Meet Javier Collazo Lopez | Actor, Writer & Singer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Javier Collazo Lopez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Javier, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
I recently read a book called The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg. I had to read this book for my English III class, and I found it to be very interesting and helpful in many ways. The Power of Habit talks about different people who went through memory loss, injuries, and trauma that set them back a few steps in life. These people were able to recover and continue on with their lives by remaking a habit. The book also talks about how to make a new habit, how to break bad habits, and how to change a bad habit into a good one. According to the book, you go through a process that is labeled in three steps: the cue, the routine, and the reward. The cue is what makes you do the activity, whether it be brushing your teeth or working out. The routine is the activity, and the reward is what you get for doing it. For example, if you go workout, you can get a donut or coffee afterward as a reward. This book really helped me start new habits and break old ones. For example, I used to wake up at ten everyday unless I had something to go to earlier than that. Since school is starting soon, I have decided to go to bed earlier so that I can wake up earlier. My cue would be the alarm, my routine would be getting up to get ready for school, and the reward would be having a good breakfast and not being late for school. Besides, my mom wouldn’t let me miss a day of school anyway.

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.
It all started in third grade when my sister was in our school’s production of Peter Pan Jr.. That was the first time I was interested in acting and everything about it. I had been told many times that I had an amazing voice, so I decided to try it. I auditioned the following year for Lion King Jr. and I absolutely loved it. That’s what really got me into acting. Then, we moved Florida. Here, I learned I enjoyed acting in short films and movies. I think that’s where my path lies right now — to be in movies and TV shows when I’m older. I’m at an awkward age in film. Eighteen-year-olds are cast to be characters my age instead of people that are my actual age, making it more difficult to get cast in productions. I’ve been told I have a unique look, which really helps me get cast in short films. In my latest project, there was an intense scene where I had to be sad and worried for my sister, who was laying in bed and not responding to my voice. A lot of young actors don’t have to go through a lot of trauma, and some experience more than others. I believe I am one that has been through more than others. In January 2020, two of my friends passed on. It was really unexpected, and, honestly, I didn’t know what to think of it. I didn’t really accept or acknowledge that my friends were really gone until around March 2020. Trauma like that can make you an even better actor, especially in vulnerable moments. Because I have experienced these emotions in real life, I know how it feels and how to make my acting and portrayed emotions look and feel real to the audience. I’ve learned that you shouldn’t wait to submit auditions. You should do it as soon as you get it because submitting it right away will give you a better chance of being looked at and remembered. I started this journey in 2020 and we all know what happened in 2020. In less than a year, I’ve had many opportunities to work and have met incredible people in this industry. The success inspires me to keep going, to keep hustling, and to keep learning. I can’t wait to perform some more and help bring ideas to life on the big screen!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely take my best friend, Jared, to Universal or Disney Springs. The rides at Universal are the best, especially my favorite ride Velocicoaster. However, the food at Universal doesn’t compare to what Disney, specifically Disney Springs. has. For example, some of my favorite places there are Chicken Guy, Planet Hollywood, D-Luxe Burger, and Blaze Pizza. Disney Springs also has a fantastic donut shop called Everglazed Donuts and Cold Brew. My favorite donut there is called the maple double bacon donut. Yes, it has bacon on it, but it’s so yummy! Basically, I would take him to Universal for thrilling rides and to Disney Springs for delicious food. I would also take him to Downtown Orlando because it’s really pretty and a nice place to hang around for lunch or shopping.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I 100% believe my mom deserves this shoutout. She pays for all my acting classes and equipment, drives me to sets, and supports me in every way. Sometimes I’m not in the right mindset to do an audition or edit videos, but she always knows how to motivate me to do it anyways. For example, one way she motivates me is by saying “The sooner you get it in, the better chance that they’ll see you”. I don’t think I show it all the time, but I really do appreciate what my mom, my dad, and even my sister do for me. My dad drives me places and so does my sister. My sister is also my reader off camera when I have an audition. So really, I guess this shoutout is to my family because I don’t know what I’d do without them.

Website: www.javiercollazolopez.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jcollazolopez/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javier-collazo-lopez/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JCollazoLopez

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

Other: IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12170781/

Image Credits
Kristia Knowles