Raúl Castillo can cross another item off his checklist. The Mexican-American actor is starring in the new HBO show, "Task," a crime-thriller that stars Mark Ruffalo and that promises to be one of this season's must-watch shows.
Castillo has slowly become one of the most reliable Latino actors around. With a background working in theater, television, and film, Castillo has built a career that features roles in projects like HBO's beloved "Looking," independent movies like "We The Animals," blockbusters like "Army of the Dead," and collaborations alongside Dakota Johnson, Gael Garcia Bernal, and more.
In an exclusive interview with HOLA!, Castillo opened up about "Task," sharing his respect for the series' showrunner, Brad Inglesby, and working on the same show as one of his acting idols, Mark Ruffalo.
"I was such a huge fan of Brad Ingelsby's previous show, 'Mare of Easttown.' When this came through, I was in from the get-go. And then reading the scripts and getting to know Cliff and Robbie and their whole storyline... I got really excited," he said, refering to his scene partner, Tom Pelphrey.
"Brad is such an incredible writer, and he gives each actor great material to work with. I knew Cliff would be a great character to take on."
Castillo and Pelphrey play garbage men, demanding that both of them complete 'garbage man training,' an interesting experience for an actor. When asked about the most interesting thing he learned of the profession, he said, "We couldn't get on the trucks while they were moving. You have to have a license. We could only get on the trucks when they were static," he said. "It's highly skilled work. Which was really illuminating as an actor."
On working with Mark Ruffalo
Castillo also opened up about sharing a series with Ruffalo, an actor that he's been a fan of for most of his career.
"I've been a fan of Mark since 'You Can Count on Me.' That film has been very instrumental for me as an actor. Mark has been a great hero of mine since then. I've been following his career and have been a huge fan of his work over the years. I can say honestly that he's been a big influence on me. He takes on characters that always have a duality that I find interesting. He brings a lot of humanity to his characters."
Even though the two star in the same series, Castillo revealed that they share no scenes together. They did share a moment at the craft service table. "When I heard that he was playing Tom, I was over the moon. I got to meet Mark briefly at the craft table while shooting, but I don't get to work with him at all," he said.
"I feel like he sets the tone in a lot of ways. It trickles down from there. There are so many actors in the show who are incredible. It truly is an ensemble piece and feels like theater in that respect."
On Latinos' growing presence in the entertainment industry
Castillo also addressed the rising numbers of Latin talent onscreen, something that he finds exciting yet still an area that can be improved.
"There's room for more growth. But I get inspired to see colleagues out there. On our show, we have Silvia Dionisio, Dominic Colon, Coral Peña, Elvis Nolasco. There are a lot of us in front of and behind the camera. But also seeing people in other shoes and movies. I think we need more. Hopefully, we'll see more in years to come."