1 00:00:08,920 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Morenita, a deep dive into the Latin X experience. 2 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: With Moranita, we want to create a community and a 3 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: shared space with you while sharing knowledge and inspiration. This 4 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,880 Speaker 1: show is about celebrating our culture with guests who exemplify 5 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 1: the best of us. I'm Darrylene Gastillo. Vito Cedric Leva Jr. 6 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: Is an award winning stage, film and television actor, singer, dancer, 7 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: writer and producer. He has toured the US and Canada 8 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,760 Speaker 1: with theatrical productions of Rent and Miss Saigon, as well 9 00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: as performed with the prestigious Theater des Chatelet in Pali 10 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: in a production of Carmen La Cubana. He portrayed the 11 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,200 Speaker 1: lead role of Manny in the Tribeca nominated Best Narrative 12 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: short Gets Good Light, and he would feature poet in 13 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: the Latino Book Review. Cedric was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico, 14 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: and resides in New York City currently. It's my pleasure 15 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: to introduce to Morenita Cedric Leva Jr. Hello, Hello, Cedric, 16 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:26,479 Speaker 1: my love. How are you doing. I'm doing well. Thank God, 17 00:01:26,520 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 1: I'm blessed and I have health and the family is 18 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 1: good and the career is good. So I'm just really 19 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 1: grateful and thankful right now. It's so good to hear 20 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:39,959 Speaker 1: your voice. When was the last time we connected a 21 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:50,760 Speaker 1: few months ago? Right to dine amazing meal? Yes, absolutely delicious. 22 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:53,559 Speaker 1: But we have you here for a different reason because 23 00:01:53,720 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 1: we want to learn all about you and all about 24 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: the amazing things that you're doing for our community. And 25 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: if you just tell us a little bit of your 26 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: start in the entertainment industry, How did you come about this? Um? 27 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: How did this life find you? Yeah? That's that's deep. No, UM, Yeah, so, 28 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:17,120 Speaker 1: I mean I guess it goes all the way back 29 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 1: to my childhood days in Puerto Rico. I was a 30 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 1: part of the quot One and that was really my 31 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:30,280 Speaker 1: first UM introduction to the entertainment business or industry because 32 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: it was a renowned children's choir in Puerto Rico as 33 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:40,160 Speaker 1: well as internationally and UM, so we were able to 34 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:45,160 Speaker 1: perform a really prestigious UM places in Puerto Rico, UM 35 00:02:45,480 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 1: and like Casablanca and Wang and we traveled all around 36 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: the city. So it started there and UM. From there 37 00:02:56,200 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: we moved from Puerto Rico to Florida, Florida. I was 38 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:06,520 Speaker 1: quickly UM in Florida. Yeah, Deltona, Florida, Florida is in 39 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: between Orlando and they Towona Beach. It's like the second 40 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: home for all the Puerto Ricans leave the Islands to 41 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 1: go to New York. Or when they made New York, 42 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: they come all the way down to Orlando. And a 43 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: lot of Dominicans there too. Everywhere, everywhere, all over. Um 44 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: so so yes. So when I moved to Deltona, Florida, 45 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: I was involved in the choirs in middle school and 46 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 1: something happened, something magical happened, and people really put their 47 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: love and focus and energy into my talent. And from 48 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,880 Speaker 1: there I started taking voice lessons with a college professor 49 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 1: who then got me into UM, a local performance program 50 00:03:46,920 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: at Stetton University, where I got my bachelor's. And then 51 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: while I was there, I really fell in love with 52 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: musical theater. It happened a little before I got to 53 00:03:55,320 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: Stetson UM. There was a local community theater called Seaside 54 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 1: Music Theater. I'm actually not a community professional theater. Yeah, 55 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: professional theater in Daytona Beach, Seaside Music Theater, and they 56 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: came in and put on a production high school production 57 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 1: of Once On This silnce. Okay, they came out doing 58 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:19,800 Speaker 1: a diverse show. They're giving you Caribbean vibes. That's a 59 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: beautiful thing. That's a beautiful thing thing. Yeah, and I 60 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: played Daniel Boone. Come on, Daniel, you know you know that? Okay? 61 00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: Am I feeling a little calmer coming on? Yes? Um 62 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:40,039 Speaker 1: sou So they really treated us like a professional company 63 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 1: at warmups, we did all the things, and I was like, 64 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: I want this life. So I went to school for opera, 65 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 1: but the whole time I was like I want to 66 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 1: go back to bed. So while at school for opera, 67 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: connect through all the kids who are and that's a 68 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: whole different world. I mean, how was That's a whole 69 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:56,720 Speaker 1: different Take a pause for a second, because I'm curious 70 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: in the opera because they don't you don't really see 71 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:03,359 Speaker 1: many of us in that word at all. How was that? Even, 72 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,960 Speaker 1: Like I will say this, at Stetson, I don't think 73 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,360 Speaker 1: it was on purpose, but maybe not looking back, maybe 74 00:05:09,360 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: it was. But I came here with a very diverse group. 75 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: There are a lot of African Americans in my group 76 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: and my uh. When you go into the opera program, 77 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: you're also kind of connected to the choral program, and 78 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 1: my conductor director was obsessed with this composer named Moses 79 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 1: Hogan Um. He's famous for his spiritual his choral spirituals, 80 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 1: and so we sang a lot of African American spirituals. 81 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: So I really felt like in that world I had 82 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:42,840 Speaker 1: exposure to um not only the classics, security and Mozart 83 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: all that stuff, but also we were exposed to contemporary 84 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 1: composers and artists of color. But all that being said, 85 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: I definitely felt like a black sheep in the program. 