This week's episode we chat with Actor Juan Alfonso. He's been featured in Disney Channel’s “Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion” , ABC’s “United We Fall”, and appearances on “SWAT”, “Fresh Off The Boat”, Crazy Ex Girlfriend , Gentefied, Jane The Virgin & NCIS, We discuss how his faith has helped him stay in the flow of the ups and downs of living in Los Angeles as an Actor.
[00:00:00] Hi, welcome to A Race Of Your Own, I'm Vergi Rodriguez and this is where we talk about inspiration that leads to resilience.
[00:00:08] And today's guest has a ton of credits here and I'm gonna try to read them all but I've gotten a few.
[00:00:14] Was featured in Disney Channel's Ultraviolet and Black Scorpion, ABC's United We Fall and has had appearances on SWAT, Fresh Off the Boat, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Hentified, Jane the Virgin and NCIS.
[00:00:26] He was born in the Dominican Republic, he moved to Brea, California from DR at the age of nine.
[00:00:33] This one's kind of my favorite, he learned English by watching old football tapes of the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers that made him fall in love with the sport,
[00:00:44] especially for his brother Alex who eventually made it to the NFL.
[00:00:48] So that's interesting, so welcome Juan Alfonso.
[00:00:51] Thank you, wow what an intro, that was amazing.
[00:00:54] Yeah.
[00:00:54] Yeah, like I tried.
[00:00:56] And some of those credits I'm like oh I did that show, that's right, like I forget like after 23 years of yeah.
[00:01:02] Actors never remember their credits.
[00:01:03] I mean the thing, I mean you do, like I could tell you my lines from my first show, you know like you have this memory where
[00:01:11] Go ahead, go.
[00:01:11] 45 year old female driver unconscious, Les Paul's has seen possible facial fractures, win VTAC, VP over 24, high rate 130s, rip story, you know like you just like.
[00:01:19] What was that?
[00:01:20] It was like, I don't know, it was like a medical drama that I played a paramedic on.
[00:01:26] So yeah, I mean you sort of have things where it's like you run lines so much that eventually I can just like, of course now I've been a series regular and like, you know, recurring guests are so a lot of episodes get lost in my head.
[00:01:38] But if we were to talk about a certain one, I'd be like, oh yeah, I remember some of it. Yeah, yeah, it's weird.
[00:01:43] Interesting.
[00:01:44] It's like a weird thing.
[00:01:45] Yeah.
[00:01:45] I don't know.
[00:01:46] Yeah, and I've helped you with some self tape.
[00:01:47] Oh yeah.
[00:01:47] So I get it.
[00:01:48] I'm actually.
[00:01:49] Thank you so much.
[00:01:50] Yeah, you're welcome.
[00:01:50] Like my bill, the invoice is coming.
[00:01:54] My wife thanks you.
[00:01:55] Yeah, of course.
[00:01:56] I think she's tired of being my reader.
[00:01:58] Shout out Danielle.
[00:01:59] Yeah, thank you babe.
[00:01:59] I love you.
[00:02:01] Yeah, the best.
[00:02:02] That's your camera right there.
[00:02:03] Yeah, the best.
[00:02:06] But yeah, you know, I feel like having you on the show was important to me because you are one of those actors that I know, you know, that really not, I'm not dissing any of my other actor friends by any means, but you know, you've really like kept the ball rolling.
[00:02:23] Like you've, you've always, you just, you're like this proper working actor, right?
[00:02:30] You, you've done this great stuff.
[00:02:33] And I always see you in, I haven't even put your commercial accolades.
[00:02:36] Oh, I always see you in some commercial.
[00:02:38] Yeah.
[00:02:38] There's one.
[00:02:39] Yeah.
[00:02:39] There he is.
[00:02:40] I just filmed two like last week.
[00:02:41] Yeah.
[00:02:42] Coming from another country, you know, through the church where my parents were, you know,
[00:02:47] ministering and, but, but other churches helped out and they would send boxes of food and, and VHS tapes.
[00:02:54] Look it up kids VHS.
[00:02:56] You should know about this.
[00:02:57] But yeah.
[00:02:58] And so in these boxes, my brother and I, we would find like old tapes of like the 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl, you know, run.
[00:03:08] So everything they did from, so here we are watching like Terry Bradshaw and, you know, Lynn Swan and, you know, all these like, you know, legends of Pittsburgh Steelers, but no idea what football was at the time or like what this was.
[00:03:21] But we just started watching these tapes and it would be like also like other tapes, like, you know, church, you know, like, like biblical tapes or, or, you know, or Disney tapes, you know, Aladdin or whatever.
[00:03:32] But, but yeah, that was a big part.
[00:03:34] We, we fell in love with watching these football tapes and my brother ended up just falling in love with, with the sport and it really helped him get through, through tough young years and worked really hard and made it to the NFL.
[00:03:47] So that's amazing.
[00:03:47] Yeah.
[00:03:48] That was just a way.
[00:03:49] Who did he end up playing for?
[00:03:49] He went to the Chiefs first.
[00:03:51] Okay.
[00:03:52] And to, to Kansas City, then went, then they traded him to, to, to, to the.
[00:03:57] Pre-Kelsey.
[00:03:58] Pre-Travis Kelsey.
[00:03:59] Pre-This was when, when.
[00:04:01] Dominic and Kelsey.
[00:04:02] Yeah.
[00:04:02] Yeah.
[00:04:03] Well, actually Tony Gonzalez was there who Tony was really kind to my brother.
[00:04:07] And yeah, I remember my brother would call me like, yo, he's so cool.
[00:04:11] And you know, but then he got traded to.
[00:04:13] I don't know who Tony Gonzalez is, but I just agree.
[00:04:15] Okay.
[00:04:15] Yeah.
[00:04:17] I went to, to the Seahawks and then ended up with the Vikings.
[00:04:21] Nice.
[00:04:21] And then did some time in Europe when they had a league in Canada.
