TheWrap’s first-ever Latino Power List celebrates the trailblazers who are making change across entertainment and media, spanning actors, directors, writers, executives, dealmakers, journalists and up-and-comers who are setting the blueprint for future generations of Latino talent to bring their skills to the Hollywood landscape.

“Anytime any Latino is recognized for their work it’s a great feeling,” said cover subject Eva Longoria, the director, producer and actress who is focused on expanding the universe of Latino stories through her work and her production company. “The whole point of doing what I do — whether it’s directing or producing — is to amplify the voices of the Latino community.”

The Up-and-Comers

Taylor Zakhar Perez (Actor) – Before Taylor Zakhar Perez took on the mantle of Alex Claremont-Diaz in the Greg Berlanti-produced film adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s “Red, White & Royal Blue,” he brought another beloved fictional character to life — Marco from the second and third “Kissing Booth” films on Netflix. As an avid baseball player, Perez first felt represented on screen watching “The Sandlot” and “Angels in the Outfield.” “Both roles were played by Mike Vitar, I thought we kind of looked alike. I wasn’t even thinking of being an actor at that point in my life, but for some reason that’s who popped into mind first,” he told TheWrap. “I loved ‘The Sandlot,’ boys being boys, kids on the verge of adulthood… the culture that brought them together was baseball and that bonded them no matter where they came from. It still gets me.” Perez’s TV credits include the first season of “Minx,” six episodes of “Embeds” and one episode of “Scandal.” In 2015, the pendulum swung towards “Latin is hot” for Hollywood and Perez, but he still found some in casting rooms who thought he didn’t look “Latin enough.” “It was almost laughable that I was now being removed from a casting pool of people with the same heritage as me,” he recalled. “But it didn’t deter me, it just made me work harder and smarter to become ‘undeniable,’ as my coach used to say.” — Dessi Gomez

Taylor Zakhar Perez shines a light on the sustainable side of natural diamonds.

“Failure wasn’t an option,” says actor Taylor Zakhar Perez of his decade-plus-long journey through Hollywood. The actor, 31, moved away from his seven siblings in the Midwest to attend UCLA—in part so he could moonlight as an assistant at creative agency Art Department, where his uncle worked at the time. That was in addition to a few other gigs and, of course, attending class. “I was working three or four jobs at one time: school, Art Department, production assisting, acting classes, and I was also a cater waiter,” says Perez. “I didn’t move here to not do what I wanted to do.”

Perez has all the makings of a Hollywood heartthrob: a solid work ethic, an undeniably magnetic charm and a passing resemblance to a young Cary Grant (so says his grandmother). And if that isn’t enough to get you swooning, he’s also a man of character who cares deeply about social and environmental issues. Don’t expect this bright star to gravitate towards fame for fame’s sake (he’s worked too hard for that). Perez knows full well the power of the platform onto which he’s about to step. The only question is: what will he do next?

Only Natural Diamonds: You recently visited a diamond mine in Botswana. What did you learn there?
Taylor Zakhar Perez: I visited the Karowe Diamond Mine in Botswana. It’s female-led and 99% of its employees are from Botswana. But the really cool thing is the mine works to provide lasting and sustainable benefits in the communities. Not only does the mine support the people who are working in the mine, but it supports the communities around the mine in terms of education, roads and infrastructure. Using the minerals they own to develop their country is incredible—and they’re taking a large amount of these profits and investing them into the country and the people. Revenue from diamond mining contributes to a school system providing free primary education to every child in Botswana.

OND: That must have been such a great lesson in sustainability.
TZP: Yes, sustainability—but real sustainability. Not a company using the color green to make it seem like they’re sustainable. There is so much greenwashing out there. Sustainability starts with social sustainability. With the people.

OND: What did you learn from that trip?
TZP: Do your own research, and don’t believe everything you see on TikTok. Start asking “why,” again. We’re in a position where a lot of information has become democratized and open-sourced; it’s for everyone. It’s up to us to want to know more.

