Today we’d like to introduce you to Allan Badilla.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
What if the dream never dies, but only waits patiently for you to come back for it? All the way from Costa Rica to LA, my journey has been anything but ordinary. Since I was a little kid, I felt an unshakable pull toward the world of entertainment. When I was five years old I would stand proudly in front of the TV, pretending to direct the national anthem like a grand conductor. I loved stepping into the shoes of characters I saw on screen, Superman, Batman, the dramatic soap opera villain, even Mickey Mouse. Acting wasn’t just a game. It was a spark.
When I finally got accepted into college, acting was my immediate option. But my family’s financial situation didn’t allow me the luxury of studying without working. The school couldn’t offer a schedule that fit around a job, and so, with a heavy heart, I let the dream go. I stepped into the corporate world, I’d built a solid career in tech, earning a certification in project management and climbing the ladder.
But here’s the thing: when your soul is wired for something, when your purpose is so rooted into you, ignoring it only makes the calling louder. At 37, that calling became deafening. Questions about the meaning of life and the short timeframe of this journey hit me hard. I realized: this is my one shot and I couldn’t keep living someone else’s version of success.
So, after a whole year of analysis and meditation I walked away from financial comfort, stability, and a well-paying job to pursue acting. To be honest the doubts came rushing in. I was bothered by thoughts about my age, my location, my lack of experience. Was I wasting time? Was I too late? But when something is your true passion, you can’t fake it. You can’t Plan B it. You just go all in.
To my surprise and my delight the climb was quicker than I expected. I moved from basic acting classes to live theater, then started landing roles in commercials, plays, short films, and even top-rated TV sitcoms back in Costa Rica. But deep down, I could feel there was still more in me.
I discovered an online workshop that caught my attention. The level of acting, the depth of training showed me what I truly craved. So I went for it. Casually at first. I met with the school and they offered me a spot in their Professional Conservatory. I packed up my life. I left behind my family, my home, my relationships, everything familiar. I arrived in L.A. with nothing but my determination. I relied on public transport for a while three hours back and forth every day until an angel came into my life and helped me get a car.
The school had backed me up enormously and the support I have received from them is a clear confirmation that I am on the right path.
Now, every morning I wake up filled with gratitude. Grateful to be surrounded by talent, by dreamers, by people who believe in the impossible just like me.
I remember for many years inclining myself to become a doctor, a business owner, a lawyer, a veterinarian, a professional athlete and more, and as an actor I can be all of those…
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I’ll share some of the obstacles, which have made me stronger.
The fact that I left behind the 9-5 “corporate “stability was an obstacle itself, getting use to a new financial situation is always a big jump.
Also, moving to a new culture, and facing the challenges of transportation, food, housing, weather and others were a huge challenge, think of Costa Rica as a tropical weather and I arrived here during winter to a very dry environment, my body inmediately reacted to it in forms of allergies that I had eventually overcame.
On a litlte more dramatic side I can mention that 3 weeks before taking the plane I was attacked by a pitbull that bit my face having me needing at least 30 stitches around my right eye. I came to LA pursuing a visual career with my face full of scars.
I have overcame these and more but I can’t deny that it has been extremely worth it as I know have what I prayed for back in the day.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As an actor I have encountered particular comfort on playing Absurb comedy, comedy in general all the way to the psycho villian. I have a skill to create catchy phrases that the audience might repeat when they walk out of the venue. I consider my self to bring uniqueness to my characters by including a little bit of me to all my roles. I allow myself to be a medium for characters that will have the audience come up with questions about themselves and see reflection on my characters and the way I protrait them.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
By giving me the chance to read for them, to propose ideas to their projects and to facilitate equipment and resources to create my own material, but definetly by sharing their feedback or anecdotes that will equip me to better navigate through these industry’s waters
Contact Info:
- Instagram: allan_actor
