1 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to those amigos. 2 00:00:07,680 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 2: Yes, and I hearted Myuda destination for voice and ideas. 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: That's right, Freddie, how are you? 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 3: I'm good with how are you good? 5 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 2: This is Freddie Rodriguez, my my best friends and and uh, 6 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 2: you know, partner crime here on this those Amigos adventure. 7 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 2: We're a lot of episodes in and we want to 8 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,800 Speaker 2: acknowledge every single one of you who have been watching 9 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 2: the show and also listening to our show. 10 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:37,920 Speaker 1: We love you. Guys. Tell a friend that we're here 11 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: for them as well. And uh, and what are we 12 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: drinking today? 13 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 3: Let's see a little coffeecito. What's the name of this place? 14 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:45,839 Speaker 3: You said you wanted to. 15 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 2: Get Loddres is a local business. We're going to support 16 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,160 Speaker 2: a local business. Get our friends over there. And I've 17 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 2: completely elevated the coffee cafe game here on the you know, 18 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 2: here in the valley. So big shout out to them. 19 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 2: They roast their own beans and everything. Okay, very strong being. 20 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 3: I mean right right right now. 21 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 4: I've had I remember when we first started this, I 22 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 4: remember you talking them up. 23 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, they're great, they're great. 24 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 2: So a big shout out to us and everybody you guys, 25 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 2: and they keep spreading. 26 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 1: They have like a few more opening up, so congregulations. Anyhow, 27 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: I've been so. 28 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 2: I've been so grateful, you know, through our conversations and 29 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:28,959 Speaker 2: you know, we we had a great and then when 30 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,319 Speaker 2: they asked us, like why did you want to do 31 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 2: a podcast? You know, it's a quick reminder that like, 32 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,560 Speaker 2: you know, for me that you know how much kind 33 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: of we needed this come. We needed to just talk 34 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,960 Speaker 2: it out and bring us all together and bring all 35 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 2: of our people together in the community to kind of 36 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 2: just chat and and be and at a time where 37 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 2: it's important to kind of say who we are allowed. 38 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 2: I think this is you know, this is kind of 39 00:01:53,200 --> 00:01:57,960 Speaker 2: uh was one of the small missions. But but yeah, 40 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 2: but behind all of us, there's an amazing team, right 41 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 2: and I want to acknowledge our team here and those 42 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 2: those amigos. 43 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 1: Yes, we have an incredible team out here. 44 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:11,760 Speaker 2: Leo Klem said, Leo Clem to not say anyone's name 45 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 2: for his and I thought it was disrespectful because there's 46 00:02:16,280 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 2: it's like so many more people that make this possible. 47 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: Uh. So we going to introduce our amigo. 48 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:29,120 Speaker 2: You know, you you guys know him by now, guess 49 00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 2: who has returned to the desk of the baron Aaron not. 50 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 1: To be confused with Aaron Sanchez. Yeah right, is that. 51 00:02:39,919 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 5: How Yeah Burlison, Yeah, burliston, Yes, Aaron Burlson back again. 52 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 5: What's going on, Fellas, what's going on? 53 00:02:46,680 --> 00:02:50,480 Speaker 1: What's been new with you? Really? Blessed? Really blessed. Indeed, 54 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: that's a great that's a great update. Thank you. Moving on? 55 00:02:53,760 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 5: Uh yeah, just you know, excited to get him to 56 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 5: this conversation about teams. And you know, I was watching 57 00:03:03,760 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 5: the Oscars on Sunday and everyone gets up there, they 58 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 5: accept award, they like to thank their teams, you know, 59 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 5: big shout out to my team big, you know this person, 60 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 5: that person. So just wanted to get the conversation started 61 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,639 Speaker 5: with asking you both, like, what's the importance of building 62 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 5: a solid team and having that support behind you because 63 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 5: we all know we can't do it by ourselves, And 64 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 5: so wanted to ask you about the importance of a 65 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 5: team and then what roles and factors go in building 66 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:34,080 Speaker 5: the best team? 67 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 3: Rights A great question? 68 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean Freddie, will you say that it starts 69 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 2: out as this kind of solo mission to try to 70 00:03:42,920 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 2: prove to as many be busy can that you can 71 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 2: in fact do this, and you have to make believers 72 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 2: out of individuals that are going to help you just 73 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 2: to continue to carve away at the possibility, you know, 74 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,600 Speaker 2: because it seems like you're kind of like solo and 75 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 2: just tell and everyone, Hey, put me in the game, 76 00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 2: you know, right. But then you know, then at some 77 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 2: point you need you need to have the support of 78 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,120 Speaker 2: an infrastructure that's going to support your possible outcome. 79 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 3: Now you do, I've had you know, It's funny. 80 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 4: I just had this conversation with someone the other day 81 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:19,680 Speaker 4: from my hometown in Chicago who does not understand the 82 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 4: entertainment industry or how it works. Right, And here's the 83 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 4: analogy I gave them. I go, what if you were 84 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 4: starting a restaurant, right, you'd be the restaurant owner, correct, 85 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 4: And they're like, yeah, I go. And then you would 86 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 4: hire a manager to manage the restaurant, right, They're like yeah, 87 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 4: I said. 88 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 3: And then that. 89 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:41,560 Speaker 4: Manager's job would be to make sure that your restaurant 90 00:04:41,600 --> 00:04:45,599 Speaker 4: is successful by hiring the right bus boys, the waiters, 91 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 4: making sure the plates are good, making sure the menu 92 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,080 Speaker 4: is good. Right, It's all in collaboration with you as 93 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 4: the owner. But it's their job to make sure that 94 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 4: everything is running smoothly and in turn to be a 95 00:04:57,720 --> 00:04:58,799 Speaker 4: profitable business. 