luvia petersen

Hello everyone. I’ve been thinking about writing a new post but I didn’t have anything to write about.  Guess what? I do now

I got ‘THAT’ phone call two days ago.  You know the one…

Jodie

“Hi Luvia, this is Jodie. I can’t talk ’cause I’m on a plane.  (side note: you know your agent is good when she’s calling you from a plane bound for Maui)  I wanted to call you quick to tell you that production is sending me an offer for you.”

Luvia

“An offer? Really?!”

Jodie

“Yes!  Way to go Luvia. I’m so happy for you.  They want you for Out of Time.”

Luvia

“Yes!” as I jump up and down.

Jodie

“Okay, I will call you once I know more. Merry Christmas”

Luvia

“Okay! Thanks again”

Then I hung up the phone. Ran around my place and proceeded to call some important people in my life.  (if I didn’t call you right away it doesn’t mean you’re not important.)

After the phone calls I just sat there.  I was a little shell shocked.  I wondered if I needed to do anything?  Prepare myself in some way.  Nope. I’ve been preparing for the last 8 years. Acting classes. Workshops. Auditions. Workshops. More acting classes. More training. Breathe Luvia, you are ready for this.

Still feeling unsettled and ridiculously excited, I decided to do some yoga.  So I went to my online yoga site and did a session.  Afterwords I felt great! Energized, grounded and balanced.

I’m still super excited… and to be perfectly honest a little tentative to tell people. Even as I write this blog there is a part of me saying… nooooo.. don’t tell people, wait 3 months…  just to be safe.  Ahhh what the hell.

At the audition…

Originally they were looking to cast a male in my role.  Then I guess they decided they wanted to see what my character would look like as a female.  When I was waiting to go into the room, Sean (the casting director) came out and said, “They are looking for a tough-chick. Don’t over complicate it.” So I went in the room and busted Sean’s balls throughout the scene.  Boom.  No call back. No “you’re on hold”.  Just the phone call from my agent.

Here are some show details:

Out of Time

Timely Productions, Inc.
Exec Prod: Tom Rowe/Jeff King/Simon Barry/Pat Williams
Line Producer: Holly Redford
Directors: Jon Cassar/Various
Shoot: January 10, 2012

Out of Time is a one-hour sci-fi thriller/drama which centers on a female cop in the year 2077 who is transporting a group of terrorists en route to their execution. Suddenly, however, the group is sent time traveling back to 2012 where they can reconstitute their violent agenda.  I play one of the terrorists.  That’s all I really want to say right now.  I don’t want to get in trouble for giving away too much.  I will ley you all know when it airs and on what channel to tune in.

Here is a link to a Variety article my mom found.  She is amazing at finding information.  Five minutes after I told her she had this article posted on facebook thanks mom.

Phone rings, I look at my call display… it’s my agent. My heart jumps, this phone call has great potential.  It could be an audition, a booking or perhaps every casting director in the city wants to have a party in my honour because I am so amazing.  Okay maybe not, but I would certainly settle for a booking! Oh how long to hear those three beautiful words: “You booked it!”

I was watching the Emmy’s the other night and in an acceptance speech for “Modern Family”, I believe it was the Steven Levitan who said, “… we are so thankful to get to go to work tomorrow and do what we love.  That is all we have ever wanted, the opportunity to work…”

That is so true!  A working actor is a happy actor!  (of course exceptions do apply) I really enjoy being on set, I would like to share a few still images of my time in what I consider, my happy place.  Enjoy…

My first professional booking. The L-Word seasons II.

Dax, L-Word Season II. I think I'm changing an air filter... but I haven't a clue what that really is?

I was still in acting school when I worked on the L-Word.  I was so green in fact that the first time I auditioned for the show I wasn’t nervous because I didn’t know I should be. Hahahaha… Sometimes I miss that naivety.

Here I am arguing with Pam Greer's character, "Kit" in regards to "Ivan's" whereabouts. She wants to know, but I don't want to tell!! *enter dramatic music here*

I remember the director, Lynn Stokewich wanted me to be more “guy like” and asked if I needed something to stuff in between my legs! Hehehe, no I answered and I turned on my manly swagger.

Another “green” moment for me was when I approached Lynn the director, and told her if there was anything she wanted me to do different to fell free to ask! hahaha… Lynn was very patient with me and super kind.  She was able to get the best performance I was capable of at the time. Great director!

