We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gabriel Uribe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Gabriel, thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

As a child I always knew that I wanted to do something creative, perform, make people laugh and be silly. I have this core memory of being in elementary school and the after school program putting on a show for the school. I was tasked with lip-syncing in front of the whole school to Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean,” in the weeks on the lead up to the performance day I remember my mom having the song on repeat on the drive to school every morning so that I can learn the words. I remember being terrified to have to perform in front of the entire school. So much as not wanting to do it in fear that I was going to forget the words, and the after school program director telling me in the case that that happened to just mouth the word “watermelon,” no one will notice. The day I had to perform came, and I did it. At such a young age to get up there and take the risk was a pivotal moment for me as a young child and has been something that I have kept near and dear to my hear all these years. That performer was always in there, just scared to come out the first time around. But as we get older and move into our teenage years and young adult years, sometimes we forget out “child-like” desires and dreams. Until one day something triggers them again, all through high school I had wished that my school had a drama department, but unfortunately due to budget cuts in the school system that just wasn’t a reality. Then I moved onto my local community college. Whether they did have a drama department. At this point in my journey, I had forget my once dream of being an actor, performer, on stage, bringing joy to other. Until one day, now this isn’t something I’ve shared with many, it’s a bit silly, but again you never know what is going to trigger our “child-like” desires and dreams. Mary Poppins. Yes, Mary Poppins, I had gone to see the re-imagined version of the film, and it ignited something in me again. Specifically the “A Cover is Not The Book” number. I knew in that moment, that is what I want to do. Seeing the razzle dazzle of Emily Blunt and Lin Manuel Miranda, up on the silver screen being pros at their job, and doing what I have always wanted to do, make people happy and move them emotionally. Be in service to others. I knew, I was meant to take that path, I felt crazy and scared, but I knew I had to do the same. No other option.

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.

The way I got into the craft of acting, being an actor, all that jazz. Was simply deciding one day to take a gamble on myself and my dreams and go for it. It wasn’t an easy decision for me, because along with that decision meant that I was going to have to drop out of college, it meant that I was going to not take the safe route, I was going to disappoint my parents, becoming a statistic of not finishing higher education. I knew my parents were not going to take it well, and in turn bring feelings that I had felt many times in the past, that I wasn’t enough, that I wasn’t destined to succeed. You see growing as a Mexican-American, or in the Latinx community in general, there is a huge emphasis on education, and financial security. The arts aren’t for people like us, it’s for people who have time and money. That was huge hurdle for me, because I knew that my parents would not be receptive to it at first, the irony is I had more of an issue “coming out” as an actor, then I ever did coming out as LGBTQ. My parents have always loved me for who I am thankfully. So when I “came out,” that I was not going to return to school and transfer to a four year university, and finish my degree. At this point I had been accepted and denied to a 4 year university in my region, spent 4 years at San Diego Mesa College, and honestly the cards in my deck showed me there was a different path for me, and through taking the drama courses at SD Mesa College and Mary Poppins. I had rediscovered who I was again, and what I believed and believe I was put on this planet to do. To make others feel seen and heard through story-telling. Many times in my life I have felt alone, and unseen, but somehow I never felt that way in the movies, or television. The “Grey’s Anatomy” cast were my best friends for many years. So that day came, and naturally my father didn’t have much to say about my choice, and my mother feared for me. Fear that this wouldn’t work out, and that I was live a life of rejection after rejection, which I had just been accepted and then rejected to a four year university. I thought at the time “what’s so different now.” I knew the choice I had to make, I knew how short life was and that I had to go out there and take a chance on myself. As well as show others that, they can do it as well! Their past doesn’t define their future. It wasn’t a straight line for me. Set back after set back. Making mistakes along the way nonetheless. But here I am, in 2024. Making strides for myself, in a place that I never thought I would be. Loving my life more and more everyday and glad and thankful, and appreciative for all those lessons. Loving my parents for wanting to protect me, and only wanted to see their son succeed to his high-potential at the end of the day. The finally came around and now they support me more than ever. But to my point, go after your dreams. It will be scary, and it won’t be easy. But the reward of looking back and seeing how far you’ve gone, and where you came from, will always be worth it. I had many cards stacked against me, and many times I could have let them take me down. But I had a dream, and that was always what kept me going. So I am here to show other that they can to. I’ll leave you with this, a favorite song lyric of mine translated from Spanish, “I may not know where I’m going, but I’ll always remember where I came from.”

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Yes! The biggest resource that has helped me along the way has been Hollywood Winner’s Circle. Man, I wish I would have found this beautiful community way before last year. HWC has been such an integral part of my journey. Wendy Alane Wright is the real deal, and I have made so many connections, and cultivated genuine relationships with the other community members through HWC. I feel so lucky to have gotten to know all the wonderful people who want to reach their dreams and goals, all within a supportive and no BS, straight to the point community. Wendy & Sean, and all the community members truly want all the actors in HWC to succeed. I was very lost before HWC, and now I know I have a place where I can go and get the honest truth, and know that they are only steering me in the best direction. Through HWC, I am lucky to have met Tony Robinette, what a great talent, coach, and all around kind human he is. My current teacher who didn’t let me run away from her when I was trying to hide from myself and voice, Lauren Patrice Nadler. Sean Perez, an amazing and talented human being who helped me begin the journey to keeping my mindset right and some needed healing I didn’t know I needed, and finally Wendy. She’s a tough cookie, but she’s tough because she loves all her actors deeply and dearly and she knows how hard this industry can be. She wants to see every single one of us on T.V., or gracing the silver screen, and is preparing us and helping us build the best-longest career we can. Thank you to everyone else in HWC who has been a kind and beautiful human, we’re in this together.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think many non-creatives, non-actors, have a vision of this life path that is glamorized, red carpets, on set, trailers, hearing the “over-night success” stories. When the reality is…as the saying goes “it takes 10 years to become an overnight success.” I’m on year 4…but who’s counting? When the reality is that it is very far from that. Yes there are they exceptions to the rule. Those who hit the jackpot on the second spin, but for the majority that is not the case. Years and years of unseen work, effort, connection and cultivating a network of other creatives who also what to see you succeed, and help each other out. All the nights after working the closing shift, its 12 AM, trying to self-submit as much as you can but also need to get sleep because you work the opening 7 AM shift the next morning. Getting an audition, only to fall in love with the character and the story, feeling like its your best audition to date only to send it off and never hear anything back. The sleepless nights wondering if this will ever pan out for you, are my headshots still working, am I going to get dropped by my agent because I haven’t booked anything? The mental gymnastics it takes to keep you head in the game, eye on the prize. All to remind yourself to stop and smell the roses because the journey is just as beautiful. The life of an actor can be very glamorous, but more often than not it is a life that takes tenacity, consistency, courage, and an undeniable belief in your self-worth.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @thegabrieluribe

Image Credits

David Chan