[00:04:24] Minnesota.
[00:04:25] Minnesota.
[00:04:25] I lived in Chanhassen for, for a bit.
[00:04:28] Oh, okay.
[00:04:28] Couple months.
[00:04:29] Yeah.
[00:04:30] Yeah.
[00:04:31] So he was there in the snow.
[00:04:33] Oh yeah.
[00:04:34] It's cold.
[00:04:34] It's cold.
[00:04:35] Minnesota's cold.
[00:04:36] But that was a crucial time.
[00:04:38] Yeah.
[00:04:38] That was a crucial time of our, of our upbringing.
[00:04:41] That's amazing.
[00:04:42] That's well, shout out to Alex.
[00:04:44] Yeah.
[00:04:44] No, I'm proud of him.
[00:04:45] Yeah.
[00:04:45] Proud of both my brothers.
[00:04:47] My, I'm proud of my, my younger brother too.
[00:04:49] Juan Abdias.
[00:04:49] He's, you know, he's done doing stunt work and he, you know, he's done a couple movies
[00:04:53] and, you know, carving his own path.
[00:04:55] And, you know, so both my brothers, I'm very proud of them and they've worked really hard
[00:05:00] to, to achieve their goals.
[00:05:02] So yeah.
[00:05:03] Yeah.
[00:05:03] Nice.
[00:05:03] Pretty cool.
[00:05:04] Cool.
[00:05:04] I'm like, I'm excited.
[00:05:05] I'm going to look it up.
[00:05:07] Yeah.
[00:05:08] Unfortunately, there are people in this industry that you get to work with who are, you know,
[00:05:12] ego, egos get in the way.
[00:05:14] And it's just like, do we really have to do this?
[00:05:16] And entertainment?
[00:05:17] Yeah.
[00:05:17] Weird.
[00:05:18] What?
[00:05:19] So weird.
[00:05:20] Yeah.
[00:05:20] And I'm just like the person who's like, I don't know.
[00:05:24] You know, I was talking to someone about, like, I don't take pictures on set.
[00:05:28] I don't take pictures with co-stars who maybe are celebrities or whatever.
[00:05:32] I just don't feel, I don't know.
[00:05:34] I just feel like we're all there to do the same work.
[00:05:37] We've all gone through the same process.
[00:05:39] You were just a little bit ahead of me.
[00:05:41] I'm here, but I'll be there.
[00:05:43] You know what I mean?
[00:05:43] So it's like, I feel like we're all just together on this journey, just doing, doing, doing the work.
[00:05:49] Like, I don't know.
[00:05:49] I'm like, yeah, cool.
[00:05:52] You know, I did Marriage Story and it was like Laura Dern and, you know, Scarlett Johansson.
[00:05:57] You know, we're all together.
[00:05:58] Adam Driver.
[00:05:59] Scar Joe.
[00:05:59] Scar Joe.
[00:06:00] I almost said that.
[00:06:01] Oh my God.
[00:06:02] You were like Scar Joe.
[00:06:03] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:06:03] Scarlett Johansson.
[00:06:04] I mean, the sweetest people.
[00:06:06] Right.
[00:06:06] You know, Noah Baumbach was amazing, you know, great director and just super kind.
[00:06:10] And, you know, I didn't have much in the movie, but it was it was a great experience.
[00:06:15] And it's like no ego, as you could tell is like people were there for the work.
[00:06:18] And I don't know, you learn to appreciate those little moments because you never know when you're going to come across someone who's like, you know, which I've had those.
[00:06:27] I won't get into it, but I've had those stories where it's like, you know, the number one or number two on the call sheet is very like, oh, no, don't.
[00:06:34] And you're like, don't talk to me.
[00:06:36] We're here to work, dude.
[00:06:36] Like I could care less, you know, but.
[00:06:39] Yeah.
[00:06:39] Yeah.
[00:06:40] And it's unfortunate that that happens, but it happens.
[00:06:43] But it happens.
[00:06:44] But it happens.
[00:06:44] But, you know, we, you know, if I would tell any actor just like, just be ready for it and just know that don't let other people change how you act.
[00:06:52] You know what I mean?
[00:06:52] Like, you know, I guess it's the old saying of be the change.
[00:06:56] You know, I think even early on when I was doing commercial work and, you know, co-stars and recurring, it's like you see things, but also you want to be part of the change and things that you didn't like or you heard about.
[00:07:10] You know, how people act on set or, you know, even down to how they treat extras.
[00:07:16] It's like we're all here to make it work.
[00:07:18] You shouldn't be rude to anyone.
[00:07:20] Let's just, you know, like, I don't I don't know.
[00:07:24] I just just want to I want to change the industry from within so that people that come in understand.
[00:07:30] It's like, yeah, you can talk to the one or two on the call sheet.
[00:07:32] You know, it's like don't look at them in the eyes.
[00:07:35] So can we rehearse or not?
[00:07:37] I just talked about this in one of my episodes.
[00:07:39] Yeah, it's just very strange sometimes to each their own, I guess.
[00:07:42] True.
[00:07:42] And I agree.
[00:07:43] And a lot of what we talk about is purpose on here, too.
[00:07:47] So it's, you know, finding that purpose and knowing knowing what that is.
[00:07:51] You know, how important is that for you right now at your point in your career?
[00:07:54] Because, you know, actors are different points.
[00:07:56] Are there roles that come up and you're like, I will absolutely not.
[00:07:59] Oh, yeah.
[00:08:00] Yeah.
[00:08:01] Even early on, even when I wasn't doing stuff, I told my team, I was like, I won't do gangster roles just because like, like, that's not my essence.
[00:08:11] Of course, I could be like, hey, what's up?
[00:08:13] Donnie, get me get out of here, man.
[00:08:15] What's up, hooker?
[00:08:15] You know, whatever.
[00:08:16] Like I can go to a place, but there's people that live that and there's actors that do that.
[00:08:22] And I also didn't want to get pigeonholed into like the Latino guy.
