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Breaking barriers and changing perceptions in minority acting.
For Fil-Am actor Anthony Ruivivar, acting is all about breaking down barriers and stereotypes.
As one of the few ethnic minorities (and maybe the only Fil-Am) with a leading role in a prime time network show, Ruivivar said it’s time for people to accept the changing world around them and that would eventually force Hollywood decision makers to hire more minority actors."It’s up to the people. They are the ones who have to support it. That’ll be the driving motivator," said Ruivivar to the Asian Journal. "We’re always the best friends or written as the bad guys or villains. There are great roles out there for minorities but ultimately; it’s the studios and the powers that be and public perception. You have to follow the money. The question you have to ask is what’s the perception of Middle America? The moment they are willing to walk up and watch movies where we are the leads, then the studios will follow."
Minorities—Asians and Latinos especially—remain significantly under-represented in film and TVroles, according to studies from the Screen Actors Guild. Several major networks and movie production companies have strived to include more diversity in their cast. Most have set up diversity initiatives to hire more minority actors, writers, and directors but it hasn’t reached an acceptable point. In this past year’s Emmy Awards, only four minorities were nominated, according to the NY Daily News.
The 39-year-old Ruivivar is doing his part in changing the perception of minority actors.He’s one of the lucky few Asians to have had steady lead acting gigs and not just play a villain or stereotypical roles.
Ruivivar is currently one of the lead actors in ABC’s new legal drama series The Whole Truth. He plays Alejo Salazar, a gay high-powered attorney."He’s an openly gay lawyer, something you don’t see on TV," he said. "It’s just part of who he is and Ilike that they don’t make a big deal of it."Prior to that,
Ruivivar played almost himself—a Hawaiian Filipino—in NBC’s Third Watch for six seasons.He said Asians and other minorities just have to keep knocking on the doors of Hollywood casting directors and companies and hope the public perceptions change."Sometimes we’re put in boxes but
Ithink it’s important that we keep pushing the envelope," he said.Born to act
For Ruivivar, growing up in a show business family has its perks.
On the road with his father, Tony Ruivivar, a known musician in the Filipino community and member of the Society of Seven and watching his uncle Francis Ruivivar, an actor whose Broadway credits include Miss Saigon and Stephen Sondheim’s Passion, allowed him to experience the life of a performer early on."Iknew right away Iwanted to be an actor," said Anthony Ruivivar. "Iwas lucky enough to have dad in the entertainment business. Iwould be on the road with him when he toured in Canada, Las Vegas, and Chicago. Igrew up in that mix so when Idecided to go into acting my family was very supportive."
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