Please introduce yourself. What do you do? Why? What do you want people to know about you?
Hello, my name is Francisco Martos and I am an actor. I do acting because it is a fantastic profession that allows me to be in touch and explore my creativity. I want people to know that I am a Spanish actor who came to LA to pursue acting, surfing, and a good adventure to tell my buddies when I retire.
I studied Optometry and Audiology in Spain before deciding that life was more than that, so I took my backpack and an acting program and moved to LA. After experiencing and learning acting at school and filming in different student films, I decided to take one step forward and graduate from UCLA. After my program there I got my work visa and that’s when I saw everything taking off.
I participated in over 14 commercials with some important brands such as Cheetos, LG, BOSCH, Elijah Craig, and PayPal, among others. In film, I worked on the 4th season of the TV show “Westworld” and I had the privilege to participate in two independent films, ‘Bloody Famous’ directed by Steve Balderson, and 6.15 AM to 6.15 PM directed by Carl Bessai.
I also worked in the music videos for the DJ’s DVBBS – Say It and Shallou – All Your Days. Currently, I am cast for the third sequel of the movie “The Fear 3” produced by Greg Sims, a horror film that is a cult in its category.
What qualities make you different and unique from everyone else in the industry?
I am Spanish. No, but seriously, I think I was born in a city and a family that gave me the knowledge and good values. That is something that will be shown in my acting but also my values to work in any profession. I am not blinded by the lights and I see acting as a real profession with a real purpose.
I like to set real and grounded goals and I am fascinated by how much creativity can give us and how much this profession can inspire others and hopefully transmit it like a healthy virus.
Describe THAT moment when you realized you’re doing what you were born to do.
I remember watching a TV show with many visual effects. I thought magic was real in America and I would dream about going there to see it. I wanted to recreate it so my family bought me a camera and I started to film myself trying to fly and land on the couch or me choreographing a fight.
I also got a green screen that I never knew how to use well. I would clean the dishes for my sisters so they would commit to making a movie with me, I took it too far until the point that even though I went to college, I always knew that at some point in my life I was going to come to LA.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve had to go through and how did you grow through it?
I had many big challenges, nothing that is important is easy. My biggest one was a surgery that left me with chronic pain for more than a year. That surgery was right before starting my classes in Los Angeles (after booking my flight, classes, etc.), so I had to postpone my dream for 2 years.
I also experienced living with many different roommates which caused too much distraction. While I was trying to improve my English and prepare scenes, they would throw parties, leave the house dirty, and wouldn’t pay rent. You can imagine the drama. That’s part of my experience in LA and now I look at it with a certain feeling of amusement.
For the rest, I just went through the ups and downs that every actor faces at the beginning of their career in Los Angeles: rejection, visas, traffic, more traffic, etc.
Who are the TOP 3 people you’d want to meet that could elevate your career or business? Why these specific individuals?
I would love to meet Jodie Foster. She is a great actress with a personality that took acting to another level. She made thrillers look very real and intriguing; I remember thinking, “What is she thinking now?”
I would love to meet David Fincher, he has amazing creativity and a sense of filming. I like the rhythm of his directing and the beauty of his storytelling. Films such as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Zodiac, are movies that come to my mind when I think of him.
I would also love to have a meeting with CAA. They are one of the top agencies in the industry and having the possibility to sign with them will take my career to another level.
Drop your social media links.
Instagram: @FranciscoMartos_
Website: www.FranciscoMartos.com