Hi Vinicius thanks for having the time to chat with us.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
Can you tell us a little about you?
My name is Vinicius Machado (born 12 of July 1982), known to his inner circle as “V”, am a Brazilian working film actor, film producer and writer. Began my acting career on stage, performing in front of live audiences for almost a decade before appearing on hit television series and hollywood films, commercials, voice overs, etc. Transitioned from a performer to a full time on camera actor in 2002. I was born in Niter, Rio de Janeiro Brasil to Antonio Carlos Machado, a tourist public relations manager and Sueli Machado a hair stylist / maid. I’m the middle child. My older brother Igor Machado and younger sister Walleska Machado both reside in Orlando Florida where I lived as a teen. I’m a proud father of three beautiful kids, and a husband to my wife Luz Machado. We currently reside in Glendale California, though we travel the world, literally for work and pleasure every year. When not acting, I spend my time developing new content for my production company BelovedMindsProduction LLC. Aside from having numerous amount of new work coming out this year, I’m currently filming two new roles (which I cannot yet announce), and also have the immense pleasure to say that i’m working on becoming an international actor, returning to my native land for acting sometime this year.
What’s your background?
My dad has Spaniards in his genes, as well as being Brazilian. My mom comes from a Carribean mixed with African American roots. So I’m a mix of a whole bunch of different heritages. We literally have just about every culture in our family blood line. My in-laws complete the next generation of Machado culture diversity. I guess it’s a tradition unintentionally with our family. I’m originally from Brasil as mentioned above. But I have lived everywhere, no joke. From the east to the west and have stopped just about everywhere in between. I spent a good majority of my teens in Orlando Florida. But not to exclude Miami, Tampa, and other places in the South East, or New York for that matter. I speak fluently Spanish, Portuguese, and English.
How did you first launch your career?
Acting was like a calling. I didn’t force it, I didn’t pursue it. I simply embraced what was being handed to me. People take years trying to break in and get into it and all. Not my case. I had to audition for one of the school plays in my high school as mandatory by my drama class. I got the part, though I didn’t want it. It was only class requirement for me at first. Then, I fell in love with the stage and have never turned my back on it ever since. I became an actor, and here I am. I booked the first times I needed to book in order to receive the confirmation to continue. I went on to audition for Universal Studios. I booked and got into the entertainment department at Universal Studios Orlando. In 2005 I moved to California, and I booked within the first three weeks of having moved to here a recurring guest star role on a hit show on Nickelodeon. That’s it, the rest is history. I got basic training at first and then some intense training and all. I believe in training. I have continued to train and seek training in different degrees. But generally, I believe the greatest teacher is the work itself. Just do that. And do that often. I learned a lot just being on sets, observing and sponging everything and anything I could. I still do. That’s how it started for me. Not very intentional at all. Every step always just a piece of the puzzle that I was meant to put together.
Can you describe a typical day in your life?
Filming, getting phone calls, emails, messages, texts, etc about someone else’s project. Someone who is interested in working with me, or having me working with them. Getting audition notices and having to respond, then prepare, organize times and all with babysitter for the kids. Run around and buy new wardrobe for an event, new photo shoot, etc. Interviews like this, radio, live. Driving kids back and forth between schools and activities, etc. I don’t ever rest. People sometimes think I take long to respond to them by choice. They get mad if I take a few days to answer their texts. They don’t understand that I get on average 10-15 different texts a day. No joke. Sometimes I’m not going to lie, I don’t even have the mind to look at one of them. It’s too much going on in my head all the time. I like the rush and the fast life, but sometimes i admit it’s too much. I’m now in the process of adding to the team. Looking for a full time nanny to live with us, offering full housing and pay. My wife and I have been taking interviews. Can’t do it further like this.
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Ambitious. Romantic. Determined.
Any loves other than acting?
Sucker for the beach. I become a kid in that water. My ultimate favorite place in the world, other then with my family. Love music. Love it. Love eating, and for some reason I just get so happy when I’m producing. I don’t know what it is yet. But more so then writing, I have an itch for it. Will one day turn into a full time producer. You’ll see.
