Walter Perez: A Latino In ‘The Avengers’!

Movie fans! What would you do or give up to be an actor in one of the biggest blockbusters of all time – The Avengers? A better question to ask would be, how sickly talented do you have to be to even make it past the casting auditions!? Mexican-American actor Walter Perez can pat himself on the back with Thor’s Hammer with a grin on his face from here to Asgard because he achieved just that!

Perez is one of the up and coming rising stars in the highly competitive Hollywood business. It’s even more competitive when you are a Latino actor, because of the dearth of roles out there for Hispanics. But Perez, as is becoming the norm, managed to impress the casting crew and director Joss Whedon himself for a spot in the most anticipated film in Marvel history.

We had a chance to chat EXCLUSIVELY with Walter about the crazy journey into ‘The Avengers‘!

ShowBizCafe.com (SBC): How does it feel to be a Latino in ‘The Avengers’ which will go down as one of the biggest movies in history? 

Walter Perez (WP): Two of my friends that are Latino were also in it. I haven’t seen the movie so I don’t know if we all made the cut. Maximiliano Hernández is also in the film for a brief moment who plays Agent Jasper Sitwell. Hernández is of Honduran descent. Also there are other Hispanics on the film, but are either extras or go uncreditd in the film.

SBC: Take us through what your scene is in the film.

WP: It’s interesting to try to explain to someone what they’re going to see when they go watch it this weekend when it opens, because I shot the entire scene on a green screen. I barely even know. There was a computerized version of what was supposed to be happening that I got to see off the director’s laptop. Without trying to spoil too much, I play a S.H.I.E.L.D pilot that is ordered to take down the HULK. I’m in my plane, I shoot, I eject, I live!

SBC: What was the audition process like for the movie?

WP: Just like any other, really. Haha. Yeah, right. It’s THE AVENGERS! The idea of being part of it in any way was awesome. This particular audition was put on tape for Joss Whedon to see. Apparently, he liked it. 🙂

SBC: What was your reaction when you got the part?

WP: I went and told all my buddies that are huge comic book fans. They helped me celebrate, no problem.

SBC: Take us through your shooting dates. Did you meet with any of the other cast members?

WP: I flew out to Albuquerque, New Mexico for a week. Once you’re in the lot, it’s serious stuff. You sign your NDA [Non Disclosure Agreement] and you keep your mouth shut. Of course, in a nice way. They had me wear a cloak over the S.H.I.E.L.D suit every time I walked from my trailer to the stages. That serious. I listened. We shot the entirety of the scene in this enormous stage filled with hundreds of people. I get in there and they have this S.H.I.E.L.D jet fighter set up attached to this nifty hydraulic system that was being controlled by one of the technicians. They tell me to get in, I don’t hesitate. I was a 12 year old kid living out his fantasies of flying a jet plane for the remainder of the week. As far as seeing any other cast members, sadly, I didn’t.

SBC: Have you seen it yet and was it how you imagined while shooting?

WP: I haven’t seen it. Plan on watching today. [Update: He did watch it and still can’t believe he was in the film that made $207M opening weekend.]

SBC: Looks like you survived the HULK’s attack on you. Will you be coming back for the sequel?

WP: I wish! I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for a spin-off, YOUNG S.H.I.E.L.D PILOTS. Haha. Kidding. And I still haven’t taken off that cloak. I follow the rules. THE AVENGER rules.