‘Let’s Talk!’ is a series of exclusive interviews with rising actors, writers and directors in
the entertainment industry, from local Connecticut to New York City and
across the country in Los Angeles. I’m thrilled to have stage and screen actor Jhulenty Delossantos as my first guest!
Jhulenty, also known as Jay, was born in Yonkers, NY and moved to the Dominican Republic at age nine. He lived there for eight years until he was seventeen before moving to Connecticut. He began acting in 2015 and has since gone on to perform onstage in several plays including One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and This Is Modern Art. He’s also been featured on television in The Real Story with María Elena Salinas, Shades of Blue and The Path. Now, onto the interview:
Are there
any actors you’d want to work with at some point?
At almost
every panel or Q&A with actors, a young kid or teen asks ‘what’s some
advice you’d give to a young actor who wants an acting career?’ So, after your
experiences, what would be some advice that you’d give?
Follow Juan on Instagram @juanayalaofficial
Jhulenty, also known as Jay, was born in Yonkers, NY and moved to the Dominican Republic at age nine. He lived there for eight years until he was seventeen before moving to Connecticut. He began acting in 2015 and has since gone on to perform onstage in several plays including One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot and This Is Modern Art. He’s also been featured on television in The Real Story with María Elena Salinas, Shades of Blue and The Path. Now, onto the interview:
What was
your first experience in acting?
I was at Housatonic Community College taking Acting 1. I remember I
got a script for a ten-minute play and I played a narcoleptic guy who’d just
randomly fall asleep. That was really fun and I was just starting to scratch
the surface with listening and being active constantly.
At the time
were you a theatre major or did you take the class to fill an elective?
I was a theatre major, I’d just jumped right into it. I was a graphic
design major for like three days and thought ‘yeah this isn’t for me.’ (laughs)
What was
your ‘aha’ moment where you realized this was what you wanted to do?
I’d say it was when I’d finished the play One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest at the Bijou and then right after
that I was cast in a new play called This
Is Modern Art. When I auditioned at Long Wharf Theatre, I didn’t think I
was going to get it, especially after to the twenty-something people there
auditioning. Most of them had their bachelor’s degrees in acting and all this
experience, and there were just four roles to cast. So when I got the role I
thought ‘Whoa!’ it was really unexpected and I had just started rehearsals for The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at
Housatonic. So I was in the middle of these three plays and taking my theatre
classes during the day, that’s when I thought ‘okay this is what I’m meant to
do.’
So how did
it feel when all of these productions ended? Did you want to just find another
show to jump into?
Yes and no. I wanted to relax and take a break for a bit and get my
social life back. (laughs) But then I auditioned for Othello and was cast in that so I had to go up to Hartford for the
summer, so it was always like boom-boom-boom. When things would die down, I’d
take like a week off from everything but then was ready for the next show.
Was there
ever a time where you had second thoughts about this career path?
No. Never. It never crossed my mind. I do wish that I had more support
and whatnot and didn’t have to balance school and acting and worrying about
rent at such a young age but I never really thought about quitting.
Is there
anything else in the industry that you’d want to try in the future?
Maybe directing, but that could be really cutthroat, even more so than
acting. And writing. I wish I could be a better writer, y’know? I’m sure
everyone feels like they have cool ideas but I like the concept of having a
something in your head and then turning it into something real. So that would
be cool, to work on and develop that skill of bringing a story to life.
What’s the
best advice you’ve gotten?
“Be like water. If you put water in a cup, you take the shape of the
cup. If you put water in a bucket, you take the shape of a bucket. If you’re in
a situation where everybody is not really going with your vibe, you need to
find a way to adapt and adjust to that and live in a way where it’s not
deteriorating you.”
What’s the
most important thing you’ve learned in your career so far?
Prioritize. Prioritizing is so important because you can get several
projects thrown at you but if some are not really helping you move toward your
goal, there’s no real point in taking them. You have to be clear with what you
want and take what will get you there the fastest.
Do you have
any embarrassing audition stories or on-set mishaps?
(laughs) Yeah...
We all do
don’t we?
Of course! One time I tried to audition for a musical, In the Heights, and I thought to myself ‘okay,
I’ve never really sung before’ and I wasn’t confident doing that at all. But
then I figured because of what show it was, I could just do a rap for my
audition. I practiced and prepared it and got the sheet music for it and
everything. I got to the audition, gave the pianist my music and started. I
didn’t really think to snap or anything to keep my tempo so I was completely
off-beat. I was trying so hard and they had me start over. I did it again and
it was ever worse the second time and the pianist just said ‘Okay, we’re done.
Thank you! Thank you for your time.’ I didn’t feel bad because I just wasn’t
used to trying that and I was grateful they saw me and took the time to hear
me.
Well kudos
to you for stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new like
that!
Yeah, I just wanted to try it and see what would happen. I’d like to
try it again sometime. Maybe I’ll remember to snap my fingers to keep a steady
beat. (laughs)
Are there
any actors you’d want to work with at some point?
Christoph Waltz, if that were ever, ever possible. That would be super
cool! (laughs) I want to work with Dexter Singleton again [who I worked with
during This Is Modern Art]. And
someone new. I’m ready to work with new people and to step into a new
environment.
What about
a director?
Dexter Singleton. Whether it’s as an actor or a director, I just
really want to work with him again, he’s just on top of his game.
What’s a
franchise you’d want to be a part of, or a franchise you want to bring to life,
like a book into a film?
I think I’d want to be a part of the DC comics. I feel like that’s
super lame.
The film universe
or the TV universe?
The film. I know they suck... I just really like them. I know it’s
unpopular opinion but they really entice me. Hey, if a contract ever fell out
of heaven that’d be great!
At almost
every panel or Q&A with actors, a young kid or teen asks ‘what’s some
advice you’d give to a young actor who wants an acting career?’ So, after your
experiences, what would be some advice that you’d give?
I’d say risk what you have to get the knowledge you need to put
yourself in a better place. Don’t let your circumstances limit you. It happens
a lot and I’m sure you know, but if your parents don’t like that you act or are
actively pursuing it, those are barriers that you have to break. I feel like at
those Q&A panels, they tell kids to keep auditioning, and practice and
learn but in some cases, there are those kids who don’t get the support they
need from their families or friends, so telling them to overcome those kinds of
obstacles is really important too. If you really want it, you might have to
stand up to some people that you really care about.
Follow Jhulenty on Instagram @jhulenty
Jacket: H&M
Shirt: Hanes
Necklace:
Pants: Jeans Republic
All photos taken by Juan Ayala
All photos taken by Juan Ayala