96 00:04:58,920 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 2: Right. 97 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: And what I was explaining to my friend is like. 98 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:07,200 Speaker 4: It's very similar, right, Like Wilmer Valderama is the restaurant, right, 99 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:09,839 Speaker 4: and you sure have a manager, and you have an agent, 100 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,680 Speaker 4: and you have a lawyer, and their number one goal 101 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,960 Speaker 4: is to make sure that Wilmer the restaurant, the entity 102 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 4: is successful. Right, And they all work together to make 103 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 4: sure that that entity is successful. 104 00:05:21,760 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: Would be? Would that be a pretty accurate? Accurate because 105 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 1: you you do have to. 106 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 2: Think of yourself and I say this only metaphorically. You 107 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,599 Speaker 2: got to think of yourself as a product. Yeah, a 108 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 2: product that's to be shared with audiences. And what is 109 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 2: this product's claim, right, and how do you, in a weird, 110 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 2: odd silly way, how do you sell this product to 111 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 2: the masses? And who does the selling right and who 112 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 2: puts you in the game to prove that this product 113 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,039 Speaker 2: in fact could be something you can welcome to their 114 00:05:56,040 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 2: homes and their living rooms every evening before Aftener right, 115 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:02,159 Speaker 2: So so so. 116 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:03,440 Speaker 1: That so that's that's part of it. 117 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 2: But but Aaron, your question of like, you know, how 118 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 2: do you put together a team or like, you know, 119 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 2: what is it? 120 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:11,680 Speaker 1: What does it take to put a team together? Like 121 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:13,560 Speaker 1: this is is is. 122 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:18,160 Speaker 2: Very interesting because you know, at the beginning, it starts 123 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,640 Speaker 2: with the audacity of thinking I can do this. Then 124 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:25,719 Speaker 2: you have to find individuals that support that delusion of 125 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:29,120 Speaker 2: feeling like you can, you know, and you have to 126 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,240 Speaker 2: find you have to find people that believe it as 127 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 2: hard as you. 128 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:34,720 Speaker 1: You know, end up believing you right. 129 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 2: Because one thing is having an agent that's just sending 130 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:40,160 Speaker 2: you on auditions, and there's and there's another having an 131 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 2: agent that before they send you an audition, they get 132 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 2: on the phone with a cast in director or a director, 133 00:06:46,000 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 2: a producer or a studio and it says, you have 134 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 2: to trust me right, putting my reputation on the line. 135 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:54,080 Speaker 1: This is the person you're looking for. 136 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 2: Like there is there is like representation, and there is 137 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 2: like you know, a real disruptive belief you know that 138 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,000 Speaker 2: with he's going to have to work and it's that hustle, right, 139 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 2: Like you got to kind of find the hustler and 140 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 2: the representation. But you know, but how you get there 141 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 2: and all that is that's that's a journey, it. 142 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 3: Is, right. You ever watch Shark Tank. 143 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:19,640 Speaker 1: Yeah you ever you ever seen, for. 144 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:23,080 Speaker 4: Example, like the guy who invented the ring camera, right, 145 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 4: you ever seen him on that show or other products 146 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 4: that have went on to become successful. It's funny because 147 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 4: you watch that and then you watch the people sitting 148 00:07:31,760 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 4: on the couch on Shark Tank, and you're like, how. 149 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,360 Speaker 1: Could you not see that? 150 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 3: This is a billion dollar idea? 151 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 1: Right? 152 00:07:38,440 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 4: And I almost feel like your your team are the 153 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 4: people who are up on that stage saying you have 154 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:48,440 Speaker 4: to buy Ring. You don't see it right now, but 155 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 4: you have to buy Ring. And the flip side to 156 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 4: that is that you're constantly facing people like those sharks 157 00:07:55,640 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 4: on the couch who are like. 158 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 3: H I don't see it, right, I don't see it? 159 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 3: How could you not see ring? How could you not 160 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,239 Speaker 3: see the potential in the product? 161 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: Like that? 162 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 4: And it's their job to convince the people that they're 163 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 4: missing out on a billion dollar idea, right. 164 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:12,400 Speaker 1: Yeah? You know. 165 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 2: I think about the beginning of my career. I had 166 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 2: a teacher. Her name was Celes Boyd. I think I 167 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 2: talked to her. I talked about her earlier in the 168 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 2: It was this was just in high school. I was 169 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 2: in high school and I was taking her private class. 170 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 2: That's her side Wednesday nice to her house, and you know, 171 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:34,880 Speaker 2: she was blessed her heart. She was such an angel. 172 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 2: She was such a guardian angel to so many of 173 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 2: her students. You know, every couple of weeks she would 174 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 2: bring her friends who were agents, were just looking for 175 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 2: new talent, right, these young, cool small agents, yeah, to 176 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:51,200 Speaker 2: her class and showcase, you know, and two things would happen. 