Latinx on the screen: Justin Rodriguez
Less than a month ago, a picture of a kid standing next to a tv screening of Disney’s last hit movie Encanto went viral. The popularity of the photo wasn’t justified only because of the cuteness of the kid himself, but also, and majorly, because the kid resembled so much with the character of the cartoon.
Today’s media productions are still lacking in many aspects and they can still be a bit problematic, just like the latest different speculations on Euphoria’s performances or the shallow and vague representation of BIPOC, along with the lack of dark-skinned characters, in tv shows like And Just Like That. However, Encanto is one of the few proofs that Hollywood is slowly but steadily making some efforts in reporting the true colors of societies around the world. It’s still a war to be fought.
Latinx culture and its people are important to be known and well-represented in the USA: there are almost 60 million Latinx individuals in the US.
Justin Rodriguez is a creative based in New York City. He’s an actor who’s forging his ways into being his true self, at all times, on and off the screen. Acting is his calling and he’s one of the many talented Latinx creatives you should look up to.
What's your background in the arts?
I have always been invested in the Arts. When I got to college I was able to study graphic design, which led me to do some really cool graphic design jobs for Bravo TV and even Creed Boutique. While in college, I also minored in theater as well as did a lot of school productions. My love for theater transcended college and I went to the Margie Haber Studio as well as UCB to study acting and improv. Since then I have been able to book some work co-starring on a couple of tv shows such as HBO Girls, Awkwafina is Nora from Queens, and Law and Order. I also starred in an indie film Rich Kids, and a slew of shorts.
Have you always been invested in the creative fields?
Yes, for as long as I can remember I was always drawing, painting, making crafts, performing mini-plays in the living room for my mom.
What's the best thing about being an actor?
The best thing about being an actor is being able to become someone completely different from yourself. I love the part of the process where you are drawing inspiration for characters whether its from research, people you know, or personality traits that you like to being a character to life.
How do you fuel your creativity?
I try to engage in the arts as much as possible. Whether its reading books, watching films, going to museums or even scrolling through Pinterest to get ideas. The great thing about being creative is you can truly be inspired by anything. I also think its important to keep doing creative things so that you do not lose that part of yourself.
Besides acting, is there any interest or passion of yours that has ever helped you develop your creativity?
I am very passionate about photography and film which I think goes hand in hand with acting. I have a fondness for how things look, and aesthetics when it comes to those particular mediums which I think play a very important part in story telling. I think understanding how something is supposed to look, also makes being an actor more seamless.
How much is community support important when you're a creative, especially if you belong to certain minority groups?
It is extremely important because a win for your community is also a win you should celebrate. It’s also important to recognize that there are enough opportunities in this world for everyone to succeed as long as we are all given those opportunities equally. Hollywood has been a predominantly caucasian industry for decades, and it’s only now that we are seeing more diversity, but it still has a long way to go. It’s important that you have community support because minorities should not still be going out for stereotypical roles or telling stereotypical stories. Most roles written for minorities are stereotypical and having community support helps break down those stereotypes. I have been lucky enough to be part of Latino Filmmakers which helps bringing Latinx talent together to collaborate, meet and support each other in any way.
