1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:01,840 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, me hint that. I just want to give 2 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: you a heads up. The program you are about to 3 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: hear may have some explicit language, it may not. It 4 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,639 Speaker 1: also depends on where the vibes and the spirit leads us. 5 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 1: Hope you enjoy Welcome to more Anita, a deep dive 6 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: into the Latin X experience. With more Anita, we want 7 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: to create a community and a shared space with you 8 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:29,040 Speaker 1: while sharing knowledge and inspiration. This show is about celebrating 9 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,279 Speaker 1: our culture with guests who exemplify the best of us. 10 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: I'm Darrylene Gastillo, Vito Bueno. Oh yeah, me hinted. Today 11 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: we have an amazing episode. We have the Michael Gastillejosts, 12 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 1: who has graced his presence in TV shows such as FBI, PowerBook, 13 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:57,840 Speaker 1: Bull and Orange Is the New Black, and who most 14 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: recently was in the Tony of Award winning production of 15 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:06,320 Speaker 1: Take Me Out, starring Jesse Williams and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. 16 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: Michael and I met on a gig that we booked 17 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: together be interstitial host on PBSS Rita Moreno's documentary Just 18 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: a Girl who Decided to go for It. After meeting 19 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 1: Michael on set, I was immediately drawn to his story 20 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: that I think so many of us Latina folks will 21 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,920 Speaker 1: relate to. From mathematician to Broadway and his journey in 22 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: this industry is truly inspiring and a leap of faith. Also, 23 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: he taps in on how he handles fatherhood through all 24 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:39,600 Speaker 1: of this. Now, if you were wondering, Michael does dive 25 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,080 Speaker 1: deep on the controversy of taking me out. Now, if 26 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:45,119 Speaker 1: you were living under a rock, there was a huge 27 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 1: controversy around the Tony Award winning show. Now if you 28 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: were living under a rock, there was a huge controversy 29 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: around the Tony Award winning play. There's a shower scene 30 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: and nudity does take place, and though many safety precaution 31 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: were taken, a patron had decided to take a photo 32 00:02:03,400 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: of a very very private moment on stage that then 33 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: leaked out to the entire world. Michael gives us the 34 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: low down of the energy backstage that day and how 35 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: the company moved forward from this public act. Stay tuned 36 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 1: for the juice on this one. I do want to 37 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 1: mention the show made a comeback and is currently running 38 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 1: on Broadway, and I highly recommend you know me, support 39 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: the arts. Something that really spoke to me during this interview, 40 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: was speaking about his relationship with his wife throughout this journey, 41 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: how they as a team have truly made this work. 42 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,080 Speaker 1: We speak about some of the pressures within fatherhood and 43 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: how he balances it all. Michael states parenting is by 44 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,359 Speaker 1: far the most important thing he'll do with his life. 45 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: He shares how having hard conversations with his wife have 46 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,959 Speaker 1: been extremely impactful and helpful. Now Michael's wife is a 47 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,720 Speaker 1: child therapist, which definitely add some balance to this household. 48 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 1: But hearing how invested Michael is as a father really 49 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: is evident as he speaks about parenting. There's so much 50 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,320 Speaker 1: in this episode, you guys, so stay tuned to happen 51 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 1: than beat them. When Michael Castiller host no relation there 52 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:32,200 Speaker 1: by the way, you guys has entered Moranita officially. Um, 53 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: that little joke is from a very incredible gig that 54 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: I got to do with Michael. We were hosts. Yeah, 55 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 1: interstitial host, thank you for the proper language. Um. We 56 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:48,760 Speaker 1: did the thing for PBS for Rita Moreno her documentary 57 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: soue the Queen of All Queens, and we got to 58 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: basically asked people for money. The name of the game. 59 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:00,920 Speaker 1: The name of the game game. Um, and we got 60 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: to do that on PBS. Maybe some of you might 61 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,760 Speaker 1: have seen it, might have seen our faces. Um, and 62 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: I met him and he was currently doing the incredible 63 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: play called Take Me Out on Broadway, right, which then 64 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: also shortly a few weeks later one a Tony that 65 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,039 Speaker 1: I got to give the trophy for because I was 66 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: working Tony's and let's be let's be real, I did 67 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:31,600 Speaker 1: I get you in trouble or not? Absolutely hugged you 68 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: on stage, and I think one of your castmates was like, 69 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: can I get a hug too, I'm like, of course, congratulations. Um. 70 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 1: First off, what an honor to be your friend and 71 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: also hand the Tony over. I mean, your squad was 72 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: deep on stage. If anybody ever goes back to watch 73 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: the Tony's, Um, there was so much crazy energy about 74 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: the play because of the controversy of course as well. Actually, 75 00:04:57,680 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: why don't you dive in a little bit about that, 76 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 1: because the play itself was incredible, But I mean, obviously 77 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:07,360 Speaker 1: the controversy brought this crazy. You know, I don't think 78 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: it's a spoiler at this point to say that the 79 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 1: majority of the cast appears naked in the show. We 80 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: had discussions early on about how we would keep each 81 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 1: other safe, how we would control our privacy, and second 82 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: stage Dater, I'll give him a lot of credit. They 83 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 1: had this system where they when when audience members would 84 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:28,640 Speaker 1: come in, they would put their phone in a bag 85 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: and it would be locked and everybody had to lock 86 00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: their phones. And you know, for the most part, it 87 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:38,720 Speaker 1: worked until it didn't. And then one day, you know, 88 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: every news outlet from TMZ to the New York Post 89 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: to The Times, everyone had this image and images of 90 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: one of the shower scenes from the show. And of 91 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: course for those of us in the show, the first 92 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,039 Speaker 1: thing we did was like, am I in the video? 