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Sterling Beaumon Interview: Former 'Lost' Star Makes Guest Appearance on NBC's 'Law & Order: SVU'

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Sterling Beaumon

Previously best known as “Young Ben” on the hit ABC television drama series Lost, audiences are paying newfound attention to skilled teen actor Sterling Beaumon as he tackles increasingly challenging roles. His next high-profile guest turn as the complex protagonist during May sweeps on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ("Delinquent," May 11 episode) stars Beaumon as the son of a protective mother played by Rita Wilson who is under intense investigation by Chris Meloni's character "Stabler."

The versatile actor appeared on stage and in commercials at an early age. This past year he was a standout in a viral Nintendo spot and an AT&T commercial with Justin Bieber. He has guest starred on a wide range of popular series including Bones, ER, Cold Case, Heroes, 7th Heaven, Crossing Jordan, Scrubs, The Cleaner, and Criminal Minds.

"No. In fact, I think I’ve gotten more because of having been in acting. You do get to experience a lot of things. I’ve done some moving around and been in almost 10 different schools so you get to meet tons of different people and you get to learn more."

Beaumon’s debut CD, Step Back to Reality, was released last year.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Sterling, let’s talk about your guest stint on the May 11 episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Tell me about your character, Hunter Mazelon.

Sterling Beaumon: He’s a brilliant young man who is very troubled and is accused of a string of murders and rapes. He’s not very happy about that.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): He is a rapist and a murderer?

Sterling Beaumon: Well, he’s accused of a crime where they were raped and murdered.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Rita Wilson plays your mom.

Sterling Beaumon

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Sterling Beaumon (Hunter Mazelon) (Will Hart/NBC)

Sterling Beaumon: Yes, her character is a marketing executive so my character, Hunter, comes from a very upscale family. He doesn’t have to worry about too much stuff, but he gets into the wrong crowd. He’s had problems as a child because of his mom being so business oriented and being sort of distant from him.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What was the experience like working with Rita and the rest of the cast of Law & Order?

Sterling Beaumon: It was amazing! They are all so welcoming into their family. It was just a blast, especially working in New York. That was a lot of fun.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Is Hunter similar to Jeremy Sayer, the character you played on Criminal Minds last year?

Sterling Beaumon: Not totally. The character I played in Criminal Minds was just so psychotic.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): He was creepy.

Sterling Beaumon: Yeah, he was creepy and very psychotic. This kid’s just very troubled and is more of a bad ass than anything else. He has a drinking problem because he’s very troubled. This kid has more problems than just being psychotic.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): How do you prepare yourself to get into the mindset of a psychotic person?

Sterling Beaumon: There’s not too much you can do but I found myself watching those Dateline NBC specials called To Catch a Predator.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Do you enjoy playing those roles … do they stretch your acting chops?

Sterling Beaumon: I don’t not like them. They’re really good roles. I guess you could say I enjoy them, yeah. They’re very complex people.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You’ve been acting since you were about six years old. Did you start on the stage?

Sterling Beaumon: Yeah. My first professional thing I ever did was a professional stage production of Grapes of Wrath at the amazing West Coast Ensemble in Los Angeles. I played the young Joad boy, Winfield.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Were your parents supportive of your career choice?

Sterling Beaumon: My mom was very supporting. She was surprised that I wanted to do it but said, “Okay, sure, we can give it a shot. Why not? What’s the harm?”

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Some child actors feel they have missed out on just being a kid. Did you ever feel that way?

Sterling Beaumon: No. In fact, I think I’ve gotten more because of having been in acting. You do get to experience a lot of things. I’ve done some moving around and been in almost 10 different schools so you get to meet tons of different people and you get to learn more.

Being an actor, it’s almost your job to understand people and where they came from, to study them, and learn why certain people react to stuff. So actually I’ve learned more being an actor and haven’t missed out on anything.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Your granddad, Martin Beaumon, was an actor.

Sterling Beaumon: Yes, he and his brother, Leon, were both in old Hollywood movies.

Sterling Beaumon

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - L to R: Ned Eisenberg (Roger Kessler), Sterling Beaumon (Hunter Mazelon) (Will Hart/NBC)

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Did that influence your decision to act?

Sterling Beaumon: No. I didn’t even really understand what they did when I decided I wanted to do this.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You sing also.

Sterling Beaumon: I sing and mostly play guitar, but I’m okay on drums.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): It has been a year since the release of your debut CD. Are there plans for another album?

Sterling Beaumon: In fact, we’re in the process right now of doing some more songs, maybe for an EP or a few singles, then maybe for a full record after that. Right now we’re definitely recording two songs. They’re great tracks and sound amazing!

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Who are your musical influences?

Sterling Beaumon: So many different types of people. It’s hard to name them all. There are so many different types of music that I love. I love anything from rock to pop to alternative rock. One of my all time favorite bands that I’ve loved since I was 3 is Aerosmith.

I’ve always been a huge fan of Steven Tyler. Jason Mraz is absolutely amazing and Bruno Mars is really cool. One of my favorite artists right now is Mumford & Sons.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Are you a Justin Bieber fan?

Sterling Beaumon: I don’t have a problem with him but I don’t listen to him (laughs).

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Will you be enjoying both music and acting in your career?

Sterling Beaumon: I don’t have a preference. I love everything that I do so I’m going to do as much as I can.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): You probably miss Lost.

Sterling Beaumon: Yes I do. It was an amazing show and I had an amazing experience on it. There will never be another show like it. Many shows can try to recreate that element of surprise and element of just wanting more that Lost created, that secrecy sort of thing, but I don’t think anyone will be able to capture it as well as Adam Horowitz and Carlton Cuse did. It was just written beautifully and was one of the best shows to ever be on the airwaves.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Would you like to be a regular on another TV series?

Sterling Beaumon: Oh yes. That’s definitely one of my goals to have my own show.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What do you enjoy in your spare time?

Sterling Beaumon: I play a lot of hockey. I’m on my high school hockey team. I watch hockey and was really bummed out that the Kings just got kicked out of the playoffs. I’m super bummed out about that. But hockey is something I really love to do.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): Any special plans for your upcoming 16th birthday?

Sterling Beaumon: No plans yet, just going to take it easy I think.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): What about getting a driver’s license?

Sterling Beaumon: No, driving out here in California is scary.

Melissa Parker (Smashing Interviews Magazine): New York is scary also.

Sterling Beaumon: But in LA people will just take you out. There’s speed in everywhere you go. In New York it’s crammed, but no one is going over 10 miles an hour. Here people are pulling 120 on the freeway in their Beemers. I have a permit, but no plans for a driver’s license quite yet.

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