[00:08:25] Oh, his name's Juan.
[00:08:26] He can do the gangster role or he can do the this.
[00:08:29] You know, it's like so I told him, I'm like anything comes up where I have to be a gangster or something.
[00:08:33] I don't want to get pigeonholed in that.
[00:08:35] I like character work and doing different stuff.
[00:08:38] And I've noticed through my career, which, you know, in Hollywood, it sort of guides you, you know, you start falling into, you know, blue collar guy, you know, dad, you know, you know, works hard, maybe has daughters.
[00:08:50] I don't know.
[00:08:50] Like, you know, like, you just have to you have to understand that, yes, you can have a vision of what you want to do.
[00:08:56] But also Hollywood ends up kind of telling you where you belong and you can ride that, you know, of course, you can make choices on things that you stand on.
[00:09:04] I won't do this.
[00:09:05] I won't do that.
[00:09:06] But eventually you have to be honest with yourself and know, like, maybe you're not Brad Pitt, you know, maybe you're just the best friend, you know, but but it's OK.
[00:09:15] And you can ride that and really be good.
[00:09:16] And I think once I found my niche, I just dove in.
[00:09:20] I just went in.
[00:09:21] I was like, OK, I'm the dad or I'm the whatever.
[00:09:23] You know, I like it.
[00:09:25] I like doing I can be I can play Caucasian.
[00:09:28] I can play Hispanic.
[00:09:29] I can play Middle Eastern.
[00:09:30] I can you know, I can kind of go in a lot of directions.
[00:09:33] So it was a decision I made early on to not get pigeonholed or typecast in that sense, especially shaved head.
[00:09:40] And, you know, it's like, oh, yeah, gangster.
[00:09:42] It's like, OK, right.
[00:09:44] You're like, all right, already.
[00:09:45] And, you know, how important do you think like now kind of evolving right out of that?
[00:09:50] Because you've done so much work, so much different type of work from commercials to series regular and appearances, et cetera.
[00:09:56] Guest appearances.
[00:09:57] You know, how important do you feel like the narrative is for you to tell from your perspective?
[00:10:02] Like, do you see yourself producing or writing kind of in the future?
[00:10:07] So funny, my mom was just talking about this.
[00:10:09] Hi, mom.
[00:10:10] I love you.
[00:10:11] My mom came today.
[00:10:12] You know, it's an interesting thing because I guess I've been so hyper focused on acting and just like dedicated to the craft and dedicated to, you know, it's not like a thing where it's like, oh, yeah, I want to try this.
[00:10:26] You know, I heard an interview.
[00:10:29] It's like you definitely won't make it if you quit, you know, but if you stick it out, what could happen?
[00:10:35] You know, and I've always loved that idea of like, where can God take me?
[00:10:39] You know, how far can we go if I have and I keep my faith and and keep and stay steady and trust and, you know, like how far can we go?
[00:10:47] And like, I'm always like excited about what's next, even though we don't know.
[00:10:51] I have no idea what's coming next, but I'm so excited for it.
[00:10:55] And I guess it's that thing of envisioning and putting things out.
[00:10:59] And yes, I spent a lot of time like, you know, big movie coming, big movie coming, series regular coming, series, you know, prepping, just getting ready is like already living it, even though it's not there.
[00:11:12] It's a big thing for me praying about it.
[00:11:15] Oh, my goodness.
[00:11:16] I mean, if you know, prayer is so important to me because it's already shown me through time how important it was before.
[00:11:24] Just looking at where I am now from when I started, you know, doing one lines on shows, you know, it's like your package is here.
[00:11:31] You know what I mean?
[00:11:32] You know, and now, you know, in the stuff that you just like it was in my heart.
[00:11:37] So I put it out and I prayed about it.
[00:11:38] And so now we're here and, you know, I'm just excited for whatever's next, even though, you know, as you know, there's down times and with the strike and COVID.
[00:11:47] And, you know, I was so thankful to be able to work during COVID.
[00:11:50] And, you know, I had a show during COVID.
[00:11:52] But, you know, with the strike and everything really sucked the air out of not only our industry, but out of creatives.
[00:11:58] Right. It's hard.
[00:12:00] It's hard when you, you know, and it forces people to now think outside the box and do new things and what we're doing here, which is great, you know?
[00:12:08] Yeah. So for you, you know, what I hear you say, you know, we take our acting classes, we do all the things we learn from these great mentors and teachers.
[00:12:20] But, you know, how important is faith to you in this?
[00:12:23] Because that's what it sounds like to me is that you're really what? Yes, you pray.
[00:12:26] Yes, you do. But you're really walking by faith.
[00:12:28] Yeah. I mean, I think, you know, the definition of faith is having trust in something that you can't see.
[00:12:33] So it's like, I don't know where my career is going, but I know that so far God's taking care of me and we've maneuvered this thing together.
[00:12:41] And through faith, it's like if I didn't have faith, I would really feel like no purpose because then it would feel like there's nothing to look forward to.
[00:12:50] It was just like like I'm just doing this for the I guess the vein of it. Is that a word?
[00:12:55] Like it just for like, yeah, just for like, I don't know.
[00:12:59] The vanity of it. Yeah, I guess for the vanity of it or for the fame or for whatever.
[00:13:02] But, you know, really is something that I just love feed narcissistic tendencies.
[00:13:08] Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:13:10] Oh, gosh. But yeah, you know, I think without faith, like I would just feel like like like I wouldn't know how else to maneuver this industry.
[00:13:19] Mm hmm. Yeah. Like it's that important. Nice. Yeah.
[00:13:22] Yeah. And then there was one of the points that I brought up was about so you would watch these Pittsburgh Steeler commercials.
[00:13:30] Yeah. Yeah. You know what about the commercial was like so fascinating to you?
[00:13:34] So it was that's funny. So when we came to California from from the DR in 92, you know, my parents are pastors.
[00:13:42] So we grew up in the church, you know, my dad was called to to come to the United States to start a church and continue his studies.