93 00:05:53,160 --> 00:05:59,159 Speaker 1: Oh no, you know, and uh it was actually just uh, 94 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 1: just two of the guys, namely Jesse Williams Lots to 95 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 1: be real, that's who they were really after um, and uh, 96 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: you know, it was a weird day, I have to say, 97 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 1: because we all knew it could happen, and you're sort 98 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: of each day you're sort of saying, I'm willingly getting 99 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,160 Speaker 1: naked for the you know, seven eight hundred thousand people 100 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: that are in this room, but that's really all I 101 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 1: wanted to be And and then you know, then it 102 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: went kind of global and as these things do nowadays. Um, 103 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:32,839 Speaker 1: so yeah, the show had a lot of buzz and actually, 104 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,520 Speaker 1: you know what, it came out the day then Tony 105 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:38,200 Speaker 1: nominations came out, so there was also this kind of 106 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:43,680 Speaker 1: like was this intentional? Was this a move Jesse, you know, 107 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: like all of that, which, of course, um, he didn't 108 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: want to joke about, so we didn't joke. Um to 109 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: his face. No, I didn't know I was gonna was 110 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,279 Speaker 1: there like a sense of like seriousness that just kind 111 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:03,840 Speaker 1: of showered over no pun intended, Yeah, showered over the 112 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:08,480 Speaker 1: theater after this video was leaked, Like I can't even imagine. 113 00:07:08,880 --> 00:07:10,680 Speaker 1: It was such a weird It was such a weird 114 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: week anyway, because um, you know, Jesse Tyler Ferguson was 115 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: nominated for Tony as well as in the same category 116 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 1: as Jesse Williams, and also the lesser known but incredibly 117 00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:25,520 Speaker 1: talented Michael Oberholtzer was also nominated, So there was also 118 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: this dynamic of like, we're all comrades, were all friends, 119 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 1: it's a very friendly cast, but then these three are 120 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:35,040 Speaker 1: all competing for the same Tony, So it was already 121 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:37,960 Speaker 1: kind of weird, and then Jesse Tyler Ferguson got COVID 122 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: that week, so it was it was just all like 123 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,640 Speaker 1: everyone's like, who is everybody? And you know, it's a 124 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:46,960 Speaker 1: known thing in the Broadway industry. Tony Week is always 125 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: like the nomination we It's always a weird week in 126 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: the theater, in the space. I think everybody has experienced 127 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: some of that, and I've heard that multiple times. UM, okay, great, 128 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: take me out. You did the thing the CONTI prest 129 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: you guys wanted Tony. It happened. I already spoke about 130 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: your incredible um TV appearances from New Amsterdam to FBI 131 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: to Power Book to Bowl to arms Black. Tell us 132 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: how this started for you? You know, it's so funny, 133 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: it's it's not a likely story. UM My my parents, 134 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 1: So my parents are from Mexico. UM. They immigrated over 135 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:31,440 Speaker 1: um in and around my childhood. So UM for the 136 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 1: early parts of my my story, they were undocumented. And 137 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: I think a lot of folks in this community know 138 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 1: what that means, you know, And you know, I think 139 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 1: it was as likely as not that we would have 140 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 1: ended up back in Mexico. That obviously would have been 141 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,160 Speaker 1: a very different trajectory. And it's interesting because I have 142 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 1: a lot of cousins. I have a cousin who's who 143 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: does musical theater, UM, who wishes she was here doing 144 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: this um. And we have conversations from i'm the time 145 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,839 Speaker 1: about um just how things outside of either of our 146 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: control led us to where we are now. And she's 147 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: doing great, She's doing really, really beautiful work in Central America. 148 00:09:10,960 --> 00:09:15,719 Speaker 1: But UM, yeah, you know, I honestly never thought my 149 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: first thing on Broadway would be, uh, a play. I'm 150 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: a singer first and foremost a musician, and I thought 151 00:09:23,000 --> 00:09:24,680 Speaker 1: for sure it would be one of the millions of 152 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: things I had auditioned for over the years, and UM, 153 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:32,599 Speaker 1: you know, life has a funny way, right this play 154 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:34,959 Speaker 1: When I first read it, I mean, it was one 155 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: that I had known from when it would first happen 156 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: a couple of decades ago. I told my wife, like, 157 00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: this play is incredible. I have to do this play, 158 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:48,000 Speaker 1: and um, it's a journey that included, I have to say, 159 00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: for those those listening to her actors, UM, it included 160 00:09:51,040 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: an audition where I took my socks and shoes off 161 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 1: and threw them at the reader. And so I have 162 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: to say that to it was definitely something where I 163 00:10:01,760 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: was like so frustrated with my career and not getting 164 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 1: the parts that I wanted that I said, this audition, 165 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 