Meet Phil Luna

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

Hi Phil, thank you so much for joining us today. There are so many topics we could discuss, but perhaps one of the most relevant is empathy because it’s at the core of great leadership and so we’d love to hear about how you developed your empathy?

My aunt Veronica. My earliest memories of growing up are of the time I spent at my mother’s parents house. I had a lot of cousins and my grandparents were loving kind people. I remember the house was filled with love, cigarette smoke and the sounds of the Mexican radio station.
The person who had the most profound effect on me was my aunt Veronica. She had Down Syndrome. I dd not know this. All I knew was that she was the kindest person I have ever known. We played together and talked about many things. It wasn’t till later, as I matured that I realized she was had a different perspective on life: innocence and love. She taught me many lessons that I carry with me today.

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, Director, and Teacher of Theatre. However, I am still a student of theatre. My love of learning all about this most exciting form of art is what drives me. I love the study of acting, I love the study of the history of the art form. It’s carried me through the highs and lows of life and given me a professional career of over 30 years.

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?

To quote Joseph Campbell, ” follow your bliss”!
You must.
Talent alone will not be enough.
Study. Develop a technique. Find your own way of doing it.
If you are an actor, or an artist in general, realize that your life will be dedicated to the pursuit of truth.
To paraphrase Thelonious Monk,
” Do what you do, even if it takes the rest of the world 20 years to catch up”.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

I studied at the University of Denver. My teacher, who later became my mentor, was Ms. Paula Sperry. She was a lesbian from Texas, and I was the grandson of a steel worker, and a person of color. She and I shared similar challenges.
She recognized in me something I only felt and intuitively followed, but maybe could not articulate.
She saw my talent. She nurtured it. She supported it. She taught me that being an actor was a noble thing, an honorable profession, and that I had the right to pursue it.
She corroborated my reality.

Image Credits

I don’t remember the photographer. Sorry.
Photo during production of “Cuactemoczin” by Diego Floez. I directed, Cipriano was my AD.
I’m in the middle , Cipriano Ortega is on my right, Diego Florez is on my left .