86 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: I was raising the church. So a lot of my 87 00:05:56,520 --> 00:06:02,160 Speaker 1: musical inspirational influence comes from that right world. And so 88 00:06:02,480 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: I was in this opera program and on the side 89 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 1: listening to Maryan Franklin listen to you know what I'm saying, 90 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:12,480 Speaker 1: listening as we do, and I was supposed to be 91 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,920 Speaker 1: listening to, uh, you know, Proparatti. Right, you would say 92 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 1: like you were the black sheep of the program because 93 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 1: you had other interests and other desires and other desires. 94 00:06:24,400 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: And also, yeah, I was equal. I mean I think 95 00:06:27,440 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: I was the only one. Maybe maybe there was another one. 96 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:33,640 Speaker 1: And culturally are people didn't really do all yeah, And 97 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 1: culturally I wasn't raised withal and how did your family? 98 00:06:38,080 --> 00:06:42,359 Speaker 1: This is like one question and people always think people 99 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,239 Speaker 1: always think like, oh, like it's I think it's always 100 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: like a you know what I mean, you just never know. 101 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,280 Speaker 1: So but your family sounds like they were very supportive 102 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:56,720 Speaker 1: and they very supportive. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, my my parents, um, 103 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: you know what, Yes, I will say they were very supportive. 104 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: Mom was more supportive. Dad was kind of on the sideline. 105 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 1: But then when he saw that, you know, I was 106 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:08,720 Speaker 1: making money and people are like giving me attention, and 107 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: he was like, okay, okay, alright, this but this boy 108 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: has He's like, oh that's my son. That's my son. 109 00:07:13,360 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 1: Oh that's it. That's it. And so yeah, because mom 110 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: was always taking me to the voice lessons and I'm 111 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: going to all the competitions with me because I did 112 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:26,360 Speaker 1: that a lot in high school. Um. But yeah, but culturally, yeah, 113 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: I grew up with you know, listening to the side side, 114 00:07:27,960 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: Motown R and B, Top Top ten, you know, Casey 115 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: case and all that stuff. So yes, so I'm in 116 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:38,600 Speaker 1: this program giving you opera, but not but my spirit 117 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 1: wasn't connected, you know, so so did my four years. 118 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 1: It was challenging because again not only I wasn't in 119 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:48,280 Speaker 1: love with the world. But also I didn't feel seen 120 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 1: in the world, whereas I did feel kind of seeing 121 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: a musical theater, which is interesting because that's probably gonna 122 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: come in later, but at least soul fully and like 123 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: an urban sound. I felt like I could do that 124 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: in musical theater or I was definitely um in this world. 125 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:05,800 Speaker 1: That kind of embraced me a little more than Opperatuit. Right, 126 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: you're pushing the boundaries you were pushing like and then 127 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: realizing finding your place in in that world exactly. And 128 00:08:14,960 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: so while an undergrad again connecting with the black sheeps 129 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 1: like me and I got connected to how to get 130 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: into musical theater auditions ups. I did the any tcs 131 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:31,160 Speaker 1: and that's how I got connected to regional theater. So 132 00:08:31,200 --> 00:08:34,439 Speaker 1: I did that all through college and then once it 133 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:36,600 Speaker 1: came to my senior year, I was like, get oh, 134 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,840 Speaker 1: I'm not ready to go to New York yet because 135 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 1: I had this all this vocal training, like I need 136 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,760 Speaker 1: a little more dance, a little more acting. So then 137 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: I got I went to the Boston Conservatory. Beautiful, Okay, Boco, 138 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 1: that's a real that's a real deal. That's a real deal. 139 00:08:53,520 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: Place right there yeah. But what I love that you stated. 140 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,880 Speaker 1: And I don't know some of our listeners know this 141 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 1: or not, but theater is not just like a generic thing, 142 00:09:17,559 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: like you don't just learn like theater and like all 143 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: the aspects. No, there's opera. And then wait a second, 144 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 1: if you want to go do Broadway or you want 145 00:09:24,480 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 1: to do plays, that's a whole different training, a whole 146 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: different mentality like yourself in a wonderful, hungry fashion that 147 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: you have. You obviously went out and after doing all 148 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,559 Speaker 1: of this schooling, you said, Okay, we gotta go back 149 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: and we gotta, you know, relearn some things and learn 150 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 1: this new avenue. So when did you come to New York? 151 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: When was that transition? When did you feel comfortable? So 152 00:09:48,840 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: I finished my program at the Bocum, and you know, 153 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: I will say that I say this is a rich 154 00:09:55,280 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 1: kid's business. Honestly, I think this is ever in myself 155 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,160 Speaker 1: saying this over and over and over again. You got 156 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: to have this money. Money. So if mommy and daddy 157 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: are not paying for all these lessons and all these 158 00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 1: things starting from the age of three, then you do 159 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,880 Speaker 1: need to go to either performing arts high school, I 160 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,000 Speaker 1: would say, or get into one of these institutions that 161 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: are known because what Boco did for me was that 162 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:26,160 Speaker 1: it got me into certain doors in the city, of course, 163 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: and that's the privilege. Yeah yeah, So it got me 164 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: into certain casting offices, and it gave me the training 165 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 1: and the confidence to come to New York and slate 166 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:40,840 Speaker 1: as a musical theater auditioner and performing. So after Boco, UM, 167 00:10:40,880 --> 00:10:44,000 Speaker 1: I booked my first tour right out of college. I 168 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:46,840 Speaker 1: booked it, I think on a spring break situation, right 169 00:10:46,880 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: before I graduated. So I booked the national tour Missigone. Okay, 170 00:10:58,040 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: you know, and at that time, we can say this 171 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:02,160 Speaker 1: anymore or we can't do this anymore. But at that 172 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:06,320 Speaker 1: time I was ethnically ambigue, you know, as a children 173 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 1: used to use because they were like, get the way, 174 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: I don't know what to do with you. So you're 175 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: you're ethnically and we're gonna use you. We're gonna use 176 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:17,000 Speaker 1: this ethic. We're gonna figure it out because you got talent. 