Meet Kev Martinez

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kev Martinez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kev below.

Hi Kev, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

As a first-generation Filipino-American, I was raised to keep my head down, to blend in rather than stand out. But deep inside, there was always a fire—a yearning to speak up. Not through words, but through action. That’s what acting gave me: a voice. And the moment I found it, I knew exactly what I wanted to say with my work.

But for years, I was boxed into roles that never resonated with me. Who I was on the inside didn’t align with what the industry projected on the outside. In other words, I never “looked the part.” We live in a world saturated with images of perfection, making it almost inevitable to measure ourselves against impossible standards. And by those standards, I didn’t fit the mold.

But over time, without compromising what was in my chest, I uncovered the greatest truth: that it’s not about size, race, status, or perceived flaws. What matters is the size of your heart, the strength of your character, and the resilience of your will.

It has taken most of my life—maybe even all of it—to realize that the very things that make you different are the keys to making an impact. The road isn’t supposed to be easy; if it were, everyone would chase their dreams without hesitation.

Confidence is acceptance—owning the cards you’ve been dealt and playing the hell out of your hand. Life is a poker match, and the goal isn’t to win every round. It’s to show up, bet on yourself, and go all in, every single time.

And once I understood the game, I gained the confidence to know I could change it.

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

I was an awkward teenager—braces, glasses, pimples the size of geysers, and a towering height of 5’3″. Self-deprecation was my second language. And yet, I took chances. I tried out for sports against hulking peers, ran for senior class president, and strummed my guitar for the girls. Did any of it lead to triumph? Not really. But it strengthened my spirit.

Rejection after rejection throughout my teens and college years unknowingly prepared me for the life of an actor—a career where you face more rejection in a month than most do in five years. But if not for my relentless, sometimes foolish, “go-getter” spirit, I wouldn’t have persisted as long as I have. And this is something I hope to pass down to the next generation.

As an actor, I’ve had incredible experiences, but I often found myself struggling to land roles that truly resonated with my heart. That’s when I made a conscious decision to create my own—*RIKER.*

A sci-fi thriller, *RIKER* follows a flawed detective who begins to suspect his wife is forming a bond with their AI companion—an entity engineered to be the “perfect man.” I wrote this story not only to explore the evolving dynamic between AI and human relationships but also to highlight a deeper question: In a world driven by artificial perfection, where does that leave the imperfect human? Are we slowly adopting a synthetic view of identity and love? My team and I are still in the process of bringing this film to life. I can’t wait to share it with the world.

Through every role I take on, and especially with RIKER, my message remains the same: Anyone can be a hero. It’s not about fitting a mold—it’s about standing by your principles, refusing to compromise what’s in your heart, and showing up for yourself every single time.

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 key lessons I’ve developed on this journey:

1. Have the courage to make a fool of yourself.
2. Keep your next move close to the chest.**
3. Take constructive criticism like a gift, not a wound.

Why these three?
-Because fortune favors the bold.
-Because the more you share, the more pressure you create—not to succeed for yourself, but to prove something to others. And the truth is, you don’t owe anyone proof.
-Because it’s never just about you. Growth, success, and impact are all bigger than one person.

For anyone setting out on their mission, my biggest piece of advice is this: Carry yourself as if you’ve already made it. The way you see yourself shapes the way you move. The way you move shapes how others perceive you. And how others perceive you shapes the impact you leave on the world.

Act like you’ve already got it—because when you do, the right opportunities find you.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

When I feel overwhelmed—when I find myself sinking into the mud—I do two things:

Pray. And sleep.

We live in a world drowning in noise, constantly connected yet rarely pausing to be with ourselves. Rest is productive, so I sleep. As for prayer… it’s my way of grounding myself in gratitude. No matter how heavy my struggles feel, I remind myself—I’m not alone. There are people in this world facing hardships far beyond my own, uncertain if they’ll even see tomorrow.

Prayer is big for me. Because at the end of the day, I only have so much control. And when I reach my limit, I have to turn to something greater than myself. I’m only human.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rikermovie.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevnmartinez/