30 Seconds: Judd Lormand – Baton Rouge-based ‘Hunger Games’ and ‘Homeland’ actor talks balancing family with Hollywood

From Hunger Games: Catching Fire to American Horror Story to Homeland, you’ve worked on three of the most popular franchises in film and television very recently. Is there a different vibe on set when you are in something that is already so well known, that you know is going to be a popular project?
Most of the time, the vibe on set is kind of the same from project to project. To me, they’re all fun and they’re all work. The Hunger Games movies were definitely an exception though. The first Hunger Games shoot was my first experience with paparazzi. They were actually hiding in trees with cameras trying to get photos of the cast. Something like that will definitely lead to a ‘different vibe’ while everyone’s trying to work.

Have you had a “pinch myself” moment recently?
Without a doubt! I am such a huge fan of movies and television, so I’ve had quite a few over the last few years. Working with Dolly Parton in 2011, Lenny Kravitz in 2012 and Robert DeNiro last year in Grudge Match were probably my top three pinch moments.

As an actor, what is the most beneficial type of instruction you can get from your director?
As actors, sometimes we’re not privy to the whole story. We’re usually working on very small sections of a script at a time. So for me, the best direction is when I’m given the reason behind whatever it is my character is saying or feeling. Daniel Stamm (The Last Exorcism, 13 Sins) was great at this! He was a brilliant communicator, always giving us the specific reasons behind our characters’ actions.

What’s your biggest challenge when balancing acting and family?
I’d have to say the inability to ever commit to anything—due to the fast-paced nature of this industry—is the biggest challenge. That, and the fact that all the traveling really does make me miss my wife and kids.

What type of role do you feel you’d be really good in that you haven’t played on screen yet?
You know, even though I’ve played almost every variation of law enforcement character there is, I’ve never had the opportunity to play someone in the military. That’s the one that I am really anxious to do one of these days.

See Lormand in our style spread in this month’s cover package, starting on page 58, where he portrays a director on a film set.