177 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:21,800 Speaker 1: I don't know, so so yes, So I booked Missigone. 178 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: I booked the track where I played a g I, 179 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:28,040 Speaker 1: but I also played an Asian. Again, very inappropriate. Now 180 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 1: I wouldn't I would not take an Asian role now, 181 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 1: but at that time, people that looked like me, people 182 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:37,760 Speaker 1: that came before me, the tract, the people that I replaced, 183 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: we kind of all looked like mixes, like mixing or 184 00:11:40,920 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: biracial or like, we don't know what. You weren't know where, 185 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: but you could be from anywhere exactly. So so yes, 186 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: I was ensemble. I played. Yeah, it's like these two 187 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:55,800 Speaker 1: different tracks or ethnicities in the show. Um and I 188 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: lived my best life. It was. It was my first 189 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: tour and we played it was like all one nighters, 190 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: which was bless you back, but no, but we had 191 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: just touch base what is a one nighter because some 192 00:12:10,280 --> 00:12:12,360 Speaker 1: of y'all don't know what a one nighter is, and 193 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:16,480 Speaker 1: we got to fill you in. One nighter is where 194 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:19,840 Speaker 1: you literally hit a new city every night on a 195 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 1: musical theater or any type of national tour. I can 196 00:12:23,640 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: never again, I mean yeah, yeah, And there were a 197 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: couple of sit downs where you stay in the city 198 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:34,719 Speaker 1: for at least a week, but for the most part, 199 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:36,839 Speaker 1: it was a lot of one nighter And that's kind 200 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: of like how in the beginning, when you when you're 201 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: starting out and you're coming in coming out of school, 202 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 1: you know, you're going to hit these tours. You're gonna 203 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,800 Speaker 1: take the job that you gotta take, and that sacrifice 204 00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:52,560 Speaker 1: of you're young, you're back can handle it. Okay, you 205 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:57,839 Speaker 1: can have your back everything, so you know the life 206 00:12:57,840 --> 00:12:59,920 Speaker 1: like you perform and then after you have to look 207 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: have a little fun and then you still get up 208 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:04,040 Speaker 1: the next thing. You can do it. You know, yeah, 209 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: you can do that. And I can't do that anymore. 210 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 1: So yes, bless all your young listeners, because those knees. 211 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 1: Take care of your knees. Okay, stretch. I just started 212 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 1: stretching now, and I'm like, why didn't I do this 213 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 1: back in the day. Okay, so your knees, you know, 214 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,000 Speaker 1: we still got a little strong knees. So how did 215 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 1: your knees? How did your knees? You know, continue going 216 00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: in this business? After Miss p and I booked Rent. 217 00:13:32,960 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: After that, I booked the Nickelodeon tour, and then after 218 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 1: touring the US, I was like, all right, I'm ready 219 00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: to do that New York City after grind, Like I'm 220 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 1: ready to like pound the pavement as they say. And 221 00:13:45,559 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: and so I did it. I came officially came here 222 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:51,439 Speaker 1: in two thousand eight. I want to say, that's when 223 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:55,439 Speaker 1: I officially moved um to New York And after touring, 224 00:13:55,760 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 1: had you been to New York prior to that? Had 225 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:02,320 Speaker 1: you been coming in checking it out, scoping the scene. Yeah, 226 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:06,120 Speaker 1: so dad is from the Bronx, Mom's from Brooklyn. Yes, 227 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 1: so yeah, they did it backwards. I would say that 228 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,599 Speaker 1: New Yorecans came down to the island. They were like 229 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,120 Speaker 1: me to get up and then and I want my 230 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,840 Speaker 1: kids to learn the culture, so they came. Yeah. So 231 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: from these New Yorecans moved to to Rico barely really 232 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,440 Speaker 1: knowing the language. They knew the language, but didn't feel 233 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: very comfortable speaking because you know that first generation thing 234 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 1: of like hold the whole idea, you know, you know 235 00:14:39,000 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: they always spoken with their parents, but you know they 236 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: didn't need to speak Spanish in New York City. So anyways, 237 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: came to Puerto Rico, had us So, yes, I had 238 00:14:48,320 --> 00:14:50,320 Speaker 1: been to New York a lot because of my family, 239 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 1: have a lot of family here still, but I had 240 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: never as an actor, had never been to New York 241 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 1: to found the pavement, to audition, to experience that life 242 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:01,320 Speaker 1: other than flying in for a day, busting in for 243 00:15:01,360 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 1: a day doing an audition, booking, and then going back 244 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: to and what was that like for you? Tell us 245 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: the shock? What what? What was your experience? It was 246 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 1: a lot of different things. I think for me, I 247 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: just I was so hungry to to experience the New York, 248 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: to experience going to show experience. I will say this 249 00:15:23,040 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: that I'm so grateful that I've always been extremely hungry 250 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,680 Speaker 1: and driven and and had good work ethic because I 251 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: was like, Okay, I gotta get to New York. I 252 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: gotta meet people, I gotta get in these rooms, you know, 253 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: Brobbi Brobbery roy or whatever, and so that that was 254 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,400 Speaker 1: a motivation. Um. I will say keeping it one d 255 