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Welcome to everybody with Angela Williamson and Innovation, Arts, education and public affairs program.

Everybody, with Angela Williamson is made possible by viewers like you.

Thank you.

And now your host, doctor Angela Williamson.

I'm delighted to welcome multi-talented actor Deep Roy to our conversation tonight.

Deep.

Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you for having me.

It's a pleasure.

Well, and I always love when I can see an actor that I already fell in love with on screen.

And now you're coming to talk to me.

And so I appreciate that.

But what I really love is your journey because you come to acting through several different countries.

And so tell our audience where you're from.

I was born in, Nairobi, Kenya.

My parents were from India, and I grew four feet, four inches all of my life in Nairobi, my childhood.

And, then my dad moved me to London for further education, studying accountancy, because my dad wanted me to be an accountant because he created this monster of a business, anaerobic Kenya, that he wanted an accountant for the business.

Yes.

So I was studying accountancy.

I kept failing and taxation.

If I pass in tax.

Tax?

If I pass in taxation, I'll still in company law and accountancy.

What you gotta do is one has to pass all the exams in one sitting.

Oh my goodness.

So I did that for two years.

So I said to myself, well that's not funny.

And my dad said to me, now what?

And I said, to be affected in, I want to be in show biz.

So he sent me to drama school.

Then I was in London, so I quit drama school.

And he said, what's next?

I said, I want to be a comedian.

He said, it's a joke.

So that's why I started in standup comedy.

Yes.

And I found a management company.

Now I'm talking about 70s.

Okay.

But you found a management company in the UK?

Yes.

In in the 70s, after the, And I just stand up comedy from 72 to 74, 75.

And then I got the management company to stand up comedy cos was no the agency.

Okay.

That represented people like Esther Rantzen, David Frost, all these big celebrities.

Yes.

And, my question to them was it's okay mentioning David Frost as to Ransom, but what are you going to do for me?

Yes.

So she said, no, I will find you work.

So the first job they got me was, Neil Vengeance.

One episode of that was in 1975.

Okay.

And my dad always used to say to me, I want to see you on television.

I said, dad, soon, soon, son, because I was doing stand up comedy.

Yes.

Unfortunately, I my dad passed away in 75, and after three months up, up after three months later, I got my first television appearance and my mum said to me he would have been so happy.

I said, I know mum.

He said at least that she did something.

He said don't be silly.

So this is that's how I started.

And my next thing was with the Peter Sellers, The Avengers and it's just all started.

Well, and that show was in the UK, right?

Yeah.

What we we shot, Pink Panther and, Munich.

Hulk like.

Man.

But then again, what happened in Munich?

Because there was we were filming on October Fest.

And, and people were drunk and all that, sorry.

Wrapped up everything, and they created, October Fest at Pinewood Studios now.

Sorry.

Shepperton Studios in London, outside London.

We're talking about 1975.

Yes.

Those days, technology was in no way low compared to now.

So that was my first feature.

I love the journey that actors take, but I especially love the journey that comedians take to because, I mean, even though you may change the type of acting you're doing at heart, you're still a comedian.

So how does deep get from doing these shows in the UK to America?

Do you just decide?

I'm done here.

I want to move over.

I mean, how do you get here?

So what actually happened was, I was working and I needed a break.

So I turned laborious down.

The movie?

Yes, it was done by, Frank Oz and Jim Henson.

They were mad at me because I needed a break.

And if I come to Los Angeles, I'm talking about 1985.

That was, And I've been to L.A.

before.

Okay.

Of course, but I will work here, go back, work there, go back.

So in 85, I decided I just want to take a vacation.

I come to a lake on a stay with my friend and the phone rings and he said they want a stunt double, a girl in Poltergeist, but they can't find anyone.

Would you be interested?

I said, no, man, I'm on vacation.

I don't want to do that.

I need a break.

You know, my turns, everything ain't going to work.

They saying, They said no.

They're desperate.

That's so desperate.

And my friend kept telling me and said, would you please come on the set?

So they dragged me to the set, and I met the stunt coordinator, and he said, you've got to meet the director, Brian.

I've forgotten his last name.

And one of my Brian Hackett goes deep.

What are you doing here?

And he was from UK as well.

And I worked with him on commercials.

And I said, I just come here to help you, my man.

He said, you're hired.

That's all I got that I was stunt doubling the girl.

