"I decided I wanted to be an actor when I was 17": Spencer Lofranco's candid 2014 interview resurfaces following Gotti star's death at 33

Canadian actor Spencer Lofranco passed away at the young age of 33. His cause of death has not been revealed to the public and is still being investigated by the police, according to reports from TMZ. The young actor rose to fame as James Burns in Trevor White's biographical crime drama, Jamesy Boy. When the film came out more than a decade ago, Lofranco said in an interview:

"I was playing a character that I understood... James and I have similar pasts, and we've gone through similar experiences growing up."

In another interview with Interview magazine. He revealed his aspirations of becoming an actor from a young age. Spencer Lofranco said:

"I decided I wanted to be an actor when I was 17. I was always funny guy, always trying to make people laugh and always the center of attention. I guess I was being an actor my whole life... I finally realized what I was doing, and it was just getting me in trouble. I went to summer acting classes. Then I did a year conservatory at New York Film Academy, and then that’s when I got Jamesy Boy."

He also revealed how his father had different plans for him. He added:

"My dad didn't want me to be an actor; he wanted me to be a hockey player and become a lawyer. That didn’t happen."

However, Lofranco decided to appear in only seven films throughout his acting career. His last role was John Gotti Jr. in the biographical crime film about New York mobster John Gotti. In the film, Spencer was John Travolta's (John Gotti) son.

More details from Spencer Lofranco's candid interview

Spencer Lofranco's interview with Interview magazine was from 2014. The actor's interview is making headlines again after his sudden death at 33. Lofranco was just 22 at the time.

Here are some of the things Spencer Lofranco had to say.

When asked about his audition process, he understood that you cannot nail every single one of them. He added that being professional is the best way to go:

"Auditioning is an interview process. There are so many people that are right for roles, and you're not going to get every one. The most important thing is that you make a good impression, show you're a professional, and move on."

Spencer, who played the role of James Burns, had met the film producer before filming. He said:

"James was very involved [in Jamesy Boy] because it was based on his life. Me and James had developed a relationship prior to filming and we had trust in each other. He was on set and there were certain times where we would just talk if things weren't going right or if I really wasn't capturing what I wanted to capture. [But] I would usually to go Trevor [White], the director. The work with James was mostly done beforehand."

Spencer Lofranco added:

"I felt like, yes, I was playing James, but at the same time I was also playing a character that I knew very well. James and I were both troubled and we were sent to institutions for juveniles—I was sent to a military high school and James had been institutionalized when he was very young."

He cited more similarities between himself and the man whose role he was playing on film, saying:

"My parents were divorced; his parents weren't together. There was a lot of drugs and alcohol and abuse in his family growing up. There were just a lot of similar things that we had to deal with, so we could to relate each other."

Spencer Lofranco also revealed how some of his dreams as a child came true. He explained:

"Growing up, Angelina Jolie was my dream girl. Now I'm going to shoot a movie with her. [laughs] It's crazy. I tell people and they're like, 'Yeah… okay.' They don't even believe me."

Furthermore, Lofranco had plans if he did not make it as an actor or if he was not an actor. He told Interview magazine:

"If I weren't an actor, I would probably move to Africa and help support the effort over there; help the kids that are in need, and do my best to give my love to the unfortunate."

As for his future, Spencer Lofranco said:

"I want to do real-life, candid films. I don't want to be thrown into anything that could jeopardize my career. I want to be wise about what I choose. Actors whose choices I've liked are Sean Penn, Leonardo DiCaprio, River Phoenix."

Trending

Spencer Lofranco's sudden death at 33 has left many people shocked and sad. He was a talented actor who connected deeply with the roles he played and had big dreams for his future. Even though he appeared in only a few films, his passion and dedication will always be remembered. According to the actor's brother, he passed away on November 18.

Also read: What was Spencer Lofranco's film debut? Career highlights explored amid Jamesy Boy star's sudden death at 33

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback