Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Richard Torres. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Richard thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

How did I learn what I know now? By staying curious honestly. I was always curious as a kid and still am. I grew up without online tutorials, so if I wanted to learn something I hunted down the information till I had an answer. I had to rely on books, tons of practice, and a lot of trial and error. I became a magician because it fell on my lap literally with magic kits. It wasn’t until years later I met a friend on a bus and literally had a magic battle, he introduced me to other magicians in that world. It introduced me to a whole other world of magic and my discovery of magic shops.

What could have sped things up?
Asking for help earlier. I tried to learn everything alone, and having guidance would have saved me time.

What skills were essential?
Curiosity, discipline, patience, and the ability to adapt fast. Martial arts taught me that early, but working events as a magician strengthened it. Every event is different, and things change the moment you walk in, so you learn to solve problems on the spot. Acting is the same. Sometimes your lines change minutes before filming, and you have to adjust immediately. Thinking on your feet became a core skill in everything I do.

What got in the way?
Perfectionism and shyness. Those two slowed me down more than anything else.

Bottom line: I learned by staying curious, putting in the work, and refusing to quit when things got tough.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

About Me I’m a magician and actor with a martial arts background, and my entire career grew out of one thing: curiosity. I’ve never been the type to wait for someone to teach me something. I like to dive in, figure it out, and keep pushing until it clicks. That curiosity opened the door to every craft I work in today.

How I Got Into My Craft
Martial arts came first. I was shy as a kid, but in class you had to perform in front of everyone whether it was techniques, drills, or group katas. You couldn’t hide. That helped break my shyness early and taught me how to stay steady under pressure.

My black belt test shaped me the most. It was behind closed doors, and you faced ten to thirteen black belts in everything from self defense, weapons and sparring until you had nothing left. You had to dig deep and keep moving forward. That mindset stayed with me in everything I do.

Magic came next. One day I ended up in a random magic battle on a bus with someone who’s now a good friend, and that moment opened the door to the magic community. He introduced me to other magicians who taught me about magic shops which then lead me down the rabbit hole. I was mostly self taught. so I learned by studying whatever I could find. Curiosity kept me going through all the hard parts. Shout out to the Jersey City magic crew who basically took me under their wing.

Acting grew out of my love for movies. I was that kid who watched movies and immediately wanted to know how everything was made. Before streaming existed, I bought VHS tapes & DVDs specifically for the behind the scenes features so I could study how scenes were shot, how actors built characters, and how directors shaped a story. Since I couldn’t afford film school, those bonus features became my classroom.

I eventually started taking acting classes, made short films with friends, and kept learning every chance I got. Little by little, the work paid off. I eventually landed speaking roles on popular TV shows and working on independent films. Acting became another outlet for my creative juices.

What I Do Today
I work full time as a magician and mentalist performing at private events, corporate functions, conferences, and special occasions around NYC and through out the country. When I’m not performing, I’m acting, auditioning, and working on film and TV projects or creating my own work.

What Problems I Solve for Clients
Events often need energy, connection, and something that pulls people together. I help break the ice, spark conversation, and turn an event into something people remember.

What Sets Me Apart
I focus on building connections and experiences. My goal isn’t to show off what I can do. It’s to make people feel involved and part of the moment. Every show feels different because the people make it different.

What I’m Most Proud Of
That I built this career through persistence and curiosity, and that I’m able to grow both as a magician and an actor.

What I Want People to Know
I care about creating real moments. Whether it’s on stage or on camera, my goal is always the same: create an experience.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The lesson I had to unlearn was simple: People aren’t pedestals. They’re collaborators.

When I first got into acting, it was through one of those radio ads promising TV roles and Hollywood dreams. It was a scam. They made it seem like these people were the gatekeepers of your entire future. Because of that, I walked into every audition nervous. I felt like I had to impress everyone.

Once I started training with real teachers, everything changed. At Terry Schreiber Studios and MN Acting Studio are both acting studios I train at. The teachers I’ve met there always told me to remember to ask myself “What am I in service of?” – when working. It’s about “How can I help?” It reminds me we’re all there to make something together.

That mindset I try to carry into my magic work too. I perform for many companies and people with big titles, and I remind myself “how can I help?” My job is to make everyone comfortable, engaged, and taken cared of. If a client decides not to book me whether it’s an audition or a magic gig, I still appreciate the conversation and the chance to connect.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

Yes. I try not to take everything personally.

It sounds simple, but it’s one of the hardest parts of being a creative. Rejection, sudden changes, blunt feedback, people not responding the way you expect — it’s easy to feel like all of it is aimed directly at you. But most of the time, it isn’t. Enjoy the journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.richardtorresmagic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardtorresmagic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richardtorresmagic
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@richardtorresmagic

Image Credits
All the photos were taken by my team internally, so I own them except the last photo. The last photo of me holding a playing card credit goes to: Sam Popp Shoots LLC