I can count on one hand the number of shows my daughter likes that I enjoy as well. One such show is Cartoon Network's Level Up, a tale of a group of gamers who accidentally open a portal and, along with the help of the game's creator, must send all the bosses and villains and monsters that escape from the game back home. Level Up's cast was nice enough to sit down and chat with us and we're going to feature a different actor each week.This week we're spending Seven Questions In Heaven with Jessie T. Usher, who plays Lyle on Level Up.
Tell us about the character you play on Level Up.
My character, Lyle, is the coolest guy in Daventry Hills. He's "Mr. Popular." He's also the star quarterback of the DH football team. At night, his whole persona changes when he becomes a huge gaming geek. He and his avatar Wizza are one third of the elite clan Neverfail and Lyle is very proud of that.
Do you share any common traits with your character? Any noticeable differences?
Lyle and I are both very athletic. He plays football but has played many other sports in the past, which is much like my childhood. I never played football, but I played just about every other sport. We both enjoy gaming and jewelry.
Lyle's way too self-absorbed; I try to stay humble. Although it's kind of funny, no one needs to look in the mirror as much as Lyle does.
Which has been your favorite episode so far and why?"Hampire." The mood and essence of "Hampire" is so dark and mysterious. I thought it was really cool to see an episode that shook up the norm.
When did you first realize you wanted to be an actor? Was there a particular event that triggered it?
I was really young when I first got into acting. My older sister was in the industry before I was and I really just wanted to do what she was doing. Following in her footsteps is what led me here.
What actors and actresses do you admire or look up to?
These days I really look up to Will Smith and Jim Carrey.
Before you began work on Level Up, were you much of a gamer? Has Level Up changed that?
I've always been into gaming. Mainly games on xbox or playstation consoles. Recently, thanks in large part to Level Up, I've started getting into PC games.
What are your five all-time favorite video games?
- Halo (Xbox 360)
- Donkey Kong 64 (Nintendo 64)
- Pokemon - Yellow Version (Gameboy Color)
- Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi (Playstation 2)
- Conqueror Of All Worlds (PC)
Level Up airs Tuesday nights at 8:00 PM on Cartoon Network.
