ARTICLES
“LOU PIMBER BREAKS OUT AND BREAKS BAD”
The first in a series of “Where Are They Now?” articles about Filmstock alumni.
If you told Lou Pimber back in 2009 that in two years’ time he would have toured a successful short film around the nation, written a pilot and appeared on national television, he might have raised a well-defined eyebrow in your direction. But that’s exactly what has happened with this Filmstock Film Festival alum. We sat down with the March 2010 Filmstock Best of Fest winner to discuss his life, his career in film, and his relationship with the festival, and where he’s been since.
Lou’s career came out of an incident that was a blessing disguised as a burden. After a successful career in law enforcement, Lou had to retire early to injuries he suffered during an undercover operation, which initially shifted his gears and focus back towards his home & family. But it wasn’t long before he was approached to help out with a film project. Someone he knew knew a filmmaker shooting a project for Cine Mexicano seeking a Spanish speaking law enforcement consultant who could instruct his Actors in Spanish. This opened Lou’s eyes to the world of filmmaking, and a new chapter of his life opened up.
“Whenever I have the opportunity to go into something, I immediately want to know how far I can take it,” said Lou in our interview with him, “I ended up meeting with an aspiring writer and a light bulb went off in my head. I started writing MY story… my life, my experience, and what lead me into law enforcement in the first place.”
But the high prices of shooting a well-produced feature quickly gave Lou the idea of telling a key part of his story through a short film – what is now known as the terrific short, Duress (facebook.com/duressthemovie). “I wrote Duress because I really wanted to showcase the bravery and the talent that it takes to work as an undercover,” Lou explained, “As a real undercover. A lot of people claim they worked undercover, but [most of] those are just cops who dressed in civilian clothing running surveillance, but real undercovers… those are real people who had up close and personal contact with real bad guys.”
People who have seen Duress know of its unconventional ending. This creative decision caused many moments of pause for Lou. Premiering Duress at Filmstock, Lou comments that “I remember being so nervous when the film was going to end, because the ending was so different. Someone warned me that festival films don’t end that way… I remember knowing [that] when you get to that moment it’s an ‘Oh Damn’ moment… I remember hearing [an audience member] go ‘what??? What happened???’ I thought ‘oh no! They hated it!’ Then everyone clapped- everyone liked it! That audience member didn’t realize what she did for me— took me over the edge for a second and then brought me back in!”
The Filmstock premiere of his film made an impact on Lou. “Filmstock [and its surrounding community] was the doorway for me to get to know the Phoenix and Tucson filmmaking community… I was approached by a few different people to help direct their projects, and was extremely honored and taken aback by their requests… I didn’t feel qualified to do this!”
Lou’s intention of Duress was to have a sample piece for a TV pilot or a feature. However, because of the exposure and attention his film garnered him, Lou has been able to work on a number of movies & projects in the Southwest, including The King’s Men, Micah, and the AMC television drama, Breaking Bad. “I always play the bad guy,” Lou stated with what sounded over the phone like a smile, “and to be honest with you, I kind of prefer it.”
Lou continues to act in local and other Southwest productions. When asked about the future of his projects, Lou told us it was continuing to pitch bigger and better projects- one in particular, the inspiration for the short, Duress. Lou told us that “we create our own luck through preparation and timing.” We wish Lou the best of luck as he continues to pursue his career, and we are happy to have been a part of it.
Formerly from: http://www.filmstockfilmfestival.com/2012/07/24/lou-pimber-breaks-out-breaks-bad/
"Officer Spotlight: Meet Lou Pimber, former undercover cop with the ultimate comeback story"
Lou Pimber is Two Hearts One Badge’s latest Officer Spotlight feature. Two Hearts One Badge provides unique, beautifully crafted jewelry specifically designed for the law enforcement and first responder community. And their choice is once again spot on with Lou Pimber.
About Lou Pimber
After serving in the military for several years in the 1990s, Lou pursued a career in law enforcement. He was a young and ambitious man, and it didn’t take long for him to end up on the force.
His passion to serve his community was quickly noticed by his superiors, who saw raw talent in him. And they acted on it by assigning him to the challenging role of an undercover officer, where he thrived.
Lou was well on his way to building a long and brilliant career in law enforcement. But his dreams were cut short after he was viciously attacked during an undercover operation.
During the operation, Lou waited for the SWAT team to arrive on the scene to arrest the suspects on narcotics charges. Since he was undercover, Lou played the role of a suspect and, as per the script, surrendered to the arriving SWAT team, who were to handcuff and escort him away in order to not let the real suspects know he was an officer himself.
However, while Lou was on the ground in handcuffs waiting to be escorted, the arresting officer unexpectedly viciously attacked him for what seemed like an eternity, leaving him bloodied and severely beaten. It is still unclear as to why the officer attacked Lou. But one thing is certain, the officer knew Lou and knew he was undercover.
