00:00
I have seen more successful stories here than anywhere else
00:04
Immigrants come here with a dream to have a better life.
00:07
So they strive for their goals, I think, you know, um uh uh more
00:15
maybe than if they were to, to be uh in their native country
00:25
as a, as a Mexican born actor.
00:29
Now, right now, you are going to be in a program in the USA network
00:37
Tell me a little bit about that and how do you feel you're representing
00:40
your country doing that?
00:42
Well, um as a Mexican actor, I'm really proud to be uh on the
00:48
show, but I'm playing an, actually, I'm, I'm playing an Argentinian
00:53
so I'm not playing a Mexican, he's an Argentinian polo player
00:56
uh which was great, but I'm really grateful.
01:00
Um First of all, because I think they're starting to create
01:04
uh roles for Latins that are not the cliche role that we're
01:07
used to seeing them and, and, and not only like the comic relief
01:13
Um But, you know, this is a uh uh a, you know, a character who
01:19
who's well traveled, who, you know, speaks different languages
01:22
and who's, who's, who's wealthy and, you know, who plays polo
01:25
you know, goes to the Hamptons for Polo season.
01:28
And, um, you know, so it's, it's great that writers are finally
01:34
stepping up to, uh write rules that I think, uh uh you know,
01:42
we could be more proud of.
01:43
And I think, uh I went, this is funny and I just recalled, um
01:49
I was shooting in, in Vegas, one of the episodes and, um, one
01:55
of the waiters uh came up to me who was from Mexico and he says
01:59
hey, it's so good to see you.
02:01
I remember you from your soaps in, in Mexico.
02:03
And I've been living in Vegas for a while.
02:05
I saw you in Royal Pains and I'm really proud of you.
02:08
And I said, oh, really?
02:10
And this is a waiter?
02:10
Well, because I love the fact that you're playing something
02:14
uh different that it's not, you know, the, the stereotype
02:18
role that we're, you know, that we're usually uh used to seeing
02:22
like uh Latinos and, and I said, really?
02:25
Yeah, we, we need new role models.
02:27
He said, so I like that you're playing, you're playing a polo
02:31
And this is a waiter telling me this, it's not, you know, they
02:34
always put us as guard in there saying not that there's anything
02:38
He said, but what happens?
02:40
What, you know, why can we be doctors?
02:43
Why can we be uh you know, uh psychiatrists or or can we, or businessmen
02:50
Um so when he told me that I said, oh, this was worth it.
02:54
This was definitely worth it.
02:57
You feel like you're breaking certain barriers?
02:59
Well, yeah, because he was proud that I was playing that type
03:03
Um So, you know, uh uh yes, I absolutely think that it's a, a
03:08
good time and that we're gonna see more and more of that and
03:12
they, uh you know, writers are going to incorporate Latinos
03:18
And then on our main, in the mainstream uh I guess TV, uh in a
03:25
Um And in the soaps, I think it's like you're very dramatic
03:29
It's a very, just like it's a different tone.
03:32
But let me tell you something, uh American soap operas are
03:35
bad, I think even worse.
03:38
So don't criticize too much our soaps because I've seen the
03:41
American soaps, man.
03:42
And they, they, so they make fun of us.
03:48
Well, I think they should be watching your, their soaps too
03:51
because, and our women are hotter.
03:56
Women are way harder on their soap operas for sure.
04:01
Um Tell me a little bit about the fact that how you feel as an
04:05
immigrant, being able to speak the language I think has helped
04:11
you a lot compared to other immigrants and other actors that
04:15
are striving in the US.
04:17
You were lucky enough to have lived in New York and in California
04:22
Tell me, incorporate all of that and tell me, oh yeah, it, it
04:25
it definitely helps, it definitely opens the door and, and
04:28
uh you can audition for, for different, you know, it, it's
04:31
it's a whole new world is opening up to me now.
04:36
Um and a whole new opportunities that I, I, you know, I was looking
04:41
Um But yeah, I mean, II I did struggle a bit because I will tell
04:47
them, you know, I have to OK.
04:49
And you, do you have anything you can show us?
04:51
And I had like a lot of stuff from, from uh my soaps in Mexico
04:57
and Brazil and I would show them and, but then it's like, well
04:59
do you have anything in English?
05:01
And I was like, no, well, we need something in English and I
05:05
was like, well, can't you see, I, I, you know, I do speak it then
05:09
it's like, well, yeah, but we're gonna need some, some tape
05:13
So, um I mean, it's not, it's not that easy, you know, it's like
05:18
you, you uh this, this opportunity finally it came and, and
05:24
I had to audition like anyone else, you know, they, they flew
05:28
me in and I had to audition in front of the director, the producer
05:31
the actress and everything to really see, you know, if they
05:34
were gonna give me the shot.
05:35
But I'm thankful in the sense that, you know, I finally got
05:38
it and uh I think, um, because of speaking the language, I'm
05:44
not going to get more and more opportunities for sure.
05:47
Do you think you're in a country where there's a lot of opportunities
05:54
There is, I, I have seen more successful stories here than
05:57
anywhere else in the world, you know, unbelievable stories
06:02
People who, you know, just happen to have a, a good idea who
06:07
who are hard workers.
