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_ Disciptine, perseverance pay off for Real Andrews

- AFTER FIVE years in the City
of Angels, all things distinctly
L.A. have at last been visited
upon North Vancouver-bred
actor Rea! Andrews.

by Greg Potter
NOW REPORT.

He's getting loads of work. He’s
‘getting high-profile roles. And he’s
getting his car stolen. In fact, three
of them have gone ‘missing over
the past 12 months.

“But [| haven't been shot at
yet,’ says the 30-year-old Andrews
with ‘a laugh. ‘So | guess I'm
doing OK.”

‘Having ‘returned to his’ old
stompin’ grounds. with a lead role

- in the locally lensed Red Scorpion
2, Andrews is thankful for the re-
cent spate of gigs, but he is quick
to note that relative success was a

_ long time coming.

“Because: I'd made big money

»in-- Canada. before going - to
‘Hollywood, |. took it for granted

- that 'd become a big ‘star in no
time,". he says. “So for the first
year! was there I. refused to take

2.menial jobs and. ended up getting
“only one day of work f for $600.
“Twas” ‘broke, | finally

“~. Sswallowed my ego and took a job
: delivering pizza. It ‘was either that

-: or give'up and go home.

“. “The? experience, humbled me
and. made me tougher — you've
got to have serious discipline and
perseverance or..else you'll get

eaten alive,”

A. self-described ‘high-school
jock’ who set several track-and-
field records while attending Car-
son Graham Secondary, Andrews
had zero interest in theatre and
was, in fact, training as a sprinter
for the 1984 Olympics when the
-bug bit him.

“The first work | did was in
Harry Tracv: The Last Desperado,”
he says. “They needed a young

Also wrapped is a past in direc-
tor Garry Marshall's Exit to Eden,
shot in Hawaii and based on the
Anne Rice novel.

But it's Red Scopion 2, starring
Michael Ironside and John Savage,
that has occupied his attention of
late.

iventure

“The directors and producers ©

bought the rights of the first film
with Dolph Lundgren,’ he says.
“But

al think the final body count is

somewhere around 2,000.9?

black kid and there weren't many
around, Two of us showed up for
the audition and |} got it.”
Extensive stunt work followed,
but, preferring to be in front of the
camera as opposed to
richocheting past it, he moved first
_to Toronto for five. years and then
to Los Angeles to hone his skills.
The hard work paid off.
He recently co-starred with Tom
‘Hulce. (of Animal House and
Amadeus fame) in a pay-TV movie,
The Hidden Room, piaying
Hulce’s gay lover in, ‘‘a ‘politi-
“cally correct piece about AIDS,’’.
he says. -
‘t's the first time I’ve had an
inter-racial relationship onscreen
and it's with a guy.’

‘one-man Red Scorpion brigade,

there are five of us.

“The ultimate goal is to use the
five of us in a series of films and, if
that happens, it'll work out real
well, We hung cut together, did
the film together — there’s a
strong interaction between us.”

As for Andrews, he plays a less-
than-subtle character called Mad
Dog who, with his cohorts, is on a
mission to'save the world. from an
Aryan MNations- style ‘white
supremist group.

“We blow the whole - place :

instead of him being a’

up,” he says. “I think the: final - °

body count is somewhere around

- 2,000." oe

But hey, who's counting?

Hear the “Carol Ships at Night” ,
by Festive Candlelight.

Friday December 10th 7- 8 p.m.

Sponsored by the North Shore News

1

hcome all ye faithful... oa"

celebration of song and light at.

Lonsdale Quay Market’s Seaside Plaza

this Friday night: Bring the whole family to ‘
hear the North Shore Gespel Singers and see
the parade of twinkling Carol Ships pass by in
the night. Plus, support our local Christmas

_- Bureau - buy.a candle to light for just $2.
Food and toy donations will also be -

accepted during this special fundraiser.

Come spread some light!

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