#AlexOLoughlin and His Final #H50 Interview (Transcript)

This is the transcript of Alex’s interview on the Season 10 DVD.

A Special Big Thank You! to Marcela, one of our fellow fans, who provided us with this transcript.

It helped a lot, because I did not have the time to do it myself this time around.

That is what makes fangirling great – when we can all share in the fun!

Transcript:

Alex:

A decision like this is not a decision that is easy to make when you’re as invested as I am. And I know that the audience and the fans are deeply invested. For which I’m incredibly grateful. Because without you guys, I don’t have a job.

That investment comes at a cost. And it’s been a really, very difficult decision to make.

But I was so invested and I cared so deeply about keeping this show on the air and keeping everyone employed and … and making it work, that I just figured, like, I’m going to do whatever I have to do.

I… I don’t really know how to do this job half-heartedly. I don’t know how to phone it in. I don’t want to … know how to cheat, or just pose my way through it.

Anyone in this business knows, this kind of gig is a little more steady … steadier than… than most. But it’s always… there’s always that … the footing is always precarious, you know?

And I was just thinking to myself, “I wonder how much longer is this show is going to go for?”… and … and then I started thinking about … sort of just the big moments for me … for McGarrett over the years.

This recurring thought kept coming to me that I was… I just sort of had this dissatisfaction, I suppose. This… sort of slight anxiety with the fact that we hadn’t really dealt with McGarrett’s mom, you know. With the Doris McGarrett character.

And then I got into, like… the little tantrum in my head, like, “Why would they do?” Like… “I can’t… why hasn’t that been a priority?”!

And almost immediately, that sort of grown up in the room in my head. You know, the head of the committee up here, was like, “Why don’t you do something about it?”

And so I started thinking and I started thinking, like, “What? What could that be?” And that turned into the … like a creative dreaming space. And over the next couple of days, I started… it always comes to me late at night when I’m working on something like… whatever a creative idea is.

It’s just like… I sort of designed my house, that I built. And all of it happens between like 12 and 3 a.m. Which is extremely inconvenient because, I’m like, “Oh” … and Malia is like… “Turn the light off. You’re a psycho”.

But I’m writing all these notes down. And in the end, I sort of had this pitch that seemed like it made some sort of sense in this world.

And then I called Peter and I said to him… “Hey, listen, can I… can I have five minutes of your time?” He was like, “Yeah, sure”.

And I pitched it to him. And at the end, he was like, “I love it. Do you want to write it?”. And I was like, “Wow! I’m not really a writer”.

Like, I’ve written some things that were horrible. That never got made. But … and he was like, “Just give it a go”.

And he was… He was so supportive. He was so supportive. And… for the most part during the process, he… he left me alone. Like he never… He never treated me like a boss. Or like a … you know, he was… he was… he was so respectful.

And … the notes that he gave me, were suggestions. And they were all really helpful. They were really good notes … really helpful. And as it turned out, I probably implemented like eight out of ten of them, you know. And they were …. they made it better.

And in the very first draft, I [Steve] killed her.

And I think the network… if I remember correctly, they read it. And they were like, “This is great… That’s not… That’s a little dark. Where not gonna … you can’t do that… We can’t do that.”

So, but …. Yeah, I sort of … There had to be … For me anyway … There had to be a finite ending. Like there had to be… you know … Because we live in this … we live in this make-believe world. Which is so much fun.

It brings so much joy to everyone. And that’s, you know, we love the catharsis of turning on the Telly and …. and soaking it all up.

But to be a part of it. Even as an audience member, I think sometimes …. even with the broadest fantasy, we needed to sort of like drop into reality a little bit here and there. So… so we can anchor… the story that provides the catharsis for us, to aspects of our own lives.

The other thing I really wanted that episode to represent, was my gratitude to Leonard’s legacy and what Peter Lenkov’s done with it. And everyone’s acceptance of me being the GUY [McGarrett].

You know, it’s weird because, from the very beginning, I was like, “These are big shoes to fill.” It’s been intimidating to me from day one, you know. And I had to sort of approach it in my own way, to be able to make it my own and… and… and bring it into today.

But that scene that I wrote, when McGarrett decides to share that moment with Junior about the dream. Like I was writing it …. Even on the day when we were going to shoot it, I was like, “I don’t know if this is any good”. Like, it feels a little on the nose…

[Clip from Episode 10:07]

Steve: “I’ve been having this dream.

