Meet Francisco Antonio

We recently connected with Francisco Antonio and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Francisco, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience is woven from the strength of my mother and the trials of my childhood. She was a single mother raising three kids on her own, with no financial support from our fathers or family, yet she never let that break her spirit. She worked multiple jobs, exhausted but relentless, determined to provide us with a life better than the one she had. Watching her push through every hardship, every sleepless night, and every moment of doubt with unwavering resolve, I learned what it truly meant to be strong. But life had its own lessons for me as well. At the age of 9, a tragic event forced me to leave home, setting me on a path where survival became my responsibility. From that moment on, I was constantly moving, navigating a world that had no safety nets, no guarantees—only choices. And in those moments of solitude and struggle, I realized something: life will either break you or forge you. You can surrender to the weight of your circumstances and let them define you, or you can rise above them, unyielding, unbreakable. I chose resilience, because that’s what my mother taught me, not through words, but through the way she lived.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am an actor. As an actor, the stage and the screen have become my sanctuary, a space where every hardship, every trial, every moment of joy and pain is transformed into something meaningful. Acting is my therapy, my way of making sense of the life I’ve lived. When life throws so much at you, you either succumb to it or you rise above it. I chose to rise. And because of that, I don’t just “act”—I pull from a well of real, lived experience. The pain, the uncertainty, the resilience it took to survive—it all lives within me, ready to be tapped into at any moment. Acting has given my life purpose. It has turned my struggles into depth, my wounds into truth, and my survival into art. It has turned my experiences into stories, my scars into characters, my losses and triumphs into something greater than myself. And while that may sound somber, it is, in truth, the most liberating thing of all—to take the very things that could have destroyed me and use them to create something that can move, heal, and inspire others. Every role I take on, every character I embody, carries a piece of my journey, and through that, I get to create something raw, something real—something that can move people the way life has moved me.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three skills have been most impactful on my journey: resilience, emotional intelligence, and adaptability. Resilience is what keeps you going when life feels unbearable, when rejection, hardship, and loss try to break you. I’ve learned that resilience isn’t about avoiding struggle—it’s about embracing it, learning from it, and using it to grow. If you want to build resilience, step into discomfort rather than run from it. Let every failure teach you, every setback strengthen you. The ones who make it—whether in life or in their craft—are the ones who refuse to quit.

Emotional intelligence or depth is what allows you to connect, not just with others but with yourself. It’s what gives you the ability to feel deeply, to empathize, to tap into the full spectrum of human experience. For me, acting has been a way to channel all the emotions I’ve carried from my past—the pain, the joy, the longing, the resilience. what transforms an actor from good to unforgettable. The best performances come from a place of truth, from a willingness to be vulnerable. But emotional depth isn’t just for artists. It’s a life skill that allows you to navigate relationships, understand people, and move through the world with greater awareness. To develop it, start by being honest with yourself. Pay attention to your emotions, understand why you feel what you feel, and be present in every moment. The deeper you understand yourself, the deeper you’ll connect with others.

And then there’s adaptability—the ability to pivot, to evolve, to embrace change instead of fearing it. Life is unpredictable. I learned this early, moving from place to place, never having stability, having to figure things out on my own. It forced me to become adaptable, to make the best of any situation. The truth is, nothing stays the same forever, so the sooner you learn to flow with life instead of resisting it, the stronger you’ll be. Push yourself into new experiences, meet people from different backgrounds, take risks. The more you expose yourself to change, the better you’ll handle it when life shifts unexpectedly.

For anyone at the start of their journey—whether in life or in their passion—build resilience by refusing to quit, develop emotional depth by facing yourself, and strengthen adaptability by welcoming the unknown. Life will test you, but if you master these three skills, you’ll be ready for anything.

I know you asked for 3 things but I’ll end with this. You also have to have an ability to observe and absorb life—for me this is significant because acting isn’t just about performance, it’s about truth. So pay attention to people, to how they speak, move, react. Watch life unfold around you. Every moment, every interaction is a lesson in human nature. The more you understand people, the more authentic you can move through life, and if you’re an actor, the more authentic your performances will be. Let life shape you, and in turn, use that to shape the stories you tell.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

I want to create with those who are driven by something deeper than fame or fortune—those who feel an undeniable pull to tell stories that matter. Whether through film, writing, poetry, spoken word, music, or any other medium, I want to collaborate with artists who understand that storytelling is more than entertainment; it’s a force that can move people, shift perspectives, and leave something behind that outlives us. I’m drawn to those who create with purpose, who want to leave a lasting imprint on the world, not just for themselves, but for those who come after. Art has the power to heal, to inspire, to challenge, and to awaken, and I want to work alongside those who feel that truth in their bones. Together, we can shape narratives that make people feel, think, and remember. It doesn’t matter what form the art takes—what matters is the heart behind it. If you’re someone who creates not just for yourself but for the world, then we are already speaking the same language. If my words resonate with you and you feel like I can bring value to your project or want to collaborate with me in anyway, feel free to email me at sirfranciscoantonio@gmail.com and/or follow me on instagram @ iamfranciscoa and DM me.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @iamfranciscoa