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:47,040 Speaker 1: as the kids saying that I came here and I did. 256 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 1: I do feel like I partied a lot just because 257 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: I had to get that out of my system. I 258 00:15:50,360 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: was like, oh my god, New York sitting Oh my god, 259 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:56,280 Speaker 1: Oh my god, oh my god. And also like the 260 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: diversity did you have that? I know that you know, 261 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: you were in Puerto Rico and then you were in Florida, 262 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 1: But like, how did you feel like, I don't know, 263 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: like walking outside taking the subway and being surrounded by us, 264 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: you know what? I mean like four seven in a sense, 265 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:15,240 Speaker 1: you know what, I will say the blessing was that 266 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: I got to live with my You meet my deal 267 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: Pouli in Castle Okay, so you got that good food 268 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: at home the bron Castle Hill Okay, okay, Homo, Jail, 269 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: I got on the six Every time I got on 270 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: the sixth, I'm like, Jail, look on the six two 271 00:16:29,080 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: and look what she got. Yeah yeah, yeah, no, but 272 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 1: that would literally no, I thought of her every single time. 273 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: There's no other way to survive because it would be 274 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:39,960 Speaker 1: an hour to the city, then do the city thing 275 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: in an hour back back up to the So I 276 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,000 Speaker 1: will say that I had my family to kind of 277 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: ground me also to give me that culture that always 278 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 1: so important to me. That's always that's always been important 279 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,760 Speaker 1: to me, That's always kept me, like again, giving me 280 00:16:53,800 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: that drive like so that was always kind of underneath 281 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,719 Speaker 1: the motivation inspiration to do the thing. Um. So I 282 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 1: had that, Thank God. And no, I mean I listen, 283 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,159 Speaker 1: I already had a bunch of friends here that were 284 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: already established that I met through the many years of 285 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: doing um summers. I will say that again, that networking 286 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: it started in college. So I met those directors, I 287 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,440 Speaker 1: met those choreographers, I met those actors who were not 288 00:17:23,560 --> 00:17:27,200 Speaker 1: starting to blow up in New York City. So so 289 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: so yeah, so live my best life, I would say, 290 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:30,639 Speaker 1: for a couple of months, and then I got focused 291 00:17:30,640 --> 00:17:35,480 Speaker 1: and then yeah, pounding the pavement, doing the open calls. Um. 292 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 1: I finally got an agent through a friend, and that 293 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: kind of shifted everything for me because then they were like, oh, 294 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: a musical theater, but here's TV and film. I had 295 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 1: never teav and film was never in my radar, I saying, 296 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:53,679 Speaker 1: I act I stepped touch. I remember. I think there 297 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:55,640 Speaker 1: was just one of my mentors who would talk about 298 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: TV film and transferring over. But do you think that's 299 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: just because in our world of theater, it's not talked 300 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,520 Speaker 1: about much like it's just kind of like do the thing, 301 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:07,359 Speaker 1: do the job, do the eight shows a week on 302 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:11,320 Speaker 1: Broadway and that's it. Get your check. Yeah, I think so, 303 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:14,280 Speaker 1: and I think it's part of the training. I did 304 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:18,200 Speaker 1: not have one TV film class, so then that kind 305 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: of shifted everything for me because it was this whole 306 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: other beast that, first of all, I wasn't trained in. 307 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:29,520 Speaker 1: Now retraining starts, listen, listeners, Retraining starts back to start 308 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: this monopoly to start, Yeah, back to start. And I 309 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: will say I was very The ego was like, listen, 310 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: you just spend all this money on school. You know, 311 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:39,680 Speaker 1: I gonna spend more money on no classes, on no 312 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: voice sizes, and better than acause you just spend all 313 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 1: the money. But I learned real quick with that TV 314 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 1: film world. I was like, okay, I need to get 315 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:53,080 Speaker 1: into a class because it was literally unknown territory. I 316 00:18:53,160 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: was starting from zero. So but I will say, um, 317 00:18:57,720 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: the agency that was with they really pushed me for that, 318 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:02,960 Speaker 1: and that was never again in my radar that I 319 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 1: was not passionate about being a TV film star, and 320 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:09,600 Speaker 1: they kind of I thank god for them because they 321 00:19:09,720 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 1: really kind of put that into my brain and into 322 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: my world and my little bubble. And and then getting 323 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: a taste of those auditions, getting a taste of what 324 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:20,520 Speaker 1: that world was like, I was, okay, let me get 325 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:24,760 Speaker 1: into class. Now that you're transferring into this TV film moment. 326 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 1: The things were called in for a theater are very 327 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: different than opera and then they're very different even more 328 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: different for TV film. So you being a a for 329 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:37,879 Speaker 1: Latino male, what were you noticing about casting? Yeah, like, 330 00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 1: how are you being viewed? How are you being accepted? Yeah? 331 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: What was your your process? Now we're gonna get into 332 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: the nitty griddy and the reason we've all been waiting for. 333 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 1: Were there, we there, we here, We're following you. So yeah. 334 00:19:53,840 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: So I mean, I will say, when I started with 335 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 1: musical theater, what do we have? We had rent and 336 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:05,720 Speaker 1: we had this Island. Yeah. When I started dream Girls, 337 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: we had rag Time. Um, we had Lion King, west 338 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: Side story, west Side story, right, So I learned early 339 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 1: on in my musical theater slash opera slash regional theater world, 340 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, Cedric, the kids love your little 341 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:25,880 Speaker 1: soulful R and B sound, so work on that. And 342 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,159 Speaker 1: pretty much all through my non union days, my regional 343 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 1: theater days, I played only African American. So I did 344 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,640 Speaker 1: the Smokey Joe's Coming, I did the Five Guys Name, 345 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 1: I was in the Harlem Ensemble in Return Nuna. Okay. 346 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: I think it's because also by the time, there wasn't 347 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: much unless it was west Side. And I will say this, 348 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: I've never been castling west Side other than in high school. 