177 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 2: You get real feedback from agents about like you know 178 00:08:56,600 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 2: what you need to cultivate. 179 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 1: In, know to get higher outside. 180 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:03,120 Speaker 2: You know, like what you need to work on right now, 181 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 2: so then when you're out there, you get. 182 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:07,239 Speaker 1: A better shot. Right. So, like they give you this feedback. 183 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 2: And she saw me do a scene with my sister 184 00:09:14,880 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 2: and she was like, you're ready. And she introduced me 185 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,320 Speaker 2: to this agent, and this agent say, hey, I'm not 186 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:28,000 Speaker 2: gonna I'm not going to represent you yet, but I'm 187 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 2: going to send you in a couple of additions and 188 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:33,000 Speaker 2: see what kind of feedback we get. And they send me, 189 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 2: I think, on like a couple of commercial auditions. You know, 190 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 2: I don't even know they are, and I will get 191 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 2: all this feedback, right, They're like, wow, he's so good. 192 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: He's so funny. 193 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 2: But you know, but he has an accent, and if 194 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,160 Speaker 2: you're on television, you don't have accents. You speak perfect 195 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 2: English somehow, you know, so he will get this feedback. 196 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 2: But he was like, you know something about you da 197 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,040 Speaker 2: da da keep sending you out, So he didn't really 198 00:09:59,120 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 2: represent me, but he was kind of just trying to 199 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 2: take me out and see what kind of feedback I got. 200 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,320 Speaker 2: I will say that that made me go, how do 201 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:13,000 Speaker 2: I work so hard at these at the feedback? Like, 202 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 2: how do I get so much amazing feedback that I 203 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,680 Speaker 2: can just get him to sign me. Yeah, So my 204 00:10:18,800 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 2: hustle was like I want to work as hard as 205 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 2: possible to get him the best amount of feedback so 206 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 2: he can hire me. 207 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 1: Because I wasn't booking the jobs. Like I couldn't book. 208 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 2: The jobs right, Like people were like, yeah, it's got 209 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:36,559 Speaker 2: an accent, because right, but you know, two and a 210 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 2: half years, three and a half years of like auditioning 211 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 2: and stuff, you know, he sends me on this pilot 212 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 2: and then you know, so he believed enough to put 213 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,280 Speaker 2: me in this really high profile pilot, which was that 214 00:10:47,400 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 2: seventies show. 215 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:49,400 Speaker 3: What were you doing though? 216 00:10:49,600 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 4: Because you were saying I wanted to hustle so hard. 217 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 4: I would be so good that I'd be undeniable in 218 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 4: his eyes to continue to send me. So what were 219 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,679 Speaker 4: you doing that you were hustling so hard to show him? 220 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, So if they would tell him, if the feedback 221 00:11:05,559 --> 00:11:09,280 Speaker 2: was like, hey, he's so funny, then I would be 222 00:11:09,400 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 2: I wanted to be triple the funny the next time. 223 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: Ah ah right yeah. 224 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 2: Or if they were like, oh he was adorable, then 225 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:18,719 Speaker 2: I try to be quadrup or adorable. 226 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: It's like, you know a little and you know it's 227 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 1: my glean. 228 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, So like I would just work on like leefing 229 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 2: that up, and uh, you know, may or may not 230 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 2: have worked, you know, but I definitely eventually he decided 231 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 2: to read because I was getting so close. 232 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 4: But feedback is so important, right because like they know, 233 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:42,559 Speaker 4: you're not always going to book the gig. 234 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:44,640 Speaker 3: But as long as. 235 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 4: When they're out there getting feedback that people are not saying, man, 236 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 4: that dude sucked or he's super unprepared, I think that 237 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,679 Speaker 4: that's more detrimental as opposed to not booking the gig 238 00:11:57,040 --> 00:11:59,199 Speaker 4: because they know they know it's a it's a numbers game. 239 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, what about you what was that representation finding that 240 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:14,560 Speaker 2: first agent? 241 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 4: You know, I feel that throughout my career, I've always 242 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:21,000 Speaker 4: had these like guardian angels. I've always had people who 243 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 4: were mentors who saw something in me and very much 244 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 4: at times that I didn't see things in me. When 245 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:31,959 Speaker 4: I was in the seventh grade, I had a teacher 246 00:12:32,040 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 4: named mister Levine who we did a I think I 247 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,600 Speaker 4: mentioned this in the other episode. We did a talent 248 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 4: show and he randomly chose me to do a scene 249 00:12:45,040 --> 00:12:47,079 Speaker 4: from a TV show and a talent show. I don't 250 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,280 Speaker 4: know why he chose me, but he saw something in 251 00:12:49,320 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 4: me that I didn't see. When I was in the 252 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 4: eighth grade, I got into my first theater company and 253 00:12:54,559 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 4: there was a tea. There was one of the drama teachers. 254 00:12:57,240 --> 00:13:01,280 Speaker 4: Her name was Carol Gutierrez, and she saw something in 255 00:13:01,320 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 4: me that I didn't see. And it was because of 256 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:06,680 Speaker 4: her that I starred in the play in the theater 257 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,320 Speaker 4: company when I was thirteen fourteen. It was because of 258 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 4: her that I got a two year scholarship to the 259 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 4: National College of Education. It was because of her that 260 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 4: she encouraged me to audition for the drama program at 261 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:22,679 Speaker 4: my high school. There was another mentor named Ray Moffat, 262 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 4: who hired me in this independent theater company called Muan 263 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 4: when I was like fifteen. Jeff Garland's ex wife, Marla, 264 00:13:33,120 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 4: who signed me as my first agent when I was 265 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 4: like fifteen sixteen at Suzannees a Plus in Chicago, and 266 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 4: then coming to La, you know, my first manager, my 267 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,000 Speaker 4: first agent here. You know, there was always people who 268 00:13:47,160 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 4: saw something in me. And it's funny because you were 269 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 4: saying you were fighting against your action. I was fighting 270 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,280 Speaker 4: against my accent too. I mean till this day. People 271 00:13:55,280 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 4: were like, nah, he sounds too urban, he sounds too Chicago. 