The attacker represented that small fraction of the law enforcement community who tarnished the badge, had gone corrupt, and brought shame to the profession.
After that incident, Lou was forced to medically retire, never found justice, and suffered from mental health issues stemming from traumatic brain injury, also known as TBI.
But he never gave up.
Lou fought out of a dark hole, pursued acting and entrepreneurship, and once again became successful. He recently authored a book, Breaking Badly, a play on words originating from his role in the hit television series Breaking Bad.
He now advocates for law enforcement and mental health because he’s been there and knows how important mental health is to police.
Law Enforcement Today sat down with Lou to discuss his harrowing life journey, starting with why he was attacked in the first place. However, he could only provide a theory from a pre-undercover brief involving Lou and SWAT team members.
“I told the SWAT guy and said, ‘Listen, when you come after him [suspect] come out in a Crescent shape or Half Moon shape to trap him.’” Lou said. “This guy was pretty dangerous, and these guys didn't take very well to anyone giving [cops] any kind of tips or advice, those type of people. And I knew that, but I gave it anyway because it was important, right? And I did in a very public setting.”
The SWAT team didn’t heed Lou’s advice, and the suspect fled the scene and got away. Lou feels there was animosity built up after that incident that never sat well with the officer who later assaulted him.
The Injuries
Lou suffered significant injuries that still resonate with him today, many years later. At first, the injuries seemed superficial. But it was anything but that.
“Nose busted, chin split, bleeding inside of my mouth, bleeding from my face, my ear was draining fluid stuff like that, and then just blood everywhere,” Lou said. “My jaw was, it kind of went from here to, like, way over here. So initially, it was a permanently dislocated jaw, a permanently damaged inner ear, and it was injuries to the neck and arm.”
Those were the initial injuries.
Lou later experienced other symptoms, days and weeks after the assault.
“Then it was the headaches – chronic. And then it was the pain, and it felt like someone was taking nails and just hammering them into my ear. My jaw here, just the pain was horrible,” Lou said.
And with pain comes medication to treat and minimize it. Lou was prescribed a cocktail of drugs that conflicted with his emotional state and led to even more difficulty.
“Then it turned into all these pills I was being given. Then it went into the lack of sleep or sleeping too much, drinking too much, and taking too many pills. They just turned into a mess because now you have this cocktail of medications plus all this emotional distress, all this anger,” he said.
Lou dealt with the complications of medication and negative behaviors for several years but managed to eventually pull himself out of it.
But it wasn’t easy.
“So it was four years of having to go to doctors, neurologists, speech therapists, pain management, drinking too much, and then just all that shit,” Lou said.
Another symptom of his TBI was not knowing where he was.
“I would get lost. I would get lost in the city that I pretty much grew up in. I would drive with the family from Tucson to Las Vegas, and I got lost. From Arizona to Las Vegas, I got lost. My wife was like, ‘How did you not know to take this exit right here?’ I'm like, 'I don't know,'” Lou said.
“And there were times when I would pull over just frustrated, man, and angry like, ‘How the hell do I not know where I'm going right now?'” he said.
The Recovery
He went from living in a high-speed, dangerous, adrenaline-fueled undercover life to a complete standstill. The recovery took time and was a slow, steady progress.
The main component of his recovery was simply reading. And it got him back on track.
“So I started reading and I just picked up Donald Trump books, Rob Kiyosaki books, stuff like that. And by virtue of doing that, it opened up my mind to other things like business ownership, entrepreneurship, and the business world, developing real estate, that sort of thing,” Lou said.
He also finds relief in exercising and running and recommends it to everyone. Staying physically active has numerous health benefits, including mental health.
Lou freely admits he went through several phases after the attack. A grieving phase (grieving the loss of his career), anger, depression, even suicidal thoughts, and eventually a revenge phase.
The thought of seeking revenge frequently crossed his mind. But he chose a different path, a safer, healing path.
“I wanted to shoot him, but I didn’t. I’m glad I didn’t because that’s all I would have been known for. I had it all planned out,” Lou said. “And unfortunately, when your mind sits in those places of revenge, suicide, stuff like that, the devil loves that shit. But you can’t sit there too long.”
Lou later ran into his attacker one morning while running errands. But by then he was in a much better place personally and emotionally and had chosen not to seek revenge. He, instead, used the power of forgiveness.
“I had to verbally say it to myself several times that I forgive you,” Lou said.
A Success Story
Lou’s story is one of success, tragedy, and overcoming adversity. He went on to find several high-profile acting roles, most notably his role as a cartel member in the hit series Breaking Bad.
The same determination and ambition that landed him in an undercover police officer role also led him to pursue entrepreneurship.
And he is thriving.
But he still wants to serve the community.
“I like speaking to groups, like police organizations, police foundations, companies in general, and sharing elements of my story and how it is that is actually more common than people believe,” Lou said. “I want to be able to get in front of people and share my story and then share how it is that I had to come out of this.”