1: I'm going all the way. I'm going to make the 166 00:10:10,280 --> 00:10:14,959 Speaker 1: crazy choice that I normally talk myself out of. And 167 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 1: so there's a scene where I get into a fight 168 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 1: in the locker room and I thought, they, I know 169 00:10:19,920 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 1: that I'm supposed to show them in this audition that 170 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,080 Speaker 1: I'm willing to get naked and that I'm crazy, So 171 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 1: why not just take my socks and shoes off and 172 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:29,720 Speaker 1: throw them? And I did, and I got the part 173 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:37,839 Speaker 1: um but yeah, socks and shoes throw them at the uh, 174 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure After I did that, the director, Scott 175 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: Ellis was like get out of here, you know, but 176 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:45,040 Speaker 1: like it was like in a good way, and I 177 00:10:45,040 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: was like, I called my wife. I was like, hey, 178 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,360 Speaker 1: I think I might actually get this one. You do 179 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 1: something like that and you take a chance and you 180 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:55,240 Speaker 1: book it. It was my parents like wedding anniversary the 181 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,920 Speaker 1: weekend of final callbacks. We had booked a trip to 182 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 1: surprise them, to to like make this whole big deal 183 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: to celebrate their anniversary, and of course that was when 184 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: Final callbacks would taking me out happened, and so I 185 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 1: had to change my flight and blah blah blah and 186 00:11:11,679 --> 00:11:13,960 Speaker 1: fly back. And I was like, it's like, it's like 187 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: the golden rule, right, Do you want to book a job, 188 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: book a vacation first, and that's when you'll exactly, that's 189 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: when they're going to need you. That's when actually the 190 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:35,319 Speaker 1: gig it might even be starting. Yeah, exactly. So I 191 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,920 Speaker 1: want to touch based back on your roots and beginning here, 192 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:40,959 Speaker 1: it wasn't something that was always supported by your parents. 193 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: Was that always something that was embedded in you from 194 00:11:43,280 --> 00:11:45,480 Speaker 1: a young age or was it something that just grew 195 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: later on, you know, amazingly and to their credit, yes, 196 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:52,679 Speaker 1: you know. I I'm just trying to think back through. 197 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,400 Speaker 1: Was there ever a time where they were like, hey, 198 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: you need to get serious? And I don't think there 199 00:11:57,559 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: really ever was. You know, like, my dad was a 200 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: mechanic and he, you know, just well that's the only 201 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:08,520 Speaker 1: job you can get when you're you know, a teenager, 202 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 1: twenty year old undocumented. I've asked him sometimes like what 203 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 1: did you want to be? Dad? And I think he 204 00:12:13,960 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 1: was like, I don't know, I've ever had that opportunity 205 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 1: to think in those terms. And I think a lot 206 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: of children of immigrants and immigrants themselves than what they 207 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: get is hey, kid, I came up the hard way, 208 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:27,880 Speaker 1: so you need to be serious. Gobi a doctor, go 209 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,560 Speaker 1: be a lawyer, you know all that. But my parents 210 00:12:30,559 --> 00:12:34,800 Speaker 1: were always like, follow your heart. I mean to this day, 211 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:39,000 Speaker 1: like my mom gives me the not the toughest feedback, 212 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:42,319 Speaker 1: but the strongest feedback where she's like, if she sees 213 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:45,040 Speaker 1: me seeing something or do something, she's like, she still 214 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: calls me Mikey. Sometimes she'd be like, Mikey, do it 215 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: from your heart. You know, they appreciate it more because 216 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: of their struggle, Like we had to endure so many 217 00:12:56,920 --> 00:12:58,880 Speaker 1: things to come to this country and stay in this 218 00:12:59,000 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 1: country and give you the life that you've had so 219 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: that you can be free to follow your love. And 220 00:13:05,960 --> 00:13:08,839 Speaker 1: when I first moved to New York, as many actors do, 221 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:12,720 Speaker 1: it was tough times. There were times and I was like, where, 222 00:13:12,760 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: you know, how am I going to eat? You know, 223 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: and and they were they were there for me when 224 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:19,240 Speaker 1: that happened. They would come and visit. My mom would 225 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:23,040 Speaker 1: cook a bunch of food, you know, so um, yeah, 226 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 1: it's it's it's something. Though at the same time, I 227 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:28,760 Speaker 1: feel like, um, maybe it's a cliche to say this, 228 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:32,120 Speaker 1: but I feel like what they gave me and my 229 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,840 Speaker 1: siblings was this the sense of a work ethic, the 230 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: sense of like, we may not have the resources that 231 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,680 Speaker 1: everybody else has, but we're gonna work twice as hard. 232 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:44,280 Speaker 1: The life of the theater takes a lot of work, 233 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:46,320 Speaker 1: takes a lot of dedication. There's not a lot of 234 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: easy days, even when it's going well. You know, h 235 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 1: shows a week is a grind, you know. So, yeah, 236 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:56,880 Speaker 1: I give a lot of credit to my parents, something 237 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,679 Speaker 1: that I'm reminded of every time when I speak to 238 00:13:59,720 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: some of about this or hear what you just mentioned. 