He’s sizzling talented and Peter Mendoza is one to watch for!
Peter Mendoza
See Peter Mendoza in Sweat Aug. 29th to Oc. 7, 2018 Center Theatre Group Mark Taper Forum
For Info & Tickets CLICK HERE
By Dale Reynolds
One of the first things you’ll notice about actor Peter Mendoza are his good looks, his talents as an actor, and a general sense of kindness about him. Not to exclude, as you chat with him, his intelligence.
He’s an actor, currently with only a few film and television credits, but is becoming known for his theatre work, which includes the opening in a week or so in a superb Lynn Nottage drama, Sweat, his second show at the Mark Taper Forum, after a successful run at the well-respected classical theatre company, Antaeus, in Glendale, of an adaptation of a famous Russian drama, A Month in the Country, retitled Three Days in the Country, which, coincidentally, was his debut performance there in a leading role. And the year before he had understudied the major role of Henry Reyna in the seminal revival of Zoot Suit, at the Taper.
Cast of “Sweat”
With suitable looks for a film and television career, including being just under six feet tall, he is beginning to make inroads into that arena. This year saw him in the autistic film drama, Nathan’s Kingdom, as well as two other Indies from two years ago, Dead Bullet and Parasites, excellent introductions to this trained and talented actor.
Interestingly, he credits his advancement in the ‘Biz to the pressures and frustrations connected to Zoot Suit. “Here I was in my mid-20s, with my fire fading a bit. I was facing the struggle of auditioning and not getting my shot, which can be difficult to sustain,” he explained.
Understudying a role means coming in every night, watching the show, and not performing, which can be frustrating, but he really needed to be seen in the Biz, “so I reignited that blaze-in-the-belly; the opportunity to do what I do best. I made the promise to myself that the next time I appeared at the Taper, I’d be onstage in a solid role.” (And in Sweat he plays a major character, Oscar, who is Columbian-American, born in Pennsylvania, not unlike his own background of being born in East Los Angeles to a Mexican/Honduran/Persian heritage.)
Peter Mendoza
As any experienced actor will agree, one’s acting process can change from role-to-role. “First, I want to understand the character’s motivation — their essence that is similar, but different, than mine. Oscar is from the hood and I’m from a poor barrio family,” said Mendoza.
“We share the need to constantly hustle, being ambitious, with great tenacity, hoping our situation will get better. Oscar’s not going to change easily, so he must discover the change, as he’s the breadwinner in his house, holding down three jobs, with most of his money going to his family’s welfare. It’s all about working and living honorably and staying away from the wrong crowd. So, we Latinx folk all-too-often assume troubles, being invisible to outsiders – the unimportant immigrant; an invader taking jobs from the other workers – which breeds resentments,” he added.
Mendoza studied acting at East L.A. Community College, as both an actor and a fight coordinator. “Attending there helped me understand other people’s different walks of life, their perspectives. But at age 22, I was unhappily hit by a car while on my bicycle, requiring stitches on my face and head. This triggered a moment where I realized that while I really wanted to be an actor, I was fearful of committing to it– you know, the unknown, will it actually pay off? Plus the reality of mortality.”
Peter Mendoza
The young actor acknowledges that his need for the craft has never been about fame or money, but rather, a stronger need to know great plays, with great characters, “bigger than myself that gives the audience a chance to see the solace in their lives. My life now is all about the work; the adventure of being an actor, with all that comes with it.”
Having studied carefully, and taken the time to expand his acting repertoire, he has no definable SoCal or Latino accent. This doesn’t stop him from defending his culture. “Being a Latino in this country is hard. Trying to be accepted as American when you have a different culture from birth, folks can consider you not White enough. And when a child, you accept it as a truth,” he said.
But now he identifies more as Chicano than as the pejorative, “Pocho.” He is clear that his exposure to the elements in Zoot Suit gave him insights about his Latino essence.
To have the color of your skin almost dictate what you do as an actor [or any career] is ridiculous. Let the work speak for itself. I want to get roles because I earned them, not because I am of Latin and Middle Eastern heritage. I embrace all my cultures – my historic past is great with rich histories. I am proud to be a Latino, so I walk into the audition with my history. I’m fighting for myself and those who went before and will follow me. What I can offer best is my art.” — Peter Mendoza
Mendoza follows his social instincts with political action. He’s a Bernie Democrat.
“Change in Forward Motion. Look, the Constitution spells out equal rights for everyone; to be able to choose the life we want; what we all deserve. Also, we should want to go out and help others, but it starts at home. Let’s all cut back on the amount of greed and stupid activities that hurt us as a Community. We have enough money in this country for free health and free education, so let’s create a social structure built on the concept that strong government is one by and for The People. Let’s all fight for the equal rights of others – especially those without a voice. Healthcare is so important to all humans, so America should be a bright light to the world. We need to continue this political uprising and continue fighting for worthy causes. We deserve to get angry. Change is scary, but it’s the only way to move forward,” Mendoza said with great conviction.
He continues in this vein of honesty, “It’s not easy to be here; accepted racism was what I was born into, but I didn’t notice it at the time. I was ashamed in my youth of only being exposed to dirty, low jobs – either subsisting in low-wage employment, or joining a gang in order to ‘slang’ drugs. But I didn’t understand the problems then. My neighborhood was full of cholos and gangs, but, fortunately, I was raised well by good parents, especially my adopted ones [a stay-at-home mother and a step-father who worked in a paint factory].
“You see, my birth mother was a stripper at the time of her pregnancy with me, with an abusive husband, who became homeless during that crucial time. But the kindness of others has inspired me to be the man I became, especially those mentors who have guided me in the right directions of respect, dignity and pride in self and in my culture.”
One of the strong intellectual factors in his upbringing is the respect he and his siblings had for education. “And being respectful of self and of others. I want to be the best I can be; to define myself with success that brings on fulfillment. I’m home when I’m actually working, giving me a sense of peace about unrequited love from family – both personal and professional.”
If there’s anything he is aware of, it’s how crazy he is about being an actor, and how he has grown internally because of his chosen career. But it’s a constant fight for a place in the world that is his. Not unlike Oscar in Sweat.
Sweat is directed by Lisa Peterson and cast includes: Kevin T. Carroll, Grantham Coleman, Will Hochman, John Earl Jelks, Mary Mara, Peter Mendoza, Michael O’Keefe, Amy Pietz, and Portia.
Sweat opens August 29th and plays through October at the Center Theatre Group’s Mark Taper Forum, located at the L.A. Music Center, Temple at Grand, downtown Los Angeles.
For more Sweat info and tickets, CLICK HERE
Peter Mendoza, IMDB
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