Today, we’d like to introduce you to Marco Rodriguez. Marco was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Michael Dergar.
Marco, can you walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m a Southern California guy through and through. I was born in L.A. and grew up in the San Gabriel Valley near the San Gabriel Mission and am very proud of my Mexican heritage. My paternal and maternal abuelos (grandparents) immigrated to Southern California from Zacatecas, Mexico around 1916 during the Mexican Revolution so my family has had roots here for over a hundred years.
It’s no wonder that I developed a fascination with Hollywood with the mecca of filmaking being so close. We used to get tickets to see the old variety shows at Television City on Fairfax such of as the Carol Burnett Show, and the Sonny & Cher Show. I used to go watch film crews on location around town. I think my first TV appearance was on Romper Room at age 5.
I also believe my love of theater and movies was influenced by my dad. He was a gospel singer who performed in front of live audiences and I watched how he interacted with and captivated them. In addition, my father worked for a production company in Hollywood as an editor and cameraman so I was exposed to the film process at an early age.
My family too were big fans of classic movies. So I learned to love film noir and classic Mexican films.
So I caught the acting bug at a very young age. At 11 or 12 I was producing little skits to perform in our backyard in the barrio with kids from the neighborhood. In high school of course I joined the drama club. After studying at Pasadena City College and USC I got my first big break in the theatre. I had the good fortune to be cast as Edward James Olmos understudy in the hit LA play Zoot Suit at the Aquarius Theatre in Hollywood and took over his lead role of El Pachuco when the show went to Broadway. That of course led to opportunities in film and tv and now have been working in the business for over 40 years.
Alright, so we’d love to learn more about your acting career. What should we know?
As a veteran actor with 130 IMDB credits to my name, I can honestly say I have been blessed with longevity in this business. I’m truly grateful that I have been able to sustain a career as a character actor for as long as I have. I am fortunate to have worked through the years with some of the top talent in Hollywood such as directors Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, and John Frankenheimer and to see the evolution of Latino roles from nothing but gang bangers and bandidos to complex 3 dimensional human characters which reflect a more diversified view of society. But I am especially proud to have been a part of productions that promote positive change in our world in an entertaining way by holding a mirror up so we can see the broader consequences of our actions and how it impacts humanity. For example, The Burning Season, a film I co-starred with Raul Julia, Esai Morales, and Luis Guzman, gave me a sense of satisfaction knowing we were addressing the issue of global warming by telling the story of Chico Mendez, the Brazilian activist who became a martyr in his quest to save Amazon rainforest. Another film I’m very proud of was the independent movie “…and the earth did not swallow him” originally produced for PBS. With a Mexican-American cast, writer and director it told the poignant story of a family of farmworkers struggling against injustice, poverty, and discrimination to make a better life for themselves. This film gave me the opportunity to delve into my own family’s immigrant roots and re-live their stories of coming to the US at the turn of the century from Mexico to find the American dream. I also drew on my family experiences for the role of Porfirio who employs Clint Eastwood at his horse and Mexican saddle shop in the recently released feature film, “Cry Macho”. Currently, I’m looking forward to my upcoming recurring role of Marco Del Toro on the new thriller amazon series, “The Terminal List”, with Chis Pratt that will be premiering later this year. It’s a wonderful part in which I get to play a father-figure to Chris Pratt’s character of James Reece. In addition, apart from films and TV, I’ve appeared in many commercials such as Progressive, AT&T, Toyota, and the Miller Bodega campaign. I’ve also branched out into the world of voice-over, voicing video games and commercials in both in English and Spanish. What I really love about acting is that it’s a journey of discovery, giving you the opportunity to explore human nature, and live in someone else’s shoes. I thoroughly relish the process of researching a character and learning about their motives, environment, dreams, etc. For me to be an actor is to be a student of life. I have also felt a responsibility to use the bit of celebrity that comes with being a working actor in Hollywood to give back to my community. Whether it’s by offering acting and writing classes as I have done through various community programs for at-risk youth looking for a positive way to express themselves or by simply being a mentor and sharing my experiences to these same youth wanting to pursue a career in the arts, I believe these efforts can make a definite impact in their lives.
So, as we mentioned to our audience earlier, you were introduced to us by Michael Dergar and we really admire them and what they’ve built. For folks who might not be as familiar, can you tell them a bit about your experience with Michael.
I met Michael about 20 years ago while teaching an acting workshop at a community program I began in Pasadena, CA. He was a very dedicated student who took everything he was taught seriously. He had aspirations of becoming a professional actor and I could see that he had the discipline to pursue a career if he wanted. After mentoring him for a couple of years, we kept in touch, and I learned of his dream to start an organization that could help less fortunate artists, whether disabled or economically disadvantaged, to receive training and provide a platform to showcase their talent. So when he invited me to participate as a coach in the early phases of his academy, I gladly accepted because it fulfilled my desire, too, to help marginalized artists find their way.
What I didn’t know at the time was that this idea was gradually evolving from a theatrical academy into one for the fine arts. I really didn’t know at the time that Michael was also developing his painting talent and was starting to gain recognition.
I continue to share my talent and service as an actor to Michael and the foundation and help him in any way I can. It is my privilege and honor to be counted as one of his supporters. Collaborating with Michael on his exhibitions and events has reminded me that the greatest impact that we human beings can make in this world comes from what one offers of himself to help others and improve the world. And that doesn’t always have to be a monetary thing. It may simply be sharing one’s talent with others, encouraging them and instilling confidence in them to succeed. It gives me great pride to know that my actions from years ago may have affected Michael’s life in some inspiring way as well.
With so much cultural and political divisiveness happening today, it’s really refreshing to know there are organizations like Michael Dergar’s Academy of Special Dreams that make it their mission to promote access and inclusivity rather than exclusivity among some of the most vulnerable in our society. By giving them a voice, we are making all of us better, because we are connected.
Website: www.marcorodriguez.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/marcorodriguez.fanpage
