Actor Guillermo Diaz has been acting since the ’90s, and early in his career, he said he was often typecast as the opposite of who he actually is. Speaking on the “McBride Rewind” podcast, Diaz, known for his role as Huck in “Scandal,” said things began to change after he had an honest conversation with his management team.
Guillermo Diaz Opens Up About Being ‘Typecast’ Early In His Career
Diaz, who was cast in shows like “Law & Order,” “ER,” and “The Sopranos,” said he was typecast early in his career, which led him to begin searching for other roles.
“I had already done so many, like, thug roles, like on Law & Order and on all these shows — I was super typecast for a long time,” he said while reflecting on his audition for “Weeds.” “It was just another job.”
However, after appearing in more and more productions as the same character, Diaz said he took it upon himself to force a change.
Guillermo Diaz Recalls Receiving ‘Pushback’ For Wanting To Diversify His Portfolio
After speaking with his management team about auditioning for more complex roles that broke the routine, he received “pushback,” as they thought it could negatively impact his career.
“I think they were more comfortable with me playing like bad guys and gun-toting drug dealers than I was playing like gay characters or a drag queen,” he said. “My team and people in my life were more nervous about that.”
Firing back, Diaz questioned why those closest to him would consider him playing a queer character to be a “bad thing” but not when he’s portraying aggressive criminals.
Guillermo Diaz Used This Film To Publicly Come Out As Gay
Diaz, who is openly gay, snagged roles in different films in 1995, including “Party” and “Stonewall.” Diaz plays the lead role of La Miranda in the latter, which is a fictionalized account of the weeks leading up to the Stonewall riots.
During the promotional tour for the film, Diaz said he used that opportunity to publicly come out as gay, adding that he never wanted to be an actor who avoided questions about his sexuality. “I was honest about being gay from the get-go,” he said. ” So, there was no mystery there.”
And according to Diaz, trusting his gut was the right move, as it showed him “in a different light,” and provided him the chance to take on new work.
Diaz ‘Fell In Love’ With His Character In Another ABC Production
After he finished his run on “Scandal” in 2018, Diaz returned to ABC to appear in the half-hour comedy “United We Fall.” Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Diaz said the thought of switching gears and jumping back into comedy appealed to him.
“Honestly, I wish I had the luxury and the power to pick and choose what roles I play. The role in United We Fall just another audition that came my way. And of course, the fact that it was a half-hour sitcom was so different from Scandal, and Chuy from the Huck character. That was definitely something that excited me,” he said.
He went on to say he initially turned down the role because of a misunderstanding, but after being asked to reconsider, he changed his mind. “I’m so glad it came back around and that I took it,” he said.
Why ‘United We Fall’ Was A Big Deal For Diaz
“United We Fall” aired for one season on ABC in 2020 and featured a mixed-race, Latix household.
It follows a couple with young children and an over-the-top extended family when the husband’s “judgmental mother” moves in with them.
Aside from the show’s premise, Diaz said the diversity and wide range of identities were major reasons he said yes.
“I want to say how proud I am at the diversity of this show and its strong Latino presence. This should be the norm and something that we don’t have to think about anymore,” he said. “I feel that it’s so important for you to see yourself represented on television and in movies, contributing to society and a good and positive way like we do on this show. We’re successful Latinos who are family-oriented. Just seeing this show will help Latino kids feel not only represented and relevant but also that they could be on TV.”
