We spoke to Michael De Santa - Ned Luke Interview | LIF #19

This week on Love it Film, we’re beyond excited to welcome legendary actor Ned Luke to the show!

Best known as the voice and performance capture actor behind Michael De Santa in Grand Theft Auto V, Ned takes us through his remarkable journey—from shovelling horse stalls to starring in one of the best-selling video games of all time.

In this episode, Ned shares behind-the-scenes stories from his early days in the industry, auditioning for Rockstar Games (without even knowing who they were), and how his time on GTA V felt more like working on a movie set than a game. We dive into his approach to performance capture, what it was like working with Steven Ogg (Trevor) and Shawn "Solo" Fonteno (Franklin), and how he handled being handed 17 pages of dialogue at the last minute.

Ned also opens up about acting philosophy, rejection, ego, and the realities of being in the business for the long haul. Plus, he shares personal stories involving Patrick Swayze, the casting journey that led to his breakthrough, and his thoughts on riding that “15 minutes of fame.”

Whether you're a GTA fan or just love hearing how actors hustle and evolve in Hollywood—this one’s for you.

Thanks so much for joining us, Ned!

🎮 Want more from Ned? Catch him live streaming games like GTA Online and Uncharted 4 on Twitch and YouTube. Don’t miss out!

⏱️ CHAPTERS
0:00 - Intro
4:52 - "I Don’t Recommend Being an Actor" – Early Career & Rockstar Audition
7:00 - "I Didn’t Know Who Rockstar Was" – Rejection, Ego & Acting Philosophy
9:53 - Patrick Swayze Stories – Acting Class Memories
13:00 - Landing a Universal Casting Agent
15:00 - Shoveling Crap to Booking Commercials – Jackie Birch & Jane Heights
18:50 - Ned on Not Being a Pretentious Actor
19:40 - GTA V & Motion Capture – "It Was a Film Set"
21:13 - The "Mansion" Set Was Pipes and Ropes
21:43 - Multi-Cams & Motion Capture Balls Explained
22:17 - Cutscenes vs Gameplay – Voice vs Performance Capture
23:30 - Frielander Scenes Were Last-Minute – 17 Pages Overnight
24:51 - Auditioning for 'Rush' – Becoming Michael
26:40 - Graveyard Scene – First Time Acting with Trevor (Steven Ogg)
30:20 - The One Note That Shaped Michael’s Iconic Line
32:00 - Shawn "Solo" Fonteno's Growth as an Actor During GTA V
33:00 - Jamie Shows His Original Copy of GTA V
36:00 - "Riding the 15 Minutes of Fame"
36:40 - Ned Says Hi to the Team – Post Interview Chat

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Host: Jamie Lovett
Producers: Chris Lovett & Jamie Lovett
Founder: Chris Lovett
Camera Operator: Carl Lovett
Video Editor: Carl Lovett
Sound: Carl Lovett
Lighting & Grip: Carl Lovett

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