Actor and filmmaker Guillermo Ivan chatted about his latest acting projects, which include “Shrapnel” and “As Good As Dead.”
He also discussed the digitalization of media, and his dream to someday work with Robert De Niro.
‘Shrapnel’
In “Shrapnel,” a former Marine and his old war buddy face off against the Mexican cartel behind the disappearance of his daughter.
On his experience on this film, he said, “t was great. William Kaufman is an incredible action film director who knows exactly what he wants from his actors. From the first time we talked about the character it became like a dance, a continues flow, a wave of ideas and moments that really allowed me to play and have un on set.”
‘As Good As Dead’
He spoke about starring in “As Good As Dead” opposite Michael Jai White. “Michael is someone I look up to, an action figure that I really admire and respect, working with him was an incredible learning process,” he said.
“Our characters hate each other at the beginning of the film and the arch develops greatly into a story of camaraderie and loyal friendship. I enjoy every single scene we had together,” he added.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, now with streaming and technology being so prevalent, he said, “I think that the digital era provides amazing opportunities for any actor.”
“The digitalization of media has in a way created a democratic virtual space where now a days pretty much anybody can produce content and share it, the new challenge resides in the imagination of all actors/creators and the execution of those concepts to capture an audience,” he elaborated.
Future plans
Regarding his future plans, he shared, “I am preparing for a new movie that will shoot at the end of July and August, and holding current conversations for two new action movies.”
Motivations
On his daily motivations as an actor, he said, “Being able to touch people’s hearts through my work is the biggest motivation I could ever found.”
He acknowledged that there have been many moments in his career that have helped define him. “I almost feel that I will keep finding those defining moments in every new creative endevor,” he said.
“If I have to mention some, they will probably be my school training as an actor; first in Cuba, facing scarcity and even starvation while at the same time I was falling in love for acting, theater and films,” he said.
“Then, moving to New York City to keep training as an actor at HB studio, facing a complete new world for me at that time, that had opened so many doors and opportunities that basically dragged me to where I am today,” he explained.
Dream acting partners
He listed Academy Award winner Robert De Niro as his dream acting partner in the business. “Working with Robert De Niro would be a dream come true. I realized I wanted to be an actor when I saw him on ‘Awakenings’ and I was only five years old,” he said.
Success
On his definition of the word success, he said, “Happiness, and fulfillment. Doing what you love with people you love and finding meaning in life.”
To learn more about actor and filmmaker Guillermo Ivan, follow him on Instagram and his Linktree page.