239 00:14:02,120 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: But it's like this privilege that you and I were given, 240 00:14:06,480 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: coming from immigrant parents, of even being able to think, oh, 241 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 1: I would like to do this, where you know, our 242 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: parents had to go through the moments of I don't 243 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 1: have the privilege of asking myself that I have to 244 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:28,440 Speaker 1: do this to provide or right to or put food 245 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: on the table and to keep this roof over our heads, 246 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 1: so that one day you and I can have that 247 00:14:35,480 --> 00:14:39,480 Speaker 1: opportunity to say I want to be an actor, I 248 00:14:39,560 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: want to be an artist, I want to whatever it 249 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: is I want to be a doctor. I want to 250 00:14:43,360 --> 00:14:46,360 Speaker 1: be a lawyer, to have that that privilege. It's just 251 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: something special. It's heartbreaking, and it's it's it's so much 252 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 1: in there. Yeah, you know, I'll never forget, like there 253 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: are hard days as an actor. You know, I have 254 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:58,160 Speaker 1: two kids, and maybe we'll talk about that at some point, 255 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:00,440 Speaker 1: but like, there are hard days in making all these 256 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 1: things work, and I'll never forget. Though. When I was 257 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: a kid, I have distinct memories of we still lived 258 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 1: in Mexico at this point, but we lived near the 259 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 1: border and my parents would get up, I mean it 260 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: had to have been three or four in the morning 261 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 1: to get us ready for school, drive us to the 262 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: border cross and they put us into schools on the 263 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 1: U S side. And yeah, I mean it was it 264 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: was something that there were easier roads for them to go. 265 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:33,480 Speaker 1: But I think they could see into the future, to 266 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: see into I give them a lot of credit to 267 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 1: to where myself and my siblings are in our lives 268 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: and with our families, and they were like, it's worth 269 00:15:42,040 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 1: this sacrifice. And like you said, it's so true of 270 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:50,480 Speaker 1: the generation after the immigrant generation. That's like, man, I 271 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:52,520 Speaker 1: don't have to think about any of that. I just 272 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: I just got given such a head start, and you 273 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: never want to take it for granted, right right, right, 274 00:15:57,960 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: So then when you're at these high moments, you really 275 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: are just soaking it all in. And that's what I 276 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 1: appreciate about you, especially when we were just like on 277 00:16:04,080 --> 00:16:06,880 Speaker 1: this one day gig together. There was just such like 278 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: a deep appreciation to what you do. And I always 279 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,080 Speaker 1: admire that when I see that in fellow actors, because 280 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 1: we see a lot of different kinds of people industry, yes, 281 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: but also to be able to see that in a 282 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: fellow Latina actor who understood that and got that, I mean, 283 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 1: we immediately bonded over that lingo right when we met. 284 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 1: Um just to lock it all in. You were born 285 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:32,360 Speaker 1: where and you grew up? I'm curious about all the 286 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 1: pieces there at the puzzle. So I was. I was 287 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 1: born in Texas, in a little town, not that little anymore, Odessa, 288 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: And then we moved back to Mexico when I was 289 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:47,760 Speaker 1: really little, and then I think when I was too 290 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: we moved back full time to the States, but we 291 00:16:49,960 --> 00:16:52,640 Speaker 1: were kind of we lived pretty near the border, so 292 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: we would go back and forth in Huettas, Mexico, and 293 00:16:56,000 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: acting was always a thing. You were always like doing it. 294 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: You were just always a performer. Both of my parents 295 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,040 Speaker 1: and famis are very big, and we had like the 296 00:17:05,160 --> 00:17:09,000 Speaker 1: prototypical like big family gatherings, right, And a lot of 297 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:12,959 Speaker 1: people were musicians, a lot of people were theatrical, good storytellers, 298 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: and I think I just learned from an early age 299 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: you've got to command the room. And so my parents 300 00:17:19,000 --> 00:17:21,399 Speaker 1: would talk about that typical thing where I would like 301 00:17:21,800 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: walk in and say something funny and everyone would start laughing, 302 00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 1: and then I would cry because I thought everyone was 303 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 1: laughing at me. Um, And you know, and and so 304 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:33,760 Speaker 1: it kind of grew from there too. In school, doing 305 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 1: singing in the chorus, you know, doing the little school 306 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:40,120 Speaker 1: play things. Um. You know what was actually really formative 307 00:17:40,520 --> 00:17:44,200 Speaker 1: the national tour of Joseph and the amazing Technicolor Dreamcoad 308 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,760 Speaker 1: came through. We were living in Dallas at that point, 309 00:17:48,240 --> 00:17:50,760 Speaker 1: and I got a role as one of the kids, 310 00:17:51,440 --> 00:17:54,359 Speaker 1: and I would have been like seventh grade. And it 311 00:17:54,440 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 1: was that I'm sure you've had that shift where it 312 00:17:56,960 --> 00:18:00,399 Speaker 1: was like going from watching theater two being in the 313 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 1: show and realizing, oh, this is doable, I can do this. 314 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 1: It was actually very heartbreaking because I know, I was 315 00:18:08,160 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: like I was working out on like a production contract 316 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 1: like Broadway, you know, the national Tour, and then I 317 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:15,640 Speaker 1: was like, I gotta go back to being a kid. 318 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: And there's not a lot of like kid parts in Dallas, Texas. Um, 319 00:18:20,560 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: but you know what, I'm stuck with it. Yeah. Again, 320 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: it's that immigrant mentality of like, you can't kill me. 321 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:29,439 Speaker 1: You know, I'll tell you, I'll tell you kill me. 322 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: You can't kill me. You know, I'm gonna work hard 323 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,880 Speaker 1: and stick with it and won't quit. Um. And then 324 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: that brings you to New York City. So when I 325 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: first came to New York, I was actually a math teacher. Okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. 