DEFF 2021 FilmWise Interviews, hosted by Festival director Celestine Davis, will feature two “Down East” North Carolina creatives, an actor and writer.
At 2 pm, Celestine will welcome working actor Lee Armstrong who has 126 films & 17 television projects under his belt. Lee also serves as the local board member of SAG-AFTRA Washington – Mid Atlantic.
At 3 pm, writer Barry Ward, relatively new in the field will be invited to discuss his work, his preparation, awards, and many accomplishments as an emerging screenwriter.
LEE ARMSTRONG has generated an impressive body of work as an actor in 126 films & 17 television projects. In 2020, he played twins, a shoe shop owner and a ballroom dancer, on Fox’s “Welcome to Flatch (formerly This Country).” He played real-life Baltimore Sun reporter Jack Germond in the Jason Reitman film “The Front Runner” starring Hugh Jackman, J.K. Simmons & Vera Farmiga. He played Thaddeus for Cartoon Network/Adult Swim’s “Tropical Cop Tales” shot in Dominican Republic. He Guest Starred as a job interviewer on the Oprah Winfrey Network series “If Loving You Is Wrong” directed by Tyler Perry, played Officer Armstrong in The Farrelly Brothers’ feature “The Three Stooges,” the recurring role of TV producer Conrad on Season 4 of HBO’s “Eastbound & Down,” plays the Director on ep. 306 of AMC’s “Halt & Catch Fire,” Cowgill’s nephew on HBO’s “Veep” Season 3 opener & used car salesman Phil in the MLB “An Innocent Kiss” (DVD title) “Elbow Grease” (theatrical release) starring Burt Reynolds in his final film role. In 2021, he just completed playing father to a severely depressed son in “All That Matters” & the title role in “The Trender.” He won the AWARD OF MERIT FOR INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN ACTING in 2016 from Southern Shorts Awards for playing a grieving widower in “Four Pies” and BEST ACTOR @ Greensboro 48-Hour Film Project 2014 for “Mind Games.”
Barry Ward was born and raised in Elizabeth City, NC. Barry is a 2003 graduate of East Carolina University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing with a concentration in Screenwriting at Queen’s University in Charlotte.
Barry has competed in several screenwriting contests where he placed 5th in the 2001 L.A. Short Comedy Script Contest for “The Fake Thug,” a semi-finalist in the 2015 Short Screenplay Contest for “Not Myself,” a quarter finalist in the 2015 Short Screenplay Contest for “Grilling Beef,” and most recently a finalist in the 2021 Atlanta Screenplay Awards for “A Gift From God.” Barry was also selected in the 2020 Southern Storytellers Screenwriters Theatre for “A Gift From God.” Barry is a member of the Raleigh-based comedy troupe Patchwork that performs improv comedy, as well as writing and performing comedy sketches.
Barry currently resides in Raleigh, NC.