Local 4-year-old model now an actor, too

East Northport's Blake Andrew Johnson started as a model for such clients as American Eagle Outfitters, Toys R Us and The Children's Place, and on the covers of two upcoming Harlequin novels, but what he really wants to do is act. He gets his chance in a recurring role beginning Monday night on NBC's musical-drama "Smash."

Blake Andrew Johnson is all of 4 years old.

Blake was cast last summer for the recurring role of Artie Swift, son of actor Michael Swift (Will Chase), who is being considered for the part of Joe DiMaggio in "Marilyn," the series' Marilyn Monroe musical.

Does he know who Marilyn Monroe was? "Yeah. She's an actor," he says over the phone, just after day care, while mom Corene Nelson, an engineer at CA Technologies in Islandia, listens in.

Does he know who Joe DiMaggio was? He thinks about it. "Mommy!" he answers enthusiastically.

OK, so he still needs some coaching in baseball history. But he does enjoy playing the sport, as well as other things, he says. "I play video games. I like Legos. A long time ago, I made an Eiffel Tower with them."

He says he bonded with Chase, who starred as Rob in the 2006 Broadway musical "High Fidelity," by playing with toy trains with him for an hour before they shot their first scene.

So what does he think of his TV dad?

"He's good."

Spoken like a true thespian.