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Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1134553
As time went on, Shalim began to live a normal childhood. When he was in junior high, he decided to dive into theater and joined the Thespian Society of Performing Arts. “It confirmed this is what I wanted to do.” He then landed the lead role in Rocío! In Spite of it All, where he received rave reviews. Then, in his 20s, Shalim wrote and recorded two albums produced by Emilio Estefan. “I’ve always loved music. I took vocal lessons and I wanted to do it right. I wasn’t your typical singer, I always challenged myself and wanted to learn,” he says. Shalim moved to Spain and experienced the life of a musician under Emilio’s wing. “I would sing at big venues over there. It was very different than anything else.” Though he found success in the music industry, Shalim always knew acting was his biggest passion. In 2005, Shalim returned to the acting world with a role in the movie, Spin —his first film ever. “I’m very fond of that movie, even though nobody watched it,” he laughs. “I was so naïve and I did not know the difference between independent and studio films, so in my mind I thought I was Top Gun, I thought, This is it,” he laughs. “I thought I was doing the film of the decade.” Prior to starring in Grand Hotel, Shalim struggled, but he also accomplished a lot. His biggest one: being a part of NBC’s Heroes — which, at the time, was the #1 show on television. “The moment I got the callback, I started screaming my life away. This was my first big acting job; my first big mainstream moment in American television.” He did about five callbacks before landing the role of Alejandro Herrera. “It was not a straight offer and I had to fight for that role. Something that really helped me was that I didn’t watch the show. I made sure I hadn’t watched a single episode.” He did this because he knew his nerves would get the best of him if he was invested in the show. “I just knew that everybody wanted to be in it.” That same year, he landed his first leading role in a Dominican film, Yuniol, which he explains is an abbreviation of the word junior. “Kind of how people say it in the streets.” While it presented its challenges, Shalim only has fond memories of it. All of his past experiences have prepared him for the role of Mateo on Grand Hotel. But his time on set was unlike anything he has experienced before. “Like its name, it’s a grand show, from the set to the cast to the producers. You have a dream team and an amazing dynamic,” Shalim shares. He explains that women are the heads of multiple departments, and that the majority of the directors are women. “I fell in love with the energy on set. You women have a completely different way of taking charge, you freak out much less than we do,” he chuckles. “Women know how to handle stressful situations in a much more methodical way. Us guys have a lot to learn from you.” Shalim has worked in both film and television throughout his career, and has found that working in television is much more rewarding. “I really don’t prefer one over the other, but there is an instant gratification in television,” says Shalim. “I have done 15 or 16 films and probably 90% of them haven’t been seen by most people. So there is a little frustration when you are doing film —of course, unless you are doing something with Sony Pictures —that hasn’t been the case with me.” For Shalim, the film industry has come with too many uncertainties. “There is so much good television now to be made, I wouldn’t miss doing film if I go through a streak of doing back-to-back television.” Shalim has been able to navigate more than just American television and films. Being bilingual has given him the opportunity to work on Mexican films and telenovelas. In fact, he only recently felt comfortable working in English. “That took me a long time, probably 2-3 years ago I started thinking in English and feeling strong intention, a natural instinct whenever I had to portray a character that demanded strong emotion in English. It’s been a long journey and it hasn’t been overnight.” Shalim learned English when he moved to Miami with his parents at 12-13 years old. “I was a late bloomer learning English,” he explains. “It wasn’t easy, I got bullied and had to learn by force. It wasn’t enjoyable.” His heritage and being bilingual has allowed him to integrate and land roles both in the U.S. and Mexico. Shalim was a part of one of the longest-running telenovelas in Mexican history, La Señora de Acero, and for two seasons he played immigration officer Arturo Sánchez. “It was awesome. It was an action-packed type of project. I met some great people, definitely a completely different rhythm than what you do in the U.S. My character was supposed to be born in the States, so they gave me complete creative freedom to throw in English and to speak in Spanglish, and speak the way we speak amongst ourselves when we are second generation Latinos who live in the States.” Don’t miss the premiere of Grand Hotel June 17th on ABC and follow Shalim on Instagram: @ShalimOrtiz