326 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: Well it's so funny because so most people know about 327 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,639 Speaker 1: Teach for America, which is this program where you know, 328 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:54,640 Speaker 1: they hire you to teach in unders well, New York 329 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 1: City used to have a program of its own called 330 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 1: the Teaching Fellows, and they would pay you a bonus 331 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: to move to New York to teach math. So I 332 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: applied and got in and they gave me five thousand 333 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: dollars to move to New York. On the other end 334 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:13,120 Speaker 1: of that, I had to actually teach. I was supposed 335 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:16,600 Speaker 1: to teach for two years and I taught for one 336 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 1: and somewhere in there, um, my wife just kind of 337 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,040 Speaker 1: looked at me and said, you're dying. You're not on 338 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: earth to be a math teacher. At first, I was like, 339 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,920 Speaker 1: but they're paying for a master's degree in math education. 340 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,479 Speaker 1: It was completely free, and something inside me that like 341 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: immigrant work ethic, was like, you don't turn away a 342 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: free master's And I give my wife credit for being like, hey, 343 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: but it's killing you. And you know that you're supposed 344 00:19:45,359 --> 00:19:49,800 Speaker 1: to be on stage. So I quit. I quit, and 345 00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 1: I had nothing, absolutely nothing lined up. I mean I 346 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 1: didn't have my equity card. I Uh, nobody knew who 347 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:01,719 Speaker 1: I was. I did know who anybody was or how 348 00:20:01,760 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 1: anything worked. All I knew is that my mom thought 349 00:20:05,000 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: I had a good voice. And yeah, I mean I 350 00:20:07,560 --> 00:20:10,240 Speaker 1: went to school. I went to school to sing um. 351 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:14,080 Speaker 1: But it was like more classical stuff, you know, and um, 352 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:18,320 Speaker 1: it was not It was not likely that I'd still 353 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 1: be here for sure. And then what was everything that 354 00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 1: put it into gear for you? What was the liquid 355 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 1: that just lighted the fire? What was that? Because it 356 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: seems like from that moment to where you are now. 357 00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:37,200 Speaker 1: I mean, there's so much that's filled that. Yeah, that's 358 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:43,360 Speaker 1: a really good question. Um, Honestly, I feel like I've 359 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: I've gotten so lucky with friends, like working with people 360 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 1: who then are like, hey, you're good, Um, come be 361 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 1: in this thing. Everybody's journey is so different and you 362 00:20:54,480 --> 00:20:57,760 Speaker 1: can't you can't, like you know, I don't care how 363 00:20:57,800 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 1: many like actor workshops you take or whatever. Your journey 364 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 1: is just going to be different. And so like for me, 365 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: it was I got my first agent because a friend 366 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 1: was like, Hey, I'm auditioning for this agent. Will you 367 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: be my scene partner? And so I did, and the 368 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 1: agent was like I don't want that one. I want 369 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:21,080 Speaker 1: you and we're not spoken to her since so yeah, 370 00:21:21,119 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: but um, you know, and then uh, from that, I 371 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: got this really cool showcase with the NBC Diversity Showcase, 372 00:21:29,040 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: which I highly recommend for all the actors out there. Showcase. Yeah, 373 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: and it's cool because that really was for me like 374 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:40,200 Speaker 1: an introduction because they you know, you do the showcase 375 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 1: and then they bring in the executives at NBC obviously 376 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,600 Speaker 1: who you get to know, but then they're all of 377 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,080 Speaker 1: the casting directors in New York will go to that. 378 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: That was like my first, um, eye opening moment to say, oh, 379 00:21:54,880 --> 00:21:57,320 Speaker 1: at some level, this is still like a relationship business 380 00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:59,080 Speaker 1: and I have to know these people and become known 381 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: by these people. I didn't realize how little I knew 382 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:05,760 Speaker 1: and how decisions really got made and who made those decisions, 383 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: and that there have been key moments in my career 384 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,920 Speaker 1: where I've been like, oh, I've been knocking on this door, 385 00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 1: but actually the door that matters is this door, or 386 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 1: the person that matters is this door, And everybody in 387 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:20,199 Speaker 1: New York will tell you that they matter. But I 388 00:22:20,240 --> 00:22:24,400 Speaker 1: started to realize this is more how this really works. Um. 389 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 1: So that was helpful and UH ended up getting a 390 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: manager from that, and um, you know, and then and 391 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 1: then it like it it's it sounds so like compressed 392 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 1: when you say all these things are like different things 393 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: that I've done, but it's it's been stretched out over time, 394 00:22:39,119 --> 00:22:43,000 Speaker 1: and there's lots of like commercials and hosting jobs, and 395 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 1: I mean literally, Darylyn, there is nothing that I have 396 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:52,399 Speaker 1: not done. I mean from like, um, I've I've modeled, 397 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: I've I've done voiceover stuff for video games. Like I 398 00:22:58,400 --> 00:22:59,879 Speaker 1: like to say, I'm a new York actor. I'm like, 399 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: I don't say no really, so like people like do 400 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 1: do theater? Do do TV? I'm like, I don't know. 401 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: Does it help with food on the table? Yeah, but 402 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: you have to have that mentality to It's like that's 403 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: the one thing that I completely agree with you on 404 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,760 Speaker 1: that I mean in this industry. Yeah, there's okay, we 405 00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:19,439 Speaker 1: talk about mental health and like what to say no 406 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,159 Speaker 1: to and like things like that. Yes, but like in 407 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:26,200 Speaker 1: this industry there is that mentality. Especially when I completely 408 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,479 Speaker 1: get the New York actor thing. It's like, yeah, what 409 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: you want me to skate on my head? Like I 410 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:33,119 Speaker 1: don't know if I can do it, but like do 411 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:34,760 Speaker 1: you have skates? Like let me figure it out. Let's 412 00:23:34,800 --> 00:23:36,399 Speaker 1: let's give it a you know what I mean, Like, 413 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 1: let's let's see what we can