11.6.2005

Interview with Gianna Luchini

Gianna Luchini, talented Southland Tales actress and Mechanical, graced us with the following interview. Check out how she got involved with Southland Tales and what she thinks of Richard. — Number_5

R-K.net: What role do you play in Southland Tales?

Gianna: Deena Storm, the “dorky” porn star, as Rich so eloquently put it.  

R-K.net: How did you get involved in the project?  Did you know Rich before being cast?  How did you meet Richard?

Gianna: Yes I did know Rich before this project. I met Rich through my comedy sketch group The Mechanicals. One of the guys in our group, Kevin Robertson, is friends with Rich’s editor Sam Bauer’s brother, Ged Bauer. (I know lots of connections here) I believe the Bauer brothers came to one of The Mechanical performances and brought Rich with them. That’s how I met him. I also went to USC when Rich was there, but I didn’t know him then. I got involved in this project because Rich is a man of his word. He always told us that he was going to work us into something and he did just that. I won’t ever be able to thank him enough for it. Awesome experience!

R-K.net: Do you make people laugh as a full time job, or do you have some other “normal” occupation?

Gianna: I like to think I make people laugh as a full time job. But I am also an assistant media planner at TEAM ONE in Los Angeles. I work on The Ritz-Carlton account. Basically, I (along with my team Deanna and Sandra) help plan where the Ritz-Carlton will advertise. Thrilling, I know! Before that I used to work as a receptionist at Company 3, and before that I was a monster at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios. Even more thrilling, I know.

R-K.net: What went through your mind when you read the script for the first time?  Were you laughing?  Scared?  Arranging for therapy?

Gianna: Since I’m already in therapy, I had that part figured out!!! LOL. No, this definitely made me laugh out loud. Especially since I knew who was playing some of these parts. A lot of Sarah’s lines made me laugh out loud, especially during our reality show taping. Amy Poehler’s lines and Cheri Oteri’s lines killed me….too funny. Rich is a psycho! (A good psycho)

R-K.net: What would you classify Southland Tales as?  A musical?  A comedy?  A film designed simply to showcase The Mechanicals?

Gianna: I wish it were designed to showcase The Mechanicals!!! I am not sure how to describe what particular genre the film will be…other than it will be like something no one has ever seen. Especially with the variety of actors in this movie, I think you will laugh really hard at parts, you will think really hard at parts, and you can interpret in a way that is your own. That’s what’s so awesome about it.

R-K.net: People say that adult film actresses have trouble landing “mainstream roles.”  Since you are playing a porn star in a mainstream film, do you feel you are stealing opportunities from the thousands of starving adult actresses out there who might have wanted this role?  Do you like awake at night with guilt?

Gianna: I don’t think adult porn stars are starving…they swallow, right? And no I certainly don’t feel like I am stealing their parts. They are good at what they do…and that is awesome for them. If they aspire to break into the mainstream roles, than I would assume they would have to work just as hard as the rest of us gals. But I have wondered if adult stars will see this movie and say, “ I could have done that!”

R-K.net: What happened on the plane with the Southland Tales script?  Does the fanaticism with Richard Kelly scare you at all?  Have you ever gotten his autograph?

Gianna: There was a young man sitting next to me when I was flying up north to see my family. And he noticed that I was holding the “Southland Tales” script in my hand. He leaned over and said, “ Oh my god is that the Richard Kelly script of Southland Tales?”  And I said, “yes.” He was so excited, said he was a huuuge fan of Rich’s and have been dying for this film to come out FOR LIKE 3 YEARS. And this was before filming had even started!!!!! This guy said that he was also able to read a few of the first versions of the script too. So crazy to me…. how do people get their hands on this kind of stuff? And if you guys have so many “ins” with the industry…anyone want to help me get an agent or a manager?? I still don’t have one of those! No I have never gotten Rich’s autograph. I never even thought about that actually. I just see Rich as Rich…they guy we hang out with and go to Karaoke bars with! If he did a good rendition of Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello,” then maybe we would talk AUTOGRAPH…

R-K.net: What would you say you have most in common with your character in Southland Tales?  Least in common?

Gianna: I would say that I have the most in common with Deena is that we are both DORKS! The least in common would have to be the amount of makeup I wore, my clothes and the way I wore my hair. (Although our makeup guys were awesome, ANNA, DAVID, AND LOU!!!! The best! And our Hair peeps…Joy, Carl and the peeps at Fredrick Fekkai…superb! We were spoiled.)

R-K.net: What is the best thing about working with Richard?  How about the worst?

