RESPECT: If you did not accompany your cousin for an audition for the musical Oliver what would you be doing instead?
I’ve always been kind of artistic, so I think I might have naturally drifted to some sort of career in the arts. Maybe not acting, but possibly photography, or filmmaking. What that audition did was open up a door that put me on that path earlier.
RESPECT: How was it like working with Mark Wahlberg on the set of Mile 22?
Mark was one of the best-prepared actors I’ve ever worked with. He arrived on set knowing the scenes backward and forwards. He has worked with Peter Berg, the director, several times and they complement each other well. Because everyone was so well prepared and professional, everything moved forward pretty organically. On top of that, he was very kind and generous with his time, especially for someone as famous and busy as he is.
RESPECT: Is there anything that you took from his preparation that you use for approaching roles in the future?
I think it’s always good to have reminders of people who are at the top of their game/field because they worked their butts off to get there, and continue to do so. Mark is one of those people - as well as Ronda, Lauren, Iko, Peter - so many of the people involved with this film. I was very fortunate to be around them all, and they make it look easy. It’s because so much hard work has already happened long before they arrive on the set. Their work ethic and dedication are inspiring. Those are the people I most admire and hope to emulate, as an artist and as a human.
RESPECT: Can you tell us a little about your character Douglas?
Douglas is part of an Elite CIA unit led by James Silva (Mark), along with Alice (Lauren) and Sam (Ronda), embedded in an American embassy in a rogue nation. The team is sent on a mission to get a precious asset out of the country. I don’t want to say much more and give away too much. I hope you’ll go see the film.
RESPECT: Do have any plans in the future to produce your own content?
There are several projects I’ve had bouncing around in my head for a while. I don’t have firm plans to produce anything as of now, but I do keep an ear to the ground for the right collaborators to hopefully help bring some of them to fruition at some point.
RESPECT: How did features on Sesame Street, Thicker Than Blood, and Hi-Life help prepare you for roles later in your career?
Every project offers new learning opportunities. I think as long as you stay present and attentive, and keep an open mind, you can learn something valuable from everyone you work with. Sesame Street was my first real job. It's where I learned to act in front of a camera, and with professionals who had been working together for decades. I don’t know that it prepared me for roles, but I did learn that the real professionals in this business are down to earth, kind and hard-working. It set a pretty high standard. Thicker Than Blood and Hi-Life were some of the first films I worked on, so they taught me a lot about how a film set works, which is somewhat different from TV.
RESPECT: Is there a dream role that you like to be a part of in the future?
I would love to work on more projects like Mile 22. I really love the action genre, I had a blast working on it, and I enjoyed the training we received in preparation for the film. We got the chance to train with a Navy SEAL and an Army Ranger - real-life superheroes. I would love to be able to utilize that training in future projects. I also love sci-fi, fantasy, comic book films - there’s so much great stuff today on film and TV. I would love the opportunity to be a part of it. Basically, I’m a nerd.
RESPECT: What has been your toughest role to date and why?
Douglas was actually pretty challenging because it was entirely out of my wheelhouse. It’s my first action film, and I had to learn a lot of new skills and utilize them on a set where a lot was happening to people at the top of their game. There wasn’t much room for error.
RESPECT: How do you want to use your platform to inspire the next generation?
As a person of color and an immigrant, especially one who started out in this business at a young age, I feel a responsibility to present positive role models. I want kids to see themselves reflected in the movies and shows they watch not just as gang-bangers or criminals or bad guys. I want them to see themselves as the heroes. I think we are moving in the right direction in that regard. It’s certainly better than when I was a kid. But I think there’s still a really long way to go. I hope to be able to contribute something positive regarding representation for kids of color, for Latinx kids, for immigrant kids.
RESPECT: Out of all the awards that you have received which one means the most to you and why?
Well, I’ve only gotten two awards so far. But the one I received in 2017, the Theatre World Award for an outstanding Broadway debut in Sweat, Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, means the world to me. Not many people have heard of it, but if you look up the list of past winners, it’s pretty great company to be in. It’s really an award presented by the New York theater community for the New York theater community in recognition of good work. I’ll cherish it forever.
RESPECT: I see that you like to play the guitar do you plan on releasing an album any time soon or being featured on the soundtrack of one of your films?
Music has always been an essential part of my life, but also something that I do mostly for myself. It keeps me sane and happy. I don’t write my own music though. Mainly I learn other people’s songs. So an album is not likely. That said, if the right project came along that I felt I could contribute something to musically, I would jump at the opportunity.
RESPECT: Do you plan to open your own photography business at some point?
I’m going to stick with the acting thing for now and see how that turns out.