Meet Stacey Patino

We were lucky to catch up with Stacey Patino recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Stacey, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

Being the first in my family to pursue a career in the arts came with many challenges including imposter syndrome. This would come as a result of being the only one in the room that looked like me and the only one that came from my circumstances. I am a Mexican American daughter of immigrants- the film industry is still lacking in our representation. The change has been gradual, but those who stood before me inspired me. I remember watching the film, “Real Women Have Curves” and seeing the young America Ferrera, someone who looked just like me, shine as the lead in the film. She was seen and heard; she held her ground as a strong character in the film. When I entered my first acting class at fifteen, I was still developing my confidence, but I allowed the love of my craft to be my focus. My focus was on the character’s voice- their need to be heard and seen. Acting became a tool for me to use my voice and be seen- unapologetically and totally me. As my skills as an actress kept developing, I felt a surge of energy toward my purpose. I wanted to pave the road in the industry, not only for myself, but for others who identified like me. Just like America had done for me, I wanted anyone with dreams and aspirations like mine to see it was possible. I thank that young version of myself every day for showing up to rooms that felt scary and unknown with all the courage in her heart. To this day, when I start to feel imposter syndrome, I bring my focus back to the character and their voice- and remind myself of the importance to tell their story.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am an actress and artist born and raised in southern California. I spent my youth developing my acting craft and creating artworks to display at local Artwalks and galleries in the Inland Empire. My current focus is expanding my career into film and television. Since my artistic roots include theatre and fine art training, both of these still inform my creative process. My specialty is interdisciplinary practice whereas I involve my work as an actress and artist to create the characters that I imbody. One of my favorite character exploration tools is drawing portraits of them and exploring their personalities through gesture.

I play Liz Santiago on GAF’s County Rescue and our second season is set to debut on February 20th on Pureflix and February 23rd on cable on GAF. Santiago has been a honor to play on screen. She is a spunky spitfire with a tough exterior. She is a veteran EMT on the County Rescue team and she’s always ready to spring into action and take charge of a situation.

I studied Theater Arts Performance and Studio Art at California State University Long Beach. I also participated in acting intensives across the globe including the Lir Academy of Performing Arts in Dublin, CSU Monterrey Bay, and Villa Corona, Mexico.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three skills most impactful on my journey have been tenacity, strong work ethic and creativity. The creativity was always my homebase and my heart- it is important to always have a strong connection to your imagination as an artist. It’s helped me find my fellow creatives and collaborators. My strong work ethic has been my strongest tool; I may not have been the most talented or the most glamorous, but I could always rely on working harder for myself and getting more tasks done. The film industry is tough with rejection being a daily occurrence. My tenacity has kept me pushing forward despite any redirections or setbacks. The key has been to focus on growing into my local community over just focusing on my individual success. A key phrase that has helped me heal from rejection is: the work that is meant for me, will come to me. We can celebrate other’s wins and see their bookings as inspiration for what is possible. Community over competition will get you farther and keep your heart lighter.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?

My mom and dad were fellow dreamers and they inspired me to dream BIG. I saw how hard they worked for their careers and it taught me to do the same. My mom has become a fierce leader as a Latina in Real Estate, helping numerous generations of families achieve their homeownership dreams. My dad came to this country at a young age to help support his family and he thrived in the restaurant industry. He worked his way up from busser to general manager for a top Mexican food chain. For the most part, my parents have always supported me in my pursuit of my acting career. They may not have understood the logistics, but they saw the joy and purpose this discipline brought to me and they were there for me whenever I needed them. My dad took time off work to be with me on film sets when I first started doing background work in Hollywood. My mom would drive me out to Studio City for my weekly acting class. Their sacrifices had a tremendous impact in jumpstarting my acting career. They were prime examples of entrepreneurship and chasing their American dream through hard work and dedication.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://staceypatino.com
• Instagram: staceypatino

Image Credits

Daniel Dealon