Meet René Mena

Today we’d like to introduce you to René Mena.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was born in Sonsonate, El Salvador. I came from a humble family. When I was 16, I moved to Richmond, VA in pursuit of a better life and to help support my family back in El Salvador. Like so many Latinos I came to the United States undocumented and didn’t speak a word of English. Because my father was already here with a green card, I was able to legalize myself more easily than most Latinos.

The only job I could find was in construction – working as a drywall finisher. I did that full-time for six months until I started high school. Monday thru Friday I had school during the day, and then at night, I worked full-time in a medical packaging factory. On weekends I continued with my construction job. I did that for most of my four years of high school. I would get three-four hours of sleep during this period.

Sometimes I would skip school because I was so exhausted. When graduation came, I was so happy because I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school. I was also the first person in my family to attend college, which I did, for two years at John Tyler Community College. I had high hopes of transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to study business.

I had always been very curious about real estate so towards the end of my last two years at John Tyler I studied for and received my real estate license. Almost immediately I started working as a real estate agent. I wasn’t expecting that career to take off the way it did, but because I was so successful, I decided to leave college and focus on real estate. I was very successful in the real estate world, and I even had a full-time assistant.

Because of that success, I was able to purchase my first house when I was 22 and a second one when I was 24. Most people work Monday thru Friday for eight hours a day, but I thought to myself “what if I work the other 16, as well?” (minus the little sleep I continued to get and not having much of a social life). To this day I apply that same work ethic. I did that for six years, and I was very happy and very successful. And then the economy collapsed.

On a dare from an ex-girlfriend, I attended a casting call. In spite of being really nervous, I was having so much fun. And, to my surprise, I landed the gig. While shooting that project, I discovered my true passion was acting. Three months later, I moved to Los Angeles to seriously pursue a career in acting. It wasn’t until I relocated to L.A. that I understood what it was to really struggle.

Working as an actor was very gratifying, but it didn’t come without its hardships. The first three or four years in L.A. were a financial struggle, especially. I heard the word “no” more often – a lot more often – than I heard “yes.” What kept me going was holding on to my dreams and finding a way to overcome those struggles, whether they be financial or otherwise. I have now been in Los Angeles for seven and a half years and – in spite of those struggles – I have enjoyed every second of it.

I started producing three years ago, and just last year I produced and co-wrote the feature film “Prescience.” The script attracted “Dallas” legend and Emmy nominee Linda Gray, Oscar and Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts, Mike C. Manning and Daytime Emmy nominee Vannessa Vasquez (both of whom are destined for stardom, as well) and myself.

The film centers on Isaac, a 28-year-old Salvadoran lawyer (played by me) who are dealing with unemployment and his conflicted sexual preference. Linda Gray and Eric Roberts play my step-parents, Mike C. Manning is my love interest and Vannessa Vasquez, my sister. The film is inspired by true events, and it was such an honor to work with such a talented cast and crew. The film is scheduled to have a limited theatrical release in early May and a wider release sometime in June.

I think the moral of my story is perseverance. I came to this country as an undocumented teenager with empty pockets and a head jammed with dreams. And now here I am living in Los Angeles – the land of the movies – a boutique business owner, a successful actor who has worked with some of the brightest stars in the business and a producer whose first feature film is being released in theatres (and recently was accepted into a well-respected international film festival).

If I could tell anyone anything, I would say go for it. If you have a dream – and I know you do – make sure you go after it.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My biggest struggle has been not physically having my family with me.

We’d love to hear more about what you do.
I started out as an actor and eight years later – while I continue working as an actor – I am also a producer and small business owner. I own Latinx Productions, a company that produces movies which not only create high-quality content but also promote diversity and engage colorblind casting.

“Prescience,” featuring an inter-racial relationship between a Caucasian man (played by Mike C. Manning) and a Latino man (played by myself), is a feature film produced under the Latinx banner.

In addition to its diverse cast of leads, “Prescience” features special appearances by transgender actress, host, and model Carmen Carrera and pop singer/actress Raquenel.

Behind the scenes, our production staff and crew are diverse as well with multiple ethnicities undertaking a variety of creative and administrative positions – from co-producing to production assistants.

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I have strong work ethics. I am persistent, disciplined while enjoying the journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4403318/
• Instagram: @renemena
• Facebook: @renemena
• Twitter: @renemena

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