March 3, 2020 • 47 mins
Dominican native and New York raised, Ulysses John Terrero has the honor of being the first
Latin Dominican Male to earn a “Casting” credit in Hollywood. Coming from a generation of no
opportunities for Urban Actors and Film Makers, Ulysses decided to take matters into his own
hands and became a gateway for African American & Latinos to get a shot in filmmaking, either
in front or behind the camera.
After much success with his first casting assignment, “I Like it Like That”, he went on to work on
almost every other Ethnic film around, from “Kids”, “New Jersey Drive”, “Sunset Park”, “Above
The Rim”, “Prison Song”, “Raising Victor Vargas” and the urban classic “Soul Plane”. This was
the beginning of a new revolution. In 1996, he challenged the standards of the Screen Actors
Guild by increasing the Latin/African American presence in the union. The Guild viewed him as
an opposing force because he brought more non-union Actors into the union than any other NY
casting director combined, and YES they were Latin/Urban Actors. Because of him there was an
increase in the Latin/African American presence in the Union by more than 60%. From that
moment on, if there was any film/commercial shooting that needed some diversity, Ulysses
Terrero was the go-to-guy for the casting..
Several years into his casting career, Ulysses decided to take on a new challenge in the film
industry. He began dabbling with the directing/creative aspect of production. He has shot
several videos with major artists such as Wisin Y Yandel, Maluma, Aventura, Snoop Dog, 50
Cent, Chris Brown, Don Omar, Ozuna, Lil Wayne and many more. Ulysses also had an
opportunity to shoot a film for the New York City Board of Education about preventing HIV, this
film was used as part of their health curriculum for several schools across the borough of
Queens.
Twenty years in the entertainment industry, Ulysses continued raising the bar and transitioning
into a producer as he Co- Produced his first film called “Kiss of Chaos”, which aired on
Showtime. “Kiss of Chaos” gave him even more experience and he joined forces with his
brother Jessy Terrero and became an important part of the team with producing, directing and
casting for their biggest projects to date. He has become an important part of the team because
of his creativity and ability to think outside the box. Ulysses is definitely he guy Jessy wants
around if they run into problems on set.
Ulysses’ passion for creating opportunities turned his focus to helping aspiring artist from the
inner city. While interacting with these artist, he realized a lot of them were not able to afford
expensive acting classes so he created a free Acting class called, Acting Rehab with Ulysses
Terrero. He’s been teaching this class for 10 years with much success and he has been able to
teach this class around the country, including Puerto Rico.
Ulysses is a passionate artist that insist on making a way where there seems to be none. He is
always willing to sacrifice to make sure we keep diversity in Hollywood and that we all have an
equal opportunity to have our stories heard.
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transition to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Thomas.
I audition every rapper from Biggie's Balls to Tupac, and
(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Ye from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel
(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now. I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful meditation of the day. My
(01:06):
great hope is to laugh as much as I cry,
to get my work done, and to try to love
somebody and have the courage to accept the love and
return Mile Angelou. I love to laugh. This is the
greatest experience in my life, and the ability to share
laughter with others is even better. Laughter has a way
(01:27):
of making everything seem okay. Laughter knows how to release
tension and stress. When you find yourself in a negative situation,
learn to find the humor so you can enjoy life
a little more. Today I will share a laugh and
brighten someone's day. Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with
(01:51):
me Tracy Moore. Today is going to be a riveting conversation.
I'm going to um prepare you guys before I need
you to get whatever you document information, your phone, pen
and paper, talking into a recorder or recording this. This
(02:14):
is going to be an outstanding interview. I am pleased,
honored to welcome our guest here today, Ladies and gentlemen,
casting director extraordinaire, producer extraordinaire, director extraordinaire. But we're going
to talk about all of it. Ladies and gentlemen, put
your hands together for you listen. Tterrero. Yeah, welcome you. Listens.
(02:42):
I got history with you. Listen right, everything you said
about me, it's times a hundred to her. Come on,
I'm a reflection of you. Yeah, And I'm a reflection
of you. I'm like a Tracy has been doing this,
you know when I was like dreaming about doing it.
(03:05):
You know, she was one of the few, a few
African American women in the forefronts creating opportunities for African
Americans and Latinos. And she actually when I was an actor,
and you know, she she, you know, her and the
Wins somewhat were the ones that gave me me and
my brother the first acting gigs and put us, put
us on the big movie sets, you know. And I
(03:27):
can never, never, ever ever forget that. And that's why
I try not to do these interviews and these things.
I'm I'm behind the scenes, not in front of the scenes.
We have to you. But but I told Tracy, you
know you need me to wash your car, mop your floor,
whatever you need, I'm there. You know. I had a
late night six am this morning. I went to sleep
(03:48):
for like an hour, and I forced myself to make
it here because I love you, I appreciate you. I'm
grateful to you, and I told you my gratitude is forever.
So whatever you need from me, I'm here. And that's
why I'm here today, and this is why this interview
is going to be outstanding, because there's a lot of
love in the room. There's a lot of history in
(04:09):
the room. Um. So I have memoirs that I'm gonna
eventually right, but you are definitely in it. One of
my favorite stories of all time, Kiss of Death. So, UM,
I don't know if I should say his name because
it's it's good. Well, there's a producer that I worked
(04:31):
with and he was great. Um, Jack Barren, I'm gonna
say his name, Jack Barren. Shout out to Jack. Um,
we needed two henchmen to sort of like beside kicks
with David Caruso, and UM, I wanted them to. Um,
I bought you guys in, and I bought uh you
(04:51):
listens in with his brother Jesse Terrero, director extraordinaire, and um,
you guys got cast. But then we needed to get
that sad card. I fought, I begged, and Jack Barron
came through and got the sad card for you guys,
or paid for the initiation for you guys. Yeah, I mean,
(05:14):
oh lord, sad card is, like you know, today, is
almost impossible. Back then, it was kind of impossible to
but not as much as now because now because all
the opportunities that Tracy and a bunch of people gave
African American Latino actors, now it's it's harder now to
(05:34):
get a sad card. Back then, you know, it's like
forcing Latino African American like Sack doesn't have any can
we play? But but yes, she she she she, you know,
she fought for us every time New York and covered.
You know, she put us in all these big projects.
And it's funny because, um, of course you know that
(05:54):
once you go sagged and everything just gets amazing. So
God bless you for that. You're welcome. And it was
it was you know, one day shoot you know, um
we sold guns. Yes, I mean that was it. We're
so guns were so crag, were raped people, we were
heroin attics like those are all the parts that they
(06:15):
had for us, rabbed the purse whatever. But but the
crazy thing about that that one scene I had, I'm
in this, I'm in like three seconds is in the commercial.
Oh that's right, that's right, that is right. That was
so much exposure because they played that thing ten thousand
times a day, and I was in the commercial. Everybody
(06:35):
through I was like starring. A lot of my friends
went to go see you. Wait a minute, that's all
you did. So it was great though, I mean just
and and for you in present day being a casting
director and a director and a producer, like you've had
the full experience now and being in the position now
(06:59):
let's talk about cast staying. Um, there's so much you
know in terms of the craft that you and he's
also a dynamic teacher as well. We'll talk about where
you guys can get information to take his classes. Um,
but what what's it being an actor in transitioning now
into the casting What are the insights that you give actors?
(07:20):
What are those strong points that um, you emphasize. I
mean it's only one. It's it's you gotta love it.
That's it. You know, you gotta love it for the
actual performing purposes of it. You know, if you don't
love to perform, then you shouldn't do it right because, uh,
you know, rejections like your number one friend. So you're
(07:44):
gonna go to a million auditions if you even get
invited to auditions. You gotta fight for auditions. And you
get auditions and you know they're not gonna like you.
Excuse me of the time. So it's like you gotta
get used to that. But as long as you love
going into that office performing and feeling like you killed
it and leaving there like another one, if you're not
(08:06):
gonna feel that way, if you're if you, if you,
if the victory is the is getting the job, you know,
and getting the money. It's the problem with today's society
right now. It's about money and popularity. And that's why
most people do it now because now they see people
that remind them of them. So, oh wow, I could
(08:28):
do this reality TV. We're not even going there and
I'm just saying so people just feel like if she
could do it, I could wear our error. There was
nobody that looked like us. So you only did it
for the love and the passion because that's told that
was there. It was no opportunity. There was no money,
(08:48):
you know, like on Juice. You know, we were part
of Rodoms Crew and Juice and um we got thirty
five cash today and we were like, what, no exciting
and they were rulled clo at the end of the
day with pocketing everybody and sometimes you would win five
dollars cash. It was like winning it was like, you
(09:11):
couldn't believe we're getting a dollar to be on that set,
and that's that's that's what it was back then, you know.
And it's funny because I had worked with Sam Jack
on Juice when he yeah, and back then he was,
you know, a monster. He was just so focused. He
wasn't capt We didn't understand none of that until later on.
But but that's what it was. So now it's like,
(09:34):
there's examples of people that look like people that are
making a lot of money, so people are chasing that.