Gianna: I think the best thing about working with Rich was how open he is and how trusting he is of everyone around him. He has an awesome team of people around him that and he was always ready to listen to what someone had to say. Rich genuinely cares what each person has to offer on his films. He knows that every person there contributes something with the talent that they have and he helps to nurture that. (From the camera guys, to our producers, to the stunt coordinators, the cinematographers, the A.D’s, the makeup, hair and wardrobe crew, the set designers, the sound operators, the editors, the artists, the choreographers, all the way to his actors). It’s also really cool being friends with Rich and knowing him as such a good guy, who we have tons of fun with when we go out with him, but then to see him on set and watch him create was really pretty cool. It’s lame but I felt like a proud parent!

R-K.net: Talk about your background in comedy – where did you come from and how did you get here?

Gianna: I definitely got my sense of humor from my parents. (Joe and Maryanne Luchini) Both of my parents are really funny, and I would watch them when they would talk to people and they were always very animated and had funny little anecdotes to tell…so I clung to that. (I’m really close with my family) Like most little girls, my sisters (Nicole and Stephanie Luchini) (I’m the middle child) and I would put on shows all the time for my family and anyone who would watch. I was a big ham…still am actually. (I used to perform on the bus on the way to school even! Seriously…I mean ANYONE who would watch….) Then I started getting into theater while I was in grammar school, then high school and even into college at USC. After graduation, I attended The Groundlings, school of comedy and Improv in Los Angeles. I absolutely LOVED it there, one reason being because I met the friends of mine that are now The Mechanicals and two because I finally felt “normal’ there! I recommend everyone taking some form of Improv at one point in his or her life. It gets you out of your own head. You will always be your worst critic, but those classes helped me get out of that and just made me feel comfortable using the thoughts that popped into my head. Improv is my favorite form of comedy. It is extremely rewarding. Rich allowed us to improvise in the film too, which made me really happy. (The Mechanicals also got to improvise a lot in the pilot we made with Rich. That was another great experience in my life. LOTS of fun making that.)

R-K.net: What would be your ideal next project?

Gianna: Wow…. ideally it would be so awesome to work with The Mechanicals on everything that I do from here on out. We just have a lot of fun when we are together and we work really well with one another. So that would be ideal! But I think I have always wanted to be on a sitcom of some sort. Always wanted to be on Saturday Night Live too. But now I think I have been spoiled with the making of “Southland Tales.” It’s not everyday that you get your FIRST opportunity on a FILM SET with Rich Kelly (wonder boy) directing you and awesome people like Sarah Michele Gellar, Jill Ritchie, Cheri Oteri, and The Rock standing by your side! I don’t know if I will ever be able to come that close to ideal again, but I pray to God I get an opportunity to try again!!!

R-K.net: Were there ever fights between the Mechanicals on set over who got the best role?  If you did fight, who would win?

Gianna: No waaay. Never fight over stuff like that. We support each other on every venture that comes one another’s way. But, I can tell you this much…I am a third degree orange belt in Tae Kwon Do…I will kick someone’s ass in a heartbeat if they cross me. That’s not a threat it’s a promise biatch…

R-K.net: What did you think of the Assistant Directors on Southland Tales?  How about Steven Poster’s work?

Gianna: Where do I even begin with these guys!!!?? First of all, there were like 100 guys on the set named Mark. Two of which were our A.D’s. Seriously these guys were probably the funniest guys on our set. If you put all us comedians together, the AD’S would still kill. Both Marks were the sweetest men too. They have a tough job and they do it brilliantly. It was always a pleasure seeing them first thing when we arrived on set. Abbey and I would crack up all the time with them. They are good at giving and taking with us.  I met Steven Poster the first day that we came in to do the test shooting. He had the sweetest face and was so calm and this being my first experience on a film set, he made me feel so comfortable. I knew I could trust him from the get go. If I were ever nervous, I would look at him and know I was in good hands. He is a genius at what he does. You will be blown away by the look of this film. I can see why Rich enjoys working with him so much. We got to see some playback of the last scene we shot and it was breathtakingly beautiful. Awesome. I am so excited for this film.

R-K.net: What did you think of Sarah Michelle Gellar and Jill Ritchie after teaming up with them? What was your favorite scene that you filmed?

Gianna: I love them. I really don’t think you can meet two nicer, more down to earth, and GROUNDED, women in this industry. I loved talking with them both because it was like being with two people that you have known for years. I love how neither of them are affected by any amount of fame that has been cast on them. We could sit around and talk together for hours and have fun, or we could go to dance classes together and have equally as much fun. I really learned a lot from them both while we are on set. They are both so talented at what they do and were consummate professionals. Always prepared, always on time, knew their material…it was great. They both make really good mentors for me. I feel like if I needed any kind of advice or help that they would be there for me. And that is comforting to know. I just can’t say enough good things about them. If you want to see more about Jill Ritchie, you can see an article that she did in this month’s Jane Magazine. (It is the Nov. 2005 issue). I hope that one day we would get to work together again in some respect. I really enjoyed all of our moments together.

