Actor Leigh Joel Scott chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about starring as Jack McGurn in the “Jack and Lou: A Gangster Love Story” audio drama series.
‘Jack and Lou: A Gangster Love Story’
Scott stars as Jack McGurn, Al Capone’s most trusted hitman in this six-episode audio drama, opposite Lisa Kudrow, who plays Louise Rolfe.
“It was very exciting to be a part of a new original narrative production by USC with historical relevance,” he said. “I’m an Australian guy yet I got to pass off a New Yorker accent. I guess it worked, so I surprised myself mainly.”
It’s a story about love in Al Capone’s Chicago. It is inspired by the true story of Louise Rolfe and Jack McGurn. The two were involved in the famous trial following the Valentine’s Day Massacre of 1929. “It was terrific to work with Lisa Kudrow,” he exclaimed. “I wish we had done it in person but it was via Zoom. We spent a day working together and it was amazing.”
“We got to flirt a little bit and we were pretending to make out so for the rest of my life I can tell people that Lisa Kudrow was my wife. Working with Lisa was humbling and amazing, she is a very kind and patient woman, and a giving actress,” he added.
Playing Jack McGurn
“Jack is very different than me,” he admitted. “I would never orchestrate a massacre. It was exciting playing a bad guy who was good on the inside. He just fell in with a bad crowd.”
“I was able to explore one gangster’s life, backstory, and romance because he loved Louise,” he said.
“Jack and Lou: A Gangster Love Story” was produced by Yeon Jin Lee and Mehmet Gungoren, as well as sound supervised by Audrey Gu and Cabba Cai. It garnered four 2022 Indie Series Awards nominations, and rightfully so. These included nods for “Best Actor — Audio Fiction” for Leigh Joel Scott, “Best Actress — Audio Fiction” for Lisa Kudrow, and the series also secured nominations for “Best Ensemble — Audio Fiction” and “Best Audio Fiction Series.”
“All of the award nominations came as a surprise,” he said. “I think they are all well-deserved since the production team worked really hard creating this incredibly exciting piece under difficult circumstances. They have good taste.”
“This is one of the most entertaining audio dramas out there. It takes you out of the world we are in, and it gets you at the edge of your seats. Sometimes, I might make you laugh in it and if you want to hear me making out with Lisa Kudrow this is the place to do it,” he added.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, he said, “I think actors are incredibly lucky at the moment to be a part of so many different kinds of productions. As an actor getting paid, all I can be is thankful.”
Regarding the title of the current chapter of his life, he said with a laugh, “Talking to Myself: Sometimes for Money.”
For more information on the “Jack and Lou: A Gangster Love Story” audio drama, visit its official website, and check out the episodes on Spotify. Follow the audio drama on Instagram and Twitter.
Read More: “Jack and Lou: A Gangster Love Story” garnered a glowing review from Digital Journal.