349 00:20:55,320 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 1: I've never in my life being considered for a West 350 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 1: Side story professionally in New York's that I've been here 351 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:02,600 Speaker 1: a minute. And to me, that's crazy because I'm actually 352 00:21:02,640 --> 00:21:06,400 Speaker 1: Puerto Rican and and and my family is actually from 353 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 1: the area where Lincoln Center is currently at. You know, 354 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:13,879 Speaker 1: but I was always looked past or looked over for 355 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,520 Speaker 1: an Italian person or someone that looked fair skin. But 356 00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:19,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna get into listen. You could be Italian too, 357 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 1: and it's great, but it's it's our actual people are 358 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:26,199 Speaker 1: not being represented in that. That's another car we might 359 00:21:26,359 --> 00:21:30,560 Speaker 1: we will, but um so yes. So musical theater Opperland, 360 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:33,159 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna get in 361 00:21:33,440 --> 00:21:37,640 Speaker 1: with this baritone, sultry R and B and I'm gonna 362 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:38,920 Speaker 1: give you a couple of high us a couple of 363 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:42,159 Speaker 1: riffs here and there. So so I knew that already 364 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,080 Speaker 1: with musical theater, and then in the Heights kind of 365 00:21:44,080 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: started happening, and then I was like, oh a Latino 366 00:21:46,119 --> 00:21:49,800 Speaker 1: sho you know, not a next show. And then but 367 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: then with TV film, I first of all, I was 368 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,119 Speaker 1: told to cut my hair, so I hadn't you know, 369 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:57,760 Speaker 1: I had like a curly look. I had kind of 370 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:00,360 Speaker 1: like a mini fro, I was told to top off 371 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 1: my hair, and I believe it was because casting was 372 00:22:03,040 --> 00:22:05,439 Speaker 1: confused not only what to do with me ethnically, but 373 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 1: they felt that if I had a buzz cuts or 374 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,600 Speaker 1: or I had a Baldi, let's say I looked more Latino. 375 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 1: And at that time I was only going in for 376 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 1: these like rough could personas, which is also not in 377 00:22:21,000 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: my essence. At that time with casting, it was only 378 00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:29,119 Speaker 1: what was available as a Latino man was you know, 379 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 1: these very generic mainly violent and um evil bad people. 380 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:39,560 Speaker 1: So that was my experience for a lot of the 381 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:42,200 Speaker 1: beginning of my TV film World I. I was going 382 00:22:42,240 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 1: in a lot of this one show one network, and 383 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: that's fairly popular that people love. I don't know, I don't, 384 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:53,719 Speaker 1: I won't say, but but you know, it's it's one 385 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:56,239 Speaker 1: of these really these hit shows that's been around for 386 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,199 Speaker 1: And the casting director was like, man, I just she 387 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: had tattooed. I wish she had scars because I love you, 388 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:05,640 Speaker 1: but just you know, I don't I'm not believing it. 389 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: And I was like, cool, that was experienced. And then 390 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:12,120 Speaker 1: kind of after having that moment, that kind of stopped, 391 00:23:12,119 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 1: like I think people stopped looking for me or stopped 392 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,560 Speaker 1: asking for me because maybe they were just like, he's 393 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 1: not it. I don't know what happened, but kind of 394 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 1: everything kind of stopped for a while for me. And 395 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: I also changed representation, and so I'll just skip to 396 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 1: from when I started to now. It's such a vast 397 00:23:31,560 --> 00:23:36,919 Speaker 1: difference because especially with this whole like racial reckoning and 398 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:39,880 Speaker 1: moment that we've had and all kinds of communities being 399 00:23:39,920 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: like we're not being represented. I will say that I've 400 00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: auditioned the most of my life. Now I've I've worked 401 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: the most as an artist, and I think it's because 402 00:23:49,400 --> 00:23:52,480 Speaker 1: now they do want to see Alfred Latinos in the screen. 403 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 1: Alfred Latinos are now behind the table as creatives, you know, 404 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,240 Speaker 1: and not only that, you know, as a gay man, 405 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 1: as an openly gay man. Those opportunities are now like 406 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: just flooding in, and that wasn't there when I started. 407 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 1: They didn't want to see black Latinos, they didn't want 408 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: to see LGBTQ stories, or if they did, there was 409 00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 1: only room for two and the A list people in 410 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: Hollywood we're getting, or the A list people in New York. 411 00:24:18,359 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: Because this is something that I went through personally, you know, 412 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:24,040 Speaker 1: after changing representation. I think something that I had realized 413 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: was the person that I was with before was not 414 00:24:26,680 --> 00:24:30,439 Speaker 1: actually portraying me in that light, you know, it was 415 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:33,919 Speaker 1: almost So do you think that's something with representation? I 416 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:37,680 Speaker 1: think in that world, is that something that's changing as well, right, 417 00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:41,680 Speaker 1: so like agents are being forced to look at the reality. Yeah, 418 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:45,560 Speaker 1: I think it's representation, It's it's several things. I think that. 419 00:24:45,880 --> 00:24:50,600 Speaker 1: Um first, I think myself, my own self, love, identity, 420 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,840 Speaker 1: all that kind of just kind of got in sync 421 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,520 Speaker 1: with the moment. I think back then, I didn't really 422 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:59,640 Speaker 1: know what my type was. I didn't really know who 423 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 1: said drink was, and I think I was kind of 424 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,880 Speaker 1: trying to become this thing that I thought the industry 425 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:07,840 Speaker 1: wanted me to be. So there's this reckoning moment for you, right, 426 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 1: there's this moment of hold on, I need to know 427 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,560 Speaker 1: who I am before about here telling people who I 428 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:19,359 Speaker 1: am exactly. Yeah, I tell that to young people. It 429 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 1: takes a moment and time to figure out who you are. 430 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: But once you you you get into the essence of 431 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,840 Speaker 1: who you are, it shows and you work, and it 432 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:30,680 Speaker 1: shows in your auditions, and it shows how you promote 433 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: yourself on social media because that's a big part of 434 00:25:32,800 --> 00:25:35,639 Speaker 1: our industry now and are how we get work and whatever. 