McHi grad studies with Philip Seymour Hoffman

Name: Raúl Castillo

Hometown: McAllen, TX

Where you live now: New York City (6 years)

Job: Don't have one currently. I'm an actor and a playwright. I bounce from job to job. That's the nature of the game.

On the Web: www.amexicanothemovie.com 

Current projects: He stars in the feature film Amexicano, alongside Manny Perez, Carmine Famiglietti and Texas's-own Jennifer Peña. Amexicano. It premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2007, was recently acquired by Maya Entertainment and will be premiering in Edinburg this November as part of Maya's initiative to bring films with Latino themes to a broader audience. Also, in November, his new play, Bus Accident Play, will receive a reading at NYC's Public Theater as part of LAByrinth Theater Company's 9th Annual Barn Series Festival.

Past projects:Recently participated in a two-week workshop of Shakespeare's Othello acting opposite John Ortiz (Miami Vice) and Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman, directed by Peter Sellars. This is a stage production set to open in Vienna, Austria in 2009. Also, in fall 2007, he was in director Cruz Angeles' film Don't Let Me Drown, which was part of Sundance's Developmental Workshop. In December 2006, he helped bring down Mando Alvarado's drama Throat to Cine El Rey in McAllen. "We played two weeks for an inspiring hometown audience - I will never forget the experience," Castillo said.

People in your field whom you admire and draw inspiration from: "Mostly, my friends: Tanya Saracho and Mando Alvarado (two playwright/actors from the Valley who continue to excel in their fields), and John Ortiz, Stephen Adley Guirgis and Phil Hoffman (guys who have managed to straddle Hollywood and Broadway).

When and how did you decide to leave the Valley to pursue this career: He was accepted in to Boston University's School for the Arts to study writing and acting at 17, had played in different punk bands throughout his youth and "was knee-deep in the McAllen High School Drama Department." All the while, Castillo said he "felt the stage a natural place to be." "My family, especially my parents, Raúl H. Castillo, Sr. and Adela Rodriguez de Castillo, were instrumental in that decision and I am indebted to them for their unconditional support throughout the years," he said.

How often do you come back to the Valley: As often as I can! At least for the Christmas holidays, but if I can squeeze in an extra trip during the year, I'll do it. I miss my family and friends terribly.

When I first came back to the Valley after living in Hollywood/NY ... "I went straight from the airport to Taqueria Rios in San Juan on the corner of Raul Longoria and Justice Loop for some bistec tacos - they're my favorite!"

The worst movie I ever saw was... "There're so many, I don't know where to start."

The movie I wish I had been in is ... The Outsiders.

I would eat garbage to work with (actor or director) ... "You eat so much garbage trying to make it in this business I'm trying to avoid it these days," Castillo said.

Three favorite films: Taxi Driver, Serpico, Office Space

Behind the scenes: "I had dinner with Harvey Keitel once. That was a trip."

Read more profiles of local people who've gone to work in the film industry.