272 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 4: I quick, quick side. But I had an audition one 273 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 4: time for a role. It was supposed to be a Latino, 274 00:14:09,520 --> 00:14:12,520 Speaker 4: a priest out of Chicago, and so I went in there. 275 00:14:12,559 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 4: I didn't lose my accent. I just sort of sounded 276 00:14:14,720 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 4: like me. And the feedback was he just sounds too urban. 277 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 4: I'm like, wait a minute, isn't the character Latino. They're like, yeah, 278 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:24,840 Speaker 4: I go, isn't he from Chicago? 279 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 1: Yeah? 280 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 4: I go, I'm Latino and I'm from Chicago. So I 281 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,560 Speaker 4: sounded like myself, So how can I sound too urban? 282 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:30,920 Speaker 2: Yeah? 283 00:14:31,000 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 1: Yeah? 284 00:14:31,280 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 2: Anyway, I mean if I had a dime. 285 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: It sounds too Latino, right, Yeah, yeah, sounds too like 286 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:39,120 Speaker 1: I do. 287 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 4: Okay, But yeah, I constantly had mentors along the way 288 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 4: that that continued to believe in me and see something 289 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 4: in me and was willing to put their reputation on 290 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 4: the line for me. 291 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 3: You know. 292 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 4: Oh quick, shout out, I have to give as we're 293 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 4: on the subject Mary Renew. 294 00:14:57,800 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 1: Oh, Mary who. 295 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 3: Is a director. So I've said this before. 296 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 4: One of my first movies was Dead Presidents, and I 297 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 4: was an unknown out of Chicago. I was in La 298 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 4: shooting one movie and I auditioned for it and they 299 00:15:15,160 --> 00:15:17,840 Speaker 4: wanted everybody who was super popular at the time. 300 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: The studio did. 301 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 4: And she went to bat for me, and she wrote 302 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,000 Speaker 4: a personal letter and she said, this is the guy 303 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 4: you need to hire. Trust me when I tell you this. 304 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:26,840 Speaker 1: WHOA. 305 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 3: And it was. 306 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 4: Because I'm not surprised going to bat for me that 307 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 4: not only did I get that movie, She's cast me 308 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 4: in like five other movies. I can't hardly wait because 309 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,640 Speaker 4: of her. I did this other movie called Inconvenience, I 310 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 4: did Harsh Times, Grindhouse. 311 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 3: Those are all Mary Vernew movies. 312 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 2: I mean, Mary is and yes, major shutout to Mary 313 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 2: has been very vernew she's Betty May casting and you know, 314 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:54,760 Speaker 2: but many many actors can can look at her as 315 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 2: that guardian name. 316 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, somebody who really put them on. She's a champion. 317 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,640 Speaker 2: She actually is someone that I respect so much. I've 318 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 2: she's mentored me so much about you know, what they 319 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 2: look for when they're casting and you know what, talk 320 00:16:09,160 --> 00:16:11,960 Speaker 2: about a casting director and team. By the way, because 321 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 2: the girls on the office are also Yeah, I mean, 322 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 2: I'm unbelievable. They they will not let you leave until 323 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 2: you have your best work on that tape. 324 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, dude, that's so rare. Yeah, that's so rare. 325 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 2: And I mean I've I've experienced so many casting directors 326 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 2: in my career at the beginning of my career to 327 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 2: say where they're just like you know, cattle, like they 328 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 2: no emotional investment in trying to find the person because 329 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 2: you're at the casting call. You're not even at the 330 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 2: producer's called the director's call. So in the casting call 331 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:45,600 Speaker 2: or just like filtering actors, you know. 332 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:50,080 Speaker 3: What's your worst what's your worst audition experience? 333 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 2: Oh god, I mean, there's nothing worse than somebody, you know, 334 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,960 Speaker 2: staring into a laptop while you're here for you or 335 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 2: like there's nothing there, you know, there's nothing worse than like, 336 00:17:04,240 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 2: you know, you're in the middle of an addition. Somebody 337 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:08,600 Speaker 2: walks in with a message for the director or for 338 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:11,360 Speaker 2: the casting director and what and they're just like pretend 339 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 2: and then just expect you just keep going with the scene, 340 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:17,919 Speaker 2: whether it just like whispering something. There are excuses that 341 00:17:17,920 --> 00:17:20,480 Speaker 2: they're filming it anyways, but they don't understand, like the 342 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 2: disturbance of there's so many elements you're fighting against when 343 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 2: you're in that room. Yeah, nerves, all of the nerves, right, nerves, preparation, right, 344 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:32,320 Speaker 2: you're making sure you don't forget what you have just 345 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 2: read landlessly memorized, you know, and listening, you're trying to 346 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 2: listen without listening to what's not happening or what's happening 347 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,680 Speaker 2: on the side of the addition, right, Like you're reading 348 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:48,439 Speaker 2: with this person. But there's like rumbling here, there's like 349 00:17:48,480 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 2: whispering here. There's like writing notes sending back and forth. 