And that's the problem because still, especially in the Latin space,
doesn't exist. You know, like, can you name me five
Latino males that you could finance a movie behind? I mean, okay,
(09:57):
continue Lynn Manual um oh god, uh wow. I don't
even like hesitating and thinking like this. It should be
able to roll off of my tongue. But I'm talking.
You're talking about Marquis. That's different than you know, an actor.
Marquis is someone for those of you who don't know,
(10:17):
someone who can sell a film to the studio believes
in that they're going to get their money back, or
investors believe they're going to get their money back. And
I'm struggling and you know everybody. Wow, I don't know
everybody because I'm not I'm not I'm not in the
studio game like that. Okay, first of all, what I'm
not gonna do is let him be humble because the
(10:38):
first class I came to that you invited me to,
fifty walked in the door. Okay, don't let me start.
Who shows up at his classes? I'm like, and you're like, oh,
I'm gonna have a guest. Just somebody stopped by fifty
walks In the Prime of Power, I think it was
like first season of Power. Okay, enough. He's an amazing
(11:02):
guy and like I said, he supports movements and like
I said, yeah, you know, you got so much coming
out now, like the BMF project and stuff that's just
going to really change the game and create Like Power
did create a thousand opportunities for people. But now with
BMF is just gonna and tell us about BMF. I
don't know nothing about it. Okay, yeah he does. Anyway,
that's okay. Maybe we can invite him back for part
(11:25):
two so that we could get you know, that inside
We're going to get the inside report. That's where we're
going to get um because they do go way back.
I don't care, and he's he's humble. UM. So I
want to ask you, in terms of these actors today,
in your classes, working with these actors, what are a
(11:48):
couple of your pet peeves that, um you are constantly
over emphasizing. Number One is communication. Okay, So, so I
was live on the ground yesterday and um, you know,
people were coming on lout like hey, yeah, yeah, I'm
definitely taking your class in l A or Miami. And
I'm like, really, it's funny because I send you an
(12:10):
email back like last week and I start here, back, yeah,
I got you, and I'm just what do you mean
you got me? How does it work? It's like casting
is a small window r. You put a casting out.
If you get twenty uh twenty submissions that are amazing,
you're done. You're sending whatever you gotta do the next steps,
(12:31):
and then you go fishing. No one wants to stay there,
you know, six days waiting for you to send something back.
And that's the problem, especially in the in the Latin space.
And when I send out a casting to people, especially girls,
young girls, when I send them stuff, I don't I
don't get a response back to the day to three
days later, Like y'all was side, I was busy and
(12:53):
I was on the boat, and then what happened, And
it's just like we shot it already, it's been shot already,
it's over, it's done. The casting was four days ago. Sorry, miss,
but like that's a big problem. It's communication. So now
what happens is is a casting director, if you call
John Doe and it hits you back in one minute,
(13:15):
you know who you're calling all the time, Good old
John Doe, you know. And so communication is very important.
Another thing that's very important what we talked about earlier
today when I walked in its time. Time is so important.
If you come late once to anything I do, I
never see you again because you know, everything is like
(13:36):
say on the cinema giants tip, right, you get you
get a project, create a concept, you put a budget out,
you submit it, it gets awarded to give you the
money that it takes to do the project. Right. So
you calculate a project, you know, from time to locations
to everything. Right. So now if you decided to come,
you're the start my movie. You come two hours late,
(13:56):
That's what happens that's two hours over time for the
you than forty people Crewe that's on set. So if
you do the math on that with two hours over
time and it's times one forty, that's what you just
cost me. So now I don't like you and I'm
never gonna see you again. So time is very important,
and it's not fair to people, especially be doing a
scene with somebody knows show up, this person gotta sit here.
(14:19):
We all got to see and wait for you because
you didn't make it on time. And so it was
like I was on time. Was it was like ten
minutes late. You No, on time is fifteen minutes early.
That's on time. I say today that was trapped. There
was something happened to the train, and I made it
cause I left a half an hour earlier than the
time that it would take for me to make it here,
so that that twenty minutes delay got me here tony
(14:42):
minutes before we're supposed to go. So those those two
things right there a very crucial. And the last thing
I enforced all the time is you gotta be humble,
because if we don't like you, we don't want to
stay eighteen hours with you every day for three months,
or if you're if you're on the TV show for
(15:05):
six months every single day, which you're stuck up, annoying crazy.
I've seen, Yeah, that's that's got to be humble if
you liked just a lot easier to it is to
get in the building. So and what actors don't understand
(15:28):
is that's the duality of our job. It's not just
discovering or finding this talent. We have to In some
cases the director will say, okay, yulee, um, between these
two women, who has the better personality? And where do
we get that? The way you walk in the room,
the way you present right oh day, you know, that's
(15:51):
how I tell you how to be humble. I was like,
first of all, if you will get to my door
right right the minute you woke out, I'm telling the director, hell,
no trust right to trust because you see it and
people don't understand. Um. And I talked about this in classes.
The way you walk tells us something. I hate those
handshakes when it's like the little thing they'd grasp the fingers.
(16:14):
It's you can't see student audience. But it's the weak
handshake that annoys me so much, Like hold my hand
shake my hand. I had a low story in that,
but the handshake is very important. But I don't do handshake.
You can't. Don't see right now because because I used
to do like the big castings and have like a
thousand people show up. I used to like, so, yeah,
(16:39):
I'm not trying to shake a thousand hands. Yeah, you
know some of them are sweaty to I used to
shake hand. They got a sweaty wana. I'm just like,
you know what, what we're gonna see him again? Probably
what we're not doing handshakes and we can and you know, actors,
most actors can sense whether or not they can actually
come towards that table, you know, because there's the energy.
(17:00):
Actors know like, oh, you know, I'm just gonna stay
on my mark and wave to you from afar. You
know there's that energy. Um. I wanted to touch on likes.
How important is it for you for actors to have
their social media numbers? Okay, well me personally, you know,
(17:21):
it's it's uh one of the most annoying things that's
ever happened in this career personally, right, So I don't
go off of that, but unfortunately everyone else does. So
so life's a very important. But the thing is, it's like,
you know, I kind of know how the system works,
so me personally, because we had a YouTube channel a
(17:43):
long time ago going to those threas. Jesse and James
Cruz created this YouTube channel and basically it was like,
had a Timino a budget to um to uh executive
produce people's videos, put them on the channel. But the
likes but but we we was the songs were ours
(18:06):
for like a year. So whatever advertisement was sold came
to one of those threads, right, So they decided by
the numbers on who got the money, you know, so
we brought artists to them. They would go look at
the numbers, but he only has a million views, that's
like the average. We want someone like ten million and better. Right.
(18:28):
So in in that process, you know, they had an
investigator at one point and they found out that half
the people were lies. They were bought, so so half
the people, you know, we didn't we didn't shoot the
videos for them, right. So so that being said, Instagram
is the same thing. You know, it's all a lie.
(18:50):
So just I think it was last year Instagram did
a similar thing. They wiped out all the lies. So
so a lot of people lost their pages and they
were like, oh my page got actor, got a new
account or whatever. You know, they got caught, you know,
and you could tell because the way it works is
like say it's like and you get ten thousand followers
(19:11):
and a hundred likes and ten comments. For get followers,
five hundred likes, and for a hundred dollars you get
hundred thousand followers, two thousand likes, and thirty comments. And
you can tell about the comments because because it's like cool, great, awesome,
(19:32):
there's nothing really personal, you know, so like to me,
all that's a lie. Most of us a lie. It's
not real. So you know, I hate the fact that
the studios care about the numbers and if it's between
you know, this one and that one, they're gonna go
with the numbers. So the numbers do do matter. But
(19:53):
Instagram is a great vehicle. It's used properly, so so yes,
if we're gonna hire somebody, first thing we asked for
the Instagram ac koind of we look at it to
see the lifestyle. I say, I was doing a job
the other day, I was doing at this very very
exclusive hotel and asked me who the artist was, and
they googled him, and they denied me the hotel. You know,
(20:15):
I knew the owner and everything that because we went
on his Instagram and he's smoking weed in every single picture.
So there's no way he's gonna come to our hotel
and not smoke weed. We don't allow smoking in this hotel.
So unfortunately went out to decline you guys, because they
went into the Instagram. But Instagram, you know, everyone goes
to see who you are. Your story is what you do.
(20:37):
So so I always tell my students make sure if
you want to be an actor, make sure your Instagram
reflects that, you know, because if they go onto Instagram
and see a different story, it might affect the possibilities
if you're getting the job, you know, especially if you
look non actor and very crazy and you know what,
(20:58):
you know, say disrespectful stuff on the It's it's a
very big influence. So Instagram, unfortunately, it's a it's a
very very important asset as an actor, as a container.
Everyone looks at it and they make decisions based on it,
which sucks because, like I said, a lot of it
is a lot. Yeah, I agree. I have very challenged
with the Instagram, and it does work both ways in
(21:20):
that In that sense, Um, how do you discover talent?
What is your process? Well it's not that, you know,
we don't discover talent, that's um, it's it's about the
right timing and when there's a search happening, and in
(21:42):
the search bumps into that talent because, like I said, majority,
like say, I cast a movie called Raising Victor Vargus
a long time ago, and um, it was Dominican young teenagers.