06:09
Um, you know, and, and, and it, it's incredible, uh you know
06:14
um how uh their passion to, to um uh you know, even like put
06:22
their kids through school or, or make them go to college or
06:27
um it, it, it, you know, as I said, a lot of immigrants come here
06:33
with a dream and the dream to be, I think, uh to have a better
06:37
life and that in itself is, is a motivation, a big motivation
06:43
that kind of resonates and, and kind of you have, you, you sometimes
06:47
I think because a lot of families are split and they leave families
06:52
I think sometimes they wanna make their families proud so
06:56
they strive for their goals, I think, you know, um uh uh more
07:03
maybe than if they were to, to be uh in their native country
07:07
Um Sometimes it helps to, to, uh you know, go to a different
07:14
country because sometimes, even though families and friends
07:18
are great, sometimes you, you can get in the comfort zone and
07:23
when you're outside your comfort zone and you say, OK, this
07:26
this is a great country but it, it's, it, it pushes you to be
07:31
independent and it pushes you also to work.
07:34
It's a country that it's beautiful to live in.
07:37
As long as you work.
07:39
I've always said that as long as you're in the bicycle and you're
07:43
out, it, it is a country that, yeah, you, you, you, it, it, it
07:48
it's a give and take very interesting uh uh dynamics there
07:55
knowing what, you know, today, what advice would you give
07:59
an immigrant coming to this country?
08:03
Um What I my advice would be to try to uh come to the right route
08:14
And I know that, that for some immigrants, that's very hard
08:18
and that's why we have so much uh so many issues with, with the
08:23
illegal immigrants and all that.
08:25
Um And the reason I say that because it, it pays off, uh and the
08:32
I would advise him as a fortress to try to come and do it the
08:42
Um And I don't know, II I think that that issue is a, is a very
08:50
big and important issue that has to be addressed.
08:53
There, there needs to be uh I don't know, some, something that
08:59
that's gonna work out for.
09:02
Um you know, both people living here and both people who uh
09:06
sometimes just not necessarily want to uh actually live here
09:11
but just may want to come just for a period of time to work,
09:18
And, um, I, I'm not, I'm talking many ideas here but, but I'm
09:25
just, I'm recalling that, uh, it, it, like, for example, in
09:28
in California, you know, you have, um, a lot of jobs that really
09:34
Americans don't want to do.
09:38
The applications are there and people just don't, you know
09:41
and there are a lot of people that need that work and would
09:43
like to do that work and not necessarily would like to come
09:48
They will know if they would be able to come here uh legally
09:51
and then go back to your countries and, you know, just for,
09:54
for that uh period when they're needed.
09:57
I, I'm sure they would do that, you know, and that's why I know
10:00
there are a lot of reforms being uh and proposals out there
10:03
uh to work that out.
10:06
Does it hurt to see what's going on in your country and the people
10:09
that have to risk their lives?
10:12
That's why I'm saying what I'm saying?
10:13
It, it is, it, it's, it's, it's terrible what's happening
10:17
and that, you know, it could be avoided.
10:20
Uh You know, there's no need for so many uh killings and, and
10:25
to put so many people at risk, we, we need to create the right
10:32
So it works out for everyone uh in the end.
10:36
Uh you know, we're all on the same planet for a human race.
10:43
Uh you know, what will it mean to you to gain citizenship in
10:50
Well, um, I, I think for me, uh, to gain citizenship will, uh
10:55
would, uh be the right step uh, after, you know, living here
11:00
for, for the five years that you're supposed to live here.
11:04
And, you know, at that time I think I would really like to become
11:10
a citizen because that's the way I think I would finally feel
11:14
part of, of the, of, of this nation and, and, uh, you know, I
11:21
I want my voice to be heard 100% not 90% not 80% but 100%.
11:28
And if I, somebody can make a, you know, uh, um, help make a,
11:36
a change and I'm going to because I know where I come from and
11:41
uh, I know how, how, how difficult it is for so many people
11:45
and you don't, a lot of people don't realize how lucky they
11:47
are that, that they were born here and, uh, how hard it is for
11:51
people who were not born here, uh, to become a part of the system
11:58
You know, sometimes it, it's, uh, you know, it's an investment
12:03
that some people have to make, which is an important investment
12:07
So I'm not gonna take that for granted.
12:08
That's what I'm saying.
12:11
Uh So I can just imagine for, for other people.
12:14
So I'm not, I'm gonna, I'm not gonna waste that opportunity
12:16
That's what I'm saying.
12:19
What role would you like to, to take part in or see yourself
12:24
in, in the Anglo market?
12:28
Um I don't know, I would, I would love to generate opportunities
12:34
for other Latinos like myself someday.
12:38
What I mean by that is I would love to someday be also involved
12:42
in production and, and uh create work that, that would be a
12:49
dream of mine because I know a lot of people who, who, who like
12:54
that and I know I've struggled so, you know, somebody probably
12:58
you know, that understands that.
13:01
I'm sure what, uh be OK to giving, uh, you know, opportunities
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