We recently connected with Monterio Caldwell and have shared our conversation below.
Monterio, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you feel you or your work has ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized? If so, tell us the story and how/why it happened and if there are any interesting learnings or insights you took from the experience?
Well, yes in ways. I actually had this conversation with some friends a few weeks ago. I mean the craft of acting is one that is a bit complex. Not that we’re doctors or anything but what we do truly does require a lot of focus. To people who aren’t inside the world of acting, it can be seen as something that’s easy to do but would be amazed at how much actually goes into what we do.
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
I wish I could say becoming an actor was a lifelong dream of mine and that I fell in love with it as a child or something but it really happened accidentally for me. I’ve told this story before about me not really being interested in acting at first. I was more into sports. Though I enjoyed certain films/tv shows growing up, acting was never a thought. I was thrown into a theatre class in high school (against my will) [laughs] and well the rest is history. My love for acting formed in that class. I remember doing everything I could to get out of that class though [laughs]. It’s funny now looking back because now I can’t really imagine my life without acting. We’re inseparable. I guess we’re married [laughs].
As far as goals go, I don’t want to get too ahead of myself but ultimately I want to take on roles with challenging dynamics and tell stories that have heart to them. I want each role I take on to be distinct and specific; not a generalized idea. Three actors I love are Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, and Tom Hanks.
I really admire the different types of roles they’ve chosen throughout their careers. Also, just how long they’ve been around doing this at a very high level. It’s extremely impressive.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
That’s a really good question by the way. The most rewarding part about being an actor is how in tune you become with yourself, the world and the people in it. I’ve learned so many things about myself and others through acting. I’m still learning. It’s a never ending learning process. You often have to do a lot of research and inner reflection at times, to find similarities or to bridge whatever gaps there may be between you and the human being you’re lending yourself to on screen/stage. There are so many things that we as people bury that need to be brought out as an actor. Sometimes it’s difficult to deal with but as actors we get to bring those things out. It’s a beautiful thing. I think I read or watched an interview or something of the masterful Viola Davis, where she said her job as an actor is to mirror life. I completely agree with that and that’s exactly why we have to be so in tune.
Doing what we do teaches you to pay attention to detail, and for me it’s carried over into everyday life. For one, it teaches you to really listen. I know it sounds simple but a lot of people in everyday conversation will listen to respond and not actually listen to you. Basically just waiting for the other person to stop speaking so that they can speak. You know? A lot of people really don’t listen to understand you. Pay more attention to people in regular everyday conversation and you’ll see what I mean.
Another rewarding part for me is seeing everybody completely focused and in their element on set. You learn so much. From the director to the cinematographer/camera crew to the sound department to the lighting department to wardrobe/makeup to the other actors, extras included as well. Everyone’s role is equally important. Getting to see everyone do their thing is dope to me. It’s inspiring.
Also, just the moments made on set. The set experience is one where you just have to be there to witness it. A lot of jokes, pranks, laughs, love, creative frustration, passion and more laughs. These experiences on set go by so fast. I try my best to live in the moment and forget about everything else.
When it’s over, it’s cool to know that it all remains a memory you can revisit like, “Yeah that happened.”
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Ahh, a lesson I had to unlearn? Everything- I’m kidding. [laughs] [thinks] Okay, it’s actually contradicting but it’s something that I discovered in doing this. We get these roles and get to spend a good chunk of time with them, if we’re lucky. Whether that be reading the script over and over when prepping or the actual time spent filming, we sit with these characters and we really get to know them or what we think we know them to be. So much so that we feel we know these human beings inside and out.
You develop a strong sense of care for them, if you’re anything like me. You become protective over them.