Every night I wake up and she’s sitting on the edge of the bed, she’s reading to me like when I was a kid, you know”.

It’s my life. Like I’ve always had really crazy, vivid dreams. And I have really cryptic dreams. Like, that’s like a dream I would have. And my mother is reading to me as an adult. And I’m like, “This is weird and why? … But I can’t hear her. And I can’t …. you know, that running in mud sort of thing.

And I just wanted to give … [rolling his eyes] I mean, the Moby Dick reference, is probably a little .. [giggles] on the nose and obvious. But I just wanted to give McGarrett a little bit of me. And also just … Sort of like, I don’t know, let… let everybody into the… the constant, obsessive, unrelenting connection that he has with his mother, that he just needs… needs … needs closure on.

[Clip from Episode 10:07]

Doris: “Whatever you think. Stop thinking it.

Yes, my mission went sideways. But I swear to you, I’m staying dark for the right reasons.

Your life will be compromised in a way that I can’t help you, Steve.

If you don’t leave this country immediately ..”.

Steve: “My life was compromised the day you walked out of it”.

Like she’s a flawed character. And that was… I had the grace of that, going in, you know. So it gave me freedom in the storytelling, you know.

And… from the very beginning, she was flawed. She faked her own death. She kind of like… bailed on her family. On her kids, for the sake of … you know, her … for the sake of the government.

In the end, she was like, “How do I make this right?”

[Clips from Episode 10:07]

Doris: “You don’t get it, Steve. I got nothing to show for all my years in the agency. Nothing.

A whole life of fear and… and guilt, for what? For what?

I lost my identity”.

Agent: “She stayed on target till the end. She did her job”

Steve: “Dad?”

John: “I like to say enough … I love you, son…”

Steve: “Dad… Dad! … No, no… No!”

Steve: “Joe… Joe…Joe… Joe!”

Joe: “I’m sorry Steve!… I couldn’t be prouder of the man you’ve become”.

Doris: “I’m so sorry!”

Steve: “Mom!”

Doris: “I love you so much”

Joe: “You continue to go down this road, son. You’ve got to ask yourself, how many more lives is that going to cost?”

This huge part of my life, that no matter where my life or my career takes me from here, this is always going to be a home for me.

I have no intention of leaving … the island. Despite the fact that I’m leaving the show.

I love raising my kids here. I love being a part of the … the Kamaʻāina. Being part of the people here. And…

I was sort of a blow-in for a while. But at 10 years, you kind of get to like… You can have a discount on the orange juice now. I’ve been here long enough, you know. And so it’s… it’s a very, very special place.

The episodes that I have seen the way we shoot this island. It’s extraordinary. All you’ve got to do is point a camera at whatever and it’s like, “Wow!”

We’re so blessed to have the production value insofar as the cinematography with the natural vegetation, the incredible mountains, and the waterfalls and everything else that we have here.

I think we sort of can take that for granted sometimes. But it …. to me, it’s always played such a massive role in the show. You know, I like She is …. Like this ‘Aina is … the true lead role of the show, you know.

I mean, it wouldn’t  … it be a little different than Southern California. You know, it would be … it’s just … There’s nothing like it.

[Clip – Shooting H50 action scene with dialogue]

But as far as… being a part of this place and the people from Hawaii. I’ve never really felt as welcomed, as I did here.

[Clip from Finale]

Steve: “Aloha. A Hui hou.” (Goodbye. Until we meet again)

Grover: “Oh, man. [sniff]”

I really wanted to get 10 years.

I didn’t want to walk away before then. It just didn’t feel right.

And I think I got to a place now … And it’s not of frustration, or fatigue. I mean, I’ve been fatigued. We’re all fatigued. But it wasn’t as a result of that.

It was just … I just got to a place, a really quiet place. And a calm place, where I realized, like…

“I’ve done it. I’ve done 10 years.” 

I’ve cared as deeply as I can. I’ve brought what I possibly could, to the table. And I hope that it’s been enough.

And now I need to focus on those little men. You know. Those two little men at my place.

I’m just glad to have .. have been a part of this like … a part of history. And I’m gonna miss it.

I’m gonna miss it like crazy.