So they have to like guys.

Yes, but.

She was Caucasian with blond hair, wasn't she?

Yes.

So they came in a blond hair break.

And.

Some sort.

So that's, you know, and, And Ali.

Epstein started happening, you know, I mean.

If you come over here to rest.

Yes.

And be on vacation.

Yes.

But you end up on this job doing a stunt double for Poltergeist.

Yes.

And I'm talking to you today because you never left.

No, I didn't know, man.

I know I went, I went backwards and forwards back.

Thanks for what you did.

Okay.

I mean, in on.

No.

First of all, at those time, you know, did they go to get the work permit.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

No.

And I mean I got it and Screen Actors Guild and all that.

There was even before that I did it on the, I, I'm very lucky to have worked with some amazing producers and directors and actors and actresses and some people as well.

Yeah.

Well, and I mean, a lot of people think of you and they know you as an actor, but you've had extensive career doing stunt as well, correct?

Yes I did.

Okay.

So tell us your most memorable role as stunt.

Poltergeist.

There's another one.

Well, I did did the hook with this film Steven Yeah.

Yeah.

I've done numerous, myself, did Three Kings where I dislocated my shoulder and all that stuff, you know, and, that taught me no more stunts.

And, and that's when I stopped doing the stunts.

Yes, but, I've been very fortunate to have worked with the.

By the way, I turned down Lord of the rings.

People saying I was crazy, but Tony Lord of the rings stop.

And the reason I turned it down?

Because, I didn't want to go to New Zealand for 18 months.

18 months.

Mean 2 or 3 years, unlike Peter Jackson.

Amazing guy.

Absolutely brilliant and all.

And I turned that down.

People going, I'm crazy and I didn't win.

I didn't get that feel.

And I always wanted to work with Ron Howard, which I did.

Yes.

And the director, had I done Lord of the rings, I wouldn't have met, Tim Burton.

And you know what?

I think we're going to talk about that collaboration you did with Tim Burton after we come back from the break.

Thank you so.

Much.

Oh thank you.

Come back to hear more from deep.

That I'm Belinda and this is Willard, and we were adopted in 2021.

When we first met Tom.

He was singing a song and I was like, wow, look at this kid with the biggest smile.

And he has a big heart to match the energy you give Todd.

You get it back from Todd.

Todd's a joy.

Yes.

Hearts really is a great joy.

I love you and you learn about adopting a teen from foster care.

You can't imagine the reward.

Visit adopt us kids talk.

My early Alzheimer's diagnosis gave us time to adapt as a family.

Welcome back.

Okay, in the first segment, we left off talking about Tim Burton.

However, I forgot two other projects, Doctor Who and Star Wars.

So let's talk about them.

Sure.

Okay.

Doctor who?

How did you get on that show?

Well, my agent said, would you like to work on Doctor Who?

And I said, tell me.

I said to him, He said, he said, doctor who?

And I said, of course.

And, And I mean, who would like to work with Tom Baker?

In my opinion, that was the best doctor.

That's better doctor than my doctor.

Your doctor?

The the real doctor?

Yes.

But this was Doctor Who.

Doctor who?

So I did one season.

I did seven episodes of Doctor Who.

you do seven episodes.

And so how do you get to Star Wars?

So I was doing Neverending Story, which I did with Wolfgang Petersen.

Yes.

And, this was before Star Wars.

Before.

And, They asked me to do the first one.

I couldn't.

And, I met, George Lucas and then started happening from there.

I was, I was playing Kofi McColl in the band, and they said to me, they need someone for Yoda walking Yoda.

But you're too tall.

That man that made my day.

I said finally, finally, finally, I finally.

Don't get me wrong.

And I'm in a height to me is a material.

I'll tell you why.

I can still touch the skies.

The reason heart is in material to me is size.

Doesn't matter.

You know, and it doesn't.

It's in your heart, right?

That to.

And the mind.

You know, they got three minds.

You got a mind.

You've got a subconscious mind and you've got a gut.

You know when people say I got a gut feeling.

Yes.

That's another mind.

You got three minds.

So coming back to George Lucas, Star Wars star said to me I was too tall.

So that's how you walk on the knee.

So I said sure.

So I put the knee pads on to put the mask on me.

I couldn't see from here to there.

So I did the walking Yoda.

