Meet Felix Correa-Priest | Screenwriter & Actor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Felix Correa-Priest and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The funny thing is that I feel like Im still at the starting line. Everything up until now has been the prep for what is to come. As of now, I have the privilege to say that I am currently represented as an actor, and Im very excited for the work that is to come from that in the future. On the other hand, as a writer, Im still searching for a path. I have some projects in the works and other pieces in the making but nothing to grand as of now and Im okay with that. As someone who just graduated this past summer, I really want to take my time developing my professional debut. All I can do right now is take everything I’ve learned from my many mentors and put it to good use. As I push to further myself I keep the idea of trusting myself at the forefront. That’s been my greatest challenge for a long time. Trusting myself and my own choices is something that I’ve never quite had a handle on. I dont really know why. But in the few moments where I do, I’ve seen the most payoff. This takes me to my “brand”. I want my work to be honest. That sounds derivative but it’s the only truth to my answer. Most of my pieces are in some way about me. They’re a reflection of my inner struggles and development as a person. The thing about me is that Im not special. Im a normal person who goes through the same things that millions of other people go through. The kinds of things that make you feel isolated. I want my work to be a reflection of my journey in some way that can possibly be seen as an extension of me. An extension of something that says I see you and I hear you, this is what I did to help myself; do with this information what you will. I want my brand to push the narrative of learning to trust one’s self. A brand of seeking inner and outer peace.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite thing about Los Angeles is its size. Even with a week, I dont even know if you can truly see everything to its fullest extent. That being said, I’ll give it a shot. When it comes to activities one of the first things that come to mind is a walk along the Santa Monica shore. The crowd might be a bit much for some people but I like the hustle of people around me. It’s a great way to get some air and work up an appetite. While you’re out there, and you feel like you wanna take things slow, youd have to stop at Lake Shrine next to the Self Realization Fellowship. This place is easily one of the best places to get some peace and quiet. I personally do a lot of thinking there. Im also a big public transit guy. It took me a while to get my license so that meant I had to get familiar with our public transit system. My plan here would be to take the gold line from Atlantic to Union Station and get a little downtown experience in there. Can’t go through that area and not experience Little Tokyo, Olvera Street, and China Town which are all conveniently right next to each other. These are all general areas so being there will provide lots of little things to do like shopping at local stores and eating tons of great food.
Speaking of food, when it comes to specific eats I have a few that Im always first to recommend. For our Santa Monica day, we’d have to take a stop at Bay Cities Italian Deli and Bakery for a sandwich. Great place that office some top notch food. If we’re in Monterey Park it would be an absolute must to stop at The Hat for an absolutely fantastic pastrami sandwich. But if for some reason pastrami is not the vibe then we’d walk down the street to Noodle World and get some Pad Tia. If we want burgers, then we’d journey up to Silver Lake and stop at Burgers Never Say Die. This place is the definition of quality. The burgers are so simple yet so great. Its a great spot for sure. Im also a big fan of Korean BBQ so we’d have to go through K-town find a great joint. Ive been a quite a few places but my favorite is probably 7th Korean BBQ. But honestly you cant go wrong with most places in that area.
Now you cant come to LA and miss out of the best mexican joints. Theres simply too many to name with even more truck and venders on the street. That being said, the ones that I can personally speak on and recommend the most are: Super Taco in Pico Rivera 10/10, La Que Si Llena in East LA 8/10, King Taco specifically the on in East LA 9/10, Cooks Tortas in Monterey Park 10/10, No Name cuz its a stand on the street on the corner of West Adams and Alsace Ave 10/10 and La Azteca Tortilleria in East LA 10/10. I’d like to reiterate that theres are just my picks but I frequently stumble upon new places. Theres just so much to do and see and eat here, the only way to experience it all is to stay.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I dont even know where to start with this one. First and foremost my family. My mom is the one that put me in my first play. She said it would be good for me. Needless to say, she was right. My dad was a big presence in my critical thinking about art. He always asked why? Why was my execution the way it was? Was this a happy or a sad piece of music, how does that affect my understanding of the piece? Together they pushed me to always dive deeper, to never just be okay with the minimum. That being said, if it weren’t for my Abuelita I would have never dreamt of the stars. She was the one that took me to the movies. When I was in middle school and if there was a movie that I wanted to see, she took me. It was how we bonded. But it was also how I learned to really think about choices in storytelling. She’d frequently ask, what do you think that means? Did you understand that? I didn’t get that, explain it to me. My Abuelita is the foundation for my love for the screen. Without my family, I wouldn’t be where I am. I’d also like to give a shoutout to those who have taught me. Sheri Mitchell laid the groundwork for everything. Without her, I would have never had the courage to step on that stage. She believed in me and prepared me to go on and audition for the Los Angeles County School for the Arts. It was there that I met and was taught by Lois Hunter, Jeremy Guskin, and Tuffet Schmelze. They’re the ones that kicked it into high gear. They’re the ones that showed me that it was possible. They seemed to believe in me and my abilities even when I didn’t. Without the pushing of all three of them, I would have never taken the step to become a writer. Without them, I would have never thought about Chicago.
This is my last round of shoutouts, I promise. When I got to Chicago, I knew how to be an artist but I didn’t know who I was as an artist. Without my beloved roommates and professors, I would still be wandering in any direction. Without the direction of Coya Paz, Carlos Murrillo, and Dean Corrin I would have never found my voice. As a theater creator in a seeming state of limbo, they gave me one of the greatest gifts an artist could get, a chance. A chance to fail and grow.
These people, among countless others, are what make me as an artist. I wouldn’t be the creator that I am if I didn’t have the direction and care of these people.

Instagram: @correapriest

Image Credits
Deidhra Fahey Photography and Michael Brosilow