LARRY THOMAS, Let Them Eat Soup!

I have the fantastic privilege to share my interview with the fabulous Larry Thomas, first class talented actor of TV and Film and the world famous Soup Nazi from the hit series Seinfeld. Read about Larry's latest projects as well as his experience being forever branded SOUP NAZI with the famous line: ‘NO SOUP FOR YOU!' When I asked Larry if he would do an interview with me, first he replied: ‘No interview for you!' LOL! But then he softened up and his the interview flowed like soup.

 

 

ME: Larry, awesome to have you here. Can you speak about Paranormal Calamity (2010) and The Adventures of Belvis Bash (2010), your most recent projects? And can you discuss what your roles are?

 

 

LARRY: In ‘Paranormal' I play a Paranormal investigator who is a real phony but ends up meeting the real ghosts of three prostitutes who have their way with him on a pool table. ‘Belvis Bash' is more serious. I play an Afghani man who loves American rock and roll and M.C.'s the rock show Belvis puts on. Later I invite him to my home to show him my hidden (it's illegal there) music collection. It's a very sweet scene.

 

 

ME: haha! Cool! Do you have any stories or anecdotes you might have about the process of making the film?

 

 

LARRY: Editing, editing, editing...It's all about the editing.  I've shot 25 million dollar films and four thousand dollar films. Shooting is easy and fun.  It all comes down to editing.  I've been heartbroken to make a comedy where everyone on set laid down brilliant timing to a brilliant script and some editor who knows nothing about comedy has taken the funny right out it. No matter what the budget sooner or later you have to roll cameras. Too many unfinished ideas out there.  All that work as I said is the fun part. Just make sure you put most of your energy and money in to the best editing you can get.

 

 

ME: It's amazing how crucial editing really is. I was at an interview with Thelma Schoonmaker a few months ago (editor to all of Martin Scorsese films) and she truly had a word to say about that. Plus, she has won like 3 or 4 Oscars for editing, for a reason. So, yeah, shooting is the fun part. Can you speak about your recent films of 2009 and also your TV roles? Were there any roles you preferred or felt more close to?

 

 

LARRY: If I got cast the roles fit me. If the roles don't fit me I don't get hired. So most of them I liked playing.  I'm not so excited about some of the lamp roles on network TV shows (you turn the lamp on and then off just to light the
room. No further use for it in the story). But in the indy films I get to play interesting and different roles. Of course the Soup Nazi was the exception to the network TV roles. The role in Belvis was great and well written. ‘Paranormal'
and ‘Not Another B Movie' along with ‘Dr. Spine' and ‘Reality Star' are all John Wesley Norton films and I've loved every role he has written for me.  He's a wonderful writer/director so if he writes something for me the roles are always out there and fun. Also I loved the short film "A fist full of Quarters" where I played psychotically
enthusiastic meter cop, Officer Mandible. That was fun.  It's on my facebook videos. And Josiah in "For Robbing the Dead" was a blast. It was my first Western and he was so repulsive and evil...fun, fun.

 

 

ME: You really are gifted with comedy. I love your work. When did you get into acting and did you always know you wanted to act? And I have to ask ...What is it like to be known everywhere the most as being ‘The Soup Nazi' in Seinfeld. Do you just hate that reference or do you have fun with it?

 

 

LARRY: I got into it at 21 by accident. I was majoring in Journalism and followed a girl I liked into the theatre dept to get a date with her. I fell in love with acting and never looked back.  I'd always loved actors but didn't know that just anyone could get into it until I did. It's wonderful to be associated with a great show like Seinfeld. I love being the Soup Nazi's alter ego. There is no downside. I get respect and just the right amount of attention as well as other work that is different from that character.

 

 

ME: I love these stories about successful actors that just fell into acting. Amazing! And it all began with a date! It was
destiny! I think it's awesome that your alter-ego is being the Soup Nazi. You'll have endless fun with that forever I'm sure. What will you work on in the future? Can you speak about ‘For Robbing the Dead' and ‘Stork' yet?

 

 

LARRY:  I'm looking forward to 'Stork' but we haven't started yet.  For ‘Robbing the Dead' could be a great Western. It's in post now and if it gets edited anything near as good as the script and the shooting went we should have a new classic western. 

 

 

ME: Thank you Larry! And thanks again for giving us the time and this interview... even though I don't get any soup (Larry told me: ‘No soup for you!' before we did the interview). HeHe! Love it! Anything else you want to share before we sign off?

 

 

LARRY: I guess just to say I'm grateful to all who appreciate my work.  It's been so much fun being an actor and I look forward to each new role.  More information can be seen at http://www.facebook.com/l/56294tOrHe_Ph9Eg5yVLqhdQQRQ;www.soupnazi.tv .  People can even read the first 25 pages of my novel Users that I'm working on.  You can see my 1 minute comedy and drama speed reals on you tube:
http://www.facebook.com/l/56294siyd2O8Y3NezYXjefTNEIQ;www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5qs3SRJKlU

http://www.facebook.com/l/56294rIah_IWoyxn55dW4a0ecIg;www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNpdAtlBz08

 

 

CHECK OUT THE BRILLIANT LARRY THOMAS- HIS SITES, FILMS, SHOWS, AND IMMORTAL COMEDY!
"NO SOUP FOR YOU!"

 

 

Interview by Vanessa McMahon on August 17, 2010

Larry Thomas as Soup Nazi in Seinfeld.

actor Larry Thomas