435 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 1: I wasn't aware of my blackness as a Latino to 436 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 1: really going into TV film casting like I was like wait, yeah, 437 00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:46,439 Speaker 1: I was like wait, why am I not going I 438 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: kept going in for African American and again, and if 439 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,159 Speaker 1: I was going in for Latino, it was only like 440 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:56,120 Speaker 1: these thugs. You weren't like, you weren't out here like 441 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:01,440 Speaker 1: you know, yeah, and and and it was I really 442 00:26:01,480 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 1: I wasn't aware of that. I wasn't aware of of 443 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,679 Speaker 1: I guess you know. In theater, yes, I was like, 444 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 1: oh you know I can. I can sing soul fully. 445 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 1: I can give you urban an urban sound as well 446 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:16,479 Speaker 1: as an opera. And you were going in for all 447 00:26:16,520 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 1: these black per se Yeah, yeah, exactly. Um, but for real, 448 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,320 Speaker 1: like I think again, TV film casting, I was. I 449 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 1: was made aware of my look. I was made aware 450 00:26:27,760 --> 00:26:30,959 Speaker 1: of my hair texture. I was made more conscious of 451 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: my African features and as to why that might have 452 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,919 Speaker 1: been limiting the opportunities that were given to me to 453 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:46,840 Speaker 1: kind of play to exactly so in so many years 454 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:52,399 Speaker 1: sitting down sitting here and watching non Latino people play 455 00:26:52,640 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: Latino because they had quote unquote the look, these these 456 00:26:56,880 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: Eurocentric features that we're seen as beautiful and as value 457 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:04,920 Speaker 1: and seen as Okay, this is going to make us money, 458 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:07,919 Speaker 1: this is this is what America is ready for. The 459 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,120 Speaker 1: problem is also, you know, in our Latin side as well, 460 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:14,080 Speaker 1: the blackness of who we are, even in the Latin 461 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:17,480 Speaker 1: aspect of things is he didn't really see how the 462 00:27:17,480 --> 00:27:20,960 Speaker 1: blackness was affecting the way people were purturing you were 463 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:24,200 Speaker 1: seeing you until TV film, until that Actually then you 464 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: got to see it clearly. It was a little bit 465 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:28,960 Speaker 1: of that, And then it got to a point in 466 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,640 Speaker 1: musical theater where yes, then people all of a sudden 467 00:27:32,119 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: after in the Heights, all of a sudden, Honestly, before 468 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: in the Heights, I know so many actors that had 469 00:27:38,640 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: Latino last names. There were Smith's and frank and and 470 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:46,000 Speaker 1: and and Henderson, and all of a sudden, all these 471 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:50,240 Speaker 1: people changed their last name to all of a sudden 472 00:27:50,520 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: Latino was in. After that was that it wasn't in 473 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:56,879 Speaker 1: And I'm like, I'm Dominican. They're like, oh, I know 474 00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,919 Speaker 1: what that is. That wasn't it isn't that musical It's 475 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 1: Heights Written by Lin Manuil. Yes, yes, yes, you know, 476 00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 1: the father of all his time, you know, you know, no, no, 477 00:28:08,119 --> 00:28:11,480 Speaker 1: we love um no, we love him. But it's it's 478 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:16,000 Speaker 1: hilarious that the shift that happened also with musical theaters 479 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:18,640 Speaker 1: and then people started writing all these Latino shows, shows 480 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,240 Speaker 1: and and there was a little bit more representation. But 481 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,600 Speaker 1: so along with that moment of of not being casting 482 00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: certain things and going in for the avidas I'm Broadway, 483 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 1: going in for the West Side stories regionally and I'm 484 00:28:29,960 --> 00:28:32,720 Speaker 1: Broadway and all this stuff and not getting casts and 485 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: seeing non Latinos be casting these roles, you know, that 486 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,640 Speaker 1: started messing with my psyche, started messing with like myself value, 487 00:28:40,960 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: and that along with the non quality auditions that I 488 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 1: was getting from TV film, I was like, wait a minute, 489 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 1: this is because I look a certain way. And it's 490 00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 1: also because these worlds aren't don't realize that there are 491 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:57,280 Speaker 1: black Latinos and in every single Latin x Latino Latino 492 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:00,480 Speaker 1: Latin country in this world, like black people exists in 493 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 1: every country and black people speak Spanish. Do you think 494 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 1: the reason for all of this is that there is 495 00:29:05,680 --> 00:29:10,440 Speaker 1: a lack of US Latinos who are our experiences are 496 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 1: going to be different. Do you feel that we're allowing 497 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:17,479 Speaker 1: Latinos to tell our stories in Hollywood and Broadway and 498 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:22,600 Speaker 1: TV and film and all of these aspects, especially with 499 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,320 Speaker 1: what happened recently with the In the Heights movie, all 500 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,200 Speaker 1: those people being called out and Lynn coming out and 501 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:35,240 Speaker 1: apologizing and realizing, you know, the shortcomings. And I think 502 00:29:35,320 --> 00:29:39,360 Speaker 1: that really with that moment, I think Hollywood and especially 503 00:29:39,520 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: theater has really been called out on the lack of 504 00:29:43,480 --> 00:29:48,200 Speaker 1: black and Indigenous representation in these Latin X narratives. I 505 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:53,880 Speaker 1: think people realize, like, oh, this is your experience of 506 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:58,480 Speaker 1: how you see this thing. But hey, let's like broaden 507 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:02,280 Speaker 1: our lens a little bit, and you know, why don't 508 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: we just go to