Thanks to Boss Models, Steven also has two campaigns under his belt - for Harlequin and for A&F's little brother Hollister - and is featured in Weber's new book All American: Short Stories.
Since this article was published, Steven has also gone on to star in two films: in 'Sky High', released by Disney in July, 2005, he plays a larger-than-life badboy at a school for the offspring of superheroes. 'Undiscovered', released in August, 2005 by Lions Gate Films, is an extraordinary tale of art imitating life. In his first major starring role, Steven plays an aspiring rock star. Which he is - Steven is lead singer of a rock band called Tribe which has already been signed for its first album.
But the first impression I get of Steven Strait, all of sixteen years old as he sits down for his interview in our New York offices, is his ridiculously deep voice, strongly reminiscent of Joel McMillan's slow, measured cadences.
Hi Steven. You live here in New York, is that right?
"Yes, I've lived in the West Village my whole life."
Native-born New Yorkers are so rare. What was it like to be a little kid growing up in the West Village?
"It was an experience. What it really does is expose you to so many different types of living, all different types of lifestyles, people, cultures and races; so by fourth grade nothing seems taboo."
Do you really grow up that quickly?
"You do. I mean it's different for everybody but you learn early on to accept people's individual choices."
What school did you go to?
"P.S. School No. 3. Grades K to 6, and around five hundred kids. It was very laid-back because most of the kids were children of the hippy generation - so there were a lot of free-spirited kids. There were no boundaries between races, sexes, cultures, religions, whatever. It was all pretty much accepted given the way we were brought up and where we were brought up. So it was a really cool place to go to school."
What were you like? Class clown, very studious, or what?
"I was just a normal kid and played sports and stuff."
Which sports?
"I was really into basketball when I was young. I played in a whole bunch of leagues for a while - city-wide leagues, Riverside, which is quite a prestigious basketball program. I was really into it for a long time."
Why?
"I just liked the energy about it. Especially when you grow up in New York you can feed off an energy that sort of incorporates into every aspect of your life. And I think you try and get that energy from everything you do. Basketball just seemed very exciting to me."
So it's the pace of the thing?
"And the precision. That makes it very cool."
Do you like to compete?
"I do. I'm a very competitive person."
Any other sports interest you?
"I've been boxing for the past four years."
Since you were twelve? What got you started?
"Because of my mom really. She's a third-degree Karate black belt and a long time east-coast Karate champion. So I sort of picked up on that, starting with Karate, which I did for eight years. Then, when I got tired of it I moved into boxing. I've got a lot of energy." (laughs)
I would think that boxing is more competitive than Karate?
"Yeah, Karate's a little more subdued, and good for self-defense. Boxing though is just for fun. It's more individualistic. There's nothing like the one-on-one, instinctual, primal need to get at each other when you're in the ring. Once again, there's that energy. It's between you and that person and everything else is outside the ring, and it's survival."
Did you like to read in school?
"I had a hard time reading when I was little, but then whatever problem I had went away in the second grade and I've been reading like crazy ever since."
What are some of the books that caught your imagination?
"I used to love the Roald Dahl books - you know the witches and all of the fantasy. As I've gotten older though I've gravitated more to American literature, especially the transcendentalists: Emerson, Thoreau, and the modernist writers. They fascinate me."
Before we leave grade school, is there anything major that happened to change your life?
"Yes actually, in sixth grade. I was forced into a musical over at VCS (Village Community School.)"
Why did they force you? Was it a class requirement?
"It was more peer pressure. All my friends were doing it, and they wouldn't let me say no. So finally I agreed, but I asked for the smallest role possible and I hated it all the way up to the performance. But then I did the show and found out I loved it."
Did you have to sing and dance?
"Uh, yeah."
It doesn't sound like you enjoyed that part as much ...
"The dancing didn't tickle my fancy, but the singing did."
So what was it that changed your mind about being in the show?
"It was the first moment I walked onstage and there was such a connection with the audience. It was amazing just being there reacting off of each other."