do. Let's see how 414 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: we can make this work. I one of my things 415 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: is I play a lot of different instruments, but there's 416 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:45,920 Speaker 1: plenty of that. I don't play um, but people will 417 00:23:45,960 --> 00:23:48,639 Speaker 1: be like, hey, I see that you play you know, 418 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: um banjo. We actually needed a tuba player, am U. 419 00:23:56,359 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: When's your show? Okay? Yeah, I could give you give 420 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,879 Speaker 1: me some time, um which honestly is funny is something 421 00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 1: of a Mexican stereotype. Um, not necessarily in the music world, 422 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: but like this idea of like all my uncles are like, 423 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: what do you need? You need an electrician? Yeah, I 424 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,879 Speaker 1: can do that. You need a roofer, Yeah, my cousin 425 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 1: does that. Meanwhile, no one does any of them. And 426 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:25,720 Speaker 1: they're like, well learn, well, learn totally. You just you 427 00:24:25,720 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: will teach us. Yeah, we'll figure it out. We got that. 428 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:36,919 Speaker 1: Who Yeah, it's so funny. But also in listening to 429 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,720 Speaker 1: your story, something that really is a highlight for me, 430 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: and something that really stands out is that it seems 431 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:48,879 Speaker 1: like when you came in and realizing like, oh I 432 00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: need to talk to that person not that person, or 433 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: like I need to shift my folks. Like it's a 434 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 1: very important thing that I think a lot of actors forget. 435 00:24:56,560 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: It's the mentality of reminding yourself that, oh, are all 436 00:25:00,359 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: this is a business. Everybody loves the arts and the 437 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 1: creativity of it. But if you don't have that business 438 00:25:06,200 --> 00:25:09,880 Speaker 1: savvy side to you, if you don't have that ability 439 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:13,080 Speaker 1: to view through that lens of also the business lens, 440 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 1: then it gets tricky. It gets it can get harder 441 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,119 Speaker 1: and it can get tricky one like you were saying, 442 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 1: like knowing your boundaries and what to say no to. 443 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: I feel like now I'm at a place where the 444 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,159 Speaker 1: stuff I say no to is when I talk to 445 00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:30,919 Speaker 1: someone and it's clear you you don't have it quite straight. 446 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:33,760 Speaker 1: When people have confused like the passion and the money 447 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,720 Speaker 1: side of things and so like, especially in the theater world, 448 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:38,679 Speaker 1: where people are like, hey, can you come give us 449 00:25:38,720 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: like six months of your life, you know, a bag 450 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 1: a bag of peanuts and a water bottle. You're like, hmmmm, well, 451 00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 1: let's think about that. Um, It's not like they make 452 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: this easy. You know. It's like a lot of the 453 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: information is buying closed doors or it's like you know, 454 00:25:57,119 --> 00:25:59,840 Speaker 1: I'm sure in your journey and theater you're like, you know, 455 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: once you get in the room with I mean, the 456 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 1: amazing people that you've been in the room with, they're 457 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,040 Speaker 1: all nice. It's not like they're like hate actors and 458 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:08,919 Speaker 1: they're trying to keep you out. It's just there's a 459 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:10,960 Speaker 1: lot of actors and they have to have like they 460 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:12,720 Speaker 1: have to make it a little bit opaque how the 461 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:17,439 Speaker 1: thing works. But then once you're in the room, they're like, hey, Darylin. Yeah, great, 462 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:21,439 Speaker 1: like do your thing absolutely. I have to say, I 463 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:23,600 Speaker 1: listen to your show. I'm a fan and I love 464 00:26:23,920 --> 00:26:25,639 Speaker 1: I don't know which episode it was where you were 465 00:26:25,680 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: talking about um working with a music director from uh 466 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:32,919 Speaker 1: I think it was from Hamilton's maybe, and they were like, 467 00:26:33,200 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 1: we hired you to be you yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, No, 468 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:41,879 Speaker 1: I go deep in the catalog. Um. But I I 469 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:43,920 Speaker 1: say that to say, I think it's like that where 470 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: it's like the walls are up in this industry until 471 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:51,080 Speaker 1: they're down and then it's like, yeah, be you. Like like, 472 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:52,439 Speaker 1: I can't tell you how many times I've been on 473 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 1: a TV set and they're like, you talk to the 474 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: director thinking you're going to get some feedback and like 475 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:59,639 Speaker 1: just what do you think do do what you think, Michael, 476 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: what you think the character wants there? And you're like, yeah, 477 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:10,040 Speaker 1: sure sure, let me just grab my notes real quick. Um. Yeah. 478 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 1: I think it's always like a yeah, And it's easy 479 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: to forget that when you're in the flow, in the hustle, 480 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:17,959 Speaker 1: in the bustle just trying to like you know, you're 481 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:19,919 Speaker 1: getting yourself tapes a week and you're trying to do 482 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,200 Speaker 1: the thing and not overthink it, and of course, naturally, 483 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:25,879 Speaker 1: I don't know about you. I overthink it, um, and 484 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:27,119 Speaker 1: then you get in the room, and you got in 485 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:29,479 Speaker 1: the room and you're like still overthinking it. And then 486 00:27:29,520 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: they're like, hey, we're just people, Like we're just here 487 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 1: to do the thing. Yeah. I'm fascinated with you, especially 488 00:27:47,119 --> 00:27:50,159 Speaker 1: like you being a father of two and holding it 489 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:52,560 Speaker 1: down in this industry. And I believe your wife used 490 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:55,600 Speaker 1: to be in the industry as well. She was an artist, 491 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 1: she was a dancer. Yeah, she's a therapist now thankfully 492 00:27:59,320 --> 00:28:02,359 Speaker 1: kick ass there from the last time we talked about 493 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:08,720 Speaker 1: I'm so, how how do you do it? I'm sure 494 00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: having a therapist in the house helps? Well? She she 495 00:28:12,720 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 1: she's a children's therapist, so she is the rock. How 496 00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: do you handle the weight on your end and the pressures? 