Gaga Daily exclusive: Interview With Drake James - Actor In G.U.Y Video

[antpats2 4,198]

A few days ago I was lucky enough to speak with Drake James, an AMAZING Michael Jackson tribute artist, who featured as Michael Jackson in the G.U.Y music video. He was more than happy to discuss the production of the video, and you can read my interview with him below! 

I would highly recommend that you watch videos of him performing, and you can find him at : 

https://www.facebook.com/DrakeJamesD 

https://twitter.com/drakejamesla 

http://drakejames.com/ 

https://instagram.com/DrakeJamesLA/ 

Read the Gagadaily Exclusive interview, below - 

Me : Hey!  I just have to say - I've watched many of your videos and you are honestly amazing at what you do!  When I first saw the G.U.Y video i thought it was just a man made simulation of Michael because it looked so much like him!

Drake : Oh hahaha thank you. I wished the lighting wasn't so warm, but it still came out great.

Me : Yes! Honestly such a great video and it took so long to film it all.

Drake : Actually it only took 4 days to film, maybe less. But I think she looked the best she's ever looked in the video.

Me : Oh really? I must be mixing up the times because i heard it took around 6 days (that could be due to the fact that she filmed the water conservation video too). And yes she looks so perfect in it ( I'm in love with the long white weave).

Drake : Eh maybe 6. But from what I know of it was only 4. They could have stayed longer at the castle.

Me : Did Gaga's team contact you to be in the video? Or were there auditions?

Drake : The producer had me audition. Gaga picked me out of the handful of MJ’s they had audition.

Me : That's so cool! Nicole, right? Her work is amazing.

Drake : The long white wig was pretty. But her hair guy bugged me cos he kept trying to brush it out and was taking for ever, cos he wasn't brushing it right. And Yea Nicole. She's a friend of mine. She knew I did MJ. [Gaga’s] hair guy should have started at the bottom and combed upwards. Woulda got all the knots out in seconds.

Me : Haha I can literally picture that right now! 

Drake : Nicole Is very very talented. Yea Gaga had been up since 4 am the first day I filmed with her. And we didn't even start filming our scene till 12:30[am] at night. Poor baby. But she was so professional.

Me : Did you ever see the original video with the John Lennon lookalike? I wonder why they cut him out from the final version of the video.

Drake : They cut him out cos they couldn't get the release on his image. Had they got the release you would have seen more of us and we would have filmed at the castle.

Me : The release?

Drake : Yes the rights to use it. But his estate declined for them to use it [his image]. They had to get the Jackson estate to let them use his image in the video. His image being me. The impersonator.

Me : Ah yes now I understand.

Drake : That's how it works in show business. You can't just go and use someone image without consent. When she first walked in she walked over to me and talked about Michael for about 10 minutes. She's so sweet and respectful. I was really glad to see she had stayed the same girl since when I met her in 08.

Me : Aw that's amazing! Did she mention anything about the song "Sire" that she made about Michael? She's mentioned it a couple of times.

Drake : Nope. She told me how she bought all his clothes.

Me : Did you meet her in 2008 professionally or as a fan?

Drake : As a fan. Back when she did club tours. She was really chill then too. She's honestly everything her fans hope her to be.

Me : Yeah its so cool how she bought his clothes - I think that was in 2013 if i remember correctly.

Drake : Yea something like that.

Me : Aw that's so cool! I was lucky enough to meet her twice when she was here for the artRAVE tour and both times she was so sweet.  

Drake : She oozes with s-xuality. She's so s-xy and gorgeous. She has that s-xual aura like Marilyn Monroe did.

Me : That's what i love about her - shes a true and genuine artist who has nothing but real love for her fans.

Drake : Yup!

Me : I hope you don't mind me asking all these questions! Haha

Drake : No I totally don't mind at all. I feel like everyone needs to know just how big her heart is and what she represents.

Me : I could talk for hours about how good she always looks. So did you guys film inside the castle or in a set?

Drake : On set. We were supposed to film at the castle. But got cut.

Me : Oh really? That would have been so cool. Did you film any other scenes that didn't make the cut? We only saw you guys in the little room with the smoke and coffin looking things, and once more in the other room with the nurses.

Drake : Yes, we filmed a scene in a medical room and had our blood drawn. But only Jesus and Gandhi made that cut. John Lennon was in so many shots, so they cut a lot.

Me : Such a shame they didn't approve of Gaga using his image - it always feels strange when watching the video and seeing the smoke cover John while the others are clear.

Drake : Yea it's sad cos there was so much more she was gonna do with us. I'm off to bed now. It was nice chatting with you Have a good evening.

Me : Thanks! Goodnight

 

 

[Yanko 9,860]

: She oozes with s-xuality. She's so s-xy and gorgeous. She has that s-xual aura like Marilyn Monroe did.

 

 

[Koreku 2,387]

So they weren't given permission to film inside the castle?

[Admin 24,441]

What a great interview, thanks a lot for doing this!

[Yanko 9,860]

nice read thanks 

im sad about john lennon scenes 

[HausOfNena 1,712]

Great interview!   

[antpats2 4,198]

What a great interview, thanks a lot for doing this!

​Thanks! I enjoyed doing it  

Glad you all like it! 

[Haroon 49,685]

Wow  Thanks so much for this Anthony, it was a great read!  

It's unfortunate that the Lennon thing didn't go through, I would've been interested to see which scenes they would've filmed at the castle if the impersonators made it there  

[Teri Hatcher 2,053]

nice

[PatrickMonster 5,019]

great interview wish he could've tell us a bit more, I like to read these kinds of backstage things so much

[Admin 24,441]

The John Lennon part is so strange. It's hard to believe that you need to get permission to use an artist's image in a video.

[antpats2 4,198]

The John Lennon part is so strange. It's hard to believe that you need to get permission to use an artist's image in a video.

​I guess it was because he is such a big artist and isn't alive to give them permission? It would have to come into copyright issues I'd say 

[Paco 3,040]

The John Lennon part is so strange. It's hard to believe that you need to get permission to use an artist's image in a video.

​Yes, especially since she's such a good friend with Yoko  why would they say no  

[Pop 4,541]

The John Lennon part is so strange. It's hard to believe that you need to get permission to use an artist's image in a video.

​This. I don't think you have to? I mean what about all the parodies? 

Maybe Gaga wanted to be extra fair to John. 

[Jester 6,197]

Great job!