You know, street edge is what they wanted. So that
didn't exist, you know, then they want and it was
(22:03):
non union. Then they wanted like a grandmother and like
to tend great uh Latin actors that Adrians were sacked.
So so and then all the women that do extra
work are an actors. So I've seen everybody in New York.
They were all pretty bad. And we couldn't find a grandmother.
None of the teenagers were actors. You're trying to go
(22:25):
to the film schools, and the film schools they weren't
edgy enough. They were cleaned up, so they didn't have
the street edge. So you know, so you go on
the street, you know, you start putting posters up on
the polls and schools flyers and the malls like you know,
and and and that's how that's how Like if I've
(22:46):
discovered talent, it's been on like that extreetcast and then
we got you know, someone and and they delivered. There
was something special about them. So so once you see
that thing, then you oat them because they don't know
how to act. And then um, and then that's how
you know, some stars were born. That that's how I
(23:10):
would say I discovered somebody because I grabbed him off
the street. Now there's an actor study in and all
that stuff, and they come to a casting and I
give him a job. I didn't discover them. They you know,
they found the opportunity. They grabbed it. But so so
um like say, um, the problem is too with anyone
(23:31):
that I grabbed from the street, that I gave him
an opportunity, an amazing opportunity, because they didn't have the
business or the mindset or what it takes. You know,
A hundred of those people dropped the ball, dropped it,
you know, and when they don't have you know, there's
(23:51):
a certain certain work ethic that you have to have
in this business. This is not a nine to five.
And like you said, um, so grateful that he got
up this morning to come to the show, and now
I am I'm grateful thought about me and allowed me
to be in your space and your presence. Like, I'm
(24:12):
so honored and I'm so overwhelmed that I'm even sitting
next to you right now. Now he's gonna make me
all misty and teary. Thank you U. It's it's a
mutual love here. Um. I wanted to um. You mentioned
in the room that you're also coaching them. Is that
where this transition started to occur with you in terms
(24:34):
of producing and directing or is this something that you
always wanted to pursue. No, as you know, we wanted
to be active, right, we wanted to be actors. And
as you know, there was no opportunities for two Latin
(24:55):
boys to make a queen right right, We're in Latin enough,
we're in black enough, definitely weren't white enough, so so
we can never fit in. And like I said, you know,
people like yourself, you know, forced those opportunities force you know,
it might have an African American you're like, or it
was it would be white, they would be white, and
I'd be like, let me just get Julia and Jess right,
(25:19):
and they would look at me like Tracy White, I'm like,
choices exactly exactly, and and like I said, because the
opportunities like that we got in the door. But but
you know, she was one of few that went of
two we'll say three that were it. So so there
wasn't that much opportunity. And then what I said was
(25:39):
a one liner. You know, drugs, guns, jail, you know,
the stereotype stuff. So, um, at some point, you know,
there was like a roadblock where where we felt like
there was no future. Parents weren't behind us at all.
And um, you know, we used to get so frustrated
(26:00):
and my father's like, you know what's wrong, And I'm like, Yo,
these guys don't get it. You know, a few Latin roles.
They want us to talk like the Mexican stereotype or whatever,
and that's not right. And my father's like, don't get
mad at them, get mad at yourself. You know, if
you got a problem withold it, fix it then, you know,
and if you can't fix it, then it's then then
(26:20):
it's your you know, So I listen, what do you say,
he goes If you say they don't know how to
do it, then you learn how to do it. So
I was like, okay, how could I do that? You know,
very empowered, very empowered. Um so, so that that's how
the whole can then who was supposed to be? And
I lik it like that, you know now the readings
(26:42):
and all that stuff. And then you know, back in
the days, you know, we used to be rappers. Believe
it or not. It went on the Canada and Canada
main source, and our beepers didn't work in Canada. They
were calling us because the movie I picked up by
Columbia Pictures and they wanted to come to the audition
(27:03):
and we never made it. When we came back, God
is great. And then that's when the casting was offered
to me because a Victor was like, sus was like,
and you know what, maybe it's a sign. And you
always talked that Jazz that if you was a cast director,
if you was a cast director, so maybe you need
to be on this project on the casting side. Maybe
you weren't supposed to be in front of the camera.
(27:25):
But he gave me that, you know, the opportunity to
do an internship. So so I missed the principal cast
and so I started doing extras casting with Landa. Yes,
and that's how the whole casting things started. And then
after years of casting to all the all the big
music videos and artists started coming to me to direct videos,
(27:46):
you know. Next, that's kind of how the directing started.
My casting took off and I passed to Jesse like look, Jesse,
you do this while I do that. And then then
the director took off things say hey, how about you
come do this that you know? And then that's the point.
It was like, uh, you know, you learned to gain
and then now you feel like, okay, wait a minute,
now there's an opportunity for us to tell our story.
(28:08):
You know, hey, let's give it a shot now. So
it's twenty years now, yes, so twenty eight years later,
you think you learned most of it and now you
try to go to the next level. So that's what's
happening now now, you know, Uh, Jesse sold a couple
of shows, the Nicky Jams series, Nicky Jams series. They've
got a lot of Netflix with your are Netflix? Uh
(28:29):
next month? You know, we just did a YouTube original
series which right now the title has to change. I
won't say it, but you know it's a Latin driven. Uh,
you know, like an eight mile with a perspective of
two females to female latinas excellent. So and then as
you know, let's say we're coming right now. We're coming
hard right now. So that is excellent. And as I
(28:52):
said to you guys earlier, this is just part one
because we are gonna we are calling him back. We
have so many questions, we have other stuff that we
need to talk about. So this was just, uh, let's
say your appetizer entree. We're gonna come back with some dessert.
That's going to be Part two with Julie. I am
(29:14):
full and I'm so heartfelt. And when I tell you
one of my favorite favorite people in the whole wide world,
definitely no come on history. I just want to thank
you listens, Terrero for coming here dropping some pearls, diamonds
and emeralds on you guys. But hold on because he
will be back for part two. Stay tuned for class
(29:37):
in Session on the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore.
Thank you, Hi, Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with
me Tracy Moore and my favorite segment and we still
have you listens. Tarrero here. Yeah, that's right, that's right.
So we are here now at class in set shin
(30:00):
with leanne a motto, Leanne say some words, some words.
We have one of the we have a latino here.
So I'm happy, yes, um, yeah, I'm just excited to
be here. I missed last week. Yeah, we missed you. Yeah,
I mean and that gives us the segway to Spruce.
(30:21):
That's why Spruce is here because you were here last week.
Look at you. But Spruce is an actor, Ladies and gentlemen,
this is my producer, Spruce Henry. Give it up his Spruce,
Spruce Henry. And my safe word is gumbo. Okay, my
social is I like that sad week. Okay, Well, we're
(30:42):
gonna get this party started with gumbo. And um today
we are going to be I think he just took
you list this out. We're gonna give you list just
a minute, um, and I'll explain. Well, um, we deal
with this safe word gumbo. Okay, So we're gonna be
dealing today. Our scene is from the Young and the Restless,
(31:05):
and so I'm going to be reading all of the action.
They will be reading the dialogue and then when we
do it again, Julie is going to give you guys
some constructive criticism, and you guys are going to do
it again without meat. Okay, okay, all right, here we
go Examination room day. Janelle sits on the exam table,
facing away from the door. She's on edge and impatient.
(31:28):
Her check up is today and her doctor is late.
She hears the door creak open as Alex breezes in.
I apologize for my lateness. Yeah, you better. She turns
to look at him and is cut short. He's attractive.
She immediately back pedals, trying to keep her foot out
of her mouth. But I'll take that back right now.
(31:52):
I imagine that you are so busy, doctor Sanders, running
all over just say even lies, don't even worry about me. Well,
I appreciate that, mrs ms Miss Raymond. Okay, Miss Raymond.
Dr Bruce is out sick. But it's a basic checkup.
(32:14):
So I'm sure I can handle things here. I'm sure
I'm sure you can. Okay, So let's take a look
at those hands. He takes her hands in his. She
tries to keep herself in check, but she might as
well be melting. Hey, now you feel a little clammy.
They spike at your heart rate until recently. Okay, what
(32:40):
about your feet any like sensitivity or anything like that?
Um it g and sore. But on the bright side,
my toes are killing me. Well, you should get out
of those heels and into something a little more. You know,
I'm got to look good for work. Ah. Yeah, I'm
(33:02):
sure a popular professional can pull some strings and score
wardrobe change. Plus, no one's even looking at your shoes. Mhmm.
Flatter and understand what it's like to put all your
time and energy into your passion. But your health is
the most important thing right now. He's being clinical helpful,
(33:26):
but she can't help but take it as a bit
of flirtation. She tries to return it. You know, Dr
brooks um has been really helpful. But I really love
to pick your brain on stress management and vitamin's exercise massages.
I mean, I've been doing research. But you know how
(33:46):
the internet can be. Of course, Uh, this blog says
this is general, says that everyone has their own opinion
on things. It's not always smooth sailing right exactly. So
I would really love the input of an expert like you.
I mean, would you be interested in maybe meeting up later?