After L-Word I worked on this short film called Some Real Fangs.

A Vampire meets lesbian drama set in Vancouver, BC. This short film comes complete with dance sequences!

Look at the attitude... haha, I think I was going for the rockabily vampire to cool to be anywhere character.

Looking back at these photo’s now and remembering the shoot… I can honestly say it was not my “best work”. And that is being generous. The director, Desiree Lim, had her hands full as one of the other characters was my good friend Mutya.  We spent most of our time on set fooling around and laughing.  I had a great time and enjoyed working with everyone.  I would love to be able to go back and shoot this now.  Ah well, that’s art I guess. You create, and then you leave it.

Next let’s move to The Gas Man.  We shot partly at UBC and partly in a suburban neighborhood where we ran around the streets in our towels. I remember it was cold.

My first ever towel scene. My character name is " Sauna Woman #1"

This was the start of a chase sequence where "The Gas Man" who was masquerading as a woman was in the sauna with us. That is until we discover he is in fact... A Gas Man!

It is pretty typical for young actors to work on Indie / Student Film stuff.  It allows us to get on set experience while working in a safe low pressure environment.

I remember being worried that my towel was going to fall down so I walked around holding it to my chest pretty much the whole time.  Being naked on wreck beach and being naked on set are two totally different things!

Another memorable short film I worked on is HWY 99.  For a link to the trailer click HERE.

The crew from HWY 99. All fabulous people! I'm the one in Yellow. Adrian is holding the slate and I can see my BFF Amy Wilding on the right. She has blonde hair. Amy was and extra and made me laugh all day! Yay Amy

Here I am with Clifton who pays my brother. He was the perfect brother I always wanted!

HWY 99 was an amazing experience for so many reasons. Great crew, great actors and an amazing director by the name of Adrian Buitenhuis.  Adrian shot this for his MFA project at Simon Fraser University.  HWY 99 was shot on Super 16mm, and has an gritty real look to it.  The film also captures the construction of the Sea to Sky HWY project which was a major deal for people in that area.  I worked amongst the most beautiful views and got to breathe in crisp cold mountain air at 5:30 am for a bonfire scene. Also worth mentioning is the actor who plays my brother.  Clifton Murray, who you see in the first photo with me, was a musical performer at this years Emmy’s.  The group is called The Canadian Tenors. Go Clifton!

Moving right along is a character I played in the TV series Endgame.

Here I am with my friend and actor Michael P. Northey

This series ran for one year.  13 episodes to be exact. Unfortunately it got cancelled.

Here I am with actor Michael Eklund who plays a narcissistic rock star. I play his personal chef and in the episode make him a dinner he will never forget!

I thought the series had some real teeth to it!  Ah well, c’est la vie. I was happy to work on the show and watch my friend Michael Northey get a vase smashed over his head repeatedly.  He took it like a champ!

Here is another student film project I was involved in. Bill, Please! The film is an Official Montreal student film festival selection.

(Left) actress Josette Jorge, (middle) Writer / Director Jessica Han, and that's me on the far right

Bill, Please! was shot in my aunts restaurant in White Rock, BC.  We literally tore the place apart and put it back together in two days.  My favorite part about working in Bill, Please! was that my character turns into a full blown ninja!

Here is a cool close up of my eye...

Oh yes that’s right a ninja.  I get into a fully choreographed hand to hand combat fight with Josette’s character who turns into a Chinese Zombie.  Now originally I think director Jessica Han was hoping to cast two Asian women in the film.  As you can see… I am not Asian.  Don’t tell Jessica ’cause I don’t think she noticed

And lastly I will leave you with a lovely photo of my husband and two sons on the Sci-Fi TV show Sanctuary.  I was super nervous when I arrived on set to shoot!  Wouldn’t you know it the morning I wake up to shoot I get a HUGE cold sore on my lip.  Ugh!  I was so anxious… what would they do? I was thinking of a way to make it work the whole drive to set. Thankfully the make-up department was totally cool and calm.  No worries, they said, we will cover it with dirt.  I was after all a mushroom farmer in middle earth so it fit!  And thankfully for me and my ‘husband’ there were no kissing scenes.

Here I am with my middle earth family on the TV Series Sanctuary.