduce yourself?
My name is Thomas Ian Nicholas. Yes, that's correct. I have 3 first names.

What got you into acting?
My introduction to acting was as an extra on a couple of indie films, where my Mom was the atmosphere casting director.

How old where you when all this happened?
I was 6 years old.

What are your hopes for 2007?
To continue challenging myself as an artist.

Who are your role models and why?
I have an immense amount of respect for any professional that loves there job after doing for over 20 years.

What are your passions/concerns for the world?
I am passionate about giving back because I have been so blessed in my life and career, so I work with charity organizations. I am on the board of directors for the Life Though Art Foundation ( www.ltaf.org) and for about 10 years I've been involved with Best Buddies (www.bestbuddies.org) founded by Anthony Shriver.

Describe yourself in 3 words
Actor. Musician. Director.

You've met a lot of cool people through your line of work. Who are your top ones and why?
I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Bruce Springsteen. I have a dream of portraying him in a movie.

What has been the scariest/most embarrassing thing you've had to do on set?
Being duct taped to chair in my boxers on the set of "American Wedding"

Which tv show/movie was your favourite to film?
Rules of Attraction directed by Roger Avary.

Have you kept in contact with other actors from the projects you've acted in?
Sure. One of my first jobs was on "Who's the Boss" in 1986. I played a 6 year old version of Tony Danza and Kenny Morrison portrayed him as a teenager. Kenny Morrison and I are still friends 21 years later.

Describe your daily routine.
I really don't have a daily routine. When I'm not working on movies, I'm the studio working on music. So my schedule is different everyday.

If you could change something about your life, what would it be?
I would have invented myspace.

What has been the toughest thing to do in your life?
The toughest thing for me, as I'm sure we all can relate, is hearing the word "No". However, it's something we all have to deal with in our lives. Whether it’s our parents teaching us or challenge to accomplish something at work. The bottom line is that hearing that word is tough but it makes us stronger. Either we become stronger by heeding the lesson or in some cases, by over coming an obstacle. I also have trouble using the word "No". It is a very tricky word.

How does it feel to be a role model to so many and know that people look up to you as a good example?
I think that everyone is a role model to their friends and family around them. Which I believe is more difficult than being a role model to people who admire your work. It's much more challenging to lead a good example when there is no publicity involved.

If you could be a super hero, who would you be?
Wolverine.

What's the nicest thing a fan has ever said to you?
I once was told that my work inspired someone to pursue their own dreams.

Tell me a random fact about you.
I am a pun master. I know it’s not very cool, but I love a good pun.

Do you have a myspace?
Yes. I have a few pages. The main one is for my music. The URL is www.myspace.com/ThomasIanNicholas

How can people contact you?
Through myspace is the easiest way to contact me or through my publicist, Karen Ammond - kbcmedia@att.net kbcmedia.com