ANDREW DIAZ OF ‘WE CAN BE HEROES’ ON PLAYING A HERO AND RECOGNIZING HEROES AROUND US

Rising star ANDREW DIAZ stars in Robert Rodriguez’s bright and colorful holiday Netflix superhero movie for kids- WE CAN BE HEROES. The Latin American-Norwegian actor plays FaceMaker, a hero who possesses the ability to change faces.

Diaz is a standout among an ensemble of established and rising stars in the film. Although this is his first major film, Diaz managed to showcase his range and incredible potential as a promising actor in the industry.

Andrew plays a hero but for him,

“a hero has always been someone with courage, honesty, integrity, determination and bravery.”

His definition of a hero definitely expanded considering the events this year. All the essential workers, and everyday, working people are heroes too.

“Whether we’re in the hospital or the supermarket, there are heroes all around us.”

In this exclusive interview, read on as Andrew shares his experiences while filming and working with Robert Rodriguez and the cast, his casting and acting experiences, how he prepares for auditions, his other skills aside from acting, and his own personal heroes.

How was 2020 for you so far?

2020 is the year, I feel, that taught us all to adapt. I believe it’s been rough for everyone. The COVID-19 global pandemic shut down so many businesses and made everything and everyone change and adapt. Lucky for me, because of acting, my parents already had me doing my schooling online so I think, at least I was ahead of the curve and didn’t skip a beat in that area.

As a young actor, how were you able to cope during these times?

In such crazy new times, I cope by staying active in some areas that will benefit me in the present and down the road. School is a given and I do online classes. Apart from that, my dad and I train in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu so our living room has become our workout room and training area. This year, I’ve also added horseback riding and guitar playing as new skill sets to add to my acting resumé.

Let’s chat about We Can Be Heroes. What’s the film about and what should the audience expect from it?

We Can Be Heroes is about a group of kids with parents who are superheroes who get captured by alien invaders, leaving the kids to save both their parents and the planet. You can expect an action-filled movie with jaw-dropping plot twists, and a group of young heroics with some pretty cool superpowers of their own.

How did you book the role and what’s our most memorable experience from casting?

My casting experience was a nail biter. After my initial audition, I had multiple callbacks where they kept giving me new audition sides. Once I realized they liked me, I knew they were trying to find the perfect role for me. Luckily, I got my favorite role and a character with a pivotal role in the movie, FaceMaker.

How was it to work with Robert Rodriguez and the ensemble of actors in the film?

Going to set with Robert Rodriguez directing didn’t feel like work. It was like creating art and collaborating with the art teacher.

What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned from this experience that you feel like the audience should learn as well?

The biggest takeaway for me was how true for any time period the message of the movie is: that it is up to the younger generation, who inherit earth’s problems, who need to work together to get things accomplished. This message ties in perfectly with the current events- the world battling a global pandemic where it takes all of us working together to do our parts to make things better.

For you, what makes someone a hero?

For me, a hero has always been someone with courage, honesty, integrity, determination and bravery. Living through this pandemic that hit us in 2020, my view of “hero” has expanded. Whether we’re in the hospital or the supermarket, there are heroes all around us. We now see the everyday worker, out there risking their own health and safety to benefit all of us; the cashiers, the people stocking shelves, bus drivers, and the list goes on. We see the new essential worker and they’re some of today’s heroes.

Who is your personal hero right now?

At this point in my life, my personal heroes are my parents. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without them. I love acting, I love the industry, I love everything about my journey. I’m fortunate to have parents who are able to sacrifice to help me see some of my dreams come true. Mom sacrifices by being the one who works outside of the home. And dad, he’s my full-on acting coach, homeschool teacher, mentor, driver, scene partner, reader, videographer, stylist. I appreciate how their sacrifices give me a fighting chance in the tough, competitive entertainment industry.

What’s the best part about playing your character?

I think the ability to shape shift is always a power to look out for. My character FaceMaker will have the fans wondering how and when I will use my power. That suspense of me being able to become someone else was a fun twist to FaceMaker’s abilities.

What are the challenges and the highs that you experienced during filming?

This role both centered around filming out of state. On one hand, it was an adventure with new experiences in a different part of the country and that was totally cool. Austin has such a hip and fun culture. On the other hand, I had two challenges. First, Texas is hot, really hot and humid. And we filmed for two and a half months, all through the summer. We all toughed it out and had to make sure we didn’t get sun burned and go to set a couple of shades darker than we were at the start of filming. The other challenge was not seeing my family and two German Shepherds, Max and Lash. I’ve never known life without my dogs so that was difficult. It was the first time apart from them for such a long period of time.

How did you manage to rise above the challenges?

Being committed to the overall success of the project kept me out of the sun or frequently sun-screening. I didn’t want to be that guy to mess up with continuity because my skin was different. And with the missing my family and dogs, thank you, smart phones and video chat. I could see my family and they would let the dogs see me. I still missed them but that made it easier.

How did acting start for you? Was it something that you’ve always wanted from a young age?

I was raised from a young age constantly being told that I was being prepared because acting was going to be in my future. My dad and I would do simple acting drills and lots of videotaping, for several years prior to moving to Hollywood. I may not have known exactly what I was doing but he knew how he was getting me ready. Once we moved to California to follow our dreams, I was already somewhat prepared for all that would come ahead: the taping, the auditioning, the multiple takes to film a scene. It was like I was already familiar with it.

Who are your acting heroes?

I like Leonardo DiCaprio and the huge range in the types of roles he has done. Studying from his work and learning about his career made me want something like that for myself, a career where I can play different types of characters. I like the genius of Jim Carrey and the genius of the late Robin Williams. I also loved Joaquin Phoenix’s interpretation of Joker and hope to someday create such a breathtaking performance, like he did. I like Sylvester Stallone and his franchises of Rocky and Rambo. So there are several that I admire and motivate me.

Everyone’s process is different and each has their unique approach to things. Can you walk us through your creative process whenever you go and film a scene?

I can tell you I read everything I get. If I get a script, I’m reading the script. If I just get sides, I’m reading that multiple times. I’m looking to learn as much as I can about the character I’m playing and the relationship my character has to everyone else he’ll interact with in the scene or talked about in the scene. I also consider the environment of the scene and my character’s relationship to the environment. And lastly, I look to sprinkle in any physicality my scene calls for or can use. Apart from that, I make sure I know why my character is saying or doing everything he says or does. This helps me attach the right feelings to the scene.

What’s your dream project?

I’d love to do something challenging, like maybe playing a boy with multiple personalities, letting me explore both a passive side and a darker, more sinister side or a funny side and a more serious side.

Aside from acting, what else keeps you busy?

Aside from acting, I love riding horses, playing my guitars, hanging with my dogs and practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). I’ve been doing BJJ for over 5 years and absolutely love it. I recently took up horseback riding and playing guitar and it was easy to get hooked to both. I’m just excited that anything I learn to do and get proficient at, guess who else can do it? My characters. That’s always a plus.

Do you have any advice to any young, aspiring actors out there?

My dad prepared me early on and programmed me not to worry about which roles I would land. The job is to audition. The opportunity to play a character is in the audition room or on tape. This way it’s always an excitement. Embrace rejection. As long as you made the right impression in the room, the casting room, that’s what matters. Worry about booking the room. The jobs will come. Just don’t quit. Oh, and don’t mind rejection. Cause that will happen more than booked jobs.

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

If I was a book, I would be an inspirational book. Fiction or non-fiction, I would want whenever people finish my book, they want to go pursue their dreams. I want them to feel like they can achieve their dreams if they just put in the work, put their mind to it, learn and do. See them at the top.