Néstor Carbonell on three decades in Hollywood and the role that keeps him thriving

First of all, thank you so much for doing this. It’s an honor to sit here with ¡HOLA!, and I appreciate you asking these great questions. I jumped at the chance to work on the show. I had worked with Kerry Ehrin before on a series called Bates Motel.

She is the creator of The Morning Show, and when she asked me, “I’m writing this show and I’d love for you to participate. Is there any role in particular that you would love to play?” I told her, “You know, I’ve always wanted to play a weatherman, a meteorólogo. I think that’s fascinating. What they do is extraordinary.

In her own genius, she created this character out of nothing—flaws, misbehaviors, everything that makes him who he is. I was eager not only to work with her again but also to be part of this tremendous cast. And of course, the writers are incredible, including new voices this season. Our head writer for the last two seasons, Charlotte Stout, has been extraordinary. She took the reins from Kerry Ehrin and, together with a team of writers, developed these last two seasons. So no, it wasn’t a hard decision for me. It was a definite yes, and I was thrilled to join the cast.

So, without giving away too many spoilers, we find Yanko thriving professionally. He’s now a co-anchor with Chris Hunter, as he was last year, and he’s doing quite well in that role. In many ways, he’s reached what I imagine has always been his dream goal professionally. 

But of course, as often happens when characters achieve their dreams, something comes along to threaten them. Yanko is not immune to this season. He’s caught in a massive dilemma of the heart. That’s probably as much as I can say.

Absolutely. My sister’s been another source of great information. She was on camera for sure, but also, when she did her packages, she would be in charge of editing everything. Her piece, every aspect, she would write it; she’d be on scene interviewing people, sometimes people who, unfortunately, didn’t want to be interviewed at the time. So it was a very emotional process. 

All of that process is extremely emotional for her, and she was extremely good at it. So she’s been another incredible source of wisdom and information for me.

It has been an extraordinary opportunity working with both of them over the years. From the very beginning, it was an impressive group of people with Apple putting its full support behind the show, Jennifer and Reese leading the cast, and Steve Carell also with us in the early seasons. The ensemble continues to grow, and the level of talent, from the actors to the writers, is extraordinary. Every department is truly remarkable.

What I love most about working with Jen and Reese is that, despite all the attention and natural scrutiny a show like this brings, they foster an environment that is relaxed, creative, open, and collaborative. Everyone has the chance to excel. When you walk on set, you do not feel the pressure you might expect.

I especially love seeing new actors come in, often nervous about working alongside such a high-profile team, and within a take or two, their shoulders drop, and they just relax. That is entirely thanks to Jennifer, Reese, and also Mimi Leder, our producing director, who have created a space where everyone can do their best work.

Very, if the character is of Cuban origin, I love working with the writers to add little details, detalles cubanos, as I call them. They are so open to it, and the writers are extraordinary, Charlotte as well as Kerry Ehrin. At the start of a season, we often talk about their plans for the character, and if I make a suggestion, they will consider it, and sometimes it ends up in the script, even on the day of shooting.

For example, I once had a scene where I was talking about my mother’s cooking. I suggested making it more specific, saying something like, “My mother’s arroz con pollo” or “My mother’s ropa vieja.” They loved it and embraced those touches. The team is very open to adjusting scripts and including my input, especially when it comes to Cuban culture.

I was crazy. I was nuts to think that way, looking back at the moment I decided not to pursue something more conventional. I think, “What was I thinking?” Because it is a daunting proposition. But I knew I loved it, I knew I wanted to study it, and I knew I always wanted to continue being a student of it if I was lucky enough to work in this business. I still go into every job as an opportunity to learn something and grow.

What my father has done is extraordinary. He came to the United States with nothing in his pockets. He had lost everything in Cuba, but what he did have was a law degree. Mind you, in Cuba, it was civil law versus common law, but he was able to apply it here, earn a master’s in international law, and eventually practice. From there, he slowly worked his way up through corporate America. I have deep respect for what my father accomplished. At one point, I thought, “Well, maybe I’ll do that.” I even took one law class in college. But then I took ONE acting class, a Meisner acting course, and I thought, “THIS is what I want to study.” And that was the end of that.

Yes. My parents were so supportive when I dropped this bomb on them that I was going to do something no one in the family had ever done or even thought of doing. They stood by me, especially in those first three years when I was really struggling. I was working here and there, trying to piece it all together, and they were incredibly supportive.

My wife and I have a similar mindset. We try to be as supportive as we can, guiding our kids without overwhelming them. The idea is to give them encouragement and the space to try things. They have chosen another difficult career, perhaps even harder than the one I chose, but they are very talented, diligent, hardworking, and disciplined. So we are fully behind them, and they have our blessing.

Well, actually longer.

We met in 1994. We have been together since then, so 31 years.

We have been together 31 years and married for 25.

You know, she is an extraordinary woman. I am very lucky. I really am. (pauses, visibly emotional) Sorry, it just caught me by surprise. I am a lucky guy, and I know how lucky I am. We laugh a lot. We laugh a lot.

My wife was an actress who gave up a 20-year career to raise our kids full time, and she did a beautiful job, an extraordinary job. I am in awe of her, of what she has accomplished professionally as an actress and of what she has done as a mother. If there is a secret, I think shared values and shared principles are a big part of it. And if you laugh at the same things, it does not hurt. She laughs at all my really bad jokes, which helps. She is a good laugh.

Absolutely. My brother, my sister, and I were blessed to be raised in a way where faith was a very important part of our lives. We were raised Catholic, and wherever we moved, and we moved often, faith and family were the constants. We lived in London three different times, and also in Mexico, Venezuela, the Bahamas, Florida, and Connecticut. Because of my dad’s work we moved around a lot, but we would always find a church wherever we were.

And it went beyond just the ritual of attending church. It was about finding strength, and about the idea of giving back, which was always impressed upon us. Faith has always been something I lean on, and something I continue to rely on every day.

I am always amazed by the number of stories and by how diverse the Hispanic experience is. There are so many different cultures. I cannot paint Hispanics with one brush because we are so different and varied.

But I think one of the things we all share is diligence and hard work, along with gratitude. Gratitude is a beautiful thing to see. There is also pride in what we do, in our principles, and in what we stand for. Family, faith, and education are pillars of our communities, and I believe they cross over into every Hispanic culture. So if there is a message, it is that I am so proud to be part of this community. That is my message.

Yes, absolutely. During the pandemic, I took up the speed bag in boxing. You know how we all picked up new things during that time, and this was something I could do at home. 

I had already been boxing a little bit for about six years. There is a famous gym in Hollywood called Wild Card Boxing where I occasionally go, and if not, I train at home and hit the bag there. That has definitely become one of my favorite hobbies.

No, that is a really great question. When I was starting out and struggling, one thing I was very grateful for was landing a number of commercials in Spanish that aired on Telemundo and Univision. My Spanish was stronger back then, so I was able to get away with it, and I was so grateful for those opportunities.

But in between those jobs, I still had to make some money. One time, I worked at a kid's party dressed as Batman, and I was a terrible Batman. I had not prepared enough. And kids, they know their Batman, they know their comic book heroes. My utility belt was awful. It was a disaster. I left feeling like I had disappointed those kids, and I thought, “I’ll never do that again. Or if I have another party, I’ll make sure I do it better.”

Lo and behold, I later ended up playing Batmanuel in The Tick, which was obviously a spoof on Batman. But never in a million years did I think I would actually be part of Christopher Nolan’s Batman films. Then came The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises, where I played the mayor of Gotham. I think I even mentioned to him that I had once played a version of the character.