So you didn't have any stage fright?
"No, I loved it. I don't have any fear about being in front of people."
Did your reaction surprise you?
"Completely.
So your interests changed at the new school?
"Yes, definitely. I went from sports to acting."
That dramatically?
"Yes. I still played basketball and boxed, but just for fun. It was a pretty amazing experience. That's when I started at Stella Adler School for Acting."
(N.B. Steven is in good company - Marlon Brando is president of the Stella Adler School, which also counts Bette Midler, Warren Beatty, Robert DeNiro, Martin Sheen and Henry Winkler among its alumni.)
Isn't it difficult to get into?
"Yes, it's prestigious. I've been taking acting classes there for three years and it totally changes your life. As soon as you learn more about filling someone else's shoes, you learn more about yourself. You need to. It brings out a whole new aspect of people, and you start really understanding their motivation.
"You start to understand where people are coming from, because you're always building up the history of your character. You start to understand why people make certain choices and why certain people judge, and what fuels them. But the bottom line is that it becomes much harder to really hate anyone."
So growing up in Manhattan, with all of its characters, has been good preparation?
"Yes, and it's given me so many opportunities. I've been hanging out at the gym down by our apartment ever since I was eleven. My mom used to go there and I always enjoyed sports, so it sort of became a second home to me. But looking back on it now, it wasn't just the physical activity I loved. The trainers at the gym were kind of like my family, and they really helped bring me up. They were all really into sports, but they were also actors, so they had this whole other artistic side to them which made everything so much more dynamic. I didn't notice it as much then, but I realize it now, and I'm sure that's what drew me."
So it was a stimulating atmosphere for you?
"Exactly. And they were all struggling artists, so I got to see what the business is really like. It's not a glamour story for most people. They're struggling day by day to get through, but they love what they're doing and that's all that matters."
So you had a ringside seat on what that industry is really like for the people involved?
"Yes, and it's the same thing with modeling. It can be a glamorous story and a lot of fun, but so often, people travel a long way from home to try it out and don't make it. So it's good to see that side of the business as well."
That's so true. Guys taking up modeling have a hard time, especially at the beginning. And they never know for sure what they're being thrown into, who's on the other side of that next door. So it's hard on a number of different levels isn't it? It's not just the fact that you're struggling, but all these other people have the power and ability to help you, or not?
"Exactly. But what really matters is your relationship with your agent. And John Babin, (Director of Boss Models) has been the biggest lifesaver for me. I'm only sixteen, and I'm lucky enough that I don't need to pay rent because I live in the city with my family, but just the same, I'm glad he's looking out for me."
That's so important, because there are a lot of predators out there.
"There really are. It can be a very nasty industry. So it's good to have a person like John looking after me. I can't thank him enough. He's a really good guy. What John has, is that rare element of truth. There are a lot of guys that talk about each other behind their backs. John doesn't do that, he's very straight-forward and he cuts out all the B.S. And that's the best. The people who manage your career have to be honest or you don't know what you're doing."
Why is that so important?
"On most of the castings and jobs, people are sort of pampering you, so it's easy to get sucked in. That's what makes it so important to stay grounded and realize that the best things about life are the simpler things. And I guess that's why I like Thoreau and Emerson so much right now. It's through modeling and going through some of the nonsense associated with modeling that I've started to realize the importance of their ideas even more. I've seen what it can do when people go the other way. That's not for me."
How did you get signed by Boss Models?
"John Babin was training with my friend Mike at my gym, and I was there working out. John gave me his card and told me to call him if I was ever interested in modeling."
So what did you think? What was your concept of modeling at that point?
"Actually I was just thinking about what it would mean to be at Boss. I'd been with a manager since I was thirteen, who approached me after the musical I told you about at VCS. She started booking me for commercials, and because she was at Wilhelmina, she had me doing some child modeling as well."
So this was nothing new to you?
"No. I was flattered though."
>> Interview Continued...
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