New Bedford’s native Nate Lang called into the FUN Morning Show this morning from California.  He told us about his role in the Oscar-nominated film, “Whiplash.”

Listen to the interview here:

Lang plays a critical role in the “Best Picture,” Oscar-nominated film, “Whiplash,” which is about a “promising young drummer who enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential,” according to IMDb.

Son of former Mayor of New Bedford, Scott W. Lang, member of the New York band the Howlin' Souls, was set to play Miles Teller's rival, Carl, and put Teller through a jazz drumming boot camp of sorts.

“Whiplash” writer-director Damien Chazelle (himself a drummer) wanted to get the drumming right, so he had the idea to hire a real musician. He worked and rehearsed with Teller for about three or four hours a day for two months for corrective and instruction purposes. “Everything has to look correct, especially with jazz drumming, which is a very technical, graceful kind of drumming,” Lang said.

Lang, a graduate of New Bedford High School, worked for years with Chelsea’s Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, has been playing drums since he was a small child and had taken lessons over the years, and his band recently released their first self-titled album.

"Whiplash" has five Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actor (Simmons) and Best Adapted Screenplay. Simmons has already won a Golden Globe for his performance.

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