Washington Heights and take a walk 509 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:05,480 Speaker 1: right now? You know what I'm saying. And I think 510 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:07,959 Speaker 1: that's the thing, like being able to being open to 511 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: have that conversation. That's where we make changes together, you know. Yeah. 512 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:17,040 Speaker 1: And it's also because the Afro Latinox community is a 513 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 1: huge movement now of wanting to be seen, you know, 514 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: of wanting these casting, these these writers, these producers to 515 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 1: also include us in these stories. But when casting uh 516 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: a Latin X movie play, whatever, Traditionally, they've they've gone 517 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:39,160 Speaker 1: with people who look like j Lo, Mark Anthony, Ricky Martin, Samahayak, 518 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:41,560 Speaker 1: you know. And that's the way it's been and in 519 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: a weird way, Latinos have all been like, yeah, I'm 520 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:49,760 Speaker 1: okay with that. Isn't that weird? It's so weird? Or 521 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 1: and what it is? It's like not that it's okay, 522 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:55,440 Speaker 1: but it's more of like not realizing it's a product, 523 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 1: that's what it is. It's that's the biggest It's like 524 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 1: these blindfolds that we didn't don't even realize are on us. 525 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: And then we're like, hold on, did I see one 526 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: brown person in this movie, in this Latin film? No, 527 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: I didn't, Like wait a second. That takes time to 528 00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:17,600 Speaker 1: even process. So this movement that's been kind of stirring 529 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 1: and the kettle popped within the heights because people are 530 00:31:20,880 --> 00:31:23,800 Speaker 1: like dah, no more, no more, because it's being led 531 00:31:23,840 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: really by Afro Latin X women really pushing this whole 532 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: thing of like we are here, Where where are we? 533 00:31:30,240 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: Why aren't we in commercials? Why aren't we why aren't 534 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:39,760 Speaker 1: we on Where are the Afro Latin X um news anchors? 535 00:31:40,160 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 1: You know? Where? Where are we in you know, because 536 00:31:42,600 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 1: you go I was just in Mexico a couple of 537 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,440 Speaker 1: months ago. There are no indigenous or black people in 538 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:50,080 Speaker 1: any of the advertisement. When you go to Menico, it's wild. 539 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:53,520 Speaker 1: Is a bunch of European looking people. It's crazy, and 540 00:31:53,560 --> 00:32:09,920 Speaker 1: then you walk out that's the majority of what you see. 541 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 1: There's an obvious increase of visibility that we need to 542 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: um instill and um yeah, and speaking more about that, 543 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:25,080 Speaker 1: I know that you and your partner Um Pierre have 544 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:27,040 Speaker 1: something called amin A Reeken. Can you give us a 545 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 1: little and that's something that you're doing to bring up 546 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:33,320 Speaker 1: the affro Latino experience. Can we hear more about that? 547 00:32:33,480 --> 00:32:38,160 Speaker 1: Domina Reecan? Yeah. So I wrote a poem and Pierre 548 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,400 Speaker 1: wanted to film it, and we filmed this like experimental 549 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: piece literally the week that the pandemic happened, and um 550 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: we shot it on Tuesday and the shutdown happened that 551 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 1: Wednesday or Thursday, and we were kind of in this 552 00:32:52,640 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 1: weird place of what do we do next? And once 553 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:59,280 Speaker 1: we put the film together and started promoting it, um, 554 00:32:59,320 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: there was so much positive feedback and we're like, Okay, 555 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 1: this is a thing, and so out of that other 556 00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 1: projects came and we started a production company UM with 557 00:33:09,880 --> 00:33:12,040 Speaker 1: this idea of we want to tell more Afro Latin 558 00:33:12,160 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: X stories, we want to tell more LGBTQ plus stories, 559 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 1: and we want those stories to be told by us, 560 00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:22,400 Speaker 1: and also wanting to have people of color on both 561 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: sides of the camera. We came into it kind of 562 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: what the experience we've had as actors in New York 563 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,720 Speaker 1: City and seeing how limited the roles that we were 564 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: going in for and and and the quality of the 565 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 1: work we're going in for it, and so UM kind 566 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:38,640 Speaker 1: of starting this production company with the idea of we 567 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:41,800 Speaker 1: want to hire our friends. Are amazing talented friends that 568 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:45,560 Speaker 1: are around us that are mainly POC and queer, and 569 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 1: a bunch of talented women who are not getting opportunities. 570 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:51,320 Speaker 1: How can we bring all this together and start a 571 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: production company and start to create work. And let's create 572 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:58,560 Speaker 1: work that's then going to inspire young people, that's gonna 573 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:01,840 Speaker 1: inspire people to then create their own work, and and 574 00:34:01,920 --> 00:34:05,040 Speaker 1: the whole what's underlying everything is that we just want 575 00:34:05,040 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 1: to We want our images and our stories to be 576 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,640 Speaker 1: out there. We want visibility because we didn't have that 577 00:34:09,719 --> 00:34:11,880 Speaker 1: growing up. I did see people that look like me 578 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:17,520 Speaker 1: growing up as leading men as as UM in romantic 579 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:23,879 Speaker 1: um UM relationships and experiences, you know, and we were 580 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:27,160 Speaker 1: just so hungry to kind of change the narrative and 581 00:34:27,239 --> 00:34:29,560 Speaker 1: kind of in control of that, and we used the 582 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:34,359 Speaker 1: perfect time of having nothing to create something. And so yeah, 583 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,839 Speaker 1: we've filmed about three or four shorts. We want one 584 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 1: of a couple of awards, and UM have been UM 585 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:47,839 Speaker 1: hired to collaborate with other companies to create their own 586 00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:50,400 Speaker 1: work and it's all been kind of this thing where 587 00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:55,160 Speaker 1: we keep telling these Afro Latin X, these queer stories, 588 00:34:55,480 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 1: these stories about women and having that representation as well 589 00:34:59,719 --> 00:35:02,560 Speaker 1: as in in front but also behind the camera. I 590 00:35:02,560 --> 00:35:04,600 Speaker 1: think it's amazing the work that you guys are doing 591 00:35:04,760 --> 00:35:07,319 Speaker 1: and UM, the fact that you were able to lift 592 00:35:07,360 --> 00:35:11,360 Speaker 1: something like this