Maybe a good scotch and soda. You can do the
(34:07):
scotch and I can drink the soda. He's a little
tempted despite himself, but checks his watch. Well, I really can't.
I have a slew of appointments, and after that, I
have a personal matter to attend to. I have to
pick up someone up from surgery. Ohn, is everything okay? Uh?
(34:27):
Not exactly? My girl, Lucy, Yeah, she's not well. Janelle's
antenna's ping on Lucy. Oh god, I am so sorry.
I didn't even realize that you had a girl. No, no, no, no, no,
it's okay. It's really really okay. She just got into
some bad stuff. They didn't think she was gonna make it.
It's terrible. I came home and there was trash everywhere.
(34:53):
She was lying on the floor, foaming at the mouth,
and I had to drive her right to the r
Now she's confused. He digs into his pocket, pulls out
his cell phone, then shows it to her. It's a
photo of a border Collie. Your dog. Yeah, my girl.
But she needs a good night's rest at home, and
(35:15):
I need more secure it from my garbage can So okay,
I totally understand. Maybe another time. Oh well, I'm sure
I can pencil something in and seen. All right, that
is young and the restless. Okay, y Lee, it's all
(35:36):
you your constructive criticism. Okay, can we do it again? Right? Yes?
And can you play it like that's your husband's best friend.
You're married, that's your husband's best friend. So as much
as you want to feel everything you're feeling, you know
you have to be easy. It was, it was very vous.
(36:01):
Then it could create a problem. So you gotta suddenly
do it. And the only way you could suddenly do
it is with your eyes, you know, because right now
I feel like you're overplaying it. You know, a woman
comes to me like that in my office, I'm running
out the door. I'm like, this is a me to
attempt to get me in trouble, you know, running the
(36:22):
other way. So I feel like it was overly played.
So let's because you overplayed it. Let's over not play it.
And I don't want to see any physical uh flirting
with the eyes. So I want you inside to want
this guy inside, for you to flow with him inside.
(36:43):
But you gotta, you know, you gotta keep your cool
because that's your husband's a great friend. Right now, you
on the other hand, right, Um, your boy just gotta
me too charge, you know, so so you know, so
you you know he's done, he's gone, you know, and
and and people are thinking you you you might be
(37:06):
doing the same thing. So so so you don't want
to have nothing to do with this, even though you
do so same to you deep down inside. She's attractive
and you know your mind is wondering, but you shouldn't.
You shouldn't at all. Right, Your job could be a champan,
but she does things that you know. You're fighting. So
(37:28):
you're fighting to stay calm, you're fighting not to give it.
Got it, copy copy, and then towards the end, whoever
wins the battle. You know, you guys could could could
go with that at the end. You know, you guys
could release those directions if it makes sense. You know,
(37:50):
like I said, whatever makes sense. But the whole in
hand should be uncomfortable. You're liking it, but it's like
a death trap. I got you copy that copy that okay,
So all right, so we got some really great feedback
from our casting director. You listens to erroll. Um, okay,
(38:12):
so we're gonna start it again and I'm not reading,
So you guys right, all right, accent mm hm, I
apologize for my lateness. Um, yeah, you better uh take
that back. I imagine a really busy Dr Sanders running
(38:35):
all over and saving lives, so I don't even want
about me. Well, I appreciate that, Mrs ms Miss Raymond.
Ms Raymond right. Uh. Dr Brooks is outsick, but it
is a basic check out. So I'm sure I can
handle things here. Yeah, I'm sure you can. Okay, So
(38:58):
let's take a look at those hands, okay, m hm
hm oh, okay, um a little clammy um and uh.
Any spike in your heart rate? No, um until recently? Okay,
(39:23):
So what about your feet? Any sensitivity? I'm just itchy
and sore. But on the bright side, my toes are
they're killing me. Okay, Well you should get out of
those heels and uh and into something a little more comfortable.
M hm. You know it's got a good look. Good
(39:47):
for work. Yeah, I'm sure a popular professional can pull
some strings and score a wardrobe change. Plus, no one's
even looking at your shoes. I'm gladder. Uh, and I
understand what it's like to put all your time and
energy into your passion, but your health is the most
(40:07):
important thing to me right now. Um, you know, Dr
Brooks has been really helpful and I'd love to really
pick your brain just about some stress management exercises and
vitamins and massages and I don't know, I've been doing
some research. But you know how the internet can be.
(40:28):
Of course, this block says this, this journal says that
everyone has their own opinion on things, not always that
smooth sailing, right exactly. So I really love your input. Um,
would you be interested in maybe meeting up later? Could
grab us scotch and soda? Scotch for you, soda, I'll
take it. Oh no, I really can't have a slew
(40:50):
of appointments. And after that I have a personal matter
to attend to. I have to pick up someone from surgery.
Oh is everything okay? Not exactly? My girl, Lucy, she's
not well. I'm I'm really sorry. I didn't realize that
you were seeing some I mean, no, no, no, it's okay.
(41:11):
She's just you know, she got just some bad stuff.
They didn't think she was gonna make it. Oh, it's terrible. Um,
I mean, well, you know I came home and the
trash was everywhere and she was lying on the floor
foaming at the mouth, and uh, you know I had
to drive her right to the yard. Oh mm hmm,
(41:38):
your dog. Yeah, okay, my girl, but she needs a
good night's rest at home. And you know I need
more secured lids from my garbage game. No, I totally
get it. Um, maybe another time. Sure, I'm sure I
can pencil you me in somewhere and seen. Okay, all right,
(42:04):
all right, what do you think? Um? Well, I have
to say I absolutely loved when he gave you that
about um, your your friend, right, being the love interest? Right? Um.
I thought that it raised the stakes, and in raising
(42:24):
the stakes, the inner is more interesting to watch than
the outer. So I loved how you gave them that conflict.
In watching you guys deal with that, it was a
duel going on, and I was there like you would definitely,
you were so uncomortable. You're doing great. You know. It
(42:45):
was way way better to the peopleman, because the first
one I didn't believe it, so this was more believable. Um.
The problem is for me is like I'm such a
I guess I don't know if a d D is
the right thing for but one little mistake shakes me
a little bit soon, So I felt like you jumped
the gun on the on the dog, which was the payoff,
(43:08):
you know what I'm saying, So like he didn't give
it to you, and you started reacting already, so so
I didn't understand why you were reacting. And then he
brought the picture of the dove over something like, oh,
she jumped the gun. Okay. And then and then and
then I crashed, but I was there, so I was like,
I was rising with you, I was loving and I
was like so excited about it, and that just threw
(43:29):
me off. And then I just so just that one
of the mistakes. But it was definitely a way better
performance by both of you guys. And you guys both
to directions. That's what's all about, you know, Like I said,
that was just you know, I mean, I guess the
directions made sense, but I was gonna give the Russian regardless.
I guess economy. But that was good. That was good back.
(43:50):
But but you know a lot of times in casting,
you know, you just give directions sometimes just the CV
file directions. Both followed him extremely well. So I told
you guys, thank you, than thank you, thank you, spirst. Okay,
next week's first to be back. We need to get
(44:13):
all of your information. Ne Rely where can actors reach
out and get this dynamic feedback, insight inspiration where they go, Um,
that's not for sale. I mean we have we have
we have this thing. We have this thing called Acting
Rehab when Ulystenes Terrero, which is uh, well actually it's
Acting Rehab boot Camp. That's a one day, eight hour
(44:36):
of course, the semesters are tough for me to do
because I'm so busy. But uh, it's an email address
Acting Rehab at gmail dot com. Okay, you guys got
that Acting Rehab at gmail dot com. We're gonna say
it again. Yeah. I mean it's terrible because I had
a website and I didn't pay the bill because I
was out of the country, and somebody bought it and
(44:56):
then trying to sell it back to me for like
a thousand dollars Acting Rehab. I mean, I've been to
my last website. You listen to Trail dot com. I
was out of the country, didn't pay the bill, and
the next day it goes to an auction, they buy
it and they try to summon my name back for
fifteen dollars Trail dot com. Yeah, that's what they do.
(45:17):
They if you don't pay, the domain name the next
day goes to an auction and people buy, depending how
many views you getting. The more views you get, the
more they try to sell it back to you. So
so it's it's very unfortunate. So so they just they
just happened. So now actually have dot com and some
dudes like you can buy it for a thousand dollars.
So let's doing more website right now. I got a
(45:39):
debate if I if I changed the name or if
I just beat this guy up and get my name.
But right now, just the email addresses acting we have
at gmail dot com. Okay, so we're reach out to him.
You know you you already know you're gonna get some
(45:59):
great roles and diamonds and jewels. So I strongly suggest
that you get in touch with him for his next
rehab and boot camp because you need it. Okay, that's
it for class in session. Thank you Lianne, Thank you
Spruce for jumping in again, and we'll see Spruce next week.
(46:19):
And once again, thank you Liss for coming down and
just sharing with us. We love you so much, and
stay tuned for part two because he is coming back.
Give love stay present. We moved too fast. We don't
even acknowledge each other on the streets because we're so
connected to our phones and distractions. We are ahead of ourselves.