[00:13:51] And my mom being the amazing mother she is approved.
[00:13:55] No, no. But, you know, they came out and it was like, you know, even through that.
[00:13:59] So we saw faith in action. Right. My parents taking, you know, that leaving everything they knew behind to come to a new place.
[00:14:07] I mean, we didn't even stop in New York or Miami. We can't. We're the only Dominicans.
[00:14:11] I'm one of the first Dominicans I ever met in California out in Brea.
[00:14:17] Right. Orange County. Orange County. Yeah. And so I just I was like, oh, my God, there's like not very many Dominicans.
[00:14:22] No, no. We're Mexican. You know, people. Right. Right. To people. Right. To people here. Right. Right. Right.
[00:14:28] But but now there's more. Totally.
[00:14:31] But I've seen a lot more. When I first got here, you guys were like the first. Yeah.
[00:14:35] And my cousin who, you know, yeah. Yeah. And yeah. And so, you know, like, yeah, no, I think three.
[00:14:42] I knew actually four. Jesse Torreiro was like the four. Oh, yeah. Jesse. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:14:46] Jesse and Ulysses. Yeah. Yeah. That's right. I met them. Right. In passing.
[00:14:49] And but yeah, you know, I think seeing faith in action and growing up seeing like, wow, you guys just came out here and like, you know, started and it worked out.
[00:14:58] And, you know, and it's like something that, you know, my dad and I guess my parents instilled in us was, you know, if somebody else can do it, you can't do it.
[00:15:09] You know, you know what I mean? So it's like, I don't know. We just have this mentality of like, I can do that.
[00:15:17] You know, it's almost the naiveness of it. Just like when people are like, isn't it hard? Hollywood, like, how do you make it?
[00:15:25] You know, but it's like, I don't know. You just do it. You just go and go.
[00:15:29] But you also have to be honest with yourself. Right. You either got it or you don't, you know, and that's OK.
[00:15:34] There's people that come and you try and maybe it's not for you. But when you see that something doors are opening up and all of a sudden I got an agent in three months, I booked my first commercial in a month.
[00:15:45] And all of a sudden it's like, wait a minute. Maybe this is where I'm supposed to be. So, you know, early on issues, you know, to answer your question about faith is like we saw faith in action.
[00:15:54] So it's really the only thing we knew about a maneuver. I'm like, how am I going to pay bills? I don't know. You know, like get a job, go clean toilets, go.
[00:16:02] You know, I used to clean mailboxes, you know, for FedEx and I would, you know, clean the graffiti off of them. I waited tables for 10, you know, like whatever it is I had to do.
[00:16:11] I didn't have a plan B and I was a club promoter for many years. You know what I mean? And to be honest, it was the best job because I worked at night and I can audition during the day.
[00:16:22] I had the whole day to do whatever, you know, people thought I was out there like, you know, getting hammered. I was sometimes drinking water because I had to memorize lines.
[00:16:31] Yeah, like, but in my mind, I'm like running lines, you know, but that's a dedication. And you see people who get lost in that lifestyle.
[00:16:39] They come to L.A., have a dream, but L.A. gets them before they can get L.A., if that makes sense. It's almost like they get trapped in the dream and everything L.A. has to offer and get lost and end up going back home with, you know, with their heart ripped out, you know.
[00:16:57] So I think it was like having that understanding, too, that I didn't want to waste my parents, you know, they came out here and it's like and not to put, you know,
[00:17:09] I don't think they would feel that way. But as children, it's like, I'm not trying to mess up my parents left everything.
[00:17:15] So I'm going to make sure that I do the best I can, you know, and it happens to be that I found, you know, acting and the way it came through was was crazy in itself how I started acting.
[00:17:25] Yeah. And again, it just it kind of tips over into purpose and walking in purpose.
[00:17:32] And that's kind of some of the stuff that I just explore here, which is, you know, what what is that journey like?
[00:17:38] Because sometimes we don't even realize that we're walking in purpose.
[00:17:41] Right. In that sense, because you're like, oh, you know, in three months, I got my manager and then another month I got a commercial and then this happened in it.
[00:17:49] And then it's like, oh, I'm just things happen to fall into place when you're walking in purpose.
[00:17:55] Yeah. You know, and that doesn't necessarily need to be so much a spiritual, religious thing.
[00:18:01] Right. It's it's it's maybe it is a godly thing, you know, in that sense.
[00:18:05] Right. And some people kind of sometimes get really stuck on that because they're just like, oh, God is this.
[00:18:11] Yeah. Yeah. This omnipotent thing.
[00:18:14] And but but it's just the more I've even found for me, I've even explored my faith and my kind of belief in God, which I've seen over the years, by the way.
[00:18:26] Yeah. It's been very cool. Yeah. See you grow in that and be open about it.
[00:18:30] And it's awesome. Yeah.
[00:18:31] Yeah. Because I just feel like it's so important.
[00:18:34] And I feel like especially the world we live in and what what we're seeing on a daily basis, the way the industry is changing in so many ways.
[00:18:43] Yeah. You know, I think, you know, platforms like YouTube, you know, plugging YouTube now.
[00:18:48] Yeah. You know, I just somebody just said that there was an article and it may have been in Deadline or Variety.
[00:18:53] I'm not sure. But they were like, YouTube is actually trying to going to try to compete with Netflix with with original content.
[00:18:59] And so I just look at you and people like you and we have a group of friends and group of people that we all know that create all this content, you know,
[00:19:08] and it's great and it's uplifting and it's it's positive and it's going in like a great direction.
[00:19:14] Yeah. Right. Which is us walking in our purpose.
[00:19:17] Yes. Yes. And I think to touch on purpose, it's like I think early on when I was acting, I think I figured out what my purpose was within the industry.
[00:19:26] Right. And it was really to love people because there's so, you know, like I saw so much is like, you know, of course,
[00:19:35] I had my own way of maneuvering through the industry and pushing away things that weren't good for me.
