Clinton actor hopes to change the world

Luke Barnett will appear in ‘Mama’s Boy’ with Jeff Daniels and Diane Keaton this summer

Barnett will appear in a major motion picture scheduled to be released this summer called ‘‘Mama’s Boy,” where he plays the part of a skateboarder who steals the love interest of a character played by Jon Heder and stars Daniels and Keaton.

Barnett said he always wanted to be an actor.

‘‘I have always loved performing. I’ve always been extremely outgoing and felt like acting was a natural gift,” Barnett said.

A 2000 graduate of Grace Brethren Christian School in Clinton, Barnett started out performing in school plays and local commercials. He attended Prince George’s Community College to stay close to his mother, Sally, who had been diagnosed with cancer.

Barnett moved to Los Angeles after his mother died in December 2000.

‘‘She was one of the few people in life who I felt really believed you should follow your dreams. She would never have wanted me to settle or do anything less than what I dreamed of,” Barnett said.

While in Los Angeles Barnett won a role he did in a live stage show called ‘‘The Playground” where he played the part of an addict. Barnett called ‘‘The Playground” his first big break.

‘‘The show was featured on HBO’s ‘‘Entourage” and is supported by a lot of celebrities and producers. This really opened up a lot of doors for me,” he said.

From his role in ‘‘The Playground”, Barnett landed a recurring role on a TV show on Spike TV, a supporting role in a film called ‘‘The Birthday”, and a supporting role in a Warner Bros. film ‘‘Mama’s Boy.”

‘‘The most satisfying thing about pursuing a career as an actor is that there’s always something new and different. Every role is different, so everyday is different.” Barnett stays in touch with a lot of his old friends from Clinton, and visits as often as he can.

Associate Pastor of Grace Brethren Christian School, Matt Geier remembers Barnett as someone with drive and dedication.

‘‘As much as any young person I’ve ever know, Luke has always known what he wanted to do. He’s the type of person who won’t give up until he succeeds,” Geier said.

While at Grace Brethren, Barnett accompanied Geier on two overseas trips to the Ukraine to put on soccer camps for children.

‘‘The kids just loved Luke. He was just wonderful with them. He’s one of the four or five funniest people I’ve ever met.”

Critics apparently agree on Barnett’s humor because his performances have received excellent reviews in publications such as the Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Weekly, and the City Beat.

In addition to a busy and successful acting career, Barnett started Illumine Entertainment, a non-profit organization designed to promote artists who are doing positive work. Illume Entertainment plans to showcase films, musicians and artists who all have the desire to change the world.

‘‘I would like to be able to make a living as an actor while making an impact on people’s lives. I feel there are so many issues that need attention. Being an actor automatically puts you on a platform, and one day when I reach that platform, I want to use it as a positive impact on the world. I think it’s all about showing people hope.”

E-mail Carla Peay at cpeay@gazette.net