coming from the pandemic when we were struggling, 593 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: and you created an outlet for you know, all people 594 00:35:15,120 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 1: of color and the lgbt K community and such to 595 00:35:19,000 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 1: just connect with something and also provide an outlet. And 596 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:25,920 Speaker 1: I think that that's how we increase this visibility of 597 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 1: our community of lifting each other up. And that's what 598 00:35:29,719 --> 00:35:33,320 Speaker 1: I love about your production company. It's such a beautiful 599 00:35:33,320 --> 00:35:37,839 Speaker 1: example of not just talking the talk, putting the work 600 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:41,359 Speaker 1: up and really lifting everybody else around you as well. Um, 601 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:43,359 Speaker 1: I think that's the that's the goal at the end 602 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:45,759 Speaker 1: of the day, right yeah, and I think in years 603 00:35:45,800 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 1: to come, you know, the the goal is to be 604 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:51,680 Speaker 1: an empire, you know, to be a media empire. And 605 00:35:51,719 --> 00:35:58,440 Speaker 1: where we're really um spearheading these conversations and these stories 606 00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 1: and these narratives that for so long we're being told 607 00:36:01,719 --> 00:36:04,239 Speaker 1: by people outside of these communities. Right, It's about time. 608 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:09,600 Speaker 1: It's about time, and we just you know, what's what's 609 00:36:09,640 --> 00:36:12,640 Speaker 1: motivating us is really want inspired people. We want people 610 00:36:12,680 --> 00:36:15,480 Speaker 1: to see themselves in our work and and see themselves 611 00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:20,120 Speaker 1: as beautiful and invaluable and um and important. Well, I'm 612 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:23,000 Speaker 1: inspired by you guys in your work. How are you 613 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:29,400 Speaker 1: feeling You've had this incredible journey from opera to theater 614 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:34,560 Speaker 1: to TV film to this new world of being your 615 00:36:34,560 --> 00:36:38,200 Speaker 1: own CEO. How are you feeling about the industry as 616 00:36:38,200 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 1: a whole right now? Is it better as a whole 617 00:36:42,120 --> 00:36:45,440 Speaker 1: for everyone? No, there's a lot of work that needs 618 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:47,000 Speaker 1: to happen. I think a lot of people are putting 619 00:36:47,040 --> 00:36:49,120 Speaker 1: a little band needs on everything right now. We're hiring 620 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:52,359 Speaker 1: you know, African Americans misposition in that position, and oh 621 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:55,920 Speaker 1: we'll have seven black plays. I'm probably trying to like 622 00:36:56,280 --> 00:37:00,480 Speaker 1: make it UH look really good visually right now, to 623 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,319 Speaker 1: make it seem like, all, we fixed it, but we 624 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:07,640 Speaker 1: love you guys exactly. So yeah, there's work that needs 625 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:14,040 Speaker 1: to be done. But on an individual personal um no, 626 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 1: I think I'm completely inspired. I've auditioned and they called 627 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 1: in for so many Afro Latin X roles that prior 628 00:37:22,160 --> 00:37:25,520 Speaker 1: to the pandemic never happened in the same same never 629 00:37:25,719 --> 00:37:27,839 Speaker 1: I'm with you. I literally was like the next day 630 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,080 Speaker 1: I woke up all of a sudden people saw me 631 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 1: as Afro Latino finally. Yeah, so I feel like people 632 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: want to tell our stories. I've been in for so 633 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:39,680 Speaker 1: many and have booked so many um lgbt Q plus 634 00:37:39,880 --> 00:37:45,560 Speaker 1: UH roles and campaigns and commercially to like, I booked 635 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:49,920 Speaker 1: so much during and post pandemic, and prior to that, 636 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:52,239 Speaker 1: people we are not interested in me at all, and 637 00:37:52,400 --> 00:37:55,480 Speaker 1: something shifted, and so I'm inspired for people that look 638 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:58,680 Speaker 1: like us. I'm inspired for future young people who are 639 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:00,520 Speaker 1: in college right now. They're going to get out future 640 00:38:00,640 --> 00:38:05,720 Speaker 1: Black Columbians, Black Dominicans just from everywhere, Indigenous, gay, lesbian, trans, 641 00:38:05,840 --> 00:38:09,200 Speaker 1: trans I mean that whole community has i mean leaps 642 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:13,400 Speaker 1: and bounds. And so I'm so inspired and I'm so excited, 643 00:38:14,160 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 1: um because I right now, honestly, I'm overwhelmed with the 644 00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:22,920 Speaker 1: amount of work and auditions that are coming my work, Cedric, Cedric, 645 00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:25,319 Speaker 1: I'm tired, and I'm like, all right, see, y'all just 646 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:30,800 Speaker 1: can't get enough of me now, Okay, okay, Darrel, It's crazy. 647 00:38:31,360 --> 00:38:34,040 Speaker 1: It's I've never been this busy in my life artistically, 648 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:37,799 Speaker 1: creatively ever. And I'm here for. I mean, I'm here 649 00:38:37,840 --> 00:38:39,920 Speaker 1: for I'm feeling the support, I'm feeling the love. But 650 00:38:39,960 --> 00:38:42,799 Speaker 1: I also hear you, Cedric. I'm just hoping that this 651 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:45,560 Speaker 1: is not a fad. I'm hoping that this is something 652 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:50,239 Speaker 1: that sticks. And I cannot wait to continue seeing the 653 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:55,439 Speaker 1: things that you and I do in this industry. And 654 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:59,319 Speaker 1: my dear, if people want to follow you or know 655 00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 1: about the minute weekend, can you let him know this 656 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 1: is your plug time. My handle ct C E D 657 00:39:06,719 --> 00:39:09,920 Speaker 1: D y N y C dominer Waking Productions is at 658 00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:13,600 Speaker 1: the miner rek In Productions. Go to those social media 659 00:39:13,640 --> 00:39:17,840 Speaker 1: handles and and find me find us and and Pierre's 660 00:39:18,000 --> 00:39:20,920 Speaker 1: Pierre Lito to ours p I E R R l 661 00:39:21,000 --> 00:39:23,879 Speaker 1: I t O and he's doing some amazing things. Oh yeah, 662 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:26,040 Speaker 1: we're gonna have to We're gonna have to revisit this 663 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:27,919 Speaker 1: is going to have to be a part to later 664 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:31,439 Speaker 1: on for for you guys, stay tuned. Cedric, my dear, 665 00:39:31,520 --> 00:39:33,799 Speaker 1: thank you so much for spending time with me. It 666 00:39:33,920 --> 00:39:36,360 Speaker 1: is always so good to see you, so good to 667 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:41,680 Speaker 1: hear that you are doing well. Cedric's desire to improve 668 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:46,480 Speaker 1: is always accompanied by commitment and discipline. His patients, talent, 669 00:39:46,600 --> 00:39:50,520 Speaker 1: and perseverance are testimony to the personal and professional growth 670 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:54,960 Speaker 1: that occur when things are done with passion, versatility, being 671 00:39:55,040 --> 00:39:58,480 Speaker 1: open to listening to the universe, and a willingness to 672 00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:02,360 Speaker 1: change our keys to his success in this world be 673 00:40:02,560 --> 00:40:10,440 Speaker 1: Water a Velante. Mon Anita is a production of Sonato 674 00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:14,040 Speaker 1: in partnership with I Heart Radio's Michael Kuda podcast Network. 675 00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:16,960 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the I 676 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:20,319 Speaker 1: heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to 677 00:40:20,360 --> 00:40:21,240 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.