[00:19:40] And but just just just the smallest things of how you treat people in this industry was big for me.
[00:19:46] I'm like, no, dude, I'm going to change that.
[00:19:48] I want to be the guy that's the number one on the show, but has open arms.
[00:19:53] And it's like, yes, let's what?
[00:19:55] How can we get through this together?
[00:19:57] You know, not like, oh, yeah, welcome to my show.
[00:20:01] I'll talk to you when I or. Yeah.
[00:20:03] Or I'm not. I'm going to leave when it's your coverage, you know.
[00:20:05] No. You know what I mean? Like, I want to be a part of it all.
[00:20:08] And just because it's like, I don't know, it's hard work.
[00:20:12] And to then just sort of make it seem like it's like like I didn't just work my ass off to get to where I'm at.
[00:20:18] You know what I mean? Like, you know, it's like, no, I'm going to I'm going to go through it all.
[00:20:22] And I want to and I want to be able to treat everybody the way that I want to be treated, you know, which sometimes it didn't happen early on.
[00:20:29] And it's such a simple, simple thought.
[00:20:31] It's such a simple way of thinking to be like, I'm going to treat you the way I want to be.
[00:20:37] Right. Right. So, you know, if you disrespect me, I may just respect you back.
[00:20:44] Yeah. Yeah.
[00:20:45] And it's just so simple because it's like what nobody's better than anyone.
[00:20:49] Exactly. You know, nobody's higher.
[00:20:51] OK, maybe you got more money, maybe you have more influence, maybe you have more reach, so to speak.
[00:20:56] But at the end of the day, you know, the agenda here is, you know, love for one another, like Prince said.
[00:21:05] Yeah. Yeah.
[00:21:06] And inspire other people to follow that, you know, because it's like, hey, it's OK.
[00:21:11] It's OK here. You know, I did it.
[00:21:14] You could do it, too.
[00:21:15] You know, it's like, you know, it's the old saying of sending the elevator back down.
[00:21:19] You know, if you get to a place like I have no issues and my agent and manager will tell you this.
[00:21:26] I send people all the time, not because and maybe not may not work out, but I want people to feel like L.A.,
[00:21:34] you know, Hollywood isn't this unattainable thing where it's like, oh, man, how am I ever going to find an agent?
[00:21:39] It's like, no, dude, if you know people like I'm going to try to help you, I'm going to try to help you to find an agent.
[00:21:46] It may not be my agent, but maybe there's somebody that's look, you know, even if it's small boutique, you know, something just so they feel like it's doable.
[00:21:55] I think people come here and it takes them years and you get deflated with like, you know, just sort of the the the steps they have to follow into making it where it's like,
[00:22:05] I don't know, just a chance sometimes.
[00:22:07] Just a chance. Yeah. Anybody just kind of opening the door, even if it's a little bit that gives people hope, which I've talked about before, too.
[00:22:14] It's just like just feeling some sort of hope that there's there's a there's a light at the end of the tunnel, kind of.
[00:22:22] And, you know, again, I always kind of come back to purpose because I feel like for me, even starting this channel, starting starting this series has been eye opening to me
[00:22:32] because I didn't realize even feedback that I get just internally is, you know, I'm just so glad you're doing this.
[00:22:40] I learned so much or I'm glad I'm getting this feedback.
[00:22:44] And even just from someone like you, that's like, well, this has been my path.
[00:22:47] Like and it has worked and it is positive.
[00:22:50] And I do have faith and I do believe in God and I do, you know, believe in purpose.
[00:22:55] And I do believe in community, communal thinking, you know, because I've come across people that just get in their own way.
[00:23:01] And so it's like even even when you try to be like, listen, you know, I'm just I'm just here to just, you know, but I think a lot of people we we're shifting through our trauma, too.
[00:23:11] Right. Because that's a whole other thing.
[00:23:13] It's not even like trauma doesn't have to be abusive.
[00:23:16] Right. Right. Trauma could just be like what what we've dealt with in the industry or just in life.
[00:23:21] Right. Just people being people.
[00:23:24] Yeah, absolutely. You know, it's it's a thing where it's like, I think, you know,
[00:23:30] coming to this country and experiencing sort of the rejection of like, you're not one of us.
[00:23:36] Mm hmm. You being, you know, all the things that you go through getting picked on and, you know, you don't speak English.
[00:23:41] So you're not, you know, that helped mold who I am today within this industry, because I don't want people to feel how I felt in those moments.
[00:23:51] You know what I mean? So if I can love people who aren't accepted, then I'm doing something right.
[00:23:56] Then I know that it's like my purpose was to go through that stuff, that pain.
[00:24:01] So maybe I can help somebody else not feel that, you know, within our industry, because people come from all walks of life in our industry.
[00:24:09] You know what I mean? Some accepted, some not.
[00:24:11] But I'm going to be the one that loves on you regardless, because I don't know your trauma.
[00:24:16] I don't know where you came from, but I do know that I love you regardless, you know, so.
[00:24:20] Right. And that's it's so much simpler to just be nice.
[00:24:26] Like I like I it's when people aren't nice.
[00:24:32] I'm like you're you're just shooting yourself in the foot.
[00:24:35] Like what? Like what? Like what?
[00:24:37] You're like a death that comes back and people learn, but they learn too late or, you know, later on in life.
[00:24:42] Or they never want to learn. Right.
[00:24:44] They never they just never want to learn.
[00:24:46] Yeah. You know, I again, I just think it's really important to kind of like stay on course kind of what you're doing.
[00:24:53] And with that being said, you know, the state of the industry right now, you know, a lot of people are losing their jobs.
[00:25:00] You know, a lot of things are shutting down.
[00:25:03] A lot of things are shifting to digital.
[00:25:06] A lot of things are becoming A.I., you know, like.
[00:25:09] Yeah. And look, I could ask you for your opinion on like where do you see it?
[00:25:13] But none of us know.
