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A round-up of answers to the usual questions from one of Guiding Light's newest castmembers
Jordi Vilasuso arrives in Springfield as Tony Santos on Tuesday, August 29.
On his character, Tony Santos:
"Tony is a product of his environment. He is in the mob. He loves the mob. But he really hasn't seen any other lifestyle. His father was shot when he was a little kid. His mother died recently. His brother was in the mob before he went into the priesthood. So he really hasn't had anybody lead him down the right path. He's just been enveloped in this lifestyle and he loves it. He loves the respect. He basically does his own thing, he creates his own rules for himself, and that's what gets him into trouble. He's fearless. He really is not afraid of anybody, which is a front for a lot of the baggage that he is carrying. I don't think he cried at his mother's funeral. He deals with death by keeping it inside and he doesn't let anybody crack that big shell he has surrounded himself with."
On working with George Alvarez and Paul Anthony Stewart:
"The first day I got there, they told me "Look, you're one of us. You're part of the family," from rehearsal. Of course, I was still nervous but they gave me that comfort. They made me feel more at home. I haven't met anybody [at the studio] who gives me a negative vibe. Everybody's great."
On his first day on the set:
"I walk into the bar [Millennium], looking for my brother, Ray, and Danny wanting a drink but I'm unable to be served because I don't have my ID. I'm really freaked out and I'm looking for help. I'm looking for Ray to pull in some favors. Danny says that he will talk to Abuela, see if she'll make some calls for me to go into hiding."
"My first day started with a bang: guns were blazing. It was so much fun but there was so much to do the first day. I think I work better like that. Just throw me in!"
On the road less traveled:
"Nobody in my family was into acting. I'm the black sheep. I've always wanted to act. I told my parents this when I was five and they thought it was a phase. In the sixth grade, I tried out for a musical - I can't sing - and I got the main role. My parents were very happy. They saw the twinkle in my eye and wanted me to do it so they said, "Okay." They supported me, they got me my pictures, they took me out to the agencies. I did some print work, then I did some commercials, then I landed my first film in the 8th grade. They supported me. I'm very grateful to them. They did a lot for me."
He's no actor, he's my father:
"About 4 weeks ago, I was doing this heavy duty role on [USA Networks'] Arrest & Trial. The name of the episode is For the Love of a Baywatch Babe. This guy's 22 years old, a mechanic, and he's madly in love with this girl who is an extra on Baywatch. He takes his parents' credit card and spends over $10,000 on her. His parents freak out on him. He's at their house for dinner one night, and they just freak out and he loses it on them. He screams at them and walks out of the house. That same night, he comes in and kills his parents and his brother. This is all true, by the way. This is all true. It all happened."
"My father had come into town the day before and I had asked the director if it was alright to bring my parents and my sister on the set. He said, "Sure, tell them to come." The second my dad walks on the set, the director says to him, "You're Jordi's father." And he's like, "Yeah." The director asks, "How would you like to play Jordi's father in the show?" My dad's response: "What? Alright, I'll do it." My dad was shocked. He had never done anything like this before. He got such a big kick out it. He had four scenes and he had to kiss the woman who was playing my mother. My mom freaked out about that."
A tale of three cities:
"Miami [where he was raised] reminds me more of LA. I think Miami is still in puberty. It's still growing up and trying to figure out which way it wants to go. I don't think there is any other place in the States, let alone in Florida, like Miami. Miami is very Latin, very spicy. It's a very sexy town. It's a big party town. Miami's a lot of fun but it can be very relaxing, too. LA's very laid back. New York is just get-up-and-go, it's very intense. I like it a lot, too, but sometimes I think you can get caught up in the chaos."
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