james lesure – what happens in vegas
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photo by steed media service |
Actor, “Las Vegas”
There are a lot worse things a kid could be than the star of a sexy hit show on NBC. But growing up in Santa Monica, Calif., James Lesure, aka Mike Cannon on NBC’s hit show “Las Vegas,” didn’t obsess over Hollywood. “Growing up, I didn’t have any connection or experience with Hollywood. It was sort of foreign to me,” says Lesure. “I didn’t start experiencing Hollywood until after high school.” As an adult, Lesure pursued acting full time and his big break came over the course of one very special day.
Lesure wanted a role in a high-profile film project, but had been unsuccessful until this fateful day. “I got a call from my agent and he said that they were looking to replace an actor on [the film], Crimson Tide,” he shares. “I went down and auditioned for the small role and by 11 a.m. I was hired, and by 11:30 [a.m.], I was sitting in a makeup chair next to Gene Hackman. And it happened to be my birthday.” Working on the smash hit with luminaries like Hackman and Denzel Washington was a wonderful experience for Lesure, and only cemented his passion for acting.
Now, on “Vegas,” Lesure gets to do what he loves every day, and insome very favorable conditions. He loves the cast and crew, and thinks that love is obvious on-screen. “I’m hoping the joyful energy is translating to the folks watching, it’s fun. So long as we can keep the storylines credible and believable, I think folks can tune in for a minute and have fun.”
And working with so many visually appealing co-stars isn’t bad, either. “The girls are sexy,” he says with a laugh. “At times, I go ‘dang, these women are hot’ – that [would] make me stop if I were flipping channels!” – todd williams
