Edwin, this feature is simply to learn new things about you - we want to discover more about your career and about your personal life as well. Could you tell us a little bit about where you grew up (New York)? What was the atmosphere like? How do you think growing up where you did, affect your decision to become an actor?
I split most of my life on the East coast between New York and New Jersey. It wasn't the most polished lifestyle, but my mom did a great job to make sure that we stayed on a straight path to maintaining moral values and making sure we lived a life filled with a variety of diverse opportunities to become the person we wanted to be. My environment didn't really affect my decision to be an actor. I kind of just fell into it along with the different sports I've played, instruments I've tried to learn to play and whatever else sparked my interest.
Your younger brother Aldis is also an actor. How did you both get started in acting? Did you begin your acting career before him or after? What are the good and bad aspects of having a family member in the same industry? Is there ever competition? I started my career at the age of three and my brother followed a year after. I don't think there are any bad aspects to having a sibling in the same business. At least not for us. We've always been very supportive even when we were each others competition. Our main goal is to support our family and that trumps any jealously that one would probably have. We've been very different actors from the beginning. If anything, we've helped each other more by learning from one another.
Now, you have a new film (The Purge) coming out. Could you talk to us about your experience filming that movie and what it felt like working alongside some well-known actors like Ethan Hawke? It was truly the first time I felt like a I had a say in how my character should be portrayed and how he should guide the film. Ethan was very generous in allowing my opinions to be heard, which is unheard of with some actors I've worked with. The whole cast was amazing to be honest. The director, producers, and crew simply made the experience of working on this film one that will set the tone for how I would like to work on the rest of my future projects.
What are some life-changing lessons you've learned throughout your experience as an actor? The biggest lesson I've learned is to stay humble. We are privileged to do what we do as entertainers and I respect the fact that it is the fans that keep our careers going. We touch people's lives in ways we never think we could and it's our duty to uphold a positive image outside of our career though we may portray negative images within our career. We can be here today and gone tomorrow. Staying humble has gotten me far and I plan on staying that way. It makes the work environment that much better for me.
Where do you live now? How does it differ from home? I live in Los Angeles now. It's different in many ways when it comes to lifestyle, people, food and its environmental influences. I'm not knocking LA, but I'm a New Yorker at heart and forever will be.
Tell us, what is a seemingly typical day for you? Do you have some sort of routine that you abide by from morning to night? If I can be on a golf course seven days a week, that would be fine by me. I love riding my motorcycle, cooking, writing, and simply being spontaneous. A typical day for me when I'm not auditioning would be sitting at home with the golf channel or cartoon network on and writing screenplays. I love to hang out with my friends doing simple things like going to the movies and pot luck dinners. I'm a simple guy. I'm not really into the club scene or being everywhere the cameras are. I like my privacy.
You must have a lot of favorite things to do -- I mean, what kinds of hobbies, TV shows, etc have you been enjoying? Have you been obsessing over the Election? I'm so happy that the election is over! I seen a lot things I didn't like in this election and even lost some friends over it. It's sad, but ignorance is bliss for some I feel. I'm addicted to watching The Mentalist, The Walking Dead, any PGA Tournament and of course my brother's show Leverage. Adult Swim is my guilty pleasure.
If you could have been a part of any movie of the past, what would it be and why? How do you think that expresses who YOU are? I think I would have like to have been involved in the Beetlejuice film. It was my favorite film growing up and it's simply a classic in my opinion. It's was funny, creepy and who doesn't like to dance to that iconic song every time it comes on!
Are there skills you are dying to achieve? Such as playing guitar, etc. Becoming a scratch golfer would be an ultimate goal that I'd love to achieve one day. I'd addicted to golf. Seriously! I'm also learning how to play the bass guitar, drums, and produce music with a friend of mine.
In the next 5 years, where do you see yourself? What are some of your goals? I would love to be an accomplished writer and own a lounge one day. I want to start a family in a few years and hope that at the end of it all and the choices that I've made that I achieve happiness for myself and those around me.
Photographed by Vince Trupsin Groomed by Angie Miller
Styled by Edwin Hodge