What's It Like Being a Latin Actor in Hollywood?
An Interview with Star Trek Actor Antonio Elias
May 11, 2009
Antonio Elias, 26, grew up watching and loving television and films – especially the action packed “Indiana Jones,” “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” movies. It’s no small measure that Elias’ first feature film is the J.J. Abrams vehicle, “Star Trek.”
“I play Officer Pitts,” Elias said from his Los Angeles home. “It was intimidating to work on a film like this – there was so much excitement. It was really fun to film. I got to the whole Starfleet experience, including the swivel chair and earpiece.”
Elias, who was born in Livingston, N.J., moved with his parents to Florida at the age of six. By the time he was 11, he’d already obtained a Screen Actors Guild card.
“I remember always loving movies and TV,” he said. “I would memorize the lines. When I was about eight, my mom signed me up for a summer camp [for acting]. I signed with a manager soon after. It was a no brainer for me to go into this business. It’s very natural.”
Cuban Heritage
With guest-starring roles on such shows as “Ghost Whisperer,” “The Game” and “The Practice,” Elias feels his Cuban heritage is advantageous.
“It’s more so in the last few years,” he said. “People are starting to recognize all the talent that is represented. I have a lot of pride – I’m Cuban American. I do go out for a lot of Caucasian roles, but also a lot of Latin roles.
"I'm not in a position to choose roles, but I'm attracted to action roles. Smaller, more complicated roles - anything that can challenge me- I'd be interested too. I'll take anything that comes my way."
Good Company
Elias joins a long and growing list of Cuban American actors and entertainers: Desi Arnaz, Jr., Lucy Arnaz, Cameron Diaz, Rosario Dawson, Andy Garcia and Annabella Sciorra.
While he has yet to work with these heavy hitters, Elias concentrates on working his own craft.
“My goal is to be a working actor,” he said. “I want to do good work and become a better actor. At some point I’d like to direct and write. All that is so exciting to me, I have so many ideas.”
Elias’ next project is the Victor Nunez helmed “Spoken Word.” Nunez, who directed Oscar-nominated actor Peter Fonda in “Ulee’s Gold,” himself grew up in Peru and Florida.
“I got to work with great, quality actors,” Elias said. “It was intimidating and inspiring at the same time. I learned a lot about myself as an actor.”
