By Larry Arreguin
Photos by Larry Arreguin.
Mexican-American actor Danny Trejo didn’t spend years studying to become an actor, his boxing skills honed in prison, led Director Andrei Konchalovsky to seek his help in training an actor in Runaway Train.
The Director, warned Trejo that the actor he was training might “sock him,” which Trejo responded by saying, “for $320 bucks, you could give him a stick!”
Trejo, shared with the audience at Motor City Comic Con how he got into acting and those things that are important to him. Giving back to others has become a way of life for the actor that is as important to him as working with his family.
Whether it’s giving clothing to the homeless, feeding the hungry or as he described following a messy divorce, passing out money in downtown Los Angles. “The minute my attitude changes, that to start feeling what I feel good about, instead of what I feel bad about, life gets better,” stated Trejo.
When asked to describe his favorite character he portrayed, Trejo shared his relationship with Director Michael Mann. Mann directed the movie The Jericho Mile, which was filmed on location at the Folsom Prison. To film, Mann had to negotiate with the Mexican Union, headed up by Trejo’s Uncle Gilbert.
Later when Trejo was cast in Heat—also directed by Mann—the director shared, “every time I look at you, I thank about your Uncle… you mind if I call you Gilbert… in the movie my name is Gilbert Trejo, so every time my family sees that movie… everyone cries… it’s kind of a homage to my tio. So, I’m very proud of that,” Trejo stated.
Trejo has several parts in films and television that are due out this year and more that have been announced or in post-production. The parts range from voice over characters in cartoons, to the bad guy image that got him started. His acting has also allowed him to create Trejo’s Tacos a restaurant chain that may soon be coming to Metro Detroit.
