When we think of a man who wears many hats, LaMonica Garrett (@lamonicagarrett) is one that fits the mold. The athlete with a promising football career took a turn for his dreams when he decided to become an actor. After a brief stint at UPS, he’s currently starring as a sheriff in the hit FX show Sons of Anarchy.
“Whenever you start working everyone wants to hire you at the same time,” LaMonica proudly boast about his bout in role after role.
Vixen got a chance to chat with Garrett about his many reoccurring roles, how he stays fit, and what turns him on—and off—when it comes to the ladies.
Flip the page and learn more about this talented actor.
Photo Credit: Bobby Quillard Photography
VIBE Vixen: We hear you’re coming back for the next season of Sons of Anarchy and that you had a reoccurring role on The Game. How do you manage everything?
LaMonica Garrett: It seems like you always have more downtime than work time but the schedules fell into place really good. It seems like whenever you’re not doing anything that goes on forever and whenever you start working everyone wants to hire you.
Can you briefly explain your role on Sons of Anarchy for our readers that may not know?
I play alongside Rockmond Dunbar’s character, Eli. I’m Deputy Sherriff Cane so pretty much me and Rockmond are the Sherriff’s in Charming. We regulate the law out there, there’s a lot going on and this season we’re all no nonsense kind of guys. He knows what he wants, he goes after it, and he’s pretty much by the book with how he approaches the law, that’s my character.
Do you relate to him?
In some aspects I do; I know what I want and I go after it. I set goals, I set a target and I try to reach it. I think what separates us is my sense of humor. I think I have a little bit more personality than Cane. I think I’m a funny guy, Cane’s really not that guy.
Out of all your roles that you’ve played which one do you think is the most like you? And which one was the least like you?
I would say probably the role I play on Mike & Molly is most like me. He’s a lawyer and I’m not a lawyer by any means but just his charisma, his personality, his charm. He’s easy going. I’m easy going and laid back and that’s how James is.
My character on The Game, I saw a lot of me in him but there were some aspects of him that were not me at all. Like there’s one episode that I met Jay Ellis’ character for the first time and it I had to take the high road. He was taking all these jabs at me like “look at his eyebrows.” I think after the third or fourth jab I might have said something.
What made you ultimately decide to be an actor?
Growing up I was in different clubs, I was in the drama club, I did plays, I was always entertaining whether it was an assembly about Black History Month at school or a talent show. I was always performing. I played football and then went straight into acting.
Do you regret the path you went down?
Not at all; you learn so many life lessons from football at all levels of it, from pop warner to high school to college I think there’s so many life lessons learned. Also the discipline I learned in football gives me an advantage as an actor to know what I have to put into it. There’s no one looking over your shoulder telling you that you have to go to class, all of that is self-driven and all that comes from my upbringing and from football.
You are in very good shape. Is that from football or were you just always in shape? Do you diet?
I think football started it, I hated working out in high school but when I got to college and everyone was bigger and faster I was like okay I’ve got to step it up. So I started in college, but now I’m getting a little older and can’t do as hard physical training as I used to but now I’ve incorporated yoga like four times a week. I still do weights, I still run a few miles a day, and I just like the way it makes me feel. It gets me going early in the morning; it gives me energy for the whole day.
Are you into eating healthy?
The older I get the better I eat. I figure if you eat pretty well you don’t have to workout as hard, like when I was younger I used to throw down a whole pizza, a six-pack of beer watching the game, I can’t do that anymore. I still eat pizza but I’ll throw a salad in there, I still drink beer but I’ll have some water in between each beer. I’ll modify it a little bit but I’m not the health freak.
What would be your role of a lifetime?
I’m a big comic book fan; I grew up reading comic books. I love the Batman’s and the Superman’s, the Avengers and all of that. But if it were just one big role and I just had to do one it would be Green Lantern, it’s my favorite comic and superhero.
If you could work with anybody, who would be your dream co-star?
I would love to work with James Earl Jones. James Earl Jones or Liam Neeson. I’ve watched their work for so long, I just love their work. I’d love to also work with Denzel, that would be amazing.
What attracts you to females, physically and non-physically?
I love skin, good skin; I think that jumps out to me. I love someone that takes care of herself, someone that works out because I do. You want the person you’re with to have the same mind set as you. I’ve dated women that have been tall and thin to shorter and not so thin. My girlfriends in the past have all been different, but mentally they’ve all been strong women. I am attracted to a strong-minded woman who knows what she wants.
What’s your number one turnoff?
I have a few turnoffs. If you’re on a first date, you’re trying to get to know someone and they’re on their phone every five minutes, checking twitter, or checking text messages. Or if you try to call someone after you’ve talked to them a little bit and you’re only getting a text message back, that’s no good. No ambition is also turn off; you want to build with someone. A woman that has too many male friends is a turn off—with too many male friends the lines are blurred, you don’t know what the history is, you’re trying to piece things together.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given that you could pass on to our readers
Follow through with whatever you start. No matter what it is, see it out to the end. I’d rather say oh well it didn’t happen instead of what if. A lot of people started something and they got sidetracked for whatever reason and now they’re like “if I would’ve continued doing this I would’ve…” Just follow through what you start.