Link to video

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Some #H50 Fun On Hollywood 411 (Season 1 Finale – 2011)

The cast of Hawaii Five-0 got interviewed on set, by Audrey Cleo from TV Guide, during the filming of the Season 1 finale. She asked some questions about the end of Season 1, and got some fun remarks back from the main cast, which included Alex, Grace Park, Daniel Dae Kim, Scott Caan, and  Larisa Oleynik.

Who knew? Alex can knit! And from Grace’s comment, it is clear that even back in Season 1 already, the fan fantasies of a McDanno romance were a big joke on set.

Transcript:

Audrey: I’m in beautiful Oaau, visiting the Hawaii Five-0 set where I’ve got the secrets, scandals and spoilers of the season finale.

To Alex: This thing isn’t even on, so

Alex: Right, I’ll just forget about it.

Audrey: Yeah. yeah.

Alex: We can have some beers.

Audrey: So, who dies?

Alex: Right. I’ll tell you everybody dies.

Audrey: Ah-ha

Alex: You’ll be blown away.

[Clip from Finale]

Grace: McGarrett and Danny get pregnant. [Fake laughs]

Audrey: [Laughs]

Grace: And Kono kills Chin Ho.

Audrey: Don’t think that’ll happen on the Season 1 ender, airing tomorrow night on CBS. But we do know that head Five-0 hottie, Alex O’Loughlin aka Steve McGarrett, finds out whose been leaving hints about his parents murders.

Audrey: Is the person who’s been giving Steve those clues, someone we already know?

Alex: Yes, he gets double-crossed. He gets lied to. He gets … he gets set up.

Audrey: I hear that Chin might actually get his badge back? What’s like the percentage chance? Are we talking like, 60/40?

Daniel: I’d put the odds at pretty good.

Audrey: Pretty good?

Daniel: Yeah, but that’s just between you and me.

Don’t tell anybody.

Audrey: We can tell you, one major character will meet a grisly end. 

Scott Caan’s character, Danny Williams, might also be saying Aloha, and heading back to Jersey.

While Chin may get his badge, looks like McGarrett loses his.

[Clip from Final]

Audrey: And as always, expect losts of action.

Audrey: What was the most dangerous stunt that you had to do? For the season final?

Scott: I had to kiss Claire Van Der Boom.

Larisa: We did have an explosion, yesterday.

Audrey: It’s a physical role too. I mean, this is serious stuff.

Alex: I’m sort of beat up and I’ve got like a torn shoulder. Look at this.

Audrey: Oh my god.

I just really want to touch you …. [ touching his shoulder again]

Alex: She just wants to touch my arm. [Laughs]

Grace: They don’t do needle pointing. They’re dealing with criminals

Audrey: Hawaii Five-0 team might be doing needlepoint. I think – spin-off.

Grace: Oh well, Alex knits.

Audrey: Is that why he has Kinesio tape on his shoulder?

Grace: [Laughs]

Audrey: Is that from all the crocheting that he is doing?

Grace: I know.

Audrey: I don’t think I got a clear … [hinting to touch his arm again]

Alex: I’ll show you .. when we cut.

Audrey: Okay.

 

Link to Video:

 

#AlexOLoughlin – BTS for TV Guide Sexiest Photoshoot (2008) – Transcript

In May 2008, Alex appeared in TV Guide’s Sexiest Stars issue. He needed to do a photoshoot to get his picture for this issue.

This is a video taken at this shoot.

And of course, the question was – what makes you feel sexy?

Transcript:

Alex: What makes me feel sexy?

Oh, I don’t know.

Comment: That answer in a bit. And the more important question would be, who is this sexy male TV star?

Australian import, Alex O’Loughlin, is the lead of CBS’s vampire detective drama, Moonlight.

Alex: I think that the person you are with makes you feel sexy, you know. Like my girlfriend. You know, I mean being adored by someone else makes me feel sexy.

Comment: With his newfound fame, this Aussie hunk isn’t letting it get the best of him.

Alex: My exposure to the general public has definitely risen, ‘cos so much …. so many more people know my face now. So, I guess it kind of changes a bit. It hasn’t changed the way I think.