[00:25:15] It's so unpredictable.
[00:25:17] I mean, you can try to get a sense.
[00:25:21] But you know, like.
[00:25:22] But you're one of the few people that I know that are like actually still auditioning.
[00:25:25] No, no, I'm still working and working and I give all praise.
[00:25:28] Right. But it's like I think you can't dwell on what's not happening.
[00:25:33] Right. Do you know what I mean?
[00:25:34] Like I've never even from the beginning, I never saw Hollywood as this unobtainable thing where it's like, you know, I just thought like if you work hard and keep and let your work speak and treat people kindly, then, you know, things will open and things will happen.
[00:25:48] But I don't know.
[00:25:49] I just like even now, even the way it is, just thinking about it like, oh, man, where is it going?
[00:25:56] Like, I don't even want to go in that place.
[00:25:58] I just want to stay in the place of like, it's going to get better.
[00:26:02] I don't know.
[00:26:03] Like, I just have this faith of like.
[00:26:05] I think I only say that because there are a lot of people.
[00:26:07] I know.
[00:26:08] And it's losing their jobs, losing their homes.
[00:26:11] I mean, it breaks my heart.
[00:26:12] Yeah, no.
[00:26:13] And there are proper Emmy winners, Oscar winners.
[00:26:15] Like, it's and it's.
[00:26:17] I mean, suicide within our industry kind of went big when.
[00:26:21] I mean, when the strike happened and COVID.
[00:26:24] People losing jobs and moving out of the state, you know, moving out of the city.
[00:26:30] It's it's a real thing.
[00:26:31] And I, you know, I'm also hopeful.
[00:26:34] So, yeah, if we could be two voices.
[00:26:36] Yeah.
[00:26:37] If we could.
[00:26:38] Yeah.
[00:26:39] Then great.
[00:26:40] I just.
[00:26:41] But I know what you mean.
[00:26:42] I know.
[00:26:42] I know what you're saying.
[00:26:43] I mean, it's it's it's it's the reality.
[00:26:46] Yeah.
[00:26:46] And it's a reality for a lot of people, you know.
[00:26:49] And so that's why for me, I just find it important to keep pushing.
[00:26:54] No, you got to keep pushing.
[00:26:56] I mean, because I know that I have a future in this industry and it's just like it's not going to be on my time.
[00:27:02] So I just got to do the work until the time comes.
[00:27:06] It's like, you know, when what's the saying when luck meets opportunity or just being prepared.
[00:27:11] Yeah.
[00:27:11] You know, all this is just being it's just getting me prepared.
[00:27:14] All this downtime is a mental battle now.
[00:27:17] So now you're working on how can I get through this mentally?
[00:27:20] Not just like with work, but it's like, how do we continue?
[00:27:24] You know, it's it's been I mean, I don't know.
[00:27:27] I feel like I've grown.
[00:27:28] I feel like I've learned a lot about myself and, you know, just sort of showing up each day and doing whatever it takes.
[00:27:35] And, you know, being thankful when auditions come in, you know, when I can prep for stuff.
[00:27:40] I mean, you know, I've hit you up a few times in the last couple of months.
[00:27:43] Like, V, I need your help, you know, like.
[00:27:45] You need another reader.
[00:27:46] I'll read your lines with you.
[00:27:48] Sure.
[00:27:49] You know, great stuff.
[00:27:50] And, you know, and I'm thankful.
[00:27:52] I've had I've been reading for some awesome stuff.
[00:27:55] Yeah.
[00:27:55] You know, so we'll just we'll just see what happens.
[00:27:57] Yeah.
[00:27:58] I mean, my fingers are crossed.
[00:27:59] Thank you.
[00:28:00] I'm hopeful.
[00:28:01] I'm hopeful for you, but I'm also hopeful for the industry.
[00:28:03] Overall, because I just feel like, you know, it's it's a pivotal moment for a lot of people.
[00:28:10] Yeah.
[00:28:11] And just to touch it, just just to add to that, because I think this is important, is who you surround yourself with.
[00:28:17] Mm hmm.
[00:28:18] Right.
[00:28:19] If you're around people who are like the the negative, you know, like, please, I don't need that.
[00:28:28] It's already hard.
[00:28:29] It's already bad.
[00:28:30] It's already bad.
[00:28:31] You know, so and also the love that's around you.
[00:28:34] You know, having having a great spouse who's like supportive and understands what I do and, you know, is able to pick me up when I'm down.
[00:28:44] Do you know what I mean?
[00:28:44] Yeah.
[00:28:45] Like, we're a team, you know, some, you know, thank God she has a great job, you know, like, and she's not in our industry.
[00:28:51] You know, she's smart.
[00:28:52] But but, you know, it's just like who you let into your life and and how they affect it is a huge part, you know, because I don't know.
[00:29:01] It's just for me, it's been such a big help just having having the right people around me, you know, because it's already hard for us mentally.
[00:29:10] You know, yeah.
[00:29:11] Yeah.
[00:29:12] I think I'm not good enough.
[00:29:13] I'm never going to make it.
[00:29:15] You know, yeah, I suck.
[00:29:16] That was terrible.
[00:29:17] I mean, I've booked stuff from like I'm never hearing.
[00:29:20] I they will never call me back.
[00:29:23] Hey, Juan, you booked a thing.
[00:29:24] What?
[00:29:24] You know, so you never know.
[00:29:26] And that's how it happened.
[00:29:27] Oh, it's happened to me like that before, too, where I booked it.
[00:29:30] Yeah.
[00:29:30] Yeah.
[00:29:30] Yeah.
[00:29:31] Are you sure?
[00:29:32] Yeah.
[00:29:32] I remember.
[00:29:33] Yeah.
[00:29:33] Me?
[00:29:33] Are you sure they want me?
[00:29:34] Number three, six, five.
[00:29:35] Right.
[00:29:36] Because I was.
[00:29:36] Yeah.
[00:29:37] Dancer stuff.
