Where to start.

The simple thought of me mentioning of her name – in my blog of all places – is going to make her cringe a little. She is very private and modest to a fault. She will tell me that she is an introvert and say she is uncomfortable with any attention but the truth is that even in the most overwhelming of scenarios that an actor can face – like posing with me in the above photo at a dress-up event – she holds court like a pro.

In September of 2009, I was attending my first Vancouver International Film Festival Party. Being new to VIFF and Vancouver, I was just getting my feet wet in the Vancouver film industry. The only person there that I knew pointed to a beautiful blonde actress across the room and said, “Lisa, do you want to work and be respected in the Vancouver film community? Look up to someone like Sonja Bennett.”

I was taken by how elegant she was – pregnant and smiling from ear to ear. I left the party feeling like I had someone to look up to and a goal to work towards; strive to be as good at my craft as Ms. Bennett.

Over the next five years, I would see Sonja at auditions, sometimes in the waiting room… and other times, just her name on call sheets.

During the Seed call backs, I sat next to her while waiting to go in. I was nervous. Not for my call back , but because she was there. I took a little comfort in the idea that she too seemed nervous. Clearly her nerves were for the audition and not because I was there. She smiled and in a moment of  silence, I blurted out, “Don’t be nervous. If you get a call back they already like what you did.”

I instantly wished I had kept my mouth shut as she was very experienced and clearly already knew that. But she was kind and laughed.

In February of 2014, I was in LA for pilot season when I got an audition (to be taped for Vancouver) for a Canadian Independent film: Preggoland. I read it and was very excited at how much it reminded me of Less Than Kind.

Funny, Dark, Honest, Enlightening. It wasn’t until I had finished reading it that I noticed it was written by Sonja Bennett. As most actors tend to do (they are lying if they tell you otherwise), I assumed she wrote the part I was auditioning for with a close friend in mind. She would be the lead and this was just a technicality to appease the union. Audition at least X amount of ladies but the part is already been offered. Ok. No stress. 5 years later, Sonja Bennett and my favorite young Canadian Director Jacob Tierney (Good Neighbors, The Trotsky) were possibly going to watch my tape. This for me was a win.  The phone call from the two of them a week later was a wonderful surprise. I had landed the part!

Over the next month, we filmed Preggoland and the experience of filming with Sonja Bennett turned out to be the easiest and most rewarding experience for me. She was open and present in every scene, every day and gave it 100% for 20 days straight while re-writing on the go and filling bottles for her newborn in her trailer at lunch. She was a machine.

I had assumed after writing for so long, she would have a really strong opinion on each character but in true Sonja style, she graciously gave it over to each actor to find their take on her words. She made it clear from the beginning that she trusted us and that we were free to play. This was echoed by Jacob who gave us all free reign to explore.

Looking back on it now, the thing that I have come love the most about Sonja is her dedication. She did what most people only talk about. She created her own work and continues to do so. She wrote, and still writes, diligently day after day, all the while raising 2 young kids, acting and taking on the world with her husband, fellow thespian Stephen Lobo.

Sonja remains very much her own person. She is private and focused. She is not a fan of social media, (so I was very surprised and kinda flattered that she asked me to help her enter the world of twitter last year). But even then, she is careful about how she uses it. She proudly walks to the beat of her own drum and that is why she is so loved.

Whether it is drinking wine and dancing with you or just having you over for toast and cheese with her kids, Sonja is always the same fun loving, compassionate person. She is what every girl needs in their life; a real girlfriend. Had someone told me 6 years ago that I would be so blessed to call her that, I would have laughed. I still look up to her but now I take joy in being able to tell her that – over laughs and toast and cheese in her kitchen.

At the time, I was in LA and after working out next to Ron Perlman a couple of random times at Gold’s Gym in Hollywood, I finally decided to catch up on his very popular series, Sons of Anarchy.

It had everything that I love – bikers, the very good-looking Charlie Hunnam and my personal fave, Katey Sagal. Season 4 introduced well-known Machete man, Danny Trejo as Romeo, the undercover bad guy working with the SAMCRO crew.

So when I heard that Danny Trejo was going to be in Preggoland as well, needless to say I was 50% excited and 50% nervous to meet the legendary bad guy.

The first day I met Danny Trejo, I was in for only a quick driving scene. I was sitting in the SUV while they set up the shot and I could see him across the parking lot. I tried to be cool about it. After all, the first rule of acting is never to freak out about a co-star. It just makes it weird. If you want to scream, giggle, or pee your pants – or all three at the same time – that’s what your trailer is for.

So I was going to be cool and I was… but then he waved at me. Oh God. I quickly looked around, thinking he was waving at the camera crew behind me. Nope. Then someone quietly mentioned

“Ah, Lisa. Danny wants to see you.”

I suddenly felt like I was in 1st grade and the scratchy intercom voice had buzzed in to tell Mme. David to “please send Lisa Durupt to the office”. You had no idea why you were being summoned but you were hoping that the fire alarm would go off on the way.

On the walk over to Danny Trejo, I calmed my 6 year old self down and made her promise not to mention Sons of Anarchy. He walked up to me, threw open his arms and yelled “Lisa! I am so happy to be working with you!” and gave me a big hug. It was all over for me. Could this be? The toughest man in movie land is happy to meet me? Of course, me being a total professional, I blurted out, “I just watched you in season 3 of Sons of Anarchy!”

“Ahhh yes, that is a great season! I was not in that one. I was in season 4” he said laughing.

Oh crap…epic fail.

Turns out that is why he is the top working bad guy around. He is the nicest, kindest, most lovable teddy bear you could ever imagine.

Over the next of couple days that we worked together, I found out so many amazing facts about this ex-con-turned-movie star. Now 100% sober of everything and anything that you could imagine, he openly shared his very inspirational tale of survival. From taking up boxing in a San Quentin prison to stay alive, to working with others who are trying to clean up their own lives, this man blew my mind. Every day was like story time with Mr. Trejo and holy crap were they good stories.

At one point, he shared the whole in-depth story of getting his big break on Runaway Train after a fellow inmate-turned-screenwriter asked him to train Eric Roberts to box for the film.

“$350 a day when you are an ex-con in Venice, California with kids? You say, ‘Hells yes!'”

So of course, I asked about his kids. Without hesitation he turned and lifted his shirt off his back, proudly displaying the beautifully inked portraits of his kids when they were small. He went on to talk about them for a good half hour while we waited for our next scene to start. He is devoted family man who is very proud of his babies.

Of all the amazing stories and valuable lesson I took away from that experience, my favorite memory was when I asked him what is was like to be known as Machete.

“This movie stuff is awesome, don’t get me wrong, I am so grateful. But my family, my kids, that is the good stuff in life. Coming to work and not having to kill someone, for a change… that is pretty nice too. “

The overall experience of working with Danny Trejo? The furthest thing possible from a fail. It was a joy.