350 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:53,879 Speaker 2: You're like, you know, like you wonder what are they 351 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: writing on that or what you know, it's like did 352 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 2: they laugh did not laugh at the right part. There's 353 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 2: just so much stuff and you just try and you're 354 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 2: trying to do such a good job. So I think 355 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,159 Speaker 2: those are probably the worst additions. You come in there 356 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,440 Speaker 2: and they're just like they're just filtering through or they 357 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:11,159 Speaker 2: know you're not it as soon as you walk in 358 00:18:11,240 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 2: and they just let you go through with it. 359 00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: You're like, you know, it's like and you can feel it. 360 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 3: You're like, you're like, this is not going well. 361 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 1: Totally, totally. So that's why Mary. Mary is so different. 362 00:18:24,800 --> 00:18:27,320 Speaker 2: You know that team is going to spend time with you, 363 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,919 Speaker 2: and if they brought you in, it's because they you know, 364 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 2: they want you to get that part. 365 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: Yeah. 366 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 3: The only one of the only movies I produced, I 367 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 3: hired her. 368 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 4: She I produced a movie called Nothing Like the Holidays 369 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,200 Speaker 4: and Mary key sure, and. 370 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:46,560 Speaker 2: I dream of the day of being able to go 371 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 2: to marry me, like, would you please help me cast something? 372 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,840 Speaker 2: Because she's just a master. She just has an eye 373 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:54,639 Speaker 2: for people that know how to entertain. 374 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: You know. 375 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,040 Speaker 2: So for Mary, I'm assuming it was so important to 376 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 2: put together the right casting assistant team right that can 377 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 2: really bring the best out of these actors and and 378 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 2: you know, and therefore the directors get the best you know. 379 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:11,399 Speaker 1: View at who's writing. Who's wrong? 380 00:19:12,320 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 2: Somebody might be right for it, but they just weren't 381 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:15,920 Speaker 2: set up for success in that room. 382 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,360 Speaker 1: And they're like that. You know. It's stuff, you know. 383 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:21,439 Speaker 2: But they also tell you you need to be you know, 384 00:19:21,480 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 2: you need to rely only on yourself when you go 385 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:28,359 Speaker 2: into that room. Yeah, you know, if the reader is horrible, which, 386 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:33,359 Speaker 2: by the way, the readers is so bad. You know, 387 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:35,439 Speaker 2: by the way, just for the people at home, a 388 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 2: reader is somebody who is at the opposite side of 389 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 2: the camera just literally reciting the lines of the other 390 00:19:41,440 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 2: characters in the script while you're auditioning for your character. 391 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 2: So they're the ones that are just like going through 392 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,360 Speaker 2: the other lines just so you can say your lines. 393 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:54,399 Speaker 2: You know, I got to tell this bad audition story, 394 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:55,479 Speaker 2: if I may please. 395 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 3: So this was like the mid. 396 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 4: Nineties, mid the late nineties, and this was around a 397 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 4: time that I felt that every time you saw latinos 398 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 4: on screen, they were sort of encompassing the stereotype, right, 399 00:20:12,960 --> 00:20:15,000 Speaker 4: And stereotype is a whole other conversation that we could 400 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,479 Speaker 4: have and how I feel about it. But I had 401 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 4: a couple of pretty prestigious movies out and I was 402 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,000 Speaker 4: doing pretty well and there was a big movie that 403 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:27,960 Speaker 4: was being cast, and the role was a very stereotypical 404 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:32,080 Speaker 4: Latino gangster role, and every I'm sure you went up, 405 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 4: every single Latino actor went up on it, right, And 406 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 4: I was like, nah, I'm not doing it. I'm not 407 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:42,320 Speaker 4: auditioning for it, right. I was taking a stance. However, 408 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 4: the casting director was a big casting director, Okay, and 409 00:20:46,200 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 4: it has been around since like the sixties, and cast 410 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 4: al Pacino and cast Dustin Hoffman and blah blah blah 411 00:20:51,560 --> 00:20:51,920 Speaker 4: blah blah. 412 00:20:52,000 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 3: Right, and so they were like, are you sure, man, 413 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:55,920 Speaker 3: are you crazy? 414 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:57,680 Speaker 4: You better go in there and audition. I go, I'm 415 00:20:57,720 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 4: not auditioning for I said, but I do want to 416 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:02,479 Speaker 4: meet her. I don't have a general meeting with her. 417 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 4: I'm still new in town. And so my agents were like, okay, 418 00:21:05,920 --> 00:21:07,120 Speaker 4: we'll set up a general meeting. 419 00:21:07,240 --> 00:21:07,440 Speaker 3: Right. 420 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 4: So I go into the audition and like I said, 421 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 4: every actor that you know was in that audition. 422 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 3: They were all in the waiting room. They all looked 423 00:21:15,920 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 3: the same. 424 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 4: They all had the same like freaking like like plaid 425 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:21,959 Speaker 4: shirt on with the baggy pants. 426 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 3: And here I come in and I'm dressed regular. Right, 427 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 3: everybody there. 428 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 4: Is going over their lines, and they're their focus, and 429 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 4: they're in character, and they have their sides in their hand, 430 00:21:32,359 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 4: and there I have no sides, and I'm just kind 431 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 4: of like chilling there, smiling, you know. And so speaking 432 00:21:37,800 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 4: of the casting assistant, I see the casting assistant come 433 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,600 Speaker 4: out and he kind of, you know, crosses someone's name out. 434 00:21:44,640 --> 00:21:46,919 Speaker 4: He calls an actor in there, and he kind of 435 00:21:46,960 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 4: looks at me. 436 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 3: Right. 