to 2013, Lucky secured steady work
in several episodes as NOPD Officer
Wilson.
In a business where actors might
only get one role a year – if even that
– Lucky has been lucky to score as
many as four or five film gigs in a good
year. How does he feel about getting
so much steady work? “Really good,”
is the answer.
“I feel extremely confident in the
roles I get and I execute them well,”
Lucky said. “So what happens is, the
directors, writers and producers recommend
me down the line. There’s a lot
of stuff I audition for and a lot of stuff
I don’t. Some call me and say, hey, we
heard about you and we need you to do
such and such and I’m there.”
And, as the old saying goes, the
acorn doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Lucky’s oldest son, Kevin Johnson Jr.,
was in a recent film with him (“Sons of
New Orleans”), acting as his younger
brother. Another of his sons, Kemani,
and a daughter, Kearra, have also
done some acting alongside their dad
on stage.
Lucky is especially close to his
mother, Jerry Banks, who is the
prototype for “Madea,” the feisty,
wisecracking, white-haired female
COVER STORY
character Perry plays on stage and
screen. “He got the idea from my
momma,” Lucky explained. “She’s no
nonsense. Not tolerating any foolishness
from people and the things they
do in their life. You try to hurt someone
in her family and she’ll hurt you
right back.”
Currently in the works for Lucky is
an independent comedy film called
“The Corner Store” and an untitled
project for Universal Films, filmed
in Baton Rouge, in which he plays
a Good Samaritan who rescues a
woman from getting mugged.
Today, Lucky takes immense pride
in his Lucky Johnson School for the
Performing Arts, which operates out of
a former church complex he purchased
in the 8800 block of Chef Menteur
Highway. There students learn not
only acting skills but also vocal and
dance skills as well. They stage plays
there, often original works written by
Lucky or one of his staff instructors.
And all the while he is working at what
he loves best: acting
in feature films and
enjoying the creative,
productive life
he leads.
He also takes great
pride in his charitable
work. Every year
at Thanksgiving and
Christmas, Lucky
serves meals to the
homeless; distributes
shoes, coats and
toiletries to those
living “under the
bridge”; and donates
toys to needy children.
At other times
of the year he hosts
health screenings
for the elderly and
arranges rides to
doctors’ offices for
those who lack transportation.
“Doing all these things makes me
feel great. It makes me feel like I’m
doing a service for the community,
taking care of the people who are in
need,” he said with a touch of humility
in his voice.
“I just want to thank God for the
ability He’s blessed me with,” Lucky
added. “I also want to thank my parents
for constantly believing in me and for
supporting my vision, my dreams and
my aspirations. And lastly my kids for
putting up with daddy traveling all
over the place,” he concluded with a
gentle laugh.
For more information about the
Lucky Johnson School of the Performing
Arts, log on to LuckyJohnsonCampus.
com or call (504) 505-9335. Classes
offered in beginning, intermediate and
advanced acting as well as dancing and
singing. ��
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LUCKY JOHNSON
14 | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | breakthrumediamagazine.com J U LY / AU G U S T 2 0 1 9
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