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

Robert, appreciate you joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

My journey into acting began in 2018, when I enrolled at East Los Angeles College. Before that, I never even considered acting as a career. In fact, I still don’t fully understand what possessed me to sign up for an acting class, especially considering that at the time, I was a shy and reserved person. It feels almost like a mystery to me now, but something about it just clicked.

I remember being nervous, but I took the class and, slowly but surely, started to get more comfortable. Eventually, I auditioned for the semester’s theater productions. My first role was in a student-written and directed play, where I was cast as the lead. To be totally honest, it was a complete disaster. From the writing to the acting, everything about that show was a mess. And I’m not just saying that out of self-deprecation—looking back, I can genuinely say that I was the weakest link. I had no clue what I was doing and gave one of the most confusing performances I could imagine. The audience didn’t know what to make of it.

And to make things even worse, there was fight choreography in the play, and I actually injured my shoulder during a performance. It was embarrassing, to say the least.

But here’s the thing: Despite the disaster, I didn’t feel like giving up. I really enjoyed performing, and deep down, I knew I had more to offer. In fact, I think a big part of what kept me going was proving to myself—and to others—that I could do better. It was a mix of genuine passion for acting and a bit of healthy spite, haha.

Since then, I’ve been determined to improve and deliver exceptional work. And I’m proud to say that I’ve come a long way since that first show, constantly striving to be better with every performance.

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?

I’ve already touched on how I got into acting, but what I think really sets me apart from other actors I’ve worked with is my unwavering commitment. It’s not that the people I’ve worked with lack dedication, but I can confidently say that my ability to fully commit to a role is one of my strongest assets.

I’m not afraid to take bold risks or make unconventional choices. Whether it’s voicing a quirky, cartoonish Egyptian pharaoh, portraying a mass-murdering war veteran, or tapping into the vulnerability of a character grappling with the loss of a drug-addicted parent, I give each role my all. These are real characters I’ve played, and I never let fear or expectations hold me back from fully embracing them.

What I pride myself on most is the commitment and authenticity I bring to every performance. While not every performance may be a “home run,” one thing is for sure: I never phone it in. I bring my best to every role, and that’s my brand.

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

When I first started acting, and for a long time after, I think I tried to emulate these Oscar-winning actors a little too much—especially with the whole method acting approach. In my mind, I thought the more real, the better. If my character was suffering, I believed I needed to suffer too. This led me to dig up painful memories from my own life to generate extreme emotions, like using sadness or panic attacks to fuel a performance. I convinced myself that suffering was the only way to give good work.

Don’t get me wrong—I delivered some strong performances, but at what cost? My mental health and overall enjoyment of acting were taking a huge hit. In fact, I eventually fell out of love with acting and stopped for a while. I’d burned myself out by pushing too hard, and a lot of it was driven by spite, as I mentioned earlier. It wasn’t healthy, and I took a three-year break, not even sure I’d return to it.

The lesson I had to unlearn when I did come back was that the fate of the world—and my own personal world—aren’t at stake here as an actor. Acting is meant to be a beautiful, fun profession, not something to do out of spite or at the expense of my well-being. While I still allow myself to be vulnerable and tap into strong emotions, I no longer let them control me or dictate how I approach my work. After all, it’s all pretend.

Now, I’m having so much more fun than I ever did before, and I’m grateful for the growth.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an actor is knowing that I’ve captivated my audience—whether it’s in front of the camera with a director and crew or on stage with a live audience. There’s something so satisfying about having people hanging on to every word I say or generating those “ooh’s” and “ahh’s” from a moment of action.

I love telling stories, and I especially love getting swept up in them. As an audience member, I know what it’s like to forget about reality and just immerse yourself in a great story. Being the one to make people laugh, cry, or gasp is such an incredible feeling. It’s a rush that makes everything worthwhile.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: delozaactor

Image Credits

Francois P Couture