Dr.Travis: The Next Star Celebrity of 2011: 10 March

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Filming "Contraband"--For The FINAL Time w/Lukas Haas, CJ Simmons, & Marky Mark

Today, March 10th, 2011 was my second and final time of filming on the set of “Contraband” & it was better than the first time. Ben Foster, Kate Beckinsale, and Giovanni Ribisi left New Orleans weeks ago production told us because their scenes were wrapped, but I did get to work with J.K. Simmons from Spider Man, Mark Wahlberg, and Lukas Haas. Mr. Simmons plays a captain on a ship and he was a ton of fun to work with. He is so funny; I thought he was loud and funny with Tobey in Spider Man, but man on and off the set he is a pleasure to work with. He walked and ate and talked with the extras like we had known him for years. The Director even sat down and ate with us. I shook the Director’s hand and told him in advance, that I loved the opportunity to work with him and I hope to do it again in the near future. He is from Iceland and has a strong accent, but I understood all the direction and things he was telling me and other extras to do. I took a picture with the Captain and he was more than eager to take a photo with me. I loved it! He also went on to tell me that no one from the original Spider Man movies will be in the next film in 2012. I was disappointed to hear that news! As filming began and Mark Wahlberg came into the part of the ship that we were filming in, I did not even go up to him, nor say anything—we both made eye contact with each other and he walked over to me and said, “hey, what’s up—you’re back again, huh? That’s great bro!” I was totally speechless, but I did tell him that I am back and was delighted to be working with him again and that I watched the Oscars and was glad to see that his two co-stars in The Fighter, Melissa Leo and Christian Bale won an Oscar and he said thanks man to me. That was so awesome that the last time I worked with him was on Feb. 4th and he could single me out and remember me an entire month later. I wonder how he recalled me. It probably remembered that I showed him the photo of us together on my Credit Card! Lol! I do not know, but I see it as a huge compliment no matter what! During filing when we had to reset, he walked right past me and just tapped me on my arm as he went back to his original position. It was great! I mean, Mark Wahlberg talked to me, he shook my hand, and he touched me like we are close buddies (putting his arm around me/tapping my shoulder, etc.). I will ALWAYS cherish the time I spent working with him. He is a down to Earth and amazing actor and human being. I will always be rooting for him to win awards and succeed in life. He is great! Simply wonderful and kind! A few hours later, Lukas Haas was coming up the stairs to begin filming his scenes and before he did, I went up to him and said, “Hey, Lukas…remember me?” He was like no, not really, and then I reminded him of the scenes that we filmed in Algiers Point and how we were talking the entire night and then he said yes and I told him that I saw and Advanced Screening of Red Riding Hood and he asked me what I thought of it. I told him that I thought it was good, but his character was kind of funny. And he went on to tell me that it was not his kind of role to play! Lol! He was taking pics of the ship with his cell phone and then I asked him for a picture and he said that was no problem and we took a pic together. Originally, I was set to play a Borden Seaman, but then wardrobe changed me into a 3rd Mate and it was so much fun. My name was Joe Sharper, and I had a walkie talkie and looked like I belonged on a ship! Lol! In short, I loved filming with them form 7am until 9pm that night and the final scene we only did once and it was a successful wrap and then production was telling us what an amazing job we all did and how they could not have done it without us and we clapped and gave thanks to one another and Mark and Lukas jetted out and hoped into their separate Escalade’s and left the set! Lol! Guess they wanted to chill out after a long day! Filming will take place for one week in Panama, production told us and then that is it! It was great working with the entire cast and it is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life!