[00:29:37] Right.
[00:29:38] Right.
[00:29:38] See, I know.
[00:29:39] Right.
[00:29:39] I know a little bit.
[00:29:40] A little bit.
[00:29:41] You know.
[00:29:41] Yeah.
[00:29:41] I mean, you're a legend.
[00:29:43] Am I?
[00:29:44] She's a legend.
[00:29:44] I mean, you're a legend in the dancing.
[00:29:46] I mean, come on, V.
[00:29:47] Sure.
[00:30:00] I mean, you know.
[00:30:01] You're a G.
[00:30:02] I did my best.
[00:30:03] You know.
[00:30:04] I think, you know, and that, you know, the state of the music industry and where they're
[00:30:08] going and how that's happening.
[00:30:10] Yeah.
[00:30:10] That's all changing as well.
[00:30:12] So, you know, that was a moment in time I got to live and I'm excited.
[00:30:15] And I would say a very inspiring career that you had for anybody who looked at it, for sure.
[00:30:20] Thank you.
[00:30:20] Even for me.
[00:30:21] Yeah.
[00:30:21] Thank you.
[00:30:22] I mean, I just, you know.
[00:30:23] Because it's not easy.
[00:30:25] No.
[00:30:25] And especially in your industry.
[00:30:26] No.
[00:30:27] I mean, our auditions, dance auditions are different than acting auditions.
[00:30:30] I don't know how you.
[00:30:31] Because you guys go in.
[00:30:32] Okay, sure.
[00:30:32] You have to prep and you have to learn the lines and you have to learn the scenes.
[00:30:35] Sometimes you have to learn two to three scenes.
[00:30:36] I get that.
[00:30:37] But dance auditions would be eight hours.
[00:30:40] Come on.
[00:30:40] If you got a call back, it was another eight hours.
[00:30:44] So that's two days for an audition of a gig that they may be looking for one to two people.
[00:30:49] Because they probably already have who they need.
[00:30:51] Like they already know.
[00:30:52] Come on.
[00:30:53] And then they might need one black girl or one Latina or one Asian girl.
[00:30:58] Right, right.
[00:30:58] So you're like fighting for one or two spots.
[00:31:02] And yeah, people I don't think really realize.
[00:31:04] Even for music videos, it was that.
[00:31:06] Let alone the tours.
[00:31:07] The tours was a whole other thing because it would become this big production about, oh, the tour.
[00:31:13] So, yeah.
[00:31:14] I mean, and that's kind of fizzled.
[00:31:16] It's not as big anymore.
[00:31:18] So I'm glad I got to live that in that era and with those artists and have those experiences
[00:31:23] because I don't feel like that really kind of exists.
[00:31:26] That's lost.
[00:31:27] Right?
[00:31:27] It's like just such a different moment in time.
[00:31:30] I don't, you know, even the artists are different.
[00:31:35] I'm going to interview you now.
[00:31:36] I'm going to interview you.
[00:31:37] Sure.
[00:31:37] So is it like a, is it a blur to you?
[00:31:39] Does it feel like it almost didn't happen?
[00:31:42] Do you feel sometimes like, did I do that?
[00:31:45] The only reason for me it's not so much of a blur is because most of the music videos that
[00:31:51] I worked on were just so big.
[00:31:53] True.
[00:31:54] It's everywhere.
[00:31:55] Because even like, for instance, Slave Brittany, there's people that dance that choreography
[00:32:02] on TikTok now.
[00:32:03] Isn't that crazy?
[00:32:04] And it's like years later.
[00:32:06] And I, you know, sometimes I'll make a comment and they'll be like, oh my God, you slayed,
[00:32:11] you slayed.
[00:32:12] Oh my God.
[00:32:12] I was 10 when I came home and I was 10 years old learning this choreography.
[00:32:16] And I'm like, you were 10.
[00:32:16] Oh my God.
[00:32:17] You know, but it's so cool because in a way, social media has helped transcend that.
[00:32:23] Yeah.
[00:32:23] Right.
[00:32:23] Yeah.
[00:32:24] And kind of bring it through kind of full circle.
[00:32:27] It's so true.
[00:32:27] I've seen videos.
[00:32:28] I'm not on TikTok or anything.
[00:32:29] Yeah.
[00:32:30] But I've seen some videos where it's like these young guys are dancing to like old school.
[00:32:34] Like I'm like, okay.
[00:32:36] Yeah.
[00:32:36] You know, like trying to do the choreo from back then.
[00:32:38] Yeah.
[00:32:39] And like recreate the music video with the outfits and everything.
[00:32:42] It's funny.
[00:32:43] Some of it is really funny.
[00:32:44] But some of it is really like people really, and that it's interesting because even as a
[00:32:49] kid, that's how I would learn dance.
[00:32:51] Just like you would watch the commercials.
[00:32:53] Sure.
[00:32:53] Sure.
[00:32:53] I would watch, you know, Janet Jackson music videos and she was, you know, back flipping
[00:32:58] off the speakers.
[00:32:59] And I was like, I can do that.
[00:33:00] And my mom was like, don't even try it.
[00:33:02] Man, no te tiras de me.
[00:33:03] Yeah.
[00:33:03] Exactly.
[00:33:04] And I'd be like, mom, I can do it just like Janet.
[00:33:08] And she'd be like, no, you can't.
[00:33:09] Please don't hurt yourself.
[00:33:12] And, you know, to see that still happening today, you know, but it's through now social,
[00:33:18] they watch it probably on YouTube or TikTok or whatever.
[00:33:21] There's people even teaching the choreography.
[00:33:23] No, no.
[00:33:23] So I don't know.
[00:33:24] I don't, you know, what freaks me out a little bit, I guess, not freaks me out, but kind of
[00:33:31] is surprising, I guess, is the amount of views that those videos have gotten.
[00:33:35] It's crazy.
[00:33:35] Millions and millions of views.
[00:33:37] It's crazy.