OND: Tell us about where you grew up.
TZP: It’s the duality of growing up in Chicago but also growing up in Northwest Indiana. We grew up on the Southside of Chicago, a very urban, multicultural, dangerous place, but that’s where my mom and dad’s families grew up. Then we moved to Northwest Indiana which had horses, cows and cornfields. So, I had this duality of city life grounded in country life.

OND: Did you come from a creative family?
TZP: I have seven siblings, but oddly enough, I didn’t. The only creative in my family was my grandmother on my dad’s side. She loved Hollywood, old films and she always said I reminded her of Cary Grant. As a kid I was like, “I don’t know who that is,” and now as an adult, I’m like, “Oh, a great actor, thank you!” My dad was enamored by Hollywood but never had the luxury of exploring the arts because he had his first kid at 17 and took over my grandfather’s auto body shop. My parents always brought the arts and theater around us because they didn’t have it as kids. My dad always had a sparkle in his eye when it came to shows. He would become the consummate coach in anything. I chose sports that he didn’t play because I didn’t want his notes. That’s why I chose swimming in school—my dad doesn’t know how to swim to this day. I did musical theater, and he has no idea about musical theater. That’s my relationship with my dad. You kind of want to do stuff yourself.

OND: Do you accept your dad’s notes now?
TZP: When it comes to business things, nobody knows business better than my dad. He’s a self-made entrepreneur. When he stops making deals, that’s when he’ll die because that’s what keeps him going. He lit my fire when it came to being your own business person and advocating for yourself… Nobody is going to fight harder for you than you.

OND: Has your family dynamic shifted now that you’re in the public eye?
TZP: It hasn’t changed. I have a really big family. We recently lost my oldest sister, so I’m at a place in my life where the importance of everything has shifted. Family is most important to me. Yesterday, I was on the phone with my sister, and then my little brother called, so I brought him in, and my [other] sister was also at my place, so all four of us were on the phone strategizing for family trips: Thanksgiving, birthdays. My sister said, “You kind of went MIA for ten years and now you’re talking to everybody!”

OND: What do you think was the most valuable thing you did during that period?
TZP: For me, when people ask me how I “did it,” or what the journey was like, I say: get a group of friends you trust, get into class and work your butt off and be crazy honest with each other. There are no other options. Failure is not an option. You have to make your own opportunities.

OND: What about acting fulfills you?
TZP: Being able to tell stories that move people and change people’s perceptions. I travel around the world for work, and wherever I am, people come up to me and tell me how my characters have influenced them and made them feel. I go to Mexico and kids are like, “I see myself in you and you’re my favorite character.” I think that’s the most fulfilling thing. I love projects that are emotionally connected and that will maybe change the way people look at something for the rest of their life.

OND: What is your most treasured possession?
TZP: Anything sentimental. Anything that when I glance down it reminds me of my family. I have this diamond bracelet that I got for my 30th birthday, and I have this stainless-steel ring that used to be my mom’s that I wear on my middle finger.

Arguably best known for playing the U.S. President’s son Alex Claremont-Diaz in the global hit Prime Video movie Red, White & Royal Blue, actor Taylor Zakhar Perez might in fact now be a central figure within Hollywood and across social media, from being named an Ambassador at the SAG Awards earlier this year to globetrotting to various fashion shows and other special events, yet he has remained mindful about striving to make smarter choices surrounding our environment, as well as to expand upon the opportunities for his fellow creative.

Also known for his acting roles in projects like Minx and The Kissing Booth movies, I recently sat down with Zakhar Perez, 32, around the time that the Red, White & Royal Blue sequel was announced, wondering what he would say his focuses are today beyond Hollywood and how he is utilizing his influential public platform to elevate his passionate causes.

Zakhar Perez said, “Hmm, that’s a good question. So, growing up, my mom was a huge proponent of organic eating. We had a little garden in the back – I mean, it kind of got out of control because we used to have horses and then after they were gone, my mom planted this incredible garden back there – manure-heavy, fertilizer-heavy – and so, it kept growing and growing. For us growing up, organic was like a dirty word but [my mom] kind of had this holistic way about her, where it was like, No plastic – reuse your bag, bring it back home and I think that really fed into my love for sustainability.”