(46:44):
Slow down and stay present. When I found out my
dad had cancer, they gave us ten months. Every single
day of that ten months, I stayed present. I stayed
present and to talk to my dad and tell him
all the things that I wanted to discuss with him,
(47:05):
to share as much as I wanted to share with him.
Because even though we had ten months allegedly from the doctors,
I was living in the present moment and I was
living in God's time, and I believed that whatever time
was given to me to spend with my dad, I
(47:26):
was going to stay present. I wasn't going to get
ahead of myself and think, oh my god, one day
I'm going to have to cremate him, or my dad
is not going to be here for this, and he's
not going to be here for that. I chose to
stay present, and I lived in the best ten months
of my life, spending the last ten months with my
dad by staying present. Thank you for joining us on
(47:51):
the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I looked
forward to our next Spirited podcast. Thank you,
Hello, and welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with me
Tracy Moore. I was a casting director for film and
TV and commercials for over thirty years. I transition to
a celebrity acting coach after I cast a film New
Jersey Drive with executive producers Spike Lee and director Nick Thomas.
I audition every rapper from Biggie's Balls to Tupac, and
(00:24):
I realized that rappers and musical artists they needed help
transitioning to acting. My clients consist of musical artists from
Buster Rhymes to Eve, Missy Elliott, Angela Ye from The
Breakfast Club, and Vanessa Simmons, to name a few. I
also coach sports stars and host as well. I feel
(00:45):
I have the best of both worlds. As a casting director,
I know exactly what they're looking for, and as an
acting coach, I can coach you to be remembered in
that room. Now. I know, I know actors want to
get the job. I get that, but being remembered by
casting director that is powerful meditation of the day. My
(01:06):
great hope is to laugh as much as I cry,
to get my work done, and to try to love
somebody and have the courage to accept the love and
return Mile Angelou. I love to laugh. This is the
greatest experience in my life, and the ability to share
laughter with others is even better. Laughter has a way
(01:27):
of making everything seem okay. Laughter knows how to release
tension and stress. When you find yourself in a negative situation,
learn to find the humor so you can enjoy life
a little more. Today I will share a laugh and
brighten someone's day. Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with
(01:51):
me Tracy Moore. Today is going to be a riveting conversation.
I'm going to um prepare you guys before I need
you to get whatever you document information, your phone, pen
and paper, talking into a recorder or recording this. This
(02:14):
is going to be an outstanding interview. I am pleased,
honored to welcome our guest here today, Ladies and gentlemen,
casting director extraordinaire, producer extraordinaire, director extraordinaire. But we're going
to talk about all of it. Ladies and gentlemen, put
your hands together for you listen. Tterrero. Yeah, welcome you. Listens.
(02:42):
I got history with you. Listen right, everything you said
about me, it's times a hundred to her. Come on,
I'm a reflection of you. Yeah, And I'm a reflection
of you. I'm like a Tracy has been doing this,
you know when I was like dreaming about doing it.
(03:05):
You know, she was one of the few, a few
African American women in the forefronts creating opportunities for African
Americans and Latinos. And she actually when I was an actor,
and you know, she she, you know, her and the
Wins somewhat were the ones that gave me me and
my brother the first acting gigs and put us, put
us on the big movie sets, you know. And I
(03:27):
can never, never, ever ever forget that. And that's why
I try not to do these interviews and these things.
I'm I'm behind the scenes, not in front of the scenes.
We have to you. But but I told Tracy, you
know you need me to wash your car, mop your floor,
whatever you need, I'm there. You know. I had a
late night six am this morning. I went to sleep
(03:48):
for like an hour, and I forced myself to make
it here because I love you, I appreciate you. I'm
grateful to you, and I told you my gratitude is forever.
So whatever you need from me, I'm here. And that's
why I'm here today, and this is why this interview
is going to be outstanding, because there's a lot of
love in the room. There's a lot of history in
(04:09):
the room. Um. So I have memoirs that I'm gonna
eventually right, but you are definitely in it. One of
my favorite stories of all time, Kiss of Death. So, UM,
I don't know if I should say his name because
it's it's good. Well, there's a producer that I worked
(04:31):
with and he was great. Um, Jack Barren, I'm gonna
say his name, Jack Barren. Shout out to Jack. Um,
we needed two henchmen to sort of like beside kicks
with David Caruso, and UM, I wanted them to. Um,
I bought you guys in, and I bought uh you
(04:51):
listens in with his brother Jesse Terrero, director extraordinaire, and um,
you guys got cast. But then we needed to get
that sad card. I fought, I begged, and Jack Barron
came through and got the sad card for you guys,
or paid for the initiation for you guys. Yeah, I mean,
(05:14):
oh lord, sad card is, like you know, today, is
almost impossible. Back then, it was kind of impossible to
but not as much as now because now because all
the opportunities that Tracy and a bunch of people gave
African American Latino actors, now it's it's harder now to
(05:34):
get a sad card. Back then, you know, it's like
forcing Latino African American like Sack doesn't have any can
we play? But but yes, she she she she, you know,
she fought for us every time New York and covered.
You know, she put us in all these big projects.
And it's funny because, um, of course you know that
(05:54):
once you go sagged and everything just gets amazing. So
God bless you for that. You're welcome. And it was
it was you know, one day shoot you know, um
we sold guns. Yes, I mean that was it. We're
so guns were so crag, were raped people, we were
heroin attics like those are all the parts that they
(06:15):
had for us, rabbed the purse whatever. But but the
crazy thing about that that one scene I had, I'm
in this, I'm in like three seconds is in the commercial.
Oh that's right, that's right, that is right. That was
so much exposure because they played that thing ten thousand
times a day, and I was in the commercial. Everybody
(06:35):
through I was like starring. A lot of my friends
went to go see you. Wait a minute, that's all
you did. So it was great though, I mean just
and and for you in present day being a casting
director and a director and a producer, like you've had
the full experience now and being in the position now
(06:59):
let's talk about cast staying. Um, there's so much you
know in terms of the craft that you and he's
also a dynamic teacher as well. We'll talk about where
you guys can get information to take his classes. Um,
but what what's it being an actor in transitioning now
into the casting What are the insights that you give actors?
(07:20):
What are those strong points that um, you emphasize. I
mean it's only one. It's it's you gotta love it.
That's it. You know, you gotta love it for the
actual performing purposes of it. You know, if you don't
love to perform, then you shouldn't do it right because, uh,
you know, rejections like your number one friend. So you're
(07:44):
gonna go to a million auditions if you even get
invited to auditions. You gotta fight for auditions. And you
get auditions and you know they're not gonna like you.
Excuse me of the time. So it's like you gotta
get used to that. But as long as you love
going into that office performing and feeling like you killed
it and leaving there like another one, if you're not
(08:06):
gonna feel that way, if you're if you, if you,
if the victory is the is getting the job, you know,
and getting the money. It's the problem with today's society
right now. It's about money and popularity. And that's why
most people do it now because now they see people
that remind them of them. So, oh wow, I could
(08:28):
do this reality TV. We're not even going there and
I'm just saying so people just feel like if she
could do it, I could wear our error. There was
nobody that looked like us. So you only did it
for the love and the passion because that's told that
was there. It was no opportunity. There was no money,
(08:48):
you know, like on Juice. You know, we were part
of Rodoms Crew and Juice and um we got thirty
five cash today and we were like, what, no exciting
and they were rulled clo at the end of the
day with pocketing everybody and sometimes you would win five
dollars cash. It was like winning it was like, you
(09:11):
couldn't believe we're getting a dollar to be on that set,
and that's that's that's what it was back then, you know.
And it's funny because I had worked with Sam Jack
on Juice when he yeah, and back then he was,
you know, a monster. He was just so focused. He
wasn't capt We didn't understand none of that until later on.
But but that's what it was. So now it's like,
(09:34):
there's examples of people that look like people that are
making a lot of money, so people are chasing that.
And that's the problem because still, especially in the Latin space,
doesn't exist. You know, like, can you name me five
Latino males that you could finance a movie behind? I mean, okay,
(09:57):
continue Lynn Manual um oh god, uh wow. I don't
even like hesitating and thinking like this. It should be
able to roll off of my tongue. But I'm talking.
You're talking about Marquis. That's different than you know, an actor.
Marquis is someone for those of you who don't know,
(10:17):
someone who can sell a film to the studio believes
in that they're going to get their money back, or
investors believe they're going to get their money back. And
I'm struggling and you know everybody. Wow, I don't know
everybody because I'm not I'm not I'm not in the
studio game like that. Okay, first of all, what I'm
not gonna do is let him be humble because the
(10:38):
first class I came to that you invited me to,
fifty walked in the door. Okay, don't let me start.
Who shows up at his classes? I'm like, and you're like, oh,
I'm gonna have a guest. Just somebody stopped by fifty
walks In the Prime of Power, I think it was
like first season of Power. Okay, enough. He's an amazing
(11:02):
guy and like I said, he supports movements and like
I said, yeah, you know, you got so much coming
out now, like the BMF project and stuff that's just
going to really change the game and create Like Power
did create a thousand opportunities for people. But now with
BMF is just gonna and tell us about BMF. I
don't know nothing about it. Okay, yeah he does. Anyway,
that's okay. Maybe we can invite him back for part
(11:25):
two so that we could get you know, that inside
We're going to get the inside report. That's where we're
going to get um because they do go way back.