R-K.net: How about your favorite sketch with The Mechanicals?  Do you enjoy writing your own material?

Gianna: The Mechanicals might be the first ones to tell u that I am not the “strongest writer” in our group. It’s kind of a running joke between us all. I do love performing; I just have to be more confident about my writing abilities. I did write a sketch in one of our last shows, called “Buffalos Beauties” about these two old vaudeville performers that can’t accept that their vaudeville days are over and they try and perform anywhere they can, even at places like a police station. I think one of my all time favorite sketches by The Mechanicals is from our Festive Sweaters show, where we were Christmas Carolers who sang really nasty songs door to door, which ultimately ended with us performing a pantyhose ballet (we pulled pantyhose over our heads and did ballet on stage …Mindblowing, I am telling you!) I also really love a sketch called “Prunetang”. It’s about two girl scouts that go out to sell their Prunetang instead of regular cookies. Our guys in this sketch are hysterical. All of them (Kevin Robertson, Mike Nielsen, Shannon Holmes, and JC Gardiner). Each of them bring something so sick and twisted to that sketch, it always has me in tears.

R-K.net: What will you wear to the premiere of Southland Tales?

Gianna: Oh my gosh, that thought alone is so EXCITING!!!! Really, I am just so honored to have gotten this opportunity to be in this film…it is so mind blowing for me to then get to go to the premiere for this! Oooooh I love fashion, so I would probably wear something that is simple, elegant and pretty…. in other words, I am going to wear my whore costume from the film.

R-K.net: Do you think Southland Tales will live up to the hype/expectations that Donnie Darko’s success has created?

Gianna: Yes absolutely. Rich is an incredible director and writer. He has a specific vision and I have no doubt in my mind that he will bring that to this film and that people will see that he is doing something that no one else is really attempting to do and moreover, he is succeeding at it. Also, after watching Rich in action, I don’t think he is concerned with “ living up to hype.”  What is hype anyway, you know? I think Rich is more concerned with bringing something that is true to the screen and something that he thinks people will enjoy. But in my opinion, yeah Southland Tales is going to be UNBELIEVEBLE.

R-K.net: What was your opinion of Donnie Darko when you first saw it?  If you could have played a part in Darko, what role would you have wanted?

Gianna: I would have played “Samantha Darko” because I love to dance and then I could have been a sparkle motion girl! Or maybe “Cherita” for no particular reason other than just because.  Ultimately, I would have loved to have been Jena Malone in that movie because then I would have been able to hang out with and kiss Jake Gyllenhaal. I am obsessed with Jake. I just think he is such a great actor as well as one of the most attractive men. Mama likey Jake. The first time I saw Donnie Darko was on HBO. They were constantly playing it over and over and over. I actually knew Rich at the time but had no idea he made this movie. I was drawn into it right away. Very intriguing. Any movie with Patrick Swayze in it is intriguing. But seriously, I loved the movie. I will be honest and say I have not figured out what everything is supposed to mean in it and have had some great discussions here at work as to what we think the movie is about. But I like movies that make you think. There is nothing better than that and then dissecting the movie afterwards for every little detail. I love the website for it also. At my last job, I would go on the site all the time and try to get passed the levels, but I never got past level 3. I suck.

R-K.net: Anything else you’d like to add?

Gianna: Yes. I just want to again thank Rich and Sean McKittrick (producer of the film and friend of ours) for giving us this fabulous opportunity to be in your film “Southland Tales.” It’s rare to meet two guys who keep their word and then follow through with it. You guys didn’t have to do this but you did and I am so grateful for it. I want to thank you Number_5 for also allowing me, Abbey, and Michele to participate in the online chat with the fans. I loved that and would be happy to do it again whenever you want. I am just so happy about this whole experience in general. I am so glad I got to meet the people I did, make friendships with Sarah and Jill and everyone I came into contact with on set. It was just the best thing ever. I am also so happy that I got to share this experience with The Mechanicals. The best 7 other people I could have ever done this with. I hope everyone reading this will go out and see this film and will support The Mechanicals anytime you see our name or hear about us somewhere. Also, get the Graphic Novels. I have no doubt that those will be incredible as well. Thank you to all of you who read this website. Number_5 and Dave work really hard on it and it’s nice to see it pays off for them when you guys log on. I’d also like to thank my family for supporting me as I struggle to succeed as a WORKING actor. Thank you too to my BF and my friends that support me and The Mechanicals by coming to all of our shows and laughing. I look forward to the future opportunities that may come my way or any of the other the Mechanicals way.  I hope this is not the last film I ever make but I sure am proud that THIS is the first film I ever made!

Thank you everyone!

R-K.net: No, thank you Gianna. And for you Richard-Kelly.net fans, go see The Mechanicals perform in Los Angeles. If you're from out of town and run a comedy club, they would be a great act to book.