Andrew Leland Rogers, actor: ELSEWHERE, NY

Andrew Leland Rogers, actor

1Q: Tell us how you became involved with Elsewhere, NY, and how you prepared for your role.

I met Tom Wilton and Jeffrey P. Nesker at a Starbucks on Union Square in Manhattan. I’d applied to the project a couple of days earlier, and they said they just wanted to meet me, to talk.

We discussed the concept of Elsewhere, NY, read through a couple of scenes and in Jeff’s eyes, I knew he saw me as the character so I didn’t change a thing at first glance.

When they offered me the part, I dove right in, not knowing what to expect or what the process would be.

Figuring out Ethan was a very personal process for me to be honest, but I can say that I used the clues on the page and really discussed a lot of it with Jeff as a director, feeling out the process and how he interlocked with the other characters in the piece.

2Q: Cinequest Film Festival is hosting the US Premiere of Elsewhere, NY. Explain to us how it feels to bring this film before US audiences for the first time, and what do you think their reaction will be to your film?

It’s always exciting for people to see your work and react to it. Festivals are a great opportunity to share and discover other artists as well, so I am just as excited to see some great films as I am for people to come and see ours. There are just so many good films, I hope ours finds its place at this festival, but I know that whatever their reactions, I’ll be glad to talk with people after each screening.

3Q: What was your best and/or worst experience while making Elsewhere, NY?

Elsewhere, NY was my first experience of appearing in a feature, so it was a beautiful combination of complex yet simple experiences. It wasn’t all fun and games of course – there were some shitty parts, but there were moments where I really felt that I was allowed to own my character. So the good and the bad – they all serve as a learning curve, just as they do on any project.

4Q: Festival audiences often have to make hard decisions about what to see, and the catalog descriptions sometimes run together. In your own words, why should people see your film?

Elsewhere, NY is an honest film above all else. In terms of genre, it’s not really trying to be anything – it’s just a simple love triangle about complex people. In fact, I think that many of us will have been a part of such a crazy situation (or at least, some version of), and so whether we are the one cheating or being cheated on, it’ll be recognizable to many. People will (and do) get it.

Add to that the incredibly intimate relationship this film has with a New York you rarely see, and you’ve got nothing to lose with this flick.

5Q: Time to pre-plan: You just won the Oscar for Elsewhere, NY. Give us your acceptance speech.

Well there was only 3 other people in the cast, and 2 people on the crew, so it would be very short…

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