What do you think of the Social Media for your career?
The game has changed!!!!! The entire industry has changed. You are no longer competing by the same rules. Which means that we have a bigger challenge before us. If ever we had to constantly be reinventing ourselves, more so then ever now must we do that on a daily basis. What social media has done is bridged the gap between stardom and normality. You can now tweet lady gaga and she responds. No longer are you an idol far out of my reach. however, the pressure now to please and give and be interesting and hot, new, fresh, the talk of the day, the focus, etc. Is on a daily basis. It’s so intense. They want more and more personal, so you are ever more vulnerably exposed then ever. That’s the business side. On the artistic side, the market is now free for grabbing. You can get signed on to a big agency depending on your number of following online. However, with so many getting signed on, because it’s commercialized, if your substantiality as an artist is not there, you fade for good. Its a greater risk. Sure you can produce your own content and get a following, perhaps even buzz and momentum. But if it’s not up to par with the standard or to the current market value, that work stamps you for as long as that’s out there, which is forever once it goes up! Most people don’t think about that.
What are future goals?
For now Acting non-stop. I finally got a momentum that has carried me through to the next level in my career. I’m going to focus on building that as a priority. But I will say this, I’m also working on other stuff that no one knows of it yet that I’m very good at. Stay tune. Also, continuing to produce and write. Continuing to improve and perfect my craft. My short term goal right now is to finish all the task, work at hand right now with precision. And, to get another series regular this pilot season. Long term goal within the next year, have work done in Brasil, to add that to my value as an actor, international status. Move more and more with fierceness into the feature film world and less on the television work. Oh and can’t forget to distribute my book, “Hollywood Dreaming.”
How do they memorize a lot of lines?
This is not easy. But once you have the skill learned, it’s incredible to know and see what your mind is capable of. It takes more then a technique, it’ takes years of practicing. Sometimes I literally get sides on the spot, or the lines get changed on the spot. I may get five minutes to learn it, or less. I have my own technique that I’ve developed now, but generally speaking, repetition is key. The fastest you can get it to be second nature to your thinking the better. It’s like singing a song, you sing it enough you’ll have even the intentions of the words memorized as the song writer intended it. At first glance it can be discouraging for those beginners to get a two to three page monologue. But for us pros, that’s the thrill. I love to challenge myself now and see how fast I can get it down this time. It makes it fun this way. At the end of the day I love what I do.
Any future news you want to share with us?
My film with SONY pictures just came out this weekend on Lifetime. Beautiful & Twisted with Rob Lowe, Paz Vega, Candice Bergen, and myself, based on the real life story of Ben Novack Jr. I have another thriller titled ‘Wild For the Night’ coming out this year as well sometime in the near future. Also another thriller titled ‘Misfortune” also scheduled for this year. I have a new season of POWER on Starz coming this summer. I’m currently filming two new projects, which I cannot disclose at this point unfortunately. One is a very highly anticipated television show, and the other one is a film. I’m also working on some new material for me to produce myself and partnering with others on other films. Searching for a distribution deal for my book as i mentioned above titled “Hollywood Dreaming” with tips and tricks on how to break in and continue working as an actor. And one more thing that I’m passionate about and feel that now is the time to launch but I don’t want to say yet, because I’m not ready to do so at this point.
What was the first role you ever did?
Ever? Robin Starveling on a Midsummer Night’s dream. That’ was where it all began for me. That was the play that my high school drama program was putting up that I had to audition for as a requirement for my drama class, that I didn’t really want to get, but did. That was my first role ever. I ended up doing just about every other play my school put up that year and the years to come.
What has been your favorite role so far?
The next one! Because I always learn and apply what I learn everyday. I’m always going to be better on my next one. So I’m always looking forward to that. That’s my favorite one to play.
What do you enjoy most about acting?
