FACTS Spring Edition: The Guests - P3

Andrew Thomas McCarthy was born on the 29th of November 1962 in Westfield, New Jersey (U.S.). He was born the third child of Stephen and Dorothy McCarthy. Andrew has to older brothers and one younger brother (who was born when Andrew was 9 years old). Andrew's mother Dorothy worked for a newspaper, while his father Stephen was involved in stocks and investments. Andrew had a very close bond with his mother, but didn't really get along with his father. This was due to Stephen's explosive temper, which caused a lot of tension within the family. When Andrew was a teenager, the family moved to Bernardsville, New Jersey (U.S.), where Andrew went to Pingry Preparatory School. It was at this prestigious school that Andrew discovered his passion for acting. When he was 15 years old, he was cut out of the basketball team. His mother convinced him to try out for a school play and with success, because Andrew got the part of the Artful Dodger in a school production of "Oliver!". From the moment Andrew walked onto the stage, he felt at home and he knew he wanted to do this for the rest of his life. During his time at the school, he nurtured his passion by performing in plays and musicals.

At the age of 17, Andrew decided to leave home to escape the strained relationship with his father. Not long after this, his parents divorced and his father remarried. Later on (before his father died), they did reconcile. Another reason for Andrew to leave home was to seek independence and to pursue his passion for acting. He moved to New York City and enrolled at New York University to study drama. He was accepted under the condition that he maintained a B average. One of the first lessons he learned was that he had to work hard to master his craft, instead of fully relying on his charisma. During his first year at New York University, a friend showed Andrew an ad about an open audition, where they were searching for an 18 year old to play a prep school student.Andrew did not hesitate and he took the subway to the hotel, where the audition took place.The casting director asked Andrew to record an audition on videotape (which was a brand new way to audition at the time). Andrew completely messed up this taped audition an was sure he wasted his chance to break through into the business. A few weeks later, the movie's creative team assembled in Hollywood to watch the audition tapes and something remarkable happened. When Andrew's audition came up, the casting director wanted to fast forward it, but no one in the room knew how to do that. While they were 'forced' to watch the audition, it was of the producers who noticed an 'Anthony Perkins like quality'. Andrew was asked to audition again and this time he nailed it. Eventually he got the part of Jonathan in the 1983 movie "Class", opposite Jacqueline Bisset.

Not long after this, Andrew let his grades at New York University slip and got kicked kicked out in his second year. What followed was more than a year without a job. Eventually Andrew landed a role in a Burger King commercial(with Elizabeth Shue). At this point, Andrew was living the life of a starving artist in Greenwich Village. He slept on a mattress that he found on the corner of the street and dragged up the stairs. Not long after the commercial, Andrew got a phone call that that changed his life. It was a phone call from director Joel Schumacher and he wanted Andrew for a role in his new movie "St.Elmo's Fire". The story of this coming-of-age movie revolved around a group of college graduates. Andrew auditioned, but the studio was not that enthusiastic about him and said no. Joel Schumacher, however, really wanted Andrew for the role and told the studio executives that they had to give him a chance. He said that Andrew had a sort of quirkiness about him, that the character needed. His effort paid off and Andrew was invited to come to the studio in Los Angeles. They put him in a well-known hotel and even sent a stretched limo to pick him up. When he walked into the office and sat down on the couch, he was really nervous. He did not know that they expected him to 'do his thing' and he kind of froze. The executive eventually broke off the meeting and they called a taxi to bring him home. While he was in the taxi back on his way to the hotel it suddenly hit him, there must have been a terrible misunderstanding. An hour ago he was in a limo on his way to a role in a upcoming movie and now he was a loser in the back of a taxi. When he got back to the hotel, he tried to get in touch with Joel Schumacher to tell him, that he really wanted the role. Eventually he managed to get Schumacher on the phone, who told him that he messed up. Schumacher said he brought him into the office to impress the executive, but that did not work (obviously).Fortunately Andrew got a second chance and he landed the role of Kevin Dolenz. Whit this role he joined an amazing cast of (at that point) young and talented upcoming actors, like: Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and Andie MacDowell (among others). This group of actors was also known as The Brat Pack and they went on to star in what would become iconic movies of the era.

Another one of these iconic 80s movies is "Pretty in Pink" (1986), in which Andrew landed the role of Blane. Initially the plan was that the character of Blane would be played by a  square jawed jock type. While Andrew did not fit that profile, he was given a chance to audition, because of his rising fame. He auditioned with lead actress Molly Ringwald (another one member of The Brat Pack). She was impressed by Andrew's performance and told writer John Hughes that Andrew was the right choice. She said that in real life, she would fall for a guy like Andrew, instead of for some quarterback. Her input was very influential and Andrew landed the role. In later interviews and books, Andrew shared some interesting stories about this time. He also talked about the premiere for "pretty in Pink" and the fact that he was completely hammered while talking to the press. It was his first premiere ever and when his name came up on the big screen, he got up and got hammered in the bar opposite the cinema. It's fair to say that after "Pretty in Pink" his career took off. Especially in the late 80s, Andrew starred in some notable movies like: "Mannequin" (1987, as Jonathan Switcher), "Less Than Zero" (1987, as Clay), "Kansas" (1988, as Wade Corey) and "Weekend at Bernies" (1989, as Larry Wilson). During the 90s, McCarthy also focused on theatre again. Of course he also kept playing in movies and series, like: "Year of the Gun" (1991, as David Raybourne), "Only You" (1992, as Clifford Godfrey), "Weekend at Bernie's II" (1993, as Larry Wilson), "The Joy Luck Club" (1993, Ted), "Night of the Running Man" (1995, as Jerry Logan), and "Mulholland Falls" (1996, as Jimmy Fields).

