Today we’d like to introduce you to Juniel Maldonado.
Hi Juniel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started my path as an artist as early as 6, I naturally gravitated towards weaving stories together. I would write poetry, songs, and other forms of narratives. A few years later around the age of 8, I got my first opportunity to do both on camera work as well as voice over as a part of the children’s entertainment group “Atención Atención”. This was around the age when everything felt like a game but even then I knew that I loved performing and entertaining. I moved from Puerto Rico to Texas during my teen years and after graduating high school, I was able to work with a very talented group of dancers. We performed in multiple shows in San Marcos. The theatre group was called Queer Theatre Texas at the time, though I believe they rebranded. They had this segment called Queer Dance Freakout which was so much fun to do, and the audience loved it. I do still keep in touch with some of them. I eventually decided to train my skills in acting and modeling which got me representation as well as gave me the fire to pursue upper education. I moved to New York in August 2021 for school where I earned a BFA in Acting For Film. Most recently I was able to direct my self-written and directed play titled “Spoon-Fed”, as well as debut the original anthology “On What Is Confidential” by Asante Pulliam.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Oh absolutely no! It’s not even a smooth road now, there are some days that are way easier than others and you cherish those easy days like hell because it can be very easy to just focus on all the negatives. I would definitely say one of the biggest hardships has been money. Both in my personal and professional lives it can cause so much stress. Having an amazing day but having to pivot due to budgeting reasons can be so frustrating. Many of the projects I have worked on, both on stage and in front of the camera, have been by and large self-funded by the group of artists. We don’t have these huge financial investors that would be willing to take a shot at us. But we do it anyway because we love it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
While I did study the art of acting for film, as well as theater, I am typically known more for my literary work as well as my dance. I am the most proud of “Spoon-Fed” due to the fact that I was able to combine all of my passions into one story. Much like “Spoon-Fed”, all of my stories tend to not be very “sanitized” for a lack of a better word. I mean this both in a literal sense as well as political. I really enjoy writing about bodily functions and fluids, eating, bleeding, spit, things that would normally be seen as too gross and putting that in a surrealist frame.
What are your plans for the future?
I am always writing so that is definitely not gonna change. I am still currently in development of my poetry collection, which is also the first piece of work I would be releasing in Spanish. I have been working on it for quite some time and it explores my journey with my ethnic identity, love, but most prominently gender.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/junielberry/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juniel-maldonado-347375299/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAlIj4baDrb1Dk06M7oxgA
