Laz Alonzo is getting centered for his alter ego photo shoot with Derek Blanks.

 
The actor packed on the makeup to become Buddha for his photo shoot, but that religious icon wasn’t his original choice. According to the actor he went through a couple different ideas before settling on one that he felt really nailed his other side.

 
“The last concept was this old, wise, kind of sage man. In my circle of friends and in my family, I’m more or less the person they come to when they need advice,” Laz said before explaining how Blair Underwood’s shoot forced him to rethink his own concept. ”I saw that he had the old man, and I was like, ‘Ah, I gotta start from scratch’ you know? I had to scrap it.”
 
Eventually, he found inspiration for another alter ego while looking at a small statue of Buddha that he bought while filming Jumping the Broom with Paula Patton.
 
“My alter ego is basically holding down my Hollywood self, “ Laz said, adding that he wants people to know there is more to him than what people see in movies and on the red carpets. “The stuff that people don’t have access to, that’s the stuff that we’re trying to portray artistically.”
 
Check out the video below to see Laz go more in-depth about why becoming Buddha was the best choice for him.
 

-- Sonya Eskridge


Here’s more:
Stars party at ‘Just Wright’ premiere
Tasha jumps on ‘Broom’ cast list
'Avatar' returning to theaters in August