During the early 90s, Andrew also realised it was time to seek help in his struggle with alcoholism.  He began drinking as a young teenager and had his first drink when he 12 or 13 years old.  He found that alcohol made him more confident and made his easier to mask his fears. During the 'Brat Pack' era, it all escalated and his drinking also began causing problems (like hangovers and difficulties on set). According to Andrew, he was hungover throughout the filming of "Pretty in Pink". By the time he was 29 years old, Andrew realised that the alcoholism controlled his life. He decided to seek help. He said that sobering up was a relief on the one side, but also very confronting on the other side. Now Andrew was confronted with all of the fears and insecurities he used to mask with alcohol. Eventually, he succeeded and he has been sober ever since. Over the last two and a half decade, Andrew branched out to other creative fields and he took up directing and writing. Let's take a quick look at his work in these 3 most important disciplines over the last 25 years. First up is his first love: acting. Over the last two and a half decade, Andrew starred in movies and series like: "Kingdom Hospital" (2004, 13 episodes as Dr. Hook),"The Spiderwick Chronicles" (2008, as Richard), "Lipstick Jungle" (2008-2009, as Joe Bennett), "13 Reasons Why" (2020, as Mr. St. George), "Good Girls" (2020-2021, as Mr Fitzpatrick), "The Resident" (2022-2023, 26 episodes as Dr. Ian Sullivan) and "Grace Point" (2023, as Winston Hayes). The second field is directing and over the last 25 years, Andrew also took place behind the camera. He directed episodes in series like: "Lipstick Jungle" (2008-2009), "White Collar" (2012), "Gossip Girl" (2010-2012), "Alpha House" (2014), "The Family" (2016), "New Amsterdam" (2018), "Orange is the New Black" (2013-2019), "Good Girls" (2019-2020), "Condor" (2018-2020) and "The Blacklist" (2015-2023). Most recently he directed the documentary "BRATS", in which he reunites with his fellow Brat Pack members to talk about the defining era that shaped them. The documentary is based on Andrew's book ""Brat: An 80s Story". Which bring us to the third field of activity: writing.

Benjamin Thomas Barnes was born on the 20th of August 1981 in London, England (U.K). He was the first son of Thomas Barnes and Patricia Becker and he has a younger brother named Jack. The Barnes boys grew up in a family, with a strong focus on mental health, because both of his parents are psychotherapists. Ben's father Thomas was a psychiatrist/professor, while his mother Patricia was a relationship therapist.

Young Ben attended Homefield Preparatory School (an all-boys private school) in Sutton, England (U.K.). Homefield is one of the oldest and most renowned prep schools in England. While on Homefield Ben already showed he had a very promising career in front of him, when he was on stage. He remembers playing a rock star alien in one of the productions on the school. Ben continued his academic adventure on King's College School in Wimbledon, England (U.K.). It was at King's College, that he nurtured his passion for music and drama. Young Ben sang in choirs, played the drums and piano in Jazz orchestras and bands. When Ben attended a workshop by the National Youth Music Theatre, he was asked to go for national auditions. So at the age of 16, Ben landed his first professional acting job with the National Youth Music Theatre in "Bugsy Malone". Because he was still in school doing his GCSE studies and  he also played cricket and rugby, Ben had to make some choices. Although he loved both sports, Ben chose to take a shot at acting. After his time on King's College he took two leap years prior to go to University to study English Literature and Drama. During these leap years, he explored various creative outlets. Ben spent his time singing and presenting on TV, which allowed him to gain valuable experience in front of the camera. He also collaborated with Simon Fuller, who was a prominent figure in the industry. Together they opened up a jazz club and produced an album. These projects weren't very successful, but it allowed Ben to gain insights in all parts of the industry.  

He continued on exploring his passion for the arts when he enrolled at Kingston University in London. He studied English Literature and Drama and he performed in theatrical productions, like "Don Juan" and "The Zoo Story". Besides this he also took on the role of director in some of the productions. On an academic level, Ben excelled and in 2004 he graduated with First Class Honours (and was the first drama student at Kingston to achieve this). It was around this time that Ben was a member of the short-lived British boy band: Hyrise. The group only had one hit song ("Leading me on") and they participated in the preliminary round for the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest. They came in second after James Fox. In later interviews he mentioned that his time on Hyrise felt a bit inauthentic. It was a learning moment, which made him realise that it is important to stay true to your identity. After Hyrise, his full focus was on acting and one of his first roles was a minor role in "Doctors" in 2006.