The Red, White & Royal Blue star went on to say that he feels like sustainability and “going green” have sometimes become a marketing ploy within our society, adding that “organic people now associate with natural and natural is not the same as organic.”

Zakhar Perez continued, “Sustainability is huge! I work with this woman named Harriet Vocking out of the United Kingdom. She is just a steward of the earth and is just so intelligent, and I get all my information and reading on her. That’s something that I have to consider when I’m working with brands because it’s like, What are you doing for the world? Is it 1% for the planet? Are you recycling? Are you finding different ways to cut down manufacturing and stop cut-and-sew and now it all comes out in one piece? That stuff is very important to me.”

Vocking is the Chief Executive Officer of Eco-Age, a global agency creating systemic solutions in line with science, in harmony with nature and in solidarity with human rights. Over the past couple of years, Zakhar Perez began going on supply chain trips with Eco-Age to The Woolmark Company, an Australian nonprofit organization that is the global authority on the natural, renewable and biodegradable fiber of wool, because he “wanted to know more about where our stuff comes from; what it’s made of, where it’s sourced from, and how many hands touch it before it lands in our stores.”

I also briefly spoke with Vocking about her fond interactions and thoughts about Zakhar Perez, with her saying, “Taylor is the perfect example of how talent can use their platform for good. When we first met, it was clear he had an interest in what he was wearing and where things came from. So, I asked him to come with me on some supply chain trips to find out firsthand the reality behind our clothes and jewelry. And he did! And it has been epic. He came with me purely to understand more. No deals, no hidden agenda – just a desire to make the world a better place – and it’s this which makes him quite so special.”

In recent months, Zakhar Perez took to his Instagram to thank The Woolmark Company, while posting photos of him taken on-site, for “giving me the full farm to fashion experience,” where he was taught about the wearability and the versatility of wool.

Beyond his ongoing sustainability efforts, Zakhar Perez is also focused on supporting his Latin community, as he moves forward within the ever-evolving landscape of the entertainment industry.

He said, “The Latin talent in the mainstream media today is continuously underrepresented. In the United States, 19% of the population is Latin, right? That’s not representative in TV/film. I think it’s like less than 10% of actors are of Latin descent, and it’s like 5% or less of the showrunners and directors are [Latin]. It’s crazy because Latin-led TV shows are some of the most-watched projects globally on our streamers. I’m beginning to start a production company and these are the metrics that I’m looking at to go, What kind of stories do I want to tell?”

Zakhar Perez added: “The Latin moviegoer is 25% of the United States and them not being able to see themselves on-screen, I think, is detrimental for their mental health. You need to see positive representations of yourself on-screen. My goal is to find talented producers and find talented writers who want to tell these stories in an independent way, in a commercial way, and really champion Latin people in media. This year, like 34-35 million Latinos will be eligible to vote and the future is so bright. I think the most amount of Latin people in the United States are [currently] 11 years old and in the next 10-20 years, they’re going to be the industry and I think that’s really exciting.”

Snips, snails and puppy-dogs’ tails… we draw back curtains to piece together this protagonist’s arc

All right, it’s been done to death to deem a celebrity—who also happens to quite literally be tall, dark and handsome—as down to earth. The rationale is perfectly understandable. You look a certain way, make a living in a world that mostly operates like a separate stratosphere… and of course maintaining an objective grip on reality automatically becomes a feat.

That’s not to discount Taylor Zakhar Perez. It’s not so much the absence of airs about the actor but the sense that, vocation aside, he could make a sincerely valuable friend in your life. I’m coining it Cool Dude Energy: positive yet pragmatic.

The 32-year-old comes across as a tad younger than his actual age with a somewhat unjaded disposition for someone who has been in this trade since his teens. Yet between affable rambles, a time-honed maturity slips through every so often. Living nearly half his life in Los Angeles meant some trial and error finding the balance of confidence sans ego, or preserving self-belief without giving in to an industry-induced god complex.

“I’ve always taken the slow and steady, consistent approach. That’s just how I grew up, where everything’s regime and you build a solid foundation before you build the house,” he shares casually, “I think a lot of people like building the house first because it’s pretty and something to show for, but when it comes time to get that inspection, when you really have to dig deep, there is no foundation.”

