Meet Joel Celaya | Actor, director, screenwriter and acting coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joel Celaya and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joel, what do you attribute your success to?
The ones who love me, no doubt. I wouldn’t have achieved so many things without their support and care. It’s very evident to me that someone in Heaven loves me, ’cause I’ve been given so many second chances to live, try again and then succeed. On the other hand, I’m so thankful for my parent’s love for me, especially my dad’s, ’cause they have helped me in so many ways: raising me, believing in me and investing their time and resources to help me getting up when I’ve failed.

I’ve learned that failure is part of the road towards success, and you can only get up and try again when there’s people around you who love you. They give you a reason to fight one more round.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Although I was in several plays when I was in elementary school, I wasn’t pursuing acting itself, I just loved being on stage. Fast forward to 18, my acting career began by doing theater for the blind, focusing on using my voice to tell a story, rather than using my body. I had the pleasure of working with a few blind actors, which really shaped my perspective and forced me to look deeper into the characters, finding the light in the darkness, hope where there’s none and truth amongst the shadows (no puns intended, for real, haha).

I went to the university in Mexico to get my BFA in Theater and Dramatic Literature, that’s where I found God’s calling for my life to be an actor… more than six months after my first acting classes, haha! Almost immediately after graduating, the 2017 Mexico City’s earthquake happened: I lost my apartment and most of my possessions. I also had severe PTSD. But three weeks later I thought: “well, if God spared my life among all the chaos, then what should I be afraid of?” That’s when I learned for real that there should be no place for fear in an actor’s life and that a life in literal ruins can start again. So I started auditioning for on camera productions; in the next two and half years I booked more than 20 short films, a couple TV pilots, commercials, went to many film festivals and started to audition for American films shooting in Mexico.

At that point, the next natural step for me was acting in English, as I’m bilingual since I was a toddler, so I auditioned for the Art of Acting Studio LA – this while I was still living in Mexico. To make the long story short, I got accepted and was granted a 100% scholarship! Right in the middle of the pandemic! I could barely believe it! I took a leap of faith and burned my ships by selling a golden bracelet I had and hopped on a plane to LA with only enough money for a one-way ticket and no backup plan. I was housed by two beautiful families, a Mexican and an Argentinian, and after a couple years got my MFA in Acting! Man, when you have a dream you really have to be willing to do anything to see it through the end.

Looking back, what I value the most it’s not where I am now, but the journey itself. It changed me deeply and taught me that second chances do happen, that in spite of the hardships and difficulties, this could really be a good life if we just dream more and are brave enough to believe!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Right after getting out of LAX, they gotta eat something and I can’t think of a better place than In-N-Out! In my opinion, the best burgers in the state and in the whole world! I honestly can’t get enough of them. Although LA has many great places to hang out, the city can’t deny its ties to the film & TV industry, so I would take them down to Hollywood and Highland during the evening when there’s a film premiere happening so they can see the actors walking down the red carpet and, who knows, they might even get an autograph and a picture with their favorite movie star! And speaking of stars, I would take them down the Walk of Fame to find their favorite actor’s star and have a picture with it! They also shouldn’t miss the Griffith Observatory and the Santa Monica pier. But if they’re into the Wild West era, I would have them take the Amtrak train (the trip there is already great for sightseeing by itself) from Union Station to Newhall in Santa Clarita, where they can find the Walk of Western Stars, the William S. Hart Museum filled with Native American artifacts and Western American art and an atmosphere that still has the essence of a XIX-century Southern California town. And being so close, why not stopping by Six Flags Magic Mountain for an exciting day riding the best rollercoasters in the world!?

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There’s so many to thank! Haha! I know well that I wouldn’t be here without the combined effort of so many people. But in order to keep things as short as possible, aside from my parents, I want to thank my girlfriend, who has loved me, encouraged me and believed in me in every step of my journey finding my place as an actor, first in Mexico and now in Hollywood (I love you, my sweetheart!).

I’d also like to recognize Carey Lewis and her daughter Glynis Carpenter for teaching me in depth a refreshing perspective on marketability for actors and helping me to shine bright in the entertainment industry; you’re the best! I’d also like to thank Johnny Yoder and Nick Bonnano from the Art of Acting Studio in West Hollywood; guys, without you I wouldn’t have got to this beautiful country, met so many incredible people and improved my craft. I’m forever grateful with you both and all the faculty and staff as well.

And last but not least, I want to thank my churches Iglesia Bautista Horeb in Mexico City and Faith Community Church in Santa Clarita, CA; I’ve come to know God’s true love through you. Thank you God for calling me up to the stage and putting me in front of a camera.

Website: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9978963/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joel.celaya/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoelCelayaOficial/

Youtube: https://youtu.be/J_2Myr80WZE

Other: Headshots and resume: https://www.shine.us/joel-celaya

Image Credits
Photographers:

Mark Daugherty
Joey Snap
Kate Urban
Cristy Glezoro