Words by Carol Wright | Photos by Shannon Wallace
We got to chat with Rafael about his love of film and his role as Manny Garciela in She’s Gotta Have It.
You worked for the Mayor in Washington, D.C., before you became an actor. When did you become interested in acting?
I’ve always had a passion for film and the arts. Growing up my grandfather would always take my cousin and me to Blockbuster Video and we both would select a movie to watch and then talk about it afterward. It wasn’t until later in life that I decided acting was something I was finally ready to take a leap for.
How did it feel when you booked your role in She’s Gotta Have It? Was Spike Lee at your audition?
It was surreal. Probably the proudest moment to date in my career. Spike wasn’t in the room during my audition, but did review each tape which made booking the role that much more powerful.
What drew you to Manny Garciela? Can you relate to him?
The dichotomy and nuance within both the Latin and African-American communities is something that is rarely shown on film. Playing a character opposite of Mars was a great juxtaposition. I absolutely can relate to him. I’ve been that friend for my friends many times.
What have you learned from working with Spike?
I have learned that the camera will do its job if I do mine. Spike is big on really capturing the emotion of the actors.
What can fans expect from Manny in season 2?
Well, Manny is still Mars’ bestie best friend and so with that comes delivering bad news but also being as supportive as possible. I got to dive a bit more into Manny this season which I am happy about and I hope fans are happy about as well.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
Do the research, study the craft, learn who is who within the industry.