Video:

The Photographer for the photoshoot was Rodolfo Martinez

Click on the link to can see the actual TV Guide Magazine article here:

#AlexOLoughlin – One of TV Guide’s Sexiest Stars – 2008

And this is what co-star Sophia Myles had to say for the article:

“I’m immune to Alex’s hotness. I see more of him than of any boyfriend I’ve ever had. I’m very privileged because of that, but since I see him so much, I’ve overdosed on his hotness. It’s just the norm.

But other people become weak in the knees around him. They start blushing. They drool. He has that Johnny Depp thing, a special sparkle that’s just magic. How do you define it? The young girls love him, the older ladies love him, and the gay guys love him.

He’s really good at expressive movement and loves musical theater. He’s also up there with the greatest comedians I’ve ever known. I go home with stomach pains from laughing so hard. It’s constant. He’s kind of crude.

English and Australians have a great connection when it comes to humor, and we can be outrageous. You couldn’t put some of it in print. Americans don’t know what to do with us, but I like that.”

– Moonlight co-star Sophia Myles

TV Guide,

May 2008

And this is Alex’s reaction to watching this video during an interview:

You can see the full interview here:

#AlexOLoughlin on TV Guide’s ‘TV Watercooler’ – 28 April 2008

#AlexOLoughlin & Jennifer Lopez on ET, talking about The Back Up Plan – Feb 2010

In February 2010, Alex and JLo did some Valentines promotions for The Back-Up Plan.

This was their interview with Kevin Frazier of Entertainment Tonight, at the time.

Transcript.

Kevin: How much fun was it making this movie? You kind of walked away from it for a second now, and you can look back. How much fun was it?

Jennifer: It was a lot of fun.

Alex: It was good.

Jennifer: It was …. We had a great time. I mean, honestly, I said many times, that it was one of the best experiences I had. Just the group of people. And the movie itself. It was ….there was …. there’s a lot of funny in the movie, so that always makes for a great day.

Kevin: Hmmm

Jennifer: And ah ….

Alex: You did say that a lot. You would regularly, most days, you would come to …. when you saw me, you would say it ….

Jennifer: Yeah [giggle]

Alex: Jokes aside … That was such a great experience.

Jennifer: It’s true.

 

Kevin: Was it the project ….. Did it turn out to be the project that you wanted after 3 years off? Did you …. Do you think people will say, “Ah, there she is. She’s back”?

Jennifer: I hope so. I mean, I would hope so. I mean, for me, personally, it absolutely was.

I love romantic comedies. I love doing them. I love watching them. And this was like the dream one, for me. You know what I mean. I also loved, after not doing a movie for, I don’t know, 2 and a half – 3 years.

Ah … ah …. I just … I just love the whole, new thing, that I was able to bring, because of having the babies. And the experience of that. And the fact that the subject matter of the movie, dealt with that was well. Like, being able to, you know, bring all of that experience to it.

Kevin: Does this move make you want to have more babies? [To Alex] Or does it make you want to have babies?

Jennifer: I want to have more babies.

Alex: Yeah … ah … yeah …

Kevin: [Laughing]

Alex: I’m trying to work out whether … I think it wants me to get married first, and then have babies. It … It’s made it  …. It made me realize how complicated this could be, if you did it backwards.

Jennifer: But that’s the thing you can  … It’s so funny you ask us that. But  …. That’s the whole subject of the movie. You can’t plan your life.

Alex: Right.

Kevin: Hmmm

Jennifer: And as much as you would like to. As much as you say, this is what I want to do,   … And is how I want to do it. And by this time. And it’s all going to be perfect.

It’s … that’s …. that’s not really, life. You know, that’s not how it is. And you have to just be willing to go with what happens.

Alex: I think the thing that it did … I mean,  we’re both parents. And I think the thing, for me …. ‘cos I just saw the film a couple of days ago. I think it’s great.

Jennifer: You saw it?

Alex: Yeah, it’s good. You’ve seen it.

You’ve seen it 50 times.

Jennifer: How funny is it though?

Alex:  You were editing it, right?

Jennifer: Nah-ah.That’s what I am trying to …

Alex: But it’s  …

Jennifer: If they would let me, I would.

Alex: It’s … It’s really funny. I went  …. I drove to the Orange County …

Jennifer: It’s really funny.

Alex:  ….. and saw it with a real audience and … a Non-Hollywood audience. ‘Cos I wanted to just see how … and they loved it. They’re like … I was …. I couldn’t believe how …. how much they loved it.

