Empowerment Through Acting is No Stunt
Miguel Chavez, a 2016 B.F.A. graduate from the Filmmaking program, knows a little something about hard knocks. The actor/filmmaker cut his chops in Hollywood doing stunt work.
But for Miguel, a Rancho Cucamonga product and the first in his family to earn a college degree, that ‘I鈥檒l try anything once’ attitude won him a recurring role on NBC鈥檚 A.P. Bio, where he quickly made his mark as Eduardo, attracted legions of fans鈥� and where he received an acting lesson he didn鈥檛 anticipate.
Miguel describes life as a cast member as 鈥渁mazing鈥� and considers himself among the fortunate few. 鈥淭he big elephant in the room is that pretty much everyone is happy to be working,鈥� he says. 鈥淣o one behind or in front of the camera isn’t where they want to be. Nobody cuts corners, and being able to witness and be a part of that is a huge privilege.鈥�
Unfortunately, as with so many other television series, the network cancelled the show after a two-year run.
鈥淚f you look at the ratings, it wasn’t doing amazing but it wasn’t doing terribly, either 鈥� it was just very stable,鈥� Miguel says. He attributes the network鈥檚 move to viewership numbers but is heartened by how A.P. Bio continues to fare online. 鈥淭he show is playing really strong on Hulu though its online platform 鈥� it鈥檚 the number three most-watched, after NBC鈥檚 This Is Us and Will & Grace, two other ridiculously successful shows.鈥� Miguel credits actors Patton Oswalt and Glenn Howerton with popularizing the trending hashtag #SaveAPBio. 鈥淲e’ve been getting a lot of love from fans,鈥� he says. 鈥淲hat I think is interesting is the movement and the power of the people to potentially bring it back, per Brooklyn Nine-Nine.鈥�
Whatever the show鈥檚 fate, Miguel says he鈥檚 still living his lifelong dream of working in the industry as an actor. And when he鈥檚 not acting, he鈥檚 happy to be writing. His thesis film, “The Voices They Hear,” won Best Student Film at the Pasadena International Film Festival and was an Official Selection at the Burbank International Film Festival. He credits Woodbury for helping to channel his creative drive(s).
鈥淲oodbury, more than anything else, helped me become a much more well-rounded individual,鈥� Miguel says. 鈥淭he university helped me feel empowered. I’m not just an actor who鈥檚 waiting for the next job, I create my own content, and I know what it takes to make a film. Many actors are too intimidated and don’t know where to start.鈥�
Miguel appears to have had an intrinsic feel for precisely when and how to start, per his role as head of the Woodbury student film society, the Social Reel. When, during a student meeting, a professor asked for volunteers to run the organization, Miguel鈥檚 hand shot up.
鈥淏eing president of the Social Reel really got me out of my comfort zone,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y first semester was tough because I didn’t know how to lead and no one respected me. But things turned around the second semester when I got a new E-Board and a clearer sense of how things should be run. The experience taught me how to lead and how to be vulnerable in front of others.鈥�
Proving, perhaps, that stuntmen do know how to land on their feet.