I don't care, and he's he's humble. UM. So I
want to ask you, in terms of these actors today,
in your classes, working with these actors, what are a
(11:48):
couple of your pet peeves that, um you are constantly
over emphasizing. Number One is communication. Okay, So, so I
was live on the ground yesterday and um, you know,
people were coming on lout like hey, yeah, yeah, I'm
definitely taking your class in l A or Miami. And
I'm like, really, it's funny because I send you an
(12:10):
email back like last week and I start here, back, yeah,
I got you, and I'm just what do you mean
you got me? How does it work? It's like casting
is a small window r. You put a casting out.
If you get twenty uh twenty submissions that are amazing,
you're done. You're sending whatever you gotta do the next steps,
(12:31):
and then you go fishing. No one wants to stay there,
you know, six days waiting for you to send something back.
And that's the problem, especially in the in the Latin space.
And when I send out a casting to people, especially girls,
young girls, when I send them stuff, I don't I
don't get a response back to the day to three
days later, Like y'all was side, I was busy and
(12:53):
I was on the boat, and then what happened, And
it's just like we shot it already, it's been shot already,
it's over, it's done. The casting was four days ago. Sorry, miss,
but like that's a big problem. It's communication. So now
what happens is is a casting director, if you call
John Doe and it hits you back in one minute,
(13:15):
you know who you're calling all the time, Good old
John Doe, you know. And so communication is very important.
Another thing that's very important what we talked about earlier
today when I walked in its time. Time is so important.
If you come late once to anything I do, I
never see you again because you know, everything is like
(13:36):
say on the cinema giants tip, right, you get you
get a project, create a concept, you put a budget out,
you submit it, it gets awarded to give you the
money that it takes to do the project. Right. So
you calculate a project, you know, from time to locations
to everything. Right. So now if you decided to come,
you're the start my movie. You come two hours late,
(13:56):
That's what happens that's two hours over time for the
you than forty people Crewe that's on set. So if
you do the math on that with two hours over
time and it's times one forty, that's what you just
cost me. So now I don't like you and I'm
never gonna see you again. So time is very important,
and it's not fair to people, especially be doing a
scene with somebody knows show up, this person gotta sit here.
(14:19):
We all got to see and wait for you because
you didn't make it on time. And so it was
like I was on time. Was it was like ten
minutes late. You No, on time is fifteen minutes early.
That's on time. I say today that was trapped. There
was something happened to the train, and I made it
cause I left a half an hour earlier than the
time that it would take for me to make it here,
so that that twenty minutes delay got me here tony
(14:42):
minutes before we're supposed to go. So those those two
things right there a very crucial. And the last thing
I enforced all the time is you gotta be humble,
because if we don't like you, we don't want to
stay eighteen hours with you every day for three months,
or if you're if you're on the TV show for
(15:05):
six months every single day, which you're stuck up, annoying crazy.
I've seen, Yeah, that's that's got to be humble if
you liked just a lot easier to it is to
get in the building. So and what actors don't understand
(15:28):
is that's the duality of our job. It's not just
discovering or finding this talent. We have to In some
cases the director will say, okay, yulee, um, between these
two women, who has the better personality? And where do
we get that? The way you walk in the room,
the way you present right oh day, you know, that's
(15:51):
how I tell you how to be humble. I was like,
first of all, if you will get to my door
right right the minute you woke out, I'm telling the director, hell,
no trust right to trust because you see it and
people don't understand. Um. And I talked about this in classes.
The way you walk tells us something. I hate those
handshakes when it's like the little thing they'd grasp the fingers.
(16:14):
It's you can't see student audience. But it's the weak
handshake that annoys me so much, Like hold my hand
shake my hand. I had a low story in that,
but the handshake is very important. But I don't do handshake.
You can't. Don't see right now because because I used
to do like the big castings and have like a
thousand people show up. I used to like, so, yeah,
(16:39):
I'm not trying to shake a thousand hands. Yeah, you
know some of them are sweaty to I used to
shake hand. They got a sweaty wana. I'm just like,
you know what, what we're gonna see him again? Probably
what we're not doing handshakes and we can and you know, actors,
most actors can sense whether or not they can actually
come towards that table, you know, because there's the energy.
(17:00):
Actors know like, oh, you know, I'm just gonna stay
on my mark and wave to you from afar. You
know there's that energy. Um. I wanted to touch on likes.
How important is it for you for actors to have
their social media numbers? Okay, well me personally, you know,
(17:21):
it's it's uh one of the most annoying things that's
ever happened in this career personally, right, So I don't
go off of that, but unfortunately everyone else does. So
so life's a very important. But the thing is, it's like,
you know, I kind of know how the system works,
so me personally, because we had a YouTube channel a
(17:43):
long time ago going to those threas. Jesse and James
Cruz created this YouTube channel and basically it was like,
had a Timino a budget to um to uh executive
produce people's videos, put them on the channel. But the
likes but but we we was the songs were ours
(18:06):
for like a year. So whatever advertisement was sold came
to one of those threads, right, So they decided by
the numbers on who got the money, you know, so
we brought artists to them. They would go look at
the numbers, but he only has a million views, that's
like the average. We want someone like ten million and better. Right.
(18:28):
So in in that process, you know, they had an
investigator at one point and they found out that half
the people were lies. They were bought, so so half
the people, you know, we didn't we didn't shoot the
videos for them, right. So so that being said, Instagram
is the same thing. You know, it's all a lie.
(18:50):
So just I think it was last year Instagram did
a similar thing. They wiped out all the lies. So
so a lot of people lost their pages and they
were like, oh my page got actor, got a new
account or whatever. You know, they got caught, you know,
and you could tell because the way it works is
like say it's like and you get ten thousand followers
(19:11):
and a hundred likes and ten comments. For get followers,
five hundred likes, and for a hundred dollars you get
hundred thousand followers, two thousand likes, and thirty comments. And
you can tell about the comments because because it's like cool, great, awesome,
(19:32):
there's nothing really personal, you know, so like to me,
all that's a lie. Most of us a lie. It's
not real. So you know, I hate the fact that
the studios care about the numbers and if it's between
you know, this one and that one, they're gonna go
with the numbers. So the numbers do do matter. But
(19:53):
Instagram is a great vehicle. It's used properly, so so yes,
if we're gonna hire somebody, first thing we asked for
the Instagram ac koind of we look at it to
see the lifestyle. I say, I was doing a job
the other day, I was doing at this very very
exclusive hotel and asked me who the artist was, and
they googled him, and they denied me the hotel. You know,
(20:15):
I knew the owner and everything that because we went
on his Instagram and he's smoking weed in every single picture.
So there's no way he's gonna come to our hotel
and not smoke weed. We don't allow smoking in this hotel.
So unfortunately went out to decline you guys, because they
went into the Instagram. But Instagram, you know, everyone goes
to see who you are. Your story is what you do.
(20:37):
So so I always tell my students make sure if
you want to be an actor, make sure your Instagram
reflects that, you know, because if they go onto Instagram
and see a different story, it might affect the possibilities
if you're getting the job, you know, especially if you
look non actor and very crazy and you know what,
(20:58):
you know, say disrespectful stuff on the It's it's a
very big influence. So Instagram, unfortunately, it's a it's a
very very important asset as an actor, as a container.
Everyone looks at it and they make decisions based on it,
which sucks because, like I said, a lot of it
is a lot. Yeah, I agree. I have very challenged
with the Instagram, and it does work both ways in
(21:20):
that In that sense, Um, how do you discover talent?
What is your process? Well it's not that, you know,
we don't discover talent, that's um, it's it's about the
right timing and when there's a search happening, and in
(21:42):
the search bumps into that talent because, like I said, majority,
like say, I cast a movie called Raising Victor Vargus
a long time ago, and um, it was Dominican young teenagers.
You know, street edge is what they wanted. So that
didn't exist, you know, then they want and it was
(22:03):
non union. Then they wanted like a grandmother and like
to tend great uh Latin actors that Adrians were sacked.
So so and then all the women that do extra
work are an actors. So I've seen everybody in New York.
They were all pretty bad. And we couldn't find a grandmother.
None of the teenagers were actors. You're trying to go
(22:25):
to the film schools, and the film schools they weren't
edgy enough. They were cleaned up, so they didn't have
the street edge. So you know, so you go on
the street, you know, you start putting posters up on
the polls and schools flyers and the malls like you know,
and and and that's how that's how Like if I've
(22:46):
discovered talent, it's been on like that extreetcast and then
we got you know, someone and and they delivered. There
was something special about them. So so once you see
that thing, then you oat them because they don't know
how to act. And then um, and then that's how
you know, some stars were born. That that's how I
(23:10):
would say I discovered somebody because I grabbed him off
the street. Now there's an actor study in and all
that stuff, and they come to a casting and I
give him a job. I didn't discover them. They you know,
they found the opportunity. They grabbed it. But so so
um like say, um, the problem is too with anyone
(23:31):
that I grabbed from the street, that I gave him
an opportunity, an amazing opportunity, because they didn't have the
business or the mindset or what it takes. You know,
A hundred of those people dropped the ball, dropped it,
you know, and when they don't have you know, there's
(23:51):
a certain certain work ethic that you have to have
in this business. This is not a nine to five.