Jennifer: It’s funny.

Alex: And I loved it too.

Kevin: Did anybody catch you?

Alex: No! They snuck me in … and Maggie Schmit pulled me in.

Jennifer: They sneak you out through the kitchen.

Alex: And the snuck  …. through the kitchen, and ….. you know.

Jennifer: [Giggles]

Alex: I think, that the thing …. like despite all the madness that these characters go through, and … and everything is upside down, and back to front. And they try to work everything …….  Once the kids arrive … I mean I think, one of the big things in this movie is …. is it shows how, once children come into your life,  everything is put in perspective.

And as a person, whether you’re a father of a mother… you know, kids, you realize why we are here on a fundamental level. And for the first time, despite yourself, you will love another person, more than you love yourself. I mean, that’s what kids sort of do.

Kevin: Hmmm … hmmm

What is there about her that surprised you?

Alex: Probably that, she was so …. she’s … 3^rd person, she is right next to me.

Probably that you were so down to earth, you know, living in this kind of  … bubble of iconic fame that you exist in. Which I did not know anything about. I don’t know, I … I don’t have that.

I come from … I just ….. I don’t have that. My life is very different … and so … I guess not living in that … we all have different ideas about what it’s like for other people in different circumstances. But just ….

Jennifer: He expected me to be really weird.

Alex: No, it’s not true

Jennifer: [Laughs] Normal.

Alex: No is such a ..

Jennifer: Semi-normal.

Alex: No, no … but I  don’t think I did  …. I didn’t expect.

Jennifer: Whatever normal is?

Alex: We met at your house and we hit it off.

Jennifer: Yeah.

Alex: I don’t think I put anything on it, in the beginning. So it was just a series of …. .

Jennifer: But you have those preconceived notions …

Alex: No, but I did not have that many.

Jennifer: Yeah. That’s good.

Alex: But you …. When I went to ….. when I went to Jennifer and Marc’s house to meet them, before we all agree to do the picture. I was at the house and …. and … one of the … I guess your maid or … or someone like, let me through the house. And I hadn’t met them yet. And they … and they took me and sat me in …. What do call that room? Like den of something?

Jennifer: The office.

Alex: The office. And it’s beautiful … beautiful, everything. But it’s just wall to wall, like Platinum Records, of them both. And I was like, you know ….

Jennifer: [Laughing]

Alex: It was just like, ….. this power couple!

Kevin: Would you guys do something together again?

Jennifer: Yeah, I would

Alex: Work wise? I thought you meant …. you were going to ask if there is something right now …

Absolutely.

Well, what am I going to say? … “Not really”… [Laughing]

Jennifer: [Laughing]

Kevin: In three years, when you look like ….

Alex: Absolutely.

Actually, I was watching this movie the other night and at the end … Diana, my assistant, was with us, and we walked out and she was like, “That’s begging for a sequel”.  And I was like …

Jennifer: [Laughing]

Alex: …. really?

Jennifer: Like that?

Alex: Yeah, and then …

Jennifer: With the kids and all ….

Alex: Absolutely, I’d love to.

[Alex & Jennifer High Five]

Jennifer: High five.

Kevin: Advice for couples for Valentine’s day?

Jennifer: I don’t know what we’re going to do this year?

Kevin: Really?

Jennifer: I don’t know what we are doing. Haven’t … honestly, I haven’t even thought about it. I have no advice for couples, on love. You know.

Kevin: [Giggle]

Jennifer: I always feel like I’m still figuring everything out. I go day by day with my thing.

Link to Video:

#AlexOLoughlin, Sophia and Jason at Fangoria – April 2008 (Transcript)

Some years ago we posted an article that covers most of what is said in this video, but it is always great to actually see the actors on stage, doing their thing.

We do not know who took this video, or who it belonged to. I found it saved in my old files and could no longer find the original copy online.

According to the iF Magazine article, which we posted a long time ago, the panel was moderated by  Anthony C. Ferrante

Transcript:

Jason: Yes, I think it’s been addressed in the next episode coming up.

Alex: It is the next one.

Jason: Just a bit, yeah.

Alex: You see, I don’t remember what we’re shooting from one day to the next.

