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At one of those parties, the composer and director of Arturo Castro and His Castros 76 heard me sing and invited me to join his group. At first, I didn’t like the idea. Even though I loved music and had played guitar and composed since I was 14, I did not want to become a professional performer.
- Overview
- "OK to not be OK"
To play Latino characters who just happen to be Latino — without the plot resorting to Hispanic stereotypes — is rare, says actor Arturo Castro. That's exactly why he was excited to play Victor in Apple TV's new show “Mr. Corman."
The comedy-drama follows Josh Corman, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who also directed and produced it. Corman is in his thirties teaching fifth graders in California's San Fernando Valley after his music career fails to pan out. After his fiancée breaks up with him, he lives with his high school friend, Victor, who's there for Corman who struggles with anxiety and loneliness in this coming-of-age show.
Audiences get a glimpse into Victor's life in episode four when Castro, 35, known for his roles as Jaimé in “Broad City” and David Rodríguez in Netflix’s “Narcos,” plays a proud UPS driver and loving father. He's divorced from Vanessa, played by Michelle Ortiz, and struggles during a weekend to connect with his teenage daughter, Gabby, played by Miley Delgado.
Victor's warm presence is undeniable, as are his humorous antics in the series, from acting as a weight blanket to comfort his roommate to making a makeshift warm compress to help Gabby's cramps when she gets her period.
When the opportunity presented itself to audition for the show, Castro said he jumped on it. Since his teen years, he had been a fan of Gordon-Levitt's role in the TV sitcom "3rd Rock From the Sun."
Now the Guatemalan actor gets to play Victor and, though he is Latino, Castro said, he was relieved to see how the character was written.
"Our relationship with spirits, the world, and imagination in Latin America is because we've also lived through such hardships. There are ways to not escape reality but, to make sense of our reality, we go to the farthest realms of our imagination," Castro says. "In this show, when life gets too much, it breaks and you just go through a journey that explains what you're feeling — it's awesome."
The actor cited Guatemala, with its rich Indigenous culture and great storytellers who have created epic poems like Popol Vuh, which explores the world's creation from the perspective of the K'iche' Maya people of Guatemala.
One thing Castro particularly appreciates about the show is how male vulnerability is displayed. He believes that especially in Latino culture, a man is taught to always be OK. But this show showcases "it's OK to not be OK" and to explore living in that discomfort.
"I hope that message comes across about giving yourself permission to not always have all the answers," he said, "and it doesn't make you less of a person or less worthy."
Arturo Castro (XII) Arturo Castro. Arturo Castro is a Guatemalan actor best known for his portrayal of Jaimé Castro on the Comedy Central series Broad City, and David Rodríguez on the Netflix series Narcos. Castro hosted his own show, Conexion, on Guatemala's national network, a year before moving to New York City.
- January 1, 1
- 2 min
- Guatemala
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