The connection between the Artist and the Audience. Thats the most unique and honoring part of this job. You become one with a total stranger and suddenly you realize you’ve been best friends for life. To serve them, to lead them out of their circumstances and make them believe in the impossibility again. That’s what we do as artists, we encourage and we inspire. I love that. I’m privileged to do that for others and I feel a great sense of responsibility with it. Honored to have this task.
Where do you see yourself in a few years?
International House Hold name. Living and doing the same thing i’m doing now just on a bigger scale. You know what I’d really like to do as well. Film in parts of the world undone. Like in the deepness of the jungle in the Amazon. I know most people think that Anaconda was the Amazon, and so that that’s been done. But it’s not true. I’ve been to the Amazon, literally. I spent two weeks on the river of Rio Negro in the deepness of the Jungle. It’s breath taking. I saw pink dolphins. No lies. I saw the biggest tree known to the eyes. The width of the thing was bigger then a house. There’s a part of the river near the Colombian border. I forgot where exactly now, but the river is as glass. The reflection of the skies due to the positioning, the equator and all, looks as though the skies and the water are the same. I can’t explain it, you have to see it. I would love to do films in areas like that and contribute further to the history of Cinema that way.
What has been the hardest part of your career?
Lack of Knowledge. The time wasted on not knowing how to handle myself, image, etc. If I could go back in time even five years with the knowledge I have today. Today I would be an international sensation already. So the most important thing for me is to gain as much knowledge and education I can fast.
What lead you to this profession?
As I mentioned above this was my calling. It had to be because I didn’t choose it. It chose me. However, I’ll add this here. Most people don’t succeed in life, or with whatever they adopt as their calling due to fear. Fear is known to man to be their most powerful enemy. And that is true to a certain degree I believe. You see, a lot of times as in my case it wasn’t so much that I didn’t have fears, I did, but I also embraced what I was given, then fell in love with, and accepted it. That’s the key word. Flexibility. Some people don’t want to accept, they don’t want to adapt, or change what they had previously conceived in their heads that they wanted. In life we have to learn to adapt and accept. Why do I say this? Well, because what led me into this industry wasn’t necessarily that it was merely my calling. It was my willingness to accept what I didn’t want. I originally was playing soccer and wanted to be a professional soccer player. Now I would have been content with that profession too. I don’t regret leaving, nor had I kept it. But my attitude towards everything in life is always to just make it my own. So i say that my overall perspective on life is what led me into who I am today.
Favorite actors?
Denzel Washinton, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Klein, Meryl Streep, Al Pacino. Etc.
What qualities do you think you need for this type of job?
Flexibility. Endurance. Boldness. Mental Strength and a steady character. Knowing who you are is the most important thing. Everyone and their mothers are going to try to change you. The more concrete you are in yourself the more likely you are to succeed.
Something people don’t know about you?
I’m clumsy. I walk into doors so much, they should have a reality show on people like me. Seriously. I’m very sensitive. I cry on romantic movies, all the time. But I also cry on war films. Believe it or not.
Quote: “The Future is an Achievement.”
Travel destination: I’m planning a world wide trip with my wife now. Our favorite spots to go see are going to be Spain and Egypt. But we are heading to France and all over as well. Brazil this year most assuredly. It’s just a matter of knowing when can I jump on a plane the quickest.
Favorite music: Oh, I love every kind. I can enjoy everything between Jazz and Rap. Music turns me on. The best romantic times for me are all the ones where music has been intimately involved. To whatever degree. I love music. i grew up with it. It’s instilled in my veins. There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t listen and meditate on at least a few songs. My playlist is a compilation of all kinds, and in various languages. Love them all. Music, yes to all.
Thank you so much for having me again in Naluda Magazine. To my fans, I’m nothing without you. I love you more then you know. Thank you. To everyone out there who seeks and dreams of following my footsteps I have three things to say to you. One, stay ready. If you have to get ready, then you are not ready. Two, be prepared. Life happens. Don’t ever be outworked. And last but not least, three, be fearless. Impossible is Nothing. I’m living proof that you can and you will if you believe. The future is an achievement. Follow me. @Vmachado82 on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. You are my existence. V.