437 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 4: He goes in and brings the actor in, comes back out, 438 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 4: crosses another name, gets another actor, and then looks at 439 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,840 Speaker 4: me again. Right, Every single time he comes out, he 440 00:21:55,960 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 4: has the look of concern in his face increases. So 441 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 4: finally he comes to me and he goes, all right, Freddie, 442 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,520 Speaker 4: it's your turn, right, And I'm walking into this audition, 443 00:22:08,160 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 4: and at a certain point I can see the wheels 444 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:13,119 Speaker 4: just turning in his head. And he finally turns around 445 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 4: and he goes, hey, are you you are right? Do 446 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 4: you any sides? 447 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: You know? 448 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,439 Speaker 4: And I'm like, sides, No, I'm just here for a 449 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 4: general meeting. And his face dropped. He was like a 450 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 4: general meeting, and I was like yeah. He goes, wait 451 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:32,960 Speaker 4: right here, So he goes in to this casting door. 452 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 4: He slams the door. I could hear him talking and 453 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:38,280 Speaker 4: I can hear her erupt on the other side. 454 00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:42,919 Speaker 3: What And I'm like, oh, damn, this is not going 455 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 3: to be good. 456 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: Right. 457 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:47,439 Speaker 6: Finally, why was she yelling at She didn't know about 458 00:22:47,440 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 6: the Yeah, I guess the agents didn't tell her that 459 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,240 Speaker 6: it was a general meeting. They probably just told the 460 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:55,000 Speaker 6: assistant assistant did a communicator and they just probably in yeah, 461 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:55,640 Speaker 6: oh gosh. 462 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 4: So then they opened the door and you could see 463 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 4: it in his eyes that he just I reamed. 464 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:05,440 Speaker 3: Out and he's like come in. He's so pissed off, right. 465 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:09,159 Speaker 4: And she's like sit down, and I sit down, and 466 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:13,639 Speaker 4: I'm like hi, and she's like, so here, you're not 467 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 4: going to audition for this why? And I was very 468 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 4: honest in my response, and I just said, look. 469 00:23:20,119 --> 00:23:20,480 Speaker 1: I'm here. 470 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 4: I have a couple of movies out in the theater 471 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:25,560 Speaker 4: right now. I think I'm going on a very different trajectory. 472 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:28,359 Speaker 4: And I told her honestly about how I felt about 473 00:23:28,359 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 4: how Latinos were being. 474 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:32,479 Speaker 3: Portrayed in the film. And I stood my ground. She 475 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:34,560 Speaker 3: heard me, she heard me, and then she was like 476 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:36,879 Speaker 3: all right, and then she just sort of dismissed me. 477 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:39,440 Speaker 1: Right, So that was like that was it was? It? 478 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:41,120 Speaker 1: Was it a short meeting? Was it a long meeting? 479 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,560 Speaker 1: It was talking about Chicago Little No, absolutely not. 480 00:23:44,960 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 4: She just wanted to hear what I had to say, right, 481 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 4: And she sent me on my way and I left 482 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:52,359 Speaker 4: and I was like, I'm never going to hear from 483 00:23:52,400 --> 00:23:56,159 Speaker 4: her again. Cut to a couple of years later. I 484 00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 4: get an audition for a movie called Payback and it 485 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:04,200 Speaker 4: was Hegeln was directing it. He had just he had 486 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 4: just written Mystic River. I think I think he just 487 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 4: won the Oscar for Mystic River. And this was his 488 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 4: first movie. It was a big Warner Brothers movie. Mel 489 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 4: Gibson was attached, Chris Christofferson, Lucy Lou It was a 490 00:24:16,520 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 4: huge cast, right, And I look on the sheet and 491 00:24:19,640 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 4: I was like, Yo, she's bringing me back in after 492 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,359 Speaker 4: that encounter that I had. And she brought me back in. 493 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:28,000 Speaker 1: Was she in the room when you were worked in? 494 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,720 Speaker 4: I walked in and it was the complete opposite. It 495 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 4: was one of the most pleasant experiences I've ever had. 496 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 4: She sat me down and she was so nice to me, 497 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 4: and she wanted to know everything about me. And she 498 00:24:41,840 --> 00:24:44,320 Speaker 4: went on to tell me that she cast al Pacino 499 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:47,400 Speaker 4: in this movie and Dustin Hoffman in that movie, because 500 00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:50,919 Speaker 4: I told her that those are my influences. And we 501 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 4: went on and we auditioned, and I got the part. 502 00:24:54,160 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 2: Wow, that's I mean, what a what a one eighty like? 503 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:04,240 Speaker 2: That's that's intense. And do you think you think in 504 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 2: whatever however many years? How many years did think happened 505 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 2: in between? 506 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:12,160 Speaker 3: Maybe like like two maybe I mean, yeah, this. 507 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: Is what I think happened. You forgot no, but this 508 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: is what I think happened. 509 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:24,600 Speaker 3: Yeah. 510 00:25:24,720 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 2: I think that in the time that you had left 511 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 2: her office, you made such an impression of somebody that 512 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:37,880 Speaker 2: then knew who he was that she had to. 513 00:25:37,800 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: Do a little homework. 514 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 2: Okay, right, if you're a great casting director, which she is, right, 515 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:59,320 Speaker 2: she's going to be intrigued enough to say, somebody who 516 00:25:59,359 --> 00:26:05,800 Speaker 2: has a direct response to what they're not is someone 517 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 2: I need to know. 518 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: So I think she's been kind of tracking. She did homework. 519 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 2: She saw a couple of your movies, you know, you 520 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:13,679 Speaker 2: had a couple of things out of the time, and 521 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 2: she's like, who the fuck is this guy? 522 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:17,359 Speaker 3: I have the audacity? 523 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 1: Who is this dude? 524 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:21,920 Speaker 2: And I think that she's been waiting this whole time 525 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 2: for something that was right for you. And you know, 526 00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:26,040 Speaker 2: to our luck, there's not a lot of stuff that 527 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 2: we were right for in that era, right, Like there's 528 00:26:28,280 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 2: just not a lot. 529 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: But I think that's what happened. 