Setting the scene

Born in Chicago and raised in Indiana as the sixth of eight children, the Midwesterner identified more as an older child than a younger or middle growing up. The household dynamic had Zakhar Perez effectively functioning as the eldest of the youngest segment. Given his career trajectory, catching up with his older siblings now occasionally lends to him doling out business advice too.

He speaks fondly of his late sister Kristy, who the family lost to colorectal cancer. Though 12 years apart, their bond and her influence on his life are evident through his heartening dedication on social media. Of Kristy’s many wise counsels that he adopts is to just keep going; as restarting anything after stopping is usually much harder.

This guidance was further substantiated by his stint as a varsity swimmer. Funnily enough, throughout the decade-long tenure, he was never truly fond of swimming (he still surfs though). “It was the discipline of it and the camaraderie that I loved,” he admits, “I was team captain for two years in a row and I liked being a leader, and that sense of community that I might not have had if I stopped.”

Training to never lose the groundwork created for himself eventually shaped his acting mindset as well. One he abided by even later in life waiting tables for actors on the other side of the coin; seemingly powered by sheer conviction. Whose certainty that they were going to succeed, despite having never seen them on any screen, was highly persuasive.

“It was interesting that I thought they were going to make it because they thought they were going to make it,” he recalls, “but I kept to the educational [route] because I knew from my experience as an athlete that that’s what you’re going to have to do. It’s practice after practice. Competitions. Win, loss, year after year; and that’s how I equate it. Acting is a sport.”

It only took finishing university to pursue his dreams. When early admissions to some of the best bio-chem programmes (the initial ambition was to be a dermatologist) came with the caveat of a swim scholarship, Zakhar Perez turned it down to attend UCLA as part of the appease-the-parents deal.

The evolution from theatre to commercials, however, was a steep learning curve. “It was cool to see yourself on TV in the beginning, but then you discover that there’s a technique behind it, which you have to invest in for it to convey on screen,” says the man who was not spared the trope of a small towner meets big city.

“Having acting coaches tell you like it is, but you don’t want to believe it because ‘Oh man I was the best in my high school so I’m going to be the best here’ and realising oh my gosh I’ve so much work to do.”

Defining the character

Cutting his teeth as an assistant for five years under his uncle, an art department director and set designer for commercials and advertising (“I was basically a glorified mover the first week”). The stint was another invaluable masterclass. It entailed being one of the first people involved in the process by sourcing props and prepping sets, to being among the last ones to leave after breaking down the sets. A far cry from simply showing up to shoot your scenes.

So it was impressive then, to witness actors who exemplified inspiring conduct. “They didn’t bring any of their insecurities on set, handled everybody from photographer to personal assistants so professionally, never made anyone feel less than but made everyone feel like they were part of this magic that was happening,” he enthuses, naming Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Anniston and Cate Blanchett for laudable behaviour he now emulates.

“I was like, Wow! You are an incredible storyteller and you also have an incredible presence about you that makes people want to work with you. As opposed to say, 70 per cent who were not the ideal talent. It makes you have compassion for your below-the-line creatives. So I’m very grateful because you can’t pay to have that experience but I was paid to have that experience.”

Other names in the game whose performances stay in his head rent-free include Michael Fassbender, Tom Hiddleston thanks to a recent watching of The Night Manager, and James McAvoy; whom the actor had the pleasure of acquainting.

“He was so sweet. Sometimes you think people are unapproachable and you can’t ask them what you want to, but he was so open and wonderful about it,” eyes gleaming as he recounts, “The Brits have a way of working in the details and these guys are such dynamic actors. The specificity, the continuity… it’s impeccable and just lights my fuse.”

As far as he’s concerned, there was no Plan B going into this gig all those years ago. “I remember one Christmas where my [other] uncle kept asking me what my backup plan was, and I said I don’t have one. And he went ‘Ah! Nephew! You should really have one, man. I’ve been out there; I know what it’s like. It’s hard to make it.’”

Constantly advocating his aspirations was not easy but like a movie cliché, Zakhar Perez insisted he was all in and nothing was gonna stop him. The memory is special because said uncle subsequently apologised, acknowledging that he was projecting his own worries and failures out of fear that his nephew might meet a similar outcome.