He also joined the cast of a West End production of "The History Boys". His feature film debut came in 2007, when he played young Dunstan Thorn in "Stardust" (a movie based on Neil Gaiman's novel). His big break came in 2008, when he gained worldwide recognition with his role as Prince Caspian in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (which is the second installment of the "Narnia" trilogy. In preparation of the role, Ben spent two months in New Zealand to do stunt and horse riding training. Also in 2008, Ben played John Whitaker in "Easy Virtue", also starring Jessica Biel and Colin Firth (among others).  Besides starring in the movie, Ben also sang 3 of the jazz songs on the soundtrack of the movie. In 2009, he starred in "Dorian Gray", as the title character. A year later, Ben reprised his role as Prince Caspian in the third installment of the "narnia" trilogy named "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader". Also in 2010, Ben returned to the West End stage with the starring role as WWI soldier Stephen Wraysford in "Birdsong".

In 2011, Ben played the role of Neil McCormick in the comedy "Killing Bono". The movie is based on McCormick's novel "I Was Bono's Doppelgänger". In the novel, McCormick recalls his youth in Ireland as aspiring rock star, but he is overshadowed by his friend Bono. In 2012, he plays a young soldier and literary genius who is stationed in France during WWII. With this performance in "The Words" Ben gained a lot of critical acclaim. Over the years that followed Ben could count on a steady stream of roles in movies and series, like: "Jackie & Ryan" (2014), "Seventh Son" (2014), "Sons of Liberty" (2015) and "Exposed" (2015). In 2016, he lands the role of Logan in the TV show "Westworld", which grew out to be a huge success. From 2017 until 2019, Ben enters the Marvel Universe when he plays the role of Billy Russo in 25 episodes of "The Punisher". Billy's character is very complex and Ben mentioned he consulted his parents to ensure his performance as a war veteran was as authentic as it could be.

"Don't worry...you're just as sane as I am!"

This must be one of my favorite quotes of Luna 'Looney' Lovegood in the "Harry Potter" franchise. This upcoming Sunday "Ravenclaw" will Rock the House at Flanders Expo, because Evanna Lynch is coming to FACTS. Ever since the young actress first appeared in "Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix" her character, Luna,  became a fan favorite. Evanna reprised the role of Luna in "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince", "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2".  She also voiced Luna in the accompanying video games and played in the musical "A Very Potter Senior Year". Evanna is known to be a huge Potterhead herself and has been so even before she got the role of Luna Lovegood, but more about that later on, right now, let us tell you some more about the woman behind the role of Luna...

Evanna Patricia Lynch was born on 16 August 1991 in Termonfeckin, Ireland. She was the third (of 4) children from Marguerite and Donal Lynch. Her mother was a schoolteacher and her father served as the deputy principal at Our Lady's College in Drogheda. She has two older sisters (Emily and Máiréad) and a younger brother (Patrick).

Evanna was an overachiever from a young age and set the standards very high for herself. She has always been close to nature and while growing up, she was a big fan of the "Harry Potter" books, written by J.K. Rowling. By the age of 11, Evanna was battling anorexia nervosa and she was even hospitalized because of it. In her recent memoir ("The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting"), she opens up about this time in her life. She talks about how it was not just about food, but also about identity and self worth. It was an intense war with the voices (inside and outside) that told her she wasn't worthy. She says it was a way of getting attention. All of her siblings were very brainy and Evanna had the feeling, she had nothing special to give. She started eating less and exercising more until the anorexia took over her life completely. During her darkest moments, the books of J.K. Rowling provided Evanna with a sense of comfort and a ability to escape. When she was hospitalized she started writing letters to the writer of the books J.K. Rowling and the two became pen pals. Lynch says that Rowling's kindness and of course her books made her want to live again. At one point Evanna's life was all about numbers and counting calories, but when she opened the books she forgot about all of that. There was one particular character in the books of Harry Potter, that she related to the most: the quirky Luna Lovegood. Luna was different and she didn't judge herself for it or others for that matter. That's when Evanna thought: "I want to be like that". Rowling had offered her work as an extra, but she declined, because there was only one role Lynch wanted to play. In January 2006, Evanna  discovered that there was an open casting call, for the role of Luna. She got a few call backs and eventually landed the role of Luna. J.K. Rowling didn't even know about it until the producers mentioned her name. Then she saw that this girl, was the same girl she had been corresponding with. Well that is some real life magic for you, right?

 Later on, Evanna mentioned that getting the role did not suddenly cure her from her eating disorder, she had to overcome the disease by battling her negative thoughts over and over again. What strengthened her was the fact that she knew she would not get through making the movies, if she did not take care of herself. The movie "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" (2007) was her on screen debut and she nailed it. The critics were lyrical about her performance and Rowling said that out of all the actors, Evanna had the most influence on how the role of Luna was written further. The rest is history. Over the last decade and a half, she has been appearing in TV shows, movies and on stage. In 2013,  for example, she was cast as Bess Houdini in the British stage tour production of "Houdini". And in 2015, she got critical acclaim for her role as Emily in the 2015 drama movie "My name is Emily". She also played the role of Bridget Riordan in "Danny and the Human Zoo". Most recently Evanna played the role of Betty in "My Freaky Family" (2024).