Meet Carlo Narváez of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carlo Narváez

Hi Carlo, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was 16, I decided to be an actor. Being raised in a family of no creatives, meaning no artists per se in my immediate family, I always felt like the black sheep. My mother is a teacher at the school I went to, my father is a salesman, and my sister is the head of HR. I asked myself, where do I fit in all of this? I learned that I didn’t. The first person I told I wanted to pursue acting was my father. And to my pleasant surprise, in full support which is surprising as he is the person whom I felt didn’t get how serious I was taking this “acting thing”. It made me happy; To see how proud my dad was of me and finally being able to achieve bigger things in life. What I didn’t expect was my mother to be somewhat opposed to it. Although she was the one who ran back and forth at rehearsals, saw my emotional drain in production, and would drive me to national acting competitions, she was not sold that being an artist was a financially sustainable career. We fought, we cried, we talked, we did a lot. But she came to the conclusion that the life I was choosing is my own and that she had to be supportive of whatever path I took. On October 2019, I moved to New York City and picture this; A 17 year old from Puerto Rico, left alone in NYC with no immediate family and no prior visit to the city ever. Lets just say I was terrified. But I really didn’t care. I was scared but I was acting. That was the only thing that mattered. Being able to create; make a crowd happy, sad, scared, ashamed, all those feelings that I can pour onto the stage or screen and people reacting to them is what I like about performing. Making people feel something they didn’t before they walked into the space.

Two years after NYC, I decided to continue my training in Los Angeles. Another big step but I knew it was going to be perfect. My first two years have been focused on my acting. I was training harder than ever before and doing a play every 6 months. I was active, learning, and eager to do more when I got out of college. When I did, it took me a little by surprise. I was grateful to have gotten a manager right after leaving acting school, but a lot of things in the casting world I did not believe or chose not to, because I never really experienced it because I was “blind” to the idea it would happen. Type-cast became my new nemesis. It’s sad to say but as a hack I put “white” in my acting profiles so I get more breakdowns and auditions because if not I would not have gotten a single audition my first year out of college. Breaking the system in a way, but hiding a side of myself. I became authentic to my culture and never stopped showing who I was.

Being more authentic to myself and others, and most of all being me without no judgement to myself has been such a great career change. It has opened more doors than I could have imagine my second year out of college. I want to create more and that is what I am doing. I can’t wait to see whats in store for 2025!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
One of my biggest obstacles was understanding that castings look for white people and very few people of color. But I did not let that stop me. After getting dropped by my manager, dumped by an old fling, taken advantage of by an old hookup, and my grandfather dying really made me stop and re-think how I am putting myself out there in the world. I started to look inward and really start to embrace more the Puerto Rican in me and not shy away from who I am. Because if they don’t like this version of me, loud, caring and explosive, I cannot perform at all. So I choose to be my authentic self and that is why I decided to use my middle name, Carlo, and be as authentically Latino as I can be. By showing this side of me, I have been able to get opportunities like crazy after starting with my new “persona”. I have booked plays, short films, and even filmed a Pilot in November 2024.

The hardest struggle I have faced is being excluded by a market geared towards Americans, Verticals. If I have done one that is too many. I am cast as the sidekick, friend, one liner, but never the lead because I am not white, 6 ft, blue, eyes, muscle/athletic build. I am Brown, 5ft 5, brown eyes, and an average built. This vertical world does not accept me right now but there will be time for me to show. And if I am never chose, their loss, I know better things are waiting for me.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an artist. I would say actor, but I feel that term is to vague to all the other create outlets I do. I sing, I dance, I write and almost all things I do revolve around art. My first passion is and will always be acting and it’s something I will put above all no matter what. It has been my priority for the last eight years and thats where it will be. As an actor, I love creating and performing as characters different from who I am. Something very different and just out of the box from me that will surprise people and leave them speechless. One of my favorite performances I have done was a trans prostitute called Manny the Fanny. I played her back in 2016 in a National oratory competition where I lost, miserably to say the least. When starting by second to last term at college I got the chance to do a solo show and I challenged myself to do her again. It was the best decision I could have made. I surprised everyone with the range in which I was performing. Manny was such a strong and formidable character who didn’t care about anyone and would not let no man mess with her or her money. That year I got chosen and was one of the top contemporary scene actors of the whole year and it being a solo performance made it all the better. The spotlight was on me, and I treasure that moment till this day.

When I think of what sets me apart is my ability to fully transform myself into the character. I really put my whole body, soul, and mind when doing a performance. A comment I got one time for a character, I was playing this “devilish” persona for a self tape, a college said that at times she forgot to breathe because of what I was doing. Things like that fuel my fire as an actor because I know I did a good job. To prepare for those roles, big or small, calm or wild, I like to envision myself putting on on a suit of some kind. Like it engulfed my whole body and I am no longer Carlo, I am the character all the way through. I immerse myself som much in a part that I blackout when I start saying my lines then “come back” when my scene is over. And what sets me apart is I have a lot of heart and respect for the craft. I haven’t been doing it as long as others, but I know I have, like RuPaul wound say “Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve, and Talent” to achieve the success I am destined for. I am a start and I want to show the world.

Any big plans?
My plan is to keep working. Now with my recent Pilot, I have gotten the opportunity to do more “higher” end projects. My goal for the time being is to audition as much as I can. I want every casting director in the greater Los Angeles to see me and put a little star next to my name because, although they might find another fit for their current search, they see I have the potential for another project and they can use me because I have the potential to go big in this industry. I just need the chance.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlo_narvaezz/
• Other: https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/carlo_narvaez