We were lucky to catch up with Mitch Lemos recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mitch, thanks for joining us today. Have you signed with an agent or manager? Why or why not?

I have a great story about how I was signed by PeopleStore. Over a year of waiting and pushing and contacting.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Mitch Lemos is a proud member of SAG-AFTRA. Born in Miami, FL, raised in Queens, NY, he now resides in Atlanta, GA and in 2012 returned to acting after a 15-year hiatus. As a child, I was always pretending to be something or someone else. I started acting in elementary school but soon left it behind in HS and College to focus on soccer, my first passion. As the universe would have it and after a 15-year hiatus, I worked on my first short film. When my aspirations of being a pro-soccer player went down the drain (3rd ACL), I left everything creatively behind to work a corporate career in the advertising industry and honed my career as an Media Planner/Buyer, working for large and boutique advertising agencies in NY, south Florida and Atlanta, as well as having worked for ESPN and IMG. When the market crashed in 2009/10, that was the beginning of my corporate hiatus and when I had the opportunity to step back on the path I was always meant to be on. Acting. The last director I worked with mentioned that University of Miami Wolfson School of Film always had open auditions for student films and thesis and suggested I go and audition. As I was unemployed, I was taking care of my daughters, Daddy Day Care Inc.., and I went down and auditioned with them in tow. Cold read. Nervous as heck, sweating (profusely), auditioned, received some notes and I was done. A few hours later, I was offered my first role in 15 years! The rest is history, as they say. I’ve completed numerous commercials and was cast in the ABC pilot Las Reinas and my most recent project Player is streaming on TUBI. I’ve been featured in TV series such as Hulu’s Class of ’09, Bloodline, Burn Notice, The Glades, South Beach Tow, and Graceland. I am a multi-lingual talent who has guest starred in the popular Spanish language Telemundo novelas, like Corazon Valiente, Jenni Rivera – Mariposa Del Barrio, and Mi Familia Perfecta as well as a few Spanish language commercials for Wendy’s, AutoNation, and Party City. I’ve also had international success with having roles in commercials with Pepsi Latin America, Elisa Telcom, and a French Television series, DUELS. My talents also extend to the musical theater having reprised the role of Kevin Rosario in Juan Manuel Miranda’s, “In the Heights” and short films such as “Rise of Karina” and “You’ve Matched” which have won a Silver Telly. I’ve also starred in major music videos, most recently in Zayn’s “Let Me”, Ivy Queen’s latest music videography, “Vendetta”, Poeta Callejero’s “El Tigre Decente” and Baby Soulja’s “Dirty, The Movie”. His latest indie film “Player” and “A Miami Love Story” are currently streaming. I’m most proud of the work I’ve complete all while dealing with major medical issues (RA, Fibromyalgia and Lupus), raising a family, being an doting father and loving husband, working a very demanding corporate career, which I’m STILL working, and something that I had promised myself growing up was that if I was ever blessed with a family, I’d make it a priority to make and have dinner with them every night. And that’s exactly what I did. My goal is continuing to work my 9-5 until I’m able to support my family only through acting. And through my acting I want to move people. I want to make them feel again. Whether that’s putting a smile on their faces or stirring emotions inside, I just want to move people.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My life.

I’ve faced death on a couple of occasions. From having a .38 pointed at my head at a house jam in LES NYC to my throat being slashed 25 years later at a local sports bar in Miami, FL. I’ve always bounced back. Whether it was from a severe car accident that left me unable to feel my legs, the 3 ACL reconstructions I’ve had to endure, the degenerative spinal disease, or the medical ailments I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, and Lupus, in Jan 2019. I always push forward. My doctors have stated that they have patients who suffer from much less and can’t get out of bed. I have a no quit attitude and nothing will stop be from achieving my goal of being a full-time actor.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

Stop chasing the carrot.

As actors we’re all focused on the role, being on set, wanting to get that call stating that you’re booked. Meanwhile, the real work all happens in the audition. That’s the job. I attended a Q&A at Louis Stancil Studios where Christopher B. Duncan was fielding questions. Someone asked him what his best advice to young actors. He responded with “Stop chasing the carrot”. Once you submit, forget about that audition. Move on the the next one. Don’t waste your energy on thinking about what you could have done differently or better. Save that energy for the next audition. Stop chasing the carrot. Once you figure out how to do that, your focus is strictly on the audition.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mitchalemos.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_mitchlemos/
• Facebook: Mitch Lemos
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchellangelolemos2008/
• Twitter: El_limoncito
• Youtube: @malemos23

Image Credits
Jared Winston Photography Mitch Lemos Production (Black and White only)