Exclusive: Lucien Laviscount On Romantic Drama ‘Trust’
Currently in theaters and On Demand from Vertical Entertainment is Brian DeCubellis’ romantic drama “TRUST,” starring Victoria Justice (Victorious), Matthew Daddario (Shadowhunters), Katherine McNamara (Shadowhunters) and Lucien Laviscount (Katy Keene).
In New York City, art gallery owner, Brooke (Justice), and her husband, Owen (Daddario), seem to have it all. When Brooke signs a new artist-a devastatingly handsome painter with an affinity for married women-the attraction between them is unmistakable. Left alone at home as Brooke and her artist (Laviscoun) travel to Paris, Owen finds comfort at a bar with a seductive and beautiful journalist (McNamara). On once unshakable footing, Brooke and Owen's trust begins to dissolve as they unwittingly push the other toward the very thing they fear most
For Laviscount, who plays the artist Ansgar, this is a major film role for the English actor. He was last seen in The CW series Katy Keene, which lasted one season. His other TV credits include Grange Hill, Coronation Street, Snatch, Scream Queens and the film Love Beats Rhymes.
BlackFilmandTV.com recently caught up with Laviscount as he spoke about his role in Trust.
What went into saying yes to the project?
Lucien Laviscount: Brian came up to me and said, “Lucian you will play an Irish artist who loves life.” I jump on board after that. We sat down at a diner uptown during lunchtime. I was shooting a show at that time called Katy Keene. He looked at me square in the eyes and said, “You’re my guy.” I was like, “Let's make it. Let's make some magic. Let's make it fun. Let's make it exciting and let's give you some energy.” He'd let me really fly with it, which is really a blessing from a director.
How would you describe your character?
Lucien Laviscount: I'd say my character is a whirlwind of love, trust, and intensity with a typhoon of rain and horror. This man is a complete object of the world. He spiraled out by the beings of what he sees is light and energy and within the female context and with the male context. He approaches women just as he approaches men. That's his being. That's what fulfills my character, Ansgar. That that's what fulfills the role for me. That gave it truth. That gave it honesty. I’ll say this quote, “You are not what you think I am. I am what I think I am.” That is a complete version of what my character is.
What’s your experience with the art world?
Lucien Laviscount: I live in the art world. My friends create and they make. Everyone that's around me is an artist. That takes me to the depths of who I want to be, and who I don't want to be. They throw shade over me and give me the blanket to fly through. Everyone's an artist within their own right. If everyone speaks their truth, I think everyone's an artist or a writer. You can learn from everyone in that respect. The woman I meet at the bus stop is just as empowering to me as is the man that is going to give me the next job because everyone's an artist in their own right. Everyone has a story to tell. That's what I'd love to do. I want to tell stories for the rest of my life.
The film deals with trust and infidelity. How hard is it for someone to be tempted to break their relationship vows?
Lucien Laviscount: It's not an unconscious choice. Love in life is a conscious choice. This is a beautiful topic of the movie that really drew me to this project. It is a conscious choice to be if you want to be alone. You choose to be alone because everything's attractive. Everything is shiny, and gold. We all know that. But at the same time, there is a desire that exists within everyone. But do we choose to act on it? Or don't we? This is the beautiful way I believe that this story is being told.
What did you learn from this performance, from your directors and co-stars that you can bring on to your next performance?
Lucien Laviscount: That's a beautiful question. You take home from this, the directors, the producing team, the crew that was there that backed me every day; that my driver that picked me up. Everything led me to be the beast that I'm going to be. Everyone in that crew, everyone on that set made me feel special. Like Tupac said, "I'm not saying I'm gonna change the world, but I guarantee that I will spark the brain that will change the world.” I’m cool with that.
What do you have coming up next?
Lucien Laviscount: I have a TV show coming out called Threesome. It's probably the most intricate, beautiful, dramatized love story that I’ve ever been a part of. It's part Swedish, part English. That’s coming out later in the year.