Interviews Conducted by Robert J. Beck

Where do you think your interest in acting comes from?

 
My mother was an actress so I suppose one can say it’s in
my genes. I remember doing my first play in kindergarten
when I was about four and continued doing plays all
through elementary and high school. I just loved to perform
and realized that it was something I wanted to spend my
life doing.
 
You are originally from Sierra Leonean, how did you make the jump to acting in the US?
 
 I was born in Sierra Leone, but grew up mostly in Kenya. I did my first film there when I was twelve—The Great Elephant Escape with Joseph Gordon-Levitt of all people! That movie really solidified this career path for me and I made my way to New York where I was accepted into the Acting Conservatory at SUNY Purchase.
 
How did you get your role on Lost?
 
I moved to Los Angeles and soon after I got a call from my manager saying I had an audition for this show called Lost. I went in, got a call back and got the part. It’s a great show; I was ecstatic to be a part of it.
 
The character you played was a very spiritual one, do you think you are similar to him at all?
 
There are definitely some similarities between Yemi and myself. I am a spiritual person and grew up in a very Christian household. My grandfather was a priest. We went to church every Sunday. So I was able to bring a lot of that to my character.
 
What was it like working in Hawaii?
 
Hawaii was incredible. Literally one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places I have ever visited. Every time I would go to work I would think how fortunate I was to have a job that would fly me out to a place like that.

Your character’s appearances on the island have now been revealed to be the black smoke monster in disguise, did you know this when you were shooting your scenes?
 
I had no idea! Lost is full of surprises.

Looking back on the show, are you pleased with your work on it?

We were really lucky to have brilliant writers who wrote such amazing material and I got to work with strong actors like Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje who really brought that material to life. So when I look back at the experience it’s with a smile.

Did you ever try and guess how the show would end?

I think the writers did a really good job in keeping the audience guessing right until the very end. I know I certainly was!

You are set to appear in Battle: Los Angeles, what can you tell us about this film and your role in it?

Battle: Los Angeles is an action packed movie about a marine platoon that fights back against an alien invasion. It’s Black Hawk Down with Aliens –- incredibly gritty, real and completely original. I play a navy medic; my job is to patch up the wounded and save as many lives on the battlefield as I can. It opens March 11th 2011 trust me, you won’t want to miss it!