Jason: Yeah, he works like 20 ….. just unbelievable, twenty-hour days. It’s unbelievable. Both of these guys. I work 5 hour days, so …

Question: How many episodes do you have left for the rest of the season? There’s 2 or 3?

Jason: We just wrapped yesterday. And yeah, we have 3 more episodes to show.

Questions: Okay, so what are we going to see on the next three episodes, in terms of this evolution and what is going on? Are there more standalones, or will there be more mythology driven?

Alex: Well, they are more standalones, because you have to understand that logistics we haven’t been given a second season pick-up. And so like, until .. as filmmakers, you know as television .. makers of television series and that kind of thing [mumbling].

Okay…. ah … no … we … we cannot afford to start something that we are not going to be able to finish. It just wouldn’t …. like, we’re not prepared to do that, you know. And so until they give us that that pick-up, we can’t really do any arcs and we can’t ….. you know. So, we’ve had to do four pretty much standalone episodes. But they are really good standalone episodes.

And there is, the arc that is … will always be there is .. is the … is the arc between Mick and Beth. And so that sort of .. that comes to an interesting close .. and you know, that moving forward in 16.

Question: They’ve killed off a lot of your … your close people, on the show, Sophia. Yeah, and then again, the …. going really quickly – I think by Episode 3, you’re totally accepting that he’s a vampire. It seems like a tricky thing, you know. Having to take this person who is kind hard news and kind of logical person, and then have to be thrust into this world. It must be an interesting dance as an actress. As how much you can accept and how much … kind of … have to … how weird this is?

Sophia: I think, you know for Beth – she’s fallen in love with his soul. And the fact that he’s a vampire is, you know, secondary to her. And …. I actually think that he gets his contacts and his fangs – I always find him more sexy in that looks. So.. it works for me

Alex: Yes, she always makes passes at me once I am coming out of make-up.

Sophia: Here we go again.

When I’m kind of ready to go. And sort of ready to go, and she’s sort of leaning against the trailer, “Hey Alex! What you doing?”. I’m like, “We’re going to do the thing. Going to do the scene” And she says, “Oh. How are you?” and I’m, “How are you?” and she says, “Good. You wanna get a cup of tea somewhere?” …….. “Not really”

[Everybody laughing]

(We think these pictures were taken by somebody named Wendie.)

Question: This is for any …. any one of you. One of the things …. I’m curious, my favourite episodes is the mythology driven stuff and it’s the vampire’s stuff.

Alex: Mine too.

Question: And again throughout the 12th episodes, the ‘Mortal Coil’, or whatever the title of that one was, right before this one …

[The audience correcting him about the name of the episode – “Mortal Cure”]

Question: Thank you – ‘Mortal Cure’.

It was … There was a lot of the procedural stuff. And I know CBS loves the procedurals. You, know, they like to have that handle on the things.

But I think the genre fans, and I’m sure you guys agree, you know, that the  driven mythology and stuff that makes these shows work. So I’m curious, what …. which do you think works best for the show, in your own opinion? And what are some of your favourite episodes?

Jason: I want to say, real quick, that I think Alex kind of introduced the idea of the bloodlines, and that sort of thing. Which I think is some of the most interesting stuff in the story. You will see more of that coming up,  we’ve kind of have like, in the last episode, we have like a vampire conference.

And we kind of get together … and there’s a problem that comes up, that kind of threatens the survival of the vampires. And they kind of all deal with it in their different ways. In their different levels in the social spectrum, or whatever. And so you’ll see some interesting stuff coming up on that.

But I like the vampire stuff, when it gets into that. But your so good with the procedural stuff and I think that’s a good blue line for the show. But every time we get away to the bloodlines and that sort of thing, I think it’s very interesting.

Question: How’s your new boss .. you’ve got a new boss at Buzzwire, now right?

Sophia: We’ll I get … I have the new boss, but she leaves, because Buzzwire is very tabloidy and that kind TMZ thing, and Beth is not interested in any of that sort of stuff. So, she’s more interested in the hard-hitting journalism. And she gets on to a new job quite soon. So, yeah….

Questions: Very cool. I want to take questions from the audience now. So. …

 

Some of the fan pictures taken on the day.

Unfortunately, we do not know who any of them are.

 

Video:

 

Previous post about the day:

Fangoria’s Weekend of Horrors – May 2008

And an interesting fan story of the day:

#AlexOLoughlin – A Moment in Time