530 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,360 Speaker 2: I think she kind of like went back and then 531 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 2: at this point you're coming back but like major shows, 532 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:40,320 Speaker 2: and you're like, I having my movie right, And that's 533 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:44,520 Speaker 2: what happened, you know, you know, I I uh, before 534 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 2: we move on to you know, how you put teams 535 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 2: together and as a producer you have to no, no, 536 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 2: but I want. 537 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 1: To kind of fig it back what you're saying. There's 538 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:55,640 Speaker 1: so many. 539 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 2: Instances where, you know, where you kind of have to 540 00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 2: put yourself to the town or and over again. And 541 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,320 Speaker 2: when I had finished a seventy show, or actually two 542 00:27:08,359 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 2: and a half years before I finished seventy show, I 543 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:15,280 Speaker 2: had to go around town and beg my agents had 544 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 2: to beg for me to have these general meetings and 545 00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 2: every WHI What a general meeting is is you you know, 546 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 2: you're meeting an actor for the first time, just so 547 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,440 Speaker 2: for awareness that this person exists. So if there ever 548 00:27:28,840 --> 00:27:31,000 Speaker 2: was a role or something that you were rite for, 549 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:32,960 Speaker 2: you were top of mind or you were in a 550 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 2: shortlist and you connected with individuals, so they see that 551 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:38,919 Speaker 2: not only you were serious, but you were somebody to 552 00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:43,360 Speaker 2: be trusted. And and so for two and a half 553 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 2: years being on the show, like they had to say, hey, 554 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 2: you know, Wilmer is more than just Fez, right, And 555 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:55,439 Speaker 2: that was the struggle to be able to like go 556 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:57,920 Speaker 2: to all and you know, I this is like coming 557 00:27:57,960 --> 00:27:58,439 Speaker 2: full circle. 558 00:27:58,480 --> 00:27:59,520 Speaker 1: We talk about teams and. 559 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:02,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, I think how many how many years 560 00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 3: into the show was this. 561 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:05,159 Speaker 1: That they I think six years. 562 00:28:05,480 --> 00:28:07,119 Speaker 2: Oh, I was two and a half years before it 563 00:28:07,160 --> 00:28:08,560 Speaker 2: was done, before the show was. 564 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 3: And you felt that you were going in and they were. 565 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:14,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean they were just like there were surprise right, 566 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:15,879 Speaker 2: Like but you know, this is big shout out to 567 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 2: Shaney Rusens. 568 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:17,640 Speaker 1: Why I go over at UTA. 569 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:21,280 Speaker 2: She she's been my agent since I was like nineteen 570 00:28:21,320 --> 00:28:26,639 Speaker 2: years old, right, and she fought with the talent for 571 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:28,879 Speaker 2: them to see me, ask who I was and for 572 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:31,360 Speaker 2: what I could be as opposed to like what they 573 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:32,040 Speaker 2: could see. 574 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, especially when you well especially when you create such 575 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:38,880 Speaker 4: an iconic character like that, right, those are the pros 576 00:28:38,920 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 4: and cons. The pros of creating an iconic character is 577 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 4: you created an iconic character. Yeah, the con is is 578 00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:47,800 Speaker 4: that people will only see you as that. 579 00:28:48,080 --> 00:28:51,040 Speaker 2: Right, right, And so I you know, so she was 580 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 2: just setting me up with the head of casting of 581 00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:56,320 Speaker 2: every studio, the head of casting a production company, the 582 00:28:56,400 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 2: head of casting of every network, you know, producers, writers, runners, 583 00:29:00,640 --> 00:29:03,520 Speaker 2: like I was meeting whoever wanted to have me, and 584 00:29:03,560 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 2: when I will walk in, I looked very different. 585 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:07,320 Speaker 1: I sound very different, you know. So people were. 586 00:29:07,200 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 2: Like, whoa, right, I had no idea that you didn't 587 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:13,360 Speaker 2: sound like that I or didn't do your hair like that. 588 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: You know. 589 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, so that's kind of a very funny thing that 590 00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 2: you know, we kind of have to educate anyone just 591 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 2: so I can have a shot at auditioning for the 592 00:29:20,720 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 2: stuff that I wanted to do, right, you know, just 593 00:29:22,880 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 2: for the audition so they can bring me in because 594 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 2: it was hard for them to imagine if I could 595 00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:27,960 Speaker 2: do someone else. 596 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 4: And I think also because you created that, that was 597 00:29:32,440 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 4: the first thing out the gate, right, So it wasn't 598 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 4: like it wasn't like you had other stuff to point too. 599 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 4: And then you created that character, and then people you know, 600 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,479 Speaker 4: like Forrest Gump or something, right like, you know, like, oh, 601 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 4: it was Tom Hanks doing Forrest Gump. 602 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:49,320 Speaker 3: It was like, who is this guy? I should he's 603 00:29:49,360 --> 00:29:50,440 Speaker 3: funny because. 604 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,800 Speaker 2: In the world's hands wearing bell bottoms. That's how I 605 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:54,800 Speaker 2: said hello to people. 606 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,480 Speaker 3: And would you say that the punch. 607 00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:01,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, the punch trata other area. Yeah, that was that 608 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:01,760 Speaker 1: was me. 609 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:05,640 Speaker 2: But you know, you're you're a producer and you know, 610 00:30:05,760 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 2: and and your director before it. 611 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:11,280 Speaker 4: I have yeah, not not on a major level, but yeah, 612 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:12,080 Speaker 4: but you're a director. 