[00:33:37] Where I'm like, wow, this many people have seen this music video.
[00:33:40] And I'm sure people just play it over and over again, too, sometimes.
[00:33:44] But that's, I think, more shocking to me.
[00:33:46] It's like the scope.
[00:33:48] That's cool, though.
[00:33:48] Of the reach.
[00:33:49] Yeah.
[00:33:50] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:33:50] You know, because.
[00:33:51] You're able to see the effect that it's had.
[00:33:53] Yeah.
[00:33:54] Yeah.
[00:33:54] Yeah.
[00:33:54] Because now I'm kind of, Jordan Knight is another music video to give it to you music
[00:33:57] video.
[00:33:58] Yeah.
[00:33:58] Which is the same thing.
[00:33:59] And people are just doing that choreography.
[00:34:01] And I'm like.
[00:34:01] Yeah.
[00:34:02] So, and then I look at the numbers.
[00:34:04] So that's for me.
[00:34:06] More of the.
[00:34:07] I wish we were getting paid for those views.
[00:34:09] But yeah.
[00:34:10] That's a whole other thing.
[00:34:11] That's another thing.
[00:34:12] Well, back in the day, dancers used to get a buyout.
[00:34:14] Oh, okay.
[00:34:15] We'd get an additional buyout for digital.
[00:34:17] Gotcha.
[00:34:18] So.
[00:34:19] In perpetuity.
[00:34:20] Forever.
[00:34:20] In perpetuity forever for the rest of my life.
[00:34:22] I hate that word.
[00:34:23] I hate the perpetuity word.
[00:34:25] It's like.
[00:34:25] For the rest of.
[00:34:26] Yeah.
[00:34:26] All the globes.
[00:34:28] Just to take.
[00:34:28] Of all the globes.
[00:34:29] Of all the universes.
[00:34:30] Here's $500 for perpetuity.
[00:34:32] And then it's like everywhere.
[00:34:34] You're like, wow.
[00:34:35] In all the universes of all the worlds.
[00:34:38] Yeah.
[00:34:38] Everywhere.
[00:34:38] Of galaxies.
[00:34:39] Right.
[00:34:39] And you're like, okay, well.
[00:34:40] Cool.
[00:34:40] At least I'm in other galaxies.
[00:34:41] Somebody owns my image.
[00:34:43] Yeah.
[00:34:43] In another galaxy too.
[00:34:45] But, you know, so.
[00:34:47] Kind of to bring it home here.
[00:34:49] Yeah.
[00:34:49] Yeah.
[00:34:49] And like kind of wrap this up.
[00:34:51] I usually ask my guests, you know, what for them is kind of what keeps them, I guess, focused on being in a race of their own?
[00:35:00] Like, what does that mean to you?
[00:35:02] What does that look like to you?
[00:35:02] And if you were to give advice to someone and like, this is how the best way I've stayed in a race of my own, that they could stay in a race of their own.
[00:35:10] Wow.
[00:35:10] That's a great question.
[00:35:12] You know, I think it goes back that you really have to understand that you are in your own race and not to compare to other people, which we're human.
[00:35:23] We're all going to compare and be like, well, why did they get it?
[00:35:26] Why did they get it?
[00:35:27] You know?
[00:35:28] They're not even good.
[00:35:29] Yeah.
[00:35:29] They're not even good.
[00:35:30] But they're working, dude.
[00:35:31] Okay.
[00:35:31] Okay.
[00:35:32] They still suck.
[00:35:32] Yeah.
[00:35:33] I think it's just understanding.
[00:35:35] Like, and it's something that I'm still working on.
[00:35:37] I don't think you ever like master, you know, master it.
[00:35:43] But I think just understanding that, you know, that it is your own race, that it's your own journey.
[00:35:50] And to really like, you know, sometimes my wife has to tell me like, dude, you just worked.
[00:35:56] You know, I'm like.
[00:35:56] Chill.
[00:35:57] You know, like, yeah, she's like, you just worked.
[00:35:59] Like, enjoy, you know, enjoy what you're doing and not what's not happening.
[00:36:05] I don't know.
[00:36:06] You know what I mean?
[00:36:06] Like, I have to constantly remind myself and I'm getting better at it fully, much better.
[00:36:11] I'm letting go of things a lot easier nowadays.
[00:36:14] And just understanding that there is no timeline.
[00:36:17] There is no like, oh, by 45, of course, you can have goals.
[00:36:23] Like, I want to make sure that I've done two guest stars and, you know, or whatever, have your goals.
[00:36:27] But to put a timeline on something that you love and that's, I'm going to do this forever.
[00:36:33] When I'm 80 or whatever, you know, I'll be the old guy in the commercial.
[00:36:36] Yeah, whatever.
[00:36:37] You know, like, however it is, you know, but I just, I love this.
[00:36:40] So, I think it's just for me to understand that the purpose of being in my own race is continuously reminding myself that it's my journey.
[00:36:51] You know, that nobody else, you know, I'm not comparing that.
[00:36:56] What they're going through is their thing.
[00:36:57] You know, God bless them.
[00:36:59] However, you know, if their success comes early and they're going, go, go, just do it right.
[00:37:05] You know, and that's my only thing is to people is like, if you get the opportunity to make it, I guess,
[00:37:11] or land in places that you've prayed about or thought about or meditated about,
[00:37:17] you know, then at least do it right and treat people right and understand that where you're at is for a purpose and don't throw it away.
[00:37:26] You know?
[00:37:26] Yeah.
[00:37:27] Nice.
[00:37:27] Don't throw it away for sure.
[00:37:28] That's a great point.
[00:37:30] Thank you, Juan.
[00:37:30] Of course.
[00:37:31] For giving me some of your time this week.
[00:37:33] Yeah, anytime.
[00:37:33] I really appreciate it.
[00:37:35] Yeah.
[00:37:35] And I'm Virgil Rodriguez for A Race of Your Own.
[00:37:38] Don't forget to subscribe.