And Frank Oz was the puppeteer as well, which I worked with them as well I did reached one of the Jedi where I did a walk.

That's the one that smokes the pipe.

And then I stunt double other.

He walks, actually, to kill me seven times, and the guy would got to me.

Get in there.

I said, I'm dead.

He said, no, do another one.

So I did seven of those, the Star Wars.

Oh, so you said you did it seven times.

They kill you off, you bring you back.

Do you think that prepared you for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Tim Burton?

Because you, from what I read.

And correct me if I'm wrong, you play 168 characters like the same character, right?

Or how does that work?

It was actually individual.

Before we go, we were the Charlie I worked with Tim.

I met Tim in 2001 when I finished, working with Ron Howard.

I did The Grinch Stole Christmas with, Jim Carrey.

I'm Carrey, I was a who in the village, the postmaster, and I'm delivering all the stuff.

And, met Tim Burton actually, through, Red beacon.

Amazing.

Well, I make up I 66 Academy Awards.

He won.

So he introduced me to Tim, and, that's on that.

Tim.

And, did, planet of the apes with him and, did the two different planet of the apes.

One was a gorilla kid.

The other one was a soccer kid.

Oh, and the to two different ones.

And, and then he asked me, would you be interested in big fish?

I said of course, Tim, which I did in our class and, you know, filming in Montgomery and Alabama.

When I went in there, he said to me, I changed my mind.

So so I'm going back home to L.A.. He said, no, no, no.

I've extended your part.

You're not a clown.

You're actually a lawyer.

But Danny DeVito said, I don't want you to be clowning around.

And this is how Tim wanted.

He said every, every where Danny DeVito goes, you move with him.

So that was big fish.

One of my best, in my opinion, was was when I was best movies that didn't.

But then Tim is an amazing director, amazing visionary guy.

You knows he doesn't do that many takes.

It doesn't do 3 or 4 takes.

That's about it.

Okay.

And coming back to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

He wanted seven people to dance with me.

So they're going to find people and proportion.

Yes.

And they wanted.

And they wanted to wear my mask and dance.

So he sucked them in on a work.

So they wanted in the kids.

But the way we shot that in and in London, Pinewood Studios.

Oh, we did.

Yeah.

And he asked me what passport I had.

I said, what do you need?

Because I'm a dual citizenship, you know, I mean, I've got British and American and Americans allow you to carry two passports and they do.

And he said, oh, at least we don't have to get you the work permit.

And that's how that started.

And they brought in these kids that put me to shame as dancers.

So I sat, turned on to him.

I said, it's not going to work.

He said to me, why?

I said, you got to send them to school for four of us to shoot with them.

Plus they're going to wear my mask and they got to look at the marks.

They didn't hit the butter, do the redo.

He said, no, what?

I said, I'll do it myself.

And he said to me, I gotta give you a camera test.

You goes seven this way.

Seven that way.

It has to be equal distance.

So he said pick up a song that's not in the script Within two weeks, I did.

And, he didn't know what song I picked.

So I did Tom Jones song.

It's Not on You to have fun with anyone.

It's not unusual to have fun with anyone.

So we did that.

So you did that seven times?

Yes, I did, you know, that's fun.

And he said to me, come and have a look.

Let me do the other seven and do the other seven.

But look at it, which I did.

And he said to me, what do you think?

I said, you're the boss man.

Don't ask.

And he said to me, I love it.

I said, I could have done better.

He said, no, that was amazing.

So they said we had the on, choreographer.

Our name was Francesca.

Okay.

So.

So let's give a good news to Francesca.

This is what you're going to do.

The first song is going to be, vodka salt.

So we went right, rehearsed with the vocal consultant, all of that.

And and Tim said to the choreographer, whatever he says, the steps goes in with him as well.

And he would always talk to me one on one.

He wouldn't talk in front of anyone.

That's Tim.

And I feel like I've gotten to know him.

And, we rehearsed for one month with the Veruca Salt.

He comes to me.

He said I've changed my mind.

He's talking to me.

I said, yeah.

And he said, I want to put the melody of the castle into Augustus Gloop.

Doesn't want to use the first song in the movie.

I wanted to look like that meant dynamic facade.

Okay.

So one month rehearsal.

And he said to me, let's go and.

Good.

Give the news to the choreographer.

So he comes along with me and he said, please, I've changed my mind to Francesca.