613 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I you know, I'm very curious about what 614 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:21,240 Speaker 2: do you look for in your team? You know when 615 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 2: we talk about leadership? Yeah, and then and then follow 616 00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:29,440 Speaker 2: up that question is you know is how do you know? 617 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:33,080 Speaker 2: How do you what do you consider your trades as 618 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 2: a as a leader? 619 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:34,440 Speaker 4: Yeah? 620 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 2: And you have to find it over over time. So 621 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 2: what do you look for in the team? You know, 622 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:40,560 Speaker 2: when you're putting together, who you're going to go to 623 00:30:40,600 --> 00:30:41,040 Speaker 2: war with? 624 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 1: You know? And anyway, and how do you define yourself 625 00:30:45,840 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: as a leader. 626 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm going to give you two examples before I 627 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:54,920 Speaker 4: answer that question. Okay, I've been on some of the 628 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 4: most successful TV shows and movies of all time, and 629 00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 4: I've been in pretty crap TV shows and movies as well. 630 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:07,640 Speaker 4: And what I've learned from those both experiences is that 631 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 4: it all starts at the top, okay, and the tone 632 00:31:11,240 --> 00:31:15,640 Speaker 4: that you set on top trickles down to everyone else 633 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 4: below okay. And I saw how that worked. I saw 634 00:31:22,120 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 4: how that formation contributed to the success of a show 635 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 4: of a movie, and I saw how it didn't work. 636 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 4: And I saw how the person on top did not 637 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 4: possess any sort of leadership skills, brought bad habits, came 638 00:31:42,680 --> 00:31:49,360 Speaker 4: with attitudes that were probably not acceptable everything else under 639 00:31:49,360 --> 00:31:56,239 Speaker 4: that umbrella, and how them being that way contributed to 640 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:59,320 Speaker 4: the show or the movie taking a nose dive. 641 00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 2: So you feel all those things other energies were infused 642 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:06,520 Speaker 2: into the DNA of the product. 643 00:32:06,880 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 4: Yes, because no matter who, no matter who is below you, 644 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:13,120 Speaker 4: if you're the leader, everyone's looking up to you, right. 645 00:32:14,240 --> 00:32:17,680 Speaker 4: No matter what integrity those people bring to the table, 646 00:32:17,760 --> 00:32:20,760 Speaker 4: no matter how high their skill level is, they're. 647 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 3: All looking up to you, right. And if you're a prick, 648 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 3: if you're a. 649 00:32:24,600 --> 00:32:29,200 Speaker 4: Whatever, if you're coming to work with bad habits, then 650 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 4: they're taking a page out of your book. I'm sure 651 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 4: there's been other instances where that hasn't been the case. 652 00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 4: But that's been my experience and so learning that early on. 653 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 4: I've learned that if I'm going to be a leader, 654 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:45,680 Speaker 4: it's important how I lead, how I conduct myself, what 655 00:32:45,880 --> 00:32:50,480 Speaker 4: kind of habits I possess, what kind of energy. You know, 656 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:57,719 Speaker 4: I'm a strong believer in energy and synergy and vibe an, 657 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 4: integrity and honesty. You know, Like I may sound corny, 658 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,040 Speaker 4: that may sound nerdy, but I'm a strong believer in 659 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 4: that stuff. You know, in an industry where sometimes people 660 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 4: don't value those things. Let me tell me something, man, 661 00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:13,640 Speaker 4: some of the biggest people that I've worked with from 662 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 4: a producerial level have all been really honest, very and 663 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 4: very straight up and very straightforward, no matter no matter 664 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 4: what the ramifications of that is going to be. And 665 00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:29,160 Speaker 4: they'd rather be that way and be straight up and 666 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 4: and accept whatever comes from that then to be dishonest 667 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 4: and to be deceitful and deceptive and to have that 668 00:33:38,840 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 4: blow up in their face and affect their reputation. So 669 00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 4: I'm a believer in that. Listen, other producers, you know, 670 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:49,840 Speaker 4: conduct themselves differently, but I believe in that tactic. 671 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:50,840 Speaker 1: You know. 672 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:55,280 Speaker 2: I I think you're right, and I've seen it. I've 673 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 2: seen it in you. I've seen it how you went, 674 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:58,760 Speaker 2: you know, when you enter the room, and the energy 675 00:33:58,760 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 2: that you said, you're you know, you're collective, You're you're listen, 676 00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 2: you're transparent. All those things are important for whoever you 677 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 2: work with in your team to feel like they have 678 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:11,959 Speaker 2: also the environment to be the same. 679 00:34:12,560 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 3: Right. 680 00:34:13,920 --> 00:34:18,560 Speaker 2: Well, thank you everyone for listening or watching the first 681 00:34:18,600 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 2: half of his leadership conversation, and I hope you guys 682 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,880 Speaker 2: enjoy part two. This is Los Amigos. I'm Wilmer Valdorama, 683 00:34:25,880 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 2: I'm Freddie Rodriguez. See you on the next one. 684 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:35,800 Speaker 4: Dose Amigos is a production from WV Sound and iHeartMedia's 685 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:39,839 Speaker 4: Michael through That podcast Network, hosted by Me, Freddie Rodriguez 686 00:34:39,920 --> 00:34:41,160 Speaker 4: and Wilmer Valdorama. 687 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:45,400 Speaker 2: Those Amigos is produced by Aaron Burlson and Sophie Spencers Abos. 688 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 4: Our executive producers are Wilmer Valdorama, Freddie Rodriguez, Aaron Burlson 689 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:52,640 Speaker 4: and Leo Klem at WV Sound. 690 00:34:52,840 --> 00:34:55,120 Speaker 2: This episode was shot and edited it by Ryan Posts 691 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 2: and mixed by Sean Tracy and features original music by 692 00:34:58,239 --> 00:34:59,879 Speaker 2: Madison Devenport and Helo boy. 693 00:35:00,080 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 4: Our cover our photography is by David Avalos and designed 694 00:35:03,600 --> 00:35:05,279 Speaker 4: by Deny Holtzclaw and. 695 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:07,960 Speaker 2: Thank you for being their third amigo today. I appreciate 696 00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 2: you guys always listening to those amios. 697 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,040 Speaker 4: For more podcasts from My Heart, visit the I Heart 698 00:35:12,160 --> 00:35:15,359 Speaker 4: Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your 699 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:16,120 Speaker 4: favorite shows. 700 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:17,120 Speaker 1: See you next week.