And he did. But he’s just getting started.
To learn all about Lou Pimber, visit his website, www.LouPimber.com, and check out his book Breaking Badly on Amazon.
- by: Eddie Molina
- 2024-02-02
- Source: Law Enforcement Today
Local actor finds success in the wake of tragedy
The true diehard fans of the hit series “Breaking Bad” may recognize a familiar face when tuning in to reruns of America’s favorite epic. This is because Tucson actor, Lou Pimber, makes an appearance in a reoccurring role, playing a member of a cartel hit squad that called for him to share camera time with stars Brian Cranston, Aaron Paul and Giancarlo Esposito.
Pimber has found much success as an actor, often appearing in commercials, billboard advertisements, public service announcements, films, and television shows. But life has not always been glamorous and full of high notes for the entertainer. Pimber first served his community and country as an Army combat medic, a military police officer, and a member of undercover drug and gang task forces. Though he found great joy in his work, tragedy would strike that would rock the foundation of Pimber’s life. While performing as an undercover task force agent, the young man was viciously assaulted and injured at the hands of fellow law enforcement officers. The medical and emotional damages forced Pimber to retire from law enforcement.
Due to severe head trauma, Pimber was faced with one of the most overlooked conditions in our society, post-traumatic stress disorder. Not only did the former undercover officer battle symptoms of PTSD, but he also battled the psychiatric effects of losing his career and lifestyle. The fact that Pimber was also recuperating from a broken jaw, a traumatic brain injury, and an inner ear injury did not make the process any easier for the Tucson native.
Pimber, however, is not one to back down from a fight. In the end it would be his own resolve that would provide the strength to rise up from the ashes and to make himself new. It all began in 2006 when chance would lead him to acting. Due to his vast experience with weapons, tactics, law enforcement, and self-defense, Pimber was invited to teach gunplay for a film produced by Mexican cable network, Cablé Vision. As a technical advisor on set, Pimber also played a minor role in the film.
The retired law enforcement officer had found his new passion in front of a camera lens. He went on to star in films such as “The Gundown”, “Renegade”, and “Wayward Pilgrim”, as well as commercials for brands such as Adidas, before landing his role in television powerhouse “Breaking Bad”.
The roles that mean the most to Pimber, however, are those that strike a chord and hit close to home. In 2010, he wrote and co-directed “DURESS”, a short film based on his own life experiences working as an undercover drug enforcement agent in Tucson. In a similar vein, Pimber has also acted in various public service announcements aimed at shedding light on the effects of PTSD.
For Pimber, acting has become more fantastic than a hobby, and more passionate than a profession. In a way, acting has become therapeutic. Pimber explains that the key to success is finding the “why.” What is the motive behind the work? In his case, there are more than one. First, Pimber, a single father, wants acting to be an avenue for his children and his children’s children to remember him, and to feel pride in what he has overcome. Second, Pimber wants to use his own experiences as inspiration for his country, his countrymen, and his community. He accomplishes this by speaking to at-risk children and giving them hope through his own triumphs.
“You can’t ask life to get easier,” Pimber says, “but you can make yourself better.” And what a job he has done thus far, using unfortunate circumstances to inspire not only himself, but also those around him, paving ways to success and happiness through the redemptive power of entertainment.
- Tucson Local Media
- Evan Hofmann, Special to The Explorer
- Dec 11, 2013 Updated Sep 27, 2022
The Life of an Undercover Officer and PTSD Advocate/Author of Breaking Badly
Lou tells about living in a garage growing up, smoking cigarettes while watching Scooby Doo AND by age 11 seeing someone stabbed along with women beaten by pimps. He then recalls the moment he knew he wanted to be a police officer along with what pushed him to serve in US Army.
If you have seen the movie, “Colors” featuring Robert Duvall and Sean Penn. Lou was like Penn’s character in real life with the Arizona State Gang Task Force. Being undercover forced him to grow up. Lou admits being addicted to the rush of this position. What is the difficulty of not allowing a criminal to dictate the pace of an investigation?
A graphic story of the extent drug dealers will go to hide drugs and get them to their destination. Complacency can not only get you hurt but killed, Lou retired medically after sustaining career ending injuries during an undercover assignment.
His PTSD went deep and dark, Lou explains all he went through, what he found to help get past it, and what he does today. Traumatic experiences that law enforcement face and their difficulty managing them.
As an entrepreneur, what did he do with that garage he lived in as a child? Being an actor, his own series; “Duress” and being in Jay Dobyn’s short film; “Big Red Friday.” Pimber’s thoughts on what leads to success, what breaking badly means to him, losing his identity, and did he write the book for him or others? COPLINE, what it is and how it serves officers.
https://www.beforethelightspod.com/beforethelights-episodes/w8iqnehcp1ff9s4lhy4bo8qmjxygkr
Tommy Canale