I said, I've changed my mind because, one month rehearsals, you know, has, you gotta think about other moves because the melody is going to go to Augustus Gloop.

So he leaves, tell her that choreographer are so mad.

She went to her office, slammed the door, and was waiting there to a minute.

I'll say, Doctor Coogan, I want to do my dressing room.

I said, when she's ready to come and knock at my scene.

And she did.

After 15 minutes, she comes to me.

She said to me, I'm sorry.

I said, oh, don't worry about it.

It's the way I talk to you.

You can talk to.

She said, aren't you mad?

I said, no.

He said, I said, why?

I'm not mad because he's the director.

He's got his property.

What's good for the movie?

That's what it is.

And she said to me, how are we going to find the other steps?

I said, don't worry.

I said that that asked you, the choreographer.

After all, you know.

Yeah.

So?

So that was it.

And when we did.

And then Helena Carter, who was Tim was dating at that time.

Yes.

She didn't.

She asked Tim, can I come and watch him rehearse?

So Tim lost me.

I said, of course you can.

I'm bottom come.

Yeah.

I to say no to that cos, you know, and, she comes and washes me rehearse.

So I turned down to her.

I said, can you not tell me?

Tell me how Tim dances his moves, what he does.

So she did.

So I put all his dance moves into the song.

So when he saw me, all that, he takes me to the side.

He said, you've been talking to Helena Bonham Carter.

I said, what made you say that?

And you got all my dance moves into the song?

Oh my goodness.

So there's a little bit of Tim throughout that entire movie thing.

Yeah.

So that's it also.

This is I'll do one individual.

I'll do one part to another one.

I do another one.

Another one.

And I did 21 for Augustus Gloop.

I thought I said to them, give me a, b, c, d up in front and one, two, three at the bottom on the floor.

So I don't look down when I hit the.

Yes.

Kind of Augustus Gloop.

Got to pick up the other one.

A nincompoop got.

And this is all that happened.

let's talk about Star Trek.

So how that happened?

They were looking for me, and, I love very difficult I to find some sun.

So.

So they take me to the set, and I met J.J.

Abrams.

And he said a big fan.

I was glad you touched me so much as.

Come on, Mr.

Brown, as a as a come on, Mr.

misrepresent not call me J.J.. He said, would you be interested in playing, Ginger Watson?

Love to.

Love to.

So that was it.

So I did three kings of three movies, and that was it.

They wanted me to drop me in the first one.

And, then they decided to bring me into the second one.

They wrapped me in the first one, and they didn't tell me.

And my agent called me and said, they're going to do another pickup shot and went to the set.

And he said to me, I've changed my mind.

J.J.

said to me, we're going to put you in the second and the third one.

And the whole cast was clapping and all that.

So.

So that was Star Trek.

I know I said that after you tell us about Star Trek, I want you to tell us how we can keep in touch with you.

But I have been able to glean a little wisdom from you and how you have been able to maintain these positive relationships and a business that's very tough to do that.

So, in my opinion, why do you think you've been able to maintain these very strong relationships with these iconic directors?

S mind of a body.

You know, you've got to think, you got to take we say subconscious mind is the mind is subconscious mind.

You know why?

Think negative.

One can think positive.

This is what is is about.

You know, everyone is beautiful in my opinion.

No one is above anyone.

You know, success can't be measured.

It's not respect that counts.

And when was the success that services can be measured?

What is success to me means different to all of us.

Others as well.

So that's the that can't be measured.

Mine says more and more.

More.

You know, heart says no, no, no.

It's about contentment.

And I'm very content.

The future is still bright.

That's the reason I'm wearing glasses.

Well, the future is definitely bright for you.

And I so appreciate you taking time to give us some of the background of your most.

I said it before, I'm going to say it again, iconic roles, because this is how we feel like we know you.

So I appreciate you coming and talking to me.

And you leave on those sunglasses because my last question is, how can we keep in touch with you or can keep you in touch with me?

Is on social media and on Instagram is a real deep fry and real deep fryer TikTok and Instagram, so you can keep in touch with them and Facebook and, on that note, you know, guys, be nice.

One has got nothing to lose.

Well, then I'll just go to my tagline.

Thank you for joining us on everybody with Angela Williamson.

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Hi, I'm Angela Williamson, host of everybody with Angela Williamson.

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