And like you said, um, so grateful that he got
up this morning to come to the show, and now
I am I'm grateful thought about me and allowed me
to be in your space and your presence. Like, I'm
(24:12):
so honored and I'm so overwhelmed that I'm even sitting
next to you right now. Now he's gonna make me
all misty and teary. Thank you U. It's it's a
mutual love here. Um. I wanted to um. You mentioned
in the room that you're also coaching them. Is that
where this transition started to occur with you in terms
(24:34):
of producing and directing or is this something that you
always wanted to pursue. No, as you know, we wanted
to be active, right, we wanted to be actors. And
as you know, there was no opportunities for two Latin
(24:55):
boys to make a queen right right, We're in Latin enough,
we're in black enough, definitely weren't white enough, so so
we can never fit in. And like I said, you know,
people like yourself, you know, forced those opportunities force you know,
it might have an African American you're like, or it
was it would be white, they would be white, and
I'd be like, let me just get Julia and Jess right,
(25:19):
and they would look at me like Tracy White, I'm like,
choices exactly exactly, and and like I said, because the
opportunities like that we got in the door. But but
you know, she was one of few that went of
two we'll say three that were it. So so there
wasn't that much opportunity. And then what I said was
(25:39):
a one liner. You know, drugs, guns, jail, you know,
the stereotype stuff. So, um, at some point, you know,
there was like a roadblock where where we felt like
there was no future. Parents weren't behind us at all.
And um, you know, we used to get so frustrated
(26:00):
and my father's like, you know what's wrong, And I'm like, Yo,
these guys don't get it. You know, a few Latin roles.
They want us to talk like the Mexican stereotype or whatever,
and that's not right. And my father's like, don't get
mad at them, get mad at yourself. You know, if
you got a problem withold it, fix it then, you know,
and if you can't fix it, then it's then then
(26:20):
it's your you know, So I listen, what do you say,
he goes If you say they don't know how to
do it, then you learn how to do it. So
I was like, okay, how could I do that? You know,
very empowered, very empowered. Um so, so that that's how
the whole can then who was supposed to be? And
I lik it like that, you know now the readings
(26:42):
and all that stuff. And then you know, back in
the days, you know, we used to be rappers. Believe
it or not. It went on the Canada and Canada
main source, and our beepers didn't work in Canada. They
were calling us because the movie I picked up by
Columbia Pictures and they wanted to come to the audition
(27:03):
and we never made it. When we came back, God
is great. And then that's when the casting was offered
to me because a Victor was like, sus was like,
and you know what, maybe it's a sign. And you
always talked that Jazz that if you was a cast director,
if you was a cast director, so maybe you need
to be on this project on the casting side. Maybe
you weren't supposed to be in front of the camera.
(27:25):
But he gave me that, you know, the opportunity to
do an internship. So so I missed the principal cast
and so I started doing extras casting with Landa. Yes,
and that's how the whole casting things started. And then
after years of casting to all the all the big
music videos and artists started coming to me to direct videos,
(27:46):
you know. Next, that's kind of how the directing started.
My casting took off and I passed to Jesse like look, Jesse,
you do this while I do that. And then then
the director took off things say hey, how about you
come do this that you know? And then that's the point.
It was like, uh, you know, you learned to gain
and then now you feel like, okay, wait a minute,
now there's an opportunity for us to tell our story.
(28:08):
You know, hey, let's give it a shot now. So
it's twenty years now, yes, so twenty eight years later,
you think you learned most of it and now you
try to go to the next level. So that's what's
happening now now, you know, Uh, Jesse sold a couple
of shows, the Nicky Jams series, Nicky Jams series. They've
got a lot of Netflix with your are Netflix? Uh
(28:29):
next month? You know, we just did a YouTube original
series which right now the title has to change. I
won't say it, but you know it's a Latin driven. Uh,
you know, like an eight mile with a perspective of
two females to female latinas excellent. So and then as
you know, let's say we're coming right now. We're coming
hard right now. So that is excellent. And as I
(28:52):
said to you guys earlier, this is just part one
because we are gonna we are calling him back. We
have so many questions, we have other stuff that we
need to talk about. So this was just, uh, let's
say your appetizer entree. We're gonna come back with some dessert.
That's going to be Part two with Julie. I am
(29:14):
full and I'm so heartfelt. And when I tell you
one of my favorite favorite people in the whole wide world,
definitely no come on history. I just want to thank
you listens, Terrero for coming here dropping some pearls, diamonds
and emeralds on you guys. But hold on because he
will be back for part two. Stay tuned for class
(29:37):
in Session on the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore.
Thank you, Hi, Welcome to the Spirited Actor Podcast with
me Tracy Moore and my favorite segment and we still
have you listens. Tarrero here. Yeah, that's right, that's right.
So we are here now at class in set shin
(30:00):
with leanne a motto, Leanne say some words, some words.
We have one of the we have a latino here.
So I'm happy, yes, um, yeah, I'm just excited to
be here. I missed last week. Yeah, we missed you. Yeah,
I mean and that gives us the segway to Spruce.
(30:21):
That's why Spruce is here because you were here last week.
Look at you. But Spruce is an actor, Ladies and gentlemen,
this is my producer, Spruce Henry. Give it up his Spruce,
Spruce Henry. And my safe word is gumbo. Okay, my
social is I like that sad week. Okay, Well, we're
(30:42):
gonna get this party started with gumbo. And um today
we are going to be I think he just took
you list this out. We're gonna give you list just
a minute, um, and I'll explain. Well, um, we deal
with this safe word gumbo. Okay, So we're gonna be
dealing today. Our scene is from the Young and the Restless,
(31:05):
and so I'm going to be reading all of the action.
They will be reading the dialogue and then when we
do it again, Julie is going to give you guys
some constructive criticism, and you guys are going to do
it again without meat. Okay, okay, all right, here we
go Examination room day. Janelle sits on the exam table,
facing away from the door. She's on edge and impatient.
(31:28):
Her check up is today and her doctor is late.
She hears the door creak open as Alex breezes in.
I apologize for my lateness. Yeah, you better. She turns
to look at him and is cut short. He's attractive.
She immediately back pedals, trying to keep her foot out
of her mouth. But I'll take that back right now.
(31:52):
I imagine that you are so busy, doctor Sanders, running
all over just say even lies, don't even worry about me. Well,
I appreciate that, mrs ms Miss Raymond. Okay, Miss Raymond.
Dr Bruce is out sick. But it's a basic checkup.
(32:14):
So I'm sure I can handle things here. I'm sure
I'm sure you can. Okay, So let's take a look
at those hands. He takes her hands in his. She
tries to keep herself in check, but she might as
well be melting. Hey, now you feel a little clammy.
They spike at your heart rate until recently. Okay, what
(32:40):
about your feet any like sensitivity or anything like that?
Um it g and sore. But on the bright side,
my toes are killing me. Well, you should get out
of those heels and into something a little more. You know,
I'm got to look good for work. Ah. Yeah, I'm
(33:02):
sure a popular professional can pull some strings and score
wardrobe change. Plus, no one's even looking at your shoes. Mhmm.
Flatter and understand what it's like to put all your
time and energy into your passion. But your health is
the most important thing right now. He's being clinical helpful,
(33:26):
but she can't help but take it as a bit
of flirtation. She tries to return it. You know, Dr
brooks um has been really helpful. But I really love
to pick your brain on stress management and vitamin's exercise massages.
I mean, I've been doing research. But you know how
(33:46):
the internet can be. Of course, Uh, this blog says
this is general, says that everyone has their own opinion
on things. It's not always smooth sailing right exactly. So
I would really love the input of an expert like you.
I mean, would you be interested in maybe meeting up later?
Maybe a good scotch and soda. You can do the
(34:07):
scotch and I can drink the soda. He's a little
tempted despite himself, but checks his watch. Well, I really can't.
I have a slew of appointments, and after that, I
have a personal matter to attend to. I have to
pick up someone up from surgery. Ohn, is everything okay? Uh?
(34:27):
Not exactly? My girl, Lucy, Yeah, she's not well. Janelle's
antenna's ping on Lucy. Oh god, I am so sorry.
I didn't even realize that you had a girl. No, no, no, no, no,
it's okay. It's really really okay. She just got into
some bad stuff. They didn't think she was gonna make it.
It's terrible. I came home and there was trash everywhere.
(34:53):
She was lying on the floor, foaming at the mouth,
and I had to drive her right to the r
Now she's confused. He digs into his pocket, pulls out
his cell phone, then shows it to her. It's a
photo of a border Collie. Your dog. Yeah, my girl.
But she needs a good night's rest at home, and
(35:15):
I need more secure it from my garbage can So okay,
I totally understand. Maybe another time. Oh well, I'm sure
I can pencil something in and seen. All right, that
is young and the restless. Okay, y Lee, it's all
(35:36):
you your constructive criticism. Okay, can we do it again? Right? Yes?
