Duplexity’s Luke Judy Talks with Film Daily

You may have seen Luke Judy on television in “Fresh Off the Boat” or in the movie “Bombshell” with Nicole Kidman. With an already impressive acting resume at just 16 years old, Luke is now diving into the music world. He is half of the Indie Rock band known as Duplexity. 

Duplexity debuted in 2023 with their EP “Billboards” and kicked off 2024 with the release of their single “Tolerant”. Their fans were the first to hear this single when they performed at the iconic Hollywood venue The Troubadour on March 11th, 2024. I recently had the opportunity to interview Luke in between his busy schedule about his career and the importance of this new single.

You started your journey acting on television and segued into films. What has been your favorite project so far? Which form do you prefer, television or film?

My favorite project so far has been when I worked on “Fresh Off the Boat”. It was super fun filming with everyone, and it was such a great experience. It’s really hard to choose between whether I like television or film more because it depends on the job. If I were to choose one, I would choose film because it is so much better getting the full script instead of a single episode because you get the whole story. You really get more familiar with your character when you know the whole picture.

Congratulations on being in the Oscar winning film “Bombshell” in which you played Nicole Kidman’s son. What was it like working with her? What did you learn from watching her work?

It was such an honor working on “Bombshell” with Nicole Kidman. The thing I learned the most while working on that film was how hard the actors even at her level work. On the call sheet, you see how early they get there and how they are last to be wrapped at the end of the day. Watching her give an Oscar winning performance each day for every take was a big eye-opener for me. Being able to witness the level of commitment she gives every take was priceless. She was also super nice which is also a plus.

From Oscar winning films to hit comedies like “Fresh Off The Boat”. Which genre do you prefer: dramas or comedies?

I like drama, comedy, and even improv, they all have their challenges. But my wheelhouse has always been drama. Especially when I was little, a lot of the roles I booked had a lot of emotional scenes. Plus, I feel drama moves slower than comedy so it’s hard to compare the two since they both have a different pace and skills.

Having started your career in film, you decided to transition into making music and formed the band Duplexity with your sister Savannah Judy. Why did you decide to tip your toe in the music industry?

We have always wanted to get into the music industry but our parents felt that we were too young until now. Our family has always been musical, and we love rock. Savannah and I started at The School of Rock in West LA when we were really little and always knew when we got older we would form a band. What we didn’t know was how much we would love it and that it would be the best thing to ever happen to us.

Your debut EP, “Billboards,” garnered a lot of attention. How would you describe the overall theme and inspiration behind the EP?

We wanted our first EP to be fun, upbeat yet personal. The inspiration, especially for the title track ‘Billboards” was to introduce us to the music world and share our life experiences while growing up in LA and the entertainment industry. The lyrics “this is who we are’ were intentional along with poking fun at the industry and how it can sometimes be a bit toxic even when you love it.

You are gearing up to release another original single on March 11th at The Troubadour. What was the inspiration behind the single “Tolerant”? Why did you choose the Troubadour to debut this single?

We chose the Troubadour show to release the new single because it is one of the most iconic rock venues in LA and one of my favorite venues. This is the first time we have played at the Troubadour, and we were super excited! The song is inspired by watching people suffer at the hands of the government through the pandemic, the riots, and all the other terrible events happening in the world in our childhood and recently.

You are credited with co-writing the lyrics to “Tolerant”. Why do you think it was important for you at this age to write such a song? What do you hope your fans will take away from listening to the song?

I think it’s a statement when a band as young as us releases a song like this. Our whole team is young, and I love that because we are all on the same page. I came up with the idea to do a politically motivated song because we want the world to know we have strong opinions on how adults are running the world and that we have been watching. 

I hope the listeners take away the fact that you’re allowed to have your own opinion even if you are young and to fight for what you believe in and don’t let anyone try and silence you just because you think differently than them.

You have performed live all over Los Angeles and New York. How do you prepare for live performances? What do you love about performing live?

Performing live is our favorite part. When you perform your original songs live and the crowd sings along, it’s the best! We have a set up at our house so we can practice together. To prepare for live performances you have to work on your craft every single day. 

I play guitar and I sing so I have two things to practice when I’m getting ready for a gig. I play guitar every day for about 1-3 hours, and I sing every day. You want to practice like the biggest show of your life is tomorrow. My favorite part about performing live is interacting with the audience and seeing them vibe to our music is such a cool experience.

In addition to your artistic pursuits, you also enjoy listening to music, gaming, and hanging out with your friends. How do you find time to unwind and recharge amidst your busy schedules?

I always listen to music to unwind and recharge. I feel I probably have more time than most 16-year-olds because I finished high school when I was 15. This freed up my schedule to pursue music and still be able to focus on acting and all my other creative interests. When I’m playing guitar or doing music it feels like my free time because I enjoy it so much. When you open Ableton or Logic the possibilities are endless, and I can get lost for hours figuring out new stuff and not even realize it. When I’m not playing music, I’m usually playing games with my friends. I find a way to balance it because I usually get all my stuff done in the morning and if I’m not busy that night I’ll hop on the game.

As someone with a significant following on Instagram, how do you engage with your fans on social media, and what role do platforms like Instagram play in your connection with your audience?

Making content is probably the biggest challenge for me because I already have so many other tasks to do in a day between college, music, acting, and practicing. One of my goals for this year is to be more active on my socials. Instagram is a great way to promote new music, tell everyone that a show is coming up and invite them to come and see us play. I want to start making guitar videos on my Instagram and TikTok just so that I can do what I love and make content out of it at the same time!