“And that was before any sort of success came my way,” he reveals, “So I thanked him for being so transparent with me, and as soon as I got rid of that ‘I’ll show you’ mentality, the world opened up for me.”

Hitting the stage

Currently recognised off Netflix and Amazon Prime, Zakhar Perez counts himself lucky for his divvy of co-stars. The natural rapport he carries with Joey King and Nicholas Galitzine, as well as his admiration of Uma Thurman, is clearly visible in interviews.

He appreciates that on top of their obvious flair, they’re equally proficient at embracing a childlike element of play at the moment. It ties to his bias towards rehearsals. It’s the portion many actors dislike due to repetition getting stale, but his theatre background thoroughly relishes it.

“That’s the time you get to improv, and you get to explore where these characters are coming from,” he explains. “It’s freedom because you’re not going to get told you’re wrong. The worst you’d be told is that it’s inaccurate given the circumstances. It just strengthens everything before you get on set to take that audience on a journey.”

While he would certainly not mind returning to theatre should the stars align for it, Zakhar Perez thrives with the medium he’s in. He’s obsessed with camera work even though he feels unqualified. “I only know my way around maybe a point and shoot, but I love being behind the DP and seeing their vision lining up a shot, because nine times out of 10, it’s totally different from how I’m reading it.”

Together with writing, he regards these as skillsets he’ll probably never fully acquire, but leaning into them better informs his dexterity. For now, he’s gleaning plenty from Oscar-winning producers on a handful of projects. Besides lighting and treatment, one key lesson is getting over watching his own performances. Letting go of professional perfectionism to objectively view it according to plot development.

Above the technicalities, he finds it a blessing that these project partners are adept at hiding the medicine in the sugar. This is an aspect Zakhar Perez deeply resonates with, like the genres he enjoyed watching in adolescence. Sure, he delighted in buddy-style comedies, SNL (Fred Armisen’s Regine absolutely kills him) and superhero action, but the original X-Men films spoke to him personally.

“It really had a message on its mind and makes you rethink [your perspective],” he muses, circling back to the topic, “These projects have completely shifted my entire mindset on the industry. I think people tend to forget that acting is just a sub-category of the entertainment industry at large. It’s a business.”

Sharing the spotlight

There are things he wished he knew when he started out. Expertise that was never actually taught in school (personal finance!) which could genuinely hold back an individual without it. It is why helping the future is something that has always interested him.

“There are two paths, right? You can be an egotistical maniac, or you can reach back and lift somebody up, and that person reaches back and lifts the next person up,” he tells of his philosophy which he practises towards greener actors. Whether new cast or juniors met in passing, there’s no hesitation to take their calls.

“It’s not like I’m trying to be everybody’s mentor but nobody ever did that for me. I know that there are so many questions you’re afraid to ask on your first day and honestly nobody can put you at ease on how it’s going to go than a fellow actor.”

This harkens back to a programme he did many moons ago. The brief was to add a socially impactful cause to your life that you thought you had no room for, as a means to hold yourself accountable since it’s easy to be engulfed in the daily grind. Zakhar Perez decided to boost creativity in youth, in light of the US defunding of many art-related programmes. It seemed a fitting choice.

“Art was my favourite class as a kid. Being able to create solo but also collaborate with friends and have a teacher guiding me in the right direction… that was such a formative time in my life. And I saw what was lost through the years of getting older and having papers to write and deadlines to hit.”

“So I had a tent at this farmers market by the LA Zoo, brought tons of arts and crafts and every week kids would come,” he tells with a huge grin. “A friend and I would ask what they’d want to make that day and we’d be cutting up snowflakes, painting, using markers.”

“Their parents would be shopping, then come back to pick them up… It almost felt like a daycare sometimes,” he laughs, “But you know what? If the kids are activated and excited about this, then that’s all that matters. You make time for things in your life that you find meaningful.”

Who knows? Maybe, just maybe, out of these little seedlings sprouted a few for whom these very sessions lay creative soil; forming a fresh base for an upcoming flourish that will one day come around to do the same.