Frankie J. Alvarez

My dad was very religious growing up and a little bit closed minded, and I think me being in the theater, two of my three sisters are dancers, so being in the arts world has changed and opened him up in a lot of ways.

When you're auditioning for commercials, they're looking for a Latin guy in his 20s, and you'll show up, and it's a bunch of people who look just like you, and it's a little weird. More often than not, they're way better-looking. They're taller. They have way more abs than you do.

A very large majority of the U.S. population is in favor of establishing diplomatic relations with Cuba and has been for a long time with some fluctuations. And even part of the business world is in favor of it, too. But the government won't allow it.

What I look for when I see a piece of art for the first time is some kind of emotional, intellectual experience, that's a combination of both of those things and is informed by my knowledge and something new that I see the artist doing.