The upsurge of a Pakistani actor : New York’s Franklin Livingston: I had the pleasure of interviewing Franklin Livingston of LPI Films®, Bambi Films Inc., and Listening Eyes Theater Company. His productions typically showcase people of color as the classic heroic roles and all the stories developed are based on true events. Mr. Livingston believes in empowering the characters generally known as ethnic minorities because they are the backbone to the functionality of the U.S. as a community. However, standard theater and film still continues to portray Caucasian men and women in the dominant roles. Find extra information on Franklin Livingston.
Franklin Livingston is an American actor who gets busy filming comic content for people of diverse backgrounds. He aims to enhance the free viewership of his humorous content on all social media outlets for free viewership worldwide. Franklin Livingston can be visualized in blue suits and silver cars, supposed to be enjoying winters in Dubai on a yacht or in the blue oceanic waters or the Bahamas and South Asia’s blue beaches. Instead, he’s been working day and night to create content that will make people laugh.
Franklin Livingston grew up as a religious minority in Pakistan. He constantly faced persecution and prejudice, which shaped him to be a unique human being. He is a wounded healer — someone who embraces the people from all walks of life, empowering them to be whoever they want. Like Pakistan, in the United States, Franklin is once again a minority. But this time, it is not because of his religious affiliation but his ethnicity, where he has experienced terrible racism and discrimination on all levels. Livingston utilizes these experiences to evolve into a humanitarian advocate, share his struggles, and much more through his films, plays, and social media content.
Please tell us the one thing that separates you from your competition. I do have a unique perspective to bring to the table. Currently, there is no person of Pakistani origin in Hollywood’s big-budget movies or TV networks that has the training I do. Especially not one playing a dramatic role that will be taken seriously and not a funny guy character. I would love to put my extensive experience to good use and not only go up against the competition for a leading serious role one of these days, but actually get a call back for it!
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂 I have already begun a movement by bringing awareness and empathy though my work. My collaborators have mentioned that they have learned many things they did not know regarding politics, sociology, and anthropology of America and the world. I am helping create a voice for all-inclusive theater and film in the U.S.
Franklin has had an unmatched opportunity to represent a growing number of Pakistani people in the US who are under-represented in Hollywood. Currently, there is no person of Pakistani origin in Hollywood’s big-budget movies and TV networks that has the background training Franklin has. Currently, Riz Ahmed has been in the news a lot due to his dramatic acting. However, Riz is a British-Pakistani which makes him distinctly different from Franklin Livingston. Franklin’s unique accent, enchanting voice, alluring charisma, and captivating presence makes him stand out among all actors Hollywood has cast from Southeast Asian backgrounds.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career? I hired an acting coach presuming that he was impressive because he was heavily connected with local television industry in New York. However, he would continually squander time talking trash, discussing my fees, and reminding me that because of my looks that I couldn’t possibly be the kind of actor I desired to be. One day he referred to an ethnic actor and said since he is ugly and a bit fat — that is why he got hired. He cautioned me that if I wanted to be fit and charming I still will not be hired because I could never live up to the American standards of good looks to be cast in any worthwhile projects. He told me light skin and light eyes are mandatory for popular lead roles and I had neither.
Franklin has studied a multitude of acting techniques at Guildhall School of Music and Drama London, Moscow Arts Theater, New York Film Academy, Atlantic Acting School, the Meisner Studio of Tisch School of the Arts New York of New York University, and Yale University where he received training in acting, filmmaking, and directing as well. Franklin is a true New Yorker and enjoys exploring the city on foot and via subway absorbing the incomparable diversity of NYC. He loves to engage the local communities in breaking boundaries and building connections. When not on a film set or involved in community development, you will catch Franklin researching the past and the present anthropology, cooking, traveling, sightseeing, motorcycling, road tripping through the U.S., or maybe even jet-skiing.