497 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:22,080 Speaker 1: And I'm sure the men who are listening to this 498 00:28:22,480 --> 00:28:26,840 Speaker 1: maybe can relate to some of that pressure. Well, listen. 499 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 1: I think parenting is by far the most important thing 500 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:35,400 Speaker 1: I'll do with my life. It's by far the most 501 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: impactful and the thing that I'll be most proud of. 502 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,760 Speaker 1: I think, um, no matter what happens in my career, 503 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 1: and I think that my wife and I had. We 504 00:28:48,200 --> 00:28:52,000 Speaker 1: had some some hard conversations when our oldest who's now five, 505 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:55,040 Speaker 1: when she was one, we were broke. I couldn't get hired, 506 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 1: like not just not acting. You know, when you act 507 00:28:58,280 --> 00:28:59,720 Speaker 1: for a while and then you'd like try to get 508 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: a jobbit like Trader Joe's. They're like, wait, what do 509 00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 1: you mean. You haven't had a real job in ten years. 510 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:06,160 Speaker 1: You're like, I don't know, I've just been acting, and 511 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:07,600 Speaker 1: they're like, no, I don't know. We don't want to 512 00:29:07,640 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 1: hire you. But you know, I had a little baby, 513 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: and so we were thinking we might have to leave 514 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: the city and I was gonna do something else, and 515 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:19,840 Speaker 1: we decided to stick it out. And part of that 516 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:23,640 Speaker 1: was what one of the things that we wanted to 517 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: give our kids was this sense of we are going 518 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:34,760 Speaker 1: after the things that make us come alive as people. 519 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: And my one of the things my wife says to 520 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: her clients and therapy is the best thing you can 521 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: do for your kids is to be okay yourself. That's 522 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: what they need from you more than anything, because more 523 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,000 Speaker 1: than anything you say or do, they need you to 524 00:29:52,040 --> 00:29:53,920 Speaker 1: be okay. That that idea of like putting your mask 525 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,760 Speaker 1: on first. So sorry that in the like plane thing 526 00:29:57,800 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 1: when they're like, hey, ladies and gentlemen, if this, put 527 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:02,240 Speaker 1: your mask on first, and then help your kid. And 528 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: that's the same is true in parenting. Um, and so 529 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:09,680 Speaker 1: most recently and to take me out experience, UM, you know, 530 00:30:09,760 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: I was gone for most nights and and missed bedtime 531 00:30:13,520 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 1: and all of that, and that came as a loss 532 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: to my kids in a certain sense. But by the 533 00:30:20,840 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: flip side, they got so into Broadway and so into 534 00:30:26,920 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: like the Tony's. My daughter, we took her to the 535 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:33,040 Speaker 1: Central Park Zoo one day, and this was before we 536 00:30:33,040 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 1: were nominated for the Tony We're walking up Fifth Avenue 537 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: and she looks at the Alexander McQueen store and she 538 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 1: sees this ten thousand dollar dress. She's like, Data, that's 539 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:46,520 Speaker 1: what I'm gonna wear to the Tony's. And I was like, 540 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: it hadn't even been announced that the Tonies we're gonna happen. 541 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,120 Speaker 1: We don't know if we're gonna get nominated, and I 542 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 1: don't know if I'm gonna go. And she's like, oh, no, Data, 543 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,640 Speaker 1: that's what I'm gonna wear. And I was like, this 544 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:00,560 Speaker 1: is beautiful, Like this is our process. This is our story. 545 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: And you know when we actually did get nominated and 546 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 1: one she didn't get to go, but she was so excited. 547 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: And um, actually yesterday I'm playing in the Broadway Softball 548 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: League for take Me Out. Yeah, of course, come on, 549 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:15,760 Speaker 1: come on, take me out of the Baseball Show. We 550 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 1: had to uh we we lost to a Laddin yesterday. 551 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: I'm sad to report, but but but you know what, 552 00:31:23,760 --> 00:31:29,000 Speaker 1: like it was so much fun to take her and 553 00:31:29,040 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 1: my son and they were just like sitting in the 554 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:32,720 Speaker 1: bleachers and I was like, what what a gift in 555 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:37,280 Speaker 1: their childhood. They're just sitting around with like in Middle 556 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 1: Central Park watching the softball game, and like everyone's doting 557 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: on them. Um. I give the theater community a lot 558 00:31:44,560 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 1: of credit. They love kids, and it's you know, every 559 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 1: time I bring them around, Um, it's been special. And 560 00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 1: even in the cast, Um, Jesse Tyler has a kid 561 00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:59,200 Speaker 1: and he's gonna about to have another one. Him and 562 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 1: his partner and a bunch of the guys have young children. 563 00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: So it's like, you know, the show about like whatever, 564 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:06,719 Speaker 1: and and we're all most of us would just sit 565 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: around the dressing room and talk about our kids and like, hey, 566 00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,200 Speaker 1: do you have you tried this new baby food or 567 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:13,560 Speaker 1: have you tried to say that? So it's also fun 568 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 1: because it's very humanizing. Now you guys have it the 569 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: locker room talk, take me out, the cast to take 570 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:22,680 Speaker 1: me out? No, I think it's so heartwarming to see 571 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:27,080 Speaker 1: the kids getting invested and involved, and when you know, 572 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 1: now you've got to get ready to buy this ten 573 00:32:29,240 --> 00:32:36,800 Speaker 1: dollar Alexander daughter sounds like you have your hands full. Oh, 574 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 1: she knows what she wants, that's for sure. Um, Michael, 575 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:44,360 Speaker 