A.J. Castro was born in Costa Rica and raised in Miami, where he quickly found his love of acting. He sits down with host Colleen Foy to talk about his journey in the industry and finding his place as a Latino in Hollywood. From studying at CSULA to booking Will & Grace and 9-1-1, A.J.’s journey has now led him to becoming a coach at SKS. He shares his early career struggles, his entry into Hollywood through perseverance and community support, living a lifelong career with shifting goals over time, finding writing, and how being a father has shaped his stories. A.J. also shares insights about adapting to the industry’s demands, and how he found Stan Kirsch Studios right when he needed it. You’ll learn the importance of having a process, finding joy in the creative journey, and giving yourself grace in your creative process. 

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:09 AJ’s Journey to the Studio 

01:22 Moving to LA: The Early Years 

02:34 Finding Footing in LA 

02:49 Acting Beginnings in Miami

 06:25 Challenges and Growth in Acting 

07:50 The Importance of Goals and Consistency 

14:48 Navigating the Acting Industry 

30:00 Booking 911 & The Payoff of Consistency

 30:56 Overcoming Intimidation and Self-Doubt 

33:19 The Importance of Casting and Perseverance 

35:06 Branding and Marketing as an Actor 

36:54 Discovering and Embracing Your Type 

43:15 Writing as a Creative Outlet

46:54 Balancing Acting and Writing

52:51 Inside the Actor’s Studio Questions 

57:12 Final Thoughts and Aspirations

EPISODE LINKS:

· AJ Castro’s IMDb

· Follow AJ on IG @realajcastro 

· AJ’s Links

· Learn More about AJ’s Classes at SKS

Host: ⁠Colleen Foy⁠

Producer: ⁠Kristyn Daniel⁠

Music by: Lindsay Boreing and Will Boreing

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