And can you play it like that's your husband's best friend.
You're married, that's your husband's best friend. So as much
as you want to feel everything you're feeling, you know
you have to be easy. It was, it was very vous.
(36:01):
Then it could create a problem. So you gotta suddenly
do it. And the only way you could suddenly do
it is with your eyes, you know, because right now
I feel like you're overplaying it. You know, a woman
comes to me like that in my office, I'm running
out the door. I'm like, this is a me to
attempt to get me in trouble, you know, running the
(36:22):
other way. So I feel like it was overly played.
So let's because you overplayed it. Let's over not play it.
And I don't want to see any physical uh flirting
with the eyes. So I want you inside to want
this guy inside, for you to flow with him inside.
(36:43):
But you gotta, you know, you gotta keep your cool
because that's your husband's a great friend. Right now, you
on the other hand, right, Um, your boy just gotta
me too charge, you know, so so you know, so
you you know he's done, he's gone, you know, and
and and people are thinking you you you might be
(37:06):
doing the same thing. So so so you don't want
to have nothing to do with this, even though you
do so same to you deep down inside. She's attractive
and you know your mind is wondering, but you shouldn't.
You shouldn't at all. Right, Your job could be a champan,
but she does things that you know. You're fighting. So
(37:28):
you're fighting to stay calm, you're fighting not to give it.
Got it, copy copy, and then towards the end, whoever
wins the battle. You know, you guys could could could
go with that at the end. You know, you guys
could release those directions if it makes sense. You know,
(37:50):
like I said, whatever makes sense. But the whole in
hand should be uncomfortable. You're liking it, but it's like
a death trap. I got you copy that copy that okay,
So all right, so we got some really great feedback
from our casting director. You listens to erroll. Um, okay,
(38:12):
so we're gonna start it again and I'm not reading,
So you guys right, all right, accent mm hm, I
apologize for my lateness. Um, yeah, you better uh take
that back. I imagine a really busy Dr Sanders running
(38:35):
all over and saving lives, so I don't even want
about me. Well, I appreciate that, Mrs ms Miss Raymond.
Ms Raymond right. Uh. Dr Brooks is outsick, but it
is a basic check out. So I'm sure I can
handle things here. Yeah, I'm sure you can. Okay, So
(38:58):
let's take a look at those hands, okay, m hm
hm oh, okay, um a little clammy um and uh.
Any spike in your heart rate? No, um until recently? Okay,
(39:23):
So what about your feet? Any sensitivity? I'm just itchy
and sore. But on the bright side, my toes are
they're killing me. Okay, Well you should get out of
those heels and uh and into something a little more comfortable.
M hm. You know it's got a good look. Good
(39:47):
for work. Yeah, I'm sure a popular professional can pull
some strings and score a wardrobe change. Plus, no one's
even looking at your shoes. I'm gladder. Uh, and I
understand what it's like to put all your time and
energy into your passion, but your health is the most
(40:07):
important thing to me right now. Um, you know, Dr
Brooks has been really helpful and I'd love to really
pick your brain just about some stress management exercises and
vitamins and massages and I don't know, I've been doing
some research. But you know how the internet can be.
(40:28):
Of course, this block says this, this journal says that
everyone has their own opinion on things, not always that
smooth sailing, right exactly. So I really love your input. Um,
would you be interested in maybe meeting up later? Could
grab us scotch and soda? Scotch for you, soda, I'll
take it. Oh no, I really can't have a slew
(40:50):
of appointments. And after that I have a personal matter
to attend to. I have to pick up someone from surgery.
Oh is everything okay? Not exactly? My girl, Lucy, she's
not well. I'm I'm really sorry. I didn't realize that
you were seeing some I mean, no, no, no, it's okay.
(41:11):
She's just you know, she got just some bad stuff.
They didn't think she was gonna make it. Oh, it's terrible. Um,
I mean, well, you know I came home and the
trash was everywhere and she was lying on the floor
foaming at the mouth, and uh, you know I had
to drive her right to the yard. Oh mm hmm,
(41:38):
your dog. Yeah, okay, my girl, but she needs a
good night's rest at home. And you know I need
more secured lids from my garbage game. No, I totally
get it. Um, maybe another time. Sure, I'm sure I
can pencil you me in somewhere and seen. Okay, all right,
(42:04):
all right, what do you think? Um? Well, I have
to say I absolutely loved when he gave you that
about um, your your friend, right, being the love interest? Right? Um.
I thought that it raised the stakes, and in raising
(42:24):
the stakes, the inner is more interesting to watch than
the outer. So I loved how you gave them that conflict.
In watching you guys deal with that, it was a
duel going on, and I was there like you would definitely,
you were so uncomortable. You're doing great. You know. It
(42:45):
was way way better to the peopleman, because the first
one I didn't believe it, so this was more believable. Um.
The problem is for me is like I'm such a
I guess I don't know if a d D is
the right thing for but one little mistake shakes me
a little bit soon, So I felt like you jumped
the gun on the on the dog, which was the payoff,
(43:08):
you know what I'm saying, So like he didn't give
it to you, and you started reacting already, so so
I didn't understand why you were reacting. And then he
brought the picture of the dove over something like, oh,
she jumped the gun. Okay. And then and then and
then I crashed, but I was there, so I was like,
I was rising with you, I was loving and I
was like so excited about it, and that just threw
(43:29):
me off. And then I just so just that one
of the mistakes. But it was definitely a way better
performance by both of you guys. And you guys both
to directions. That's what's all about, you know, Like I said,
that was just you know, I mean, I guess the
directions made sense, but I was gonna give the Russian regardless.
I guess economy. But that was good. That was good back.
(43:50):
But but you know a lot of times in casting,
you know, you just give directions sometimes just the CV
file directions. Both followed him extremely well. So I told
you guys, thank you, than thank you, thank you, spirst. Okay,
next week's first to be back. We need to get
(44:13):
all of your information. Ne Rely where can actors reach
out and get this dynamic feedback, insight inspiration where they go, Um,
that's not for sale. I mean we have we have
we have this thing. We have this thing called Acting
Rehab when Ulystenes Terrero, which is uh, well actually it's
Acting Rehab boot Camp. That's a one day, eight hour
(44:36):
of course, the semesters are tough for me to do
because I'm so busy. But uh, it's an email address
Acting Rehab at gmail dot com. Okay, you guys got
that Acting Rehab at gmail dot com. We're gonna say
it again. Yeah. I mean it's terrible because I had
a website and I didn't pay the bill because I
was out of the country, and somebody bought it and
(44:56):
then trying to sell it back to me for like
a thousand dollars Acting Rehab. I mean, I've been to
my last website. You listen to Trail dot com. I
was out of the country, didn't pay the bill, and
the next day it goes to an auction, they buy
it and they try to summon my name back for
fifteen dollars Trail dot com. Yeah, that's what they do.
(45:17):
They if you don't pay, the domain name the next
day goes to an auction and people buy, depending how
many views you getting. The more views you get, the
more they try to sell it back to you. So
so it's it's very unfortunate. So so they just they
just happened. So now actually have dot com and some
dudes like you can buy it for a thousand dollars.
So let's doing more website right now. I got a
(45:39):
debate if I if I changed the name or if
I just beat this guy up and get my name.
But right now, just the email addresses acting we have
at gmail dot com. Okay, so we're reach out to him.
You know you you already know you're gonna get some
(45:59):
great roles and diamonds and jewels. So I strongly suggest
that you get in touch with him for his next
rehab and boot camp because you need it. Okay, that's
it for class in session. Thank you Lianne, Thank you
Spruce for jumping in again, and we'll see Spruce next week.
(46:19):
And once again, thank you Liss for coming down and
just sharing with us. We love you so much, and
stay tuned for part two because he is coming back.
Give love stay present. We moved too fast. We don't
even acknowledge each other on the streets because we're so
connected to our phones and distractions. We are ahead of ourselves.
(46:44):
Slow down and stay present. When I found out my
dad had cancer, they gave us ten months. Every single
day of that ten months, I stayed present. I stayed
present and to talk to my dad and tell him
all the things that I wanted to discuss with him,
(47:05):
to share as much as I wanted to share with him.
Because even though we had ten months allegedly from the doctors,
I was living in the present moment and I was
living in God's time, and I believed that whatever time
was given to me to spend with my dad, I
(47:26):
was going to stay present. I wasn't going to get
ahead of myself and think, oh my god, one day
I'm going to have to cremate him, or my dad
is not going to be here for this, and he's
not going to be here for that. I chose to
stay present, and I lived in the best ten months
of my life, spending the last ten months with my
dad by staying present. Thank you for joining us on
(47:51):
the Spirited Actor Podcast with me Tracy Moore. I looked
forward to our next Spirited podcast. Thank you,
Popular Podcasts
United States of Kennedy
United States of Kennedy is a podcast about our cultural fascination with the Kennedy dynasty. Every week, hosts Lyra Smith and George Civeris go into one aspect of the Kennedy story.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com