1: I know there's probably, like I mean, after you're in 576 00:32:44,400 --> 00:32:48,560 Speaker 1: a Tony Award winning play, what is I hate when 577 00:32:48,600 --> 00:32:50,240 Speaker 1: people ask me this question? And I can see it 578 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:54,200 Speaker 1: in your face, But yeah, what is the future holding 579 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 1: for you? And I asked that with complete openness because 580 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,880 Speaker 1: I know how heavy that question can be after giving 581 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 1: yourself for so much time to such this project like 582 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:05,479 Speaker 1: take me out. Um. A lot of times I think 583 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:08,479 Speaker 1: when people ask that question, they don't realize there's so 584 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 1: much that you've just given yourself to this project. But um, 585 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: how are you spending your time now after the win 586 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:18,000 Speaker 1: and the projects that you're focusing on and the rooms 587 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 1: that you want to be a part of. Well, I'll 588 00:33:20,440 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: tell you. The thing I'm most excited about is we 589 00:33:22,920 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: are taking a vacation next next week. You know, it 590 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:31,840 Speaker 1: was crazy. We we closed on a Saturday. The Tony's 591 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,800 Speaker 1: were the very next day, and then I started a 592 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 1: film for HBO the very next day after that, so literally, 593 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:45,640 Speaker 1: you know Tony's win, and then um, like it was 594 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:48,400 Speaker 1: really shady and down low about where the after party was, 595 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 1: and so I went to one and then I went 596 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 1: to another and it was two in the morning, and 597 00:33:52,560 --> 00:33:54,920 Speaker 1: I was like, I have to get up to film 598 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,880 Speaker 1: something tomorrow. And they went to like six in the morning, 599 00:33:57,880 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 1: but I I ducked out, but literally I was like, 600 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:04,480 Speaker 1: I need to rest. And then I had a started, 601 00:34:04,840 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: uh work on a new play um with Austin Pendleton. 602 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,880 Speaker 1: It's a really cool story. UM that kind of dives 603 00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:17,560 Speaker 1: into the priest scandal, uh like abuse scandal. Um. But 604 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:20,319 Speaker 1: that's kind of taking me to now. And now I'm like, 605 00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: I need a vacation. Now it's time for you to 606 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:28,839 Speaker 1: go chill, get a magarita. The kids going oh yeah, yeah, yeah, 607 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:32,640 Speaker 1: that's great. Um. And then after that, I'm gonna pull 608 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:36,240 Speaker 1: this card on you. Um, there is something exciting happening. 609 00:34:36,239 --> 00:34:38,840 Speaker 1: But I can't talk about it? Okay, is this the 610 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:42,280 Speaker 1: HBO film that you can't name or can you name them? 611 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:45,560 Speaker 1: I don't think I can even name that. But that's much. 612 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:47,799 Speaker 1: There's so much to look forward to it now. This 613 00:34:47,840 --> 00:34:51,120 Speaker 1: is a this is a theater project that there's ink 614 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:55,360 Speaker 1: is still drying, drying, and so I was specifically told 615 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:58,719 Speaker 1: that I could not talk about it. So, um, there 616 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 1: you go. You're like, Okay, you could be lying, Michael. 617 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:05,920 Speaker 1: I just put my shades on right now. I'm like, okay, Michael, fine, no, no, 618 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:08,279 Speaker 1: I mean we're we're rooting for you. Um, and we 619 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 1: cannot wait to see, um everything I already know, like 620 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:15,399 Speaker 1: there's such great things coming for you and continuing and 621 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:20,759 Speaker 1: um and I stand Michael gastierjo. So I'm grateful that 622 00:35:20,800 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 1: you were able to come on when I eat that 623 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:29,279 Speaker 1: and take some time to be with us. Michael, this 624 00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:32,839 Speaker 1: is the moment that we've all been waiting for. This 625 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 1: is the moment where I ask you some speed questions, 626 00:35:37,239 --> 00:35:40,280 Speaker 1: speed question around. So I need you to get ready. 627 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:42,360 Speaker 1: It's just a couple, but I think you're going to 628 00:35:42,480 --> 00:35:46,160 Speaker 1: do great. Here we go. What's a current running TV 629 00:35:46,239 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 1: show that you'd love to be a part of current 630 00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:51,759 Speaker 1: running TV show Succession. You're about to pull off a 631 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:56,280 Speaker 1: big Ocean's eleven type heist. What are you doing stealing 632 00:35:56,400 --> 00:36:02,280 Speaker 1: dresses from my daughter? Good ants there? Okay? What reminds 633 00:36:02,320 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: you of home or makes you feel at home? Oh? 634 00:36:05,960 --> 00:36:10,040 Speaker 1: Rice and beans, easy, that's it. That's the dish, rice 635 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:12,919 Speaker 1: and beans. When I have good rice and beans tastes 636 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:15,279 Speaker 1: like my mom's. I was gonna say, I was gonna say, 637 00:36:15,280 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: who's cooking it? Though? In your family? Oh my mom, 638 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,640 Speaker 1: your mom hands down. Listen. I wish I had some 639 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: to send you. I mean, yes, it's it's that's that 640 00:36:24,120 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 1: soul food that just makes you feel better, no matter 641 00:36:26,200 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 1: how you felt before. You're like, it's gonna be okay, Michael. 642 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,680 Speaker 1: I want to thank you so much for coming on 643 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 1: what Anita. Thank you for sharing with us all of 644 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:39,520 Speaker 1: the secrets have taken me out, all the vibes and 645 00:36:39,560 --> 00:36:41,560 Speaker 1: all the things that you're doing and just being open 646 00:36:41,600 --> 00:36:44,080 Speaker 1: with us and being here. We really appreciate it. It 647 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 1: has been an honor. Darryl, and all the love back 648 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 1: to you as well. I'm I'm I just have to 649 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 1: say I'm very grateful to be a part of these 650 00:36:51,160 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 1: conversations because I think you're holding very important space for 651 00:36:55,520 --> 00:36:59,239 Speaker 1: our people, and um, I love what you're doing. Keep 652 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:06,000 Speaker 1: it up. Thrend Mona Nita is a production of Sonato 653 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:09,600 Speaker 1: in partnership with I Heart Radios Michael Luda podcast Network. 654 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the I 655 00:37:12,719 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to 656 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:16,880 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.