Humberto J. Gettys InterviewPhotobucket – Video and Image Hosting
Peruvian-Born Actor/Playwright, Humberto Gettys, recently played one of the Principal Characters (Detective Escobar) in Star Circle Picture’s new movie Samaritan. Gettys wrote Mama’s Boys which has just had its first staged reading and was produced by Art Group in New York City. He is currently writing a screenplay dealing with homelessness. Humberto relocated from New York to Virginia Beach last year. He accompanied his sister-in-law, who was pregnant at the time with his nephew, while his brother served in Iraq. What was supposed to be a temporary stay ended up a permanent move.
Ethan Marten: So one day you’re a New York City Actor/Playwright, and next thing you know you’re in Virginia Beach, Virginia. What happened?
Humberto Gettys: Well, I was born in Lima Peru and raised here in the United States. I was already well traveled. I grew up in a military family — moving from state to state. My family still lives in Southern California. That’s where I caught the acting bug, and I haven’t been able to shake it.
EM: You had the acting bug, graduated high school in Southern California, and —
HG: Enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, served four years as a Telecommunications Specialist and attended school part-time at Chapman University.
EM: How do you go from acting bug to Marines?
HG: That could be my next screenplay. I wanted to serve my country, and it gave me a chance to gain some needed perspective.
EM: At what point did you think acting might be a better career choice than the Marines?
HG: I was ready by the time my service was up.
EM: Then what?
HG: Shortly after leaving the Marines I became serious about acting and moved to New York.
EM: What did you do when you first got there?
HG: Years training, auditioning, working survival jobs, auditioning and working in all aspects of the industry. From stage-managing, to acting in coffee shops, back alleys,
EM: Back alleys? What was your best back alley performance?
HG: I could show you now, but you might need your wallet later!
EM: A toughguy, huh?
G: Nah. How much you got in your wallet, anyway?
EM: Never mind that. You’re more versatile than I thought! This is the part where we swipe some of your luster for Samaritan by bragging about what else you’ve been in. What were some of your credits?
HG: Lots of off and off/off-off Broadway, television from extra to principal roles…Sopranos, Law & Order S.V.U., Independent and Feature films, and Commercials both in New York City and Washington D.C.
EM: Any good stories from the Sopranos or S.V.U.?
HG: None I can say here.
EM: C’mon, this is practically cable. You can add some later when you see this on the DiaBlog.
HG: DiaBlog? You think of that?
EM: I’m a tad cleverer than I look. Not much, though.
HG: That’s pretty good.
EM: You must have hit a soap in the Big Apple. C’mon, we have a bunch of people whose guilty pleasure can be satiated right here. Fess up!
HG: How can you be so sure?
EM: I’ve got your resume. This is a loaded deck Humberto. C’mon give!
HG: Guiding Light.
EM: You made a lot of people very happy. Now don’t you feel better?
HG: As long as people feel better. Besides, I was happy for the work. People make fun of soap actors, but it is a lot of work, and very difficult to do well.
EM: True. We kid, because we love. What do you do when you’re not performing?
HG: Reading, running, writing, taking care of my little nephew and actively participating in my church.
EM: You seem to put your actions behind your words.
HG: I started a Homeless Outreach Ministry (Romans 10:9-10).
EM: Impressive. I thought those were box scores. “Romans are up two games on Boston and tied with the Yankees in the American League East! Seriously, you are one incredible human being. You spend Sunday mornings picking up and dropping off the homeless bringing them to church and preparing and delivering lunches.
HG: I minister to the homeless and needy at the oceanfront area on a weekly basis. It has been a passion of mine to help the needy and homeless both while living in New York City and here in Virginia Beach. I was totally into the Samaritan story dealing with the main character being homeless. (I still believe he was an Angel.)
EM: That’s an actor’s choice, but we just don’t know who or what Victor the Samaritan is. How was your experience on Samaritan?
HG: I enjoyed working with all the cast & crew of Star Circle Pictures. My agent, Karen Whitlow-Jones of Atlantic Talent submitted me for the part of Detective Crawford, which was originally created for a non-Latino.
EM: Crawford isn’t a Latino name? Actually, Crawford was a Yiddish character. His real real name was Mascowitz, but they changed his grandfather’s name at Ellis Island.
HG: You’re kidding me.
EM: Absolutely. Actually, Kimball (Kimball Carr, the director) and I were so pleased with your performance at audition we knew what we had to do.
HG: Thanks.
EM: Ya. We have to convert you, and change your name to Mascowitz!
HG: That may present some difficulty.
EM: You can still do outreach — might just have to add Saturdays.
HG: That’s cool.
EM: So are you. We were lucky when we cast you and rewrote the part into Detective Escobar Mr. Gettys.
HG: I was really honored you had so much confidence in me as an actor to not only cast me but also to change the character to a Latino.
EM: The honor was ours. You were outstanding on screen and to work with — you owned the role.
HG: Everyone was so courteous and professional — from my fellow actors to all the crew. Kimball, you and your brother Richard–the whole Star Circle Pictures team–were all so encouraging, and motivating in getting the best performances out of all of us. I am proud being a part of motion picture history.
EM: Yup, that’s pretty cool!
HG: We made the first movie in the world with the Panasonic AG-HVX200 HD camera. Everything went so smoothly on the set and everyone was so loyal, professional and dedicated to this project. I even received a free haircut and chiropractic adjustment!
EM: Kim and Michael Rizzo were great with hair and makeup. Everyone looked great on camera, and was out on time. Highly recommend them for any shoot. Then there was Dr. Dan Cohen, The Rock Doc!
HG: This is usually back breaking — not healing! I would love to work with Star Circle Pictures again and look forward future projects.
EM: You’re a class act Humberto. You would be a welcome addition on any set.
HG: Thanks.
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