Julio Torres: A Comic Genius with a Unique Voice
metroweekly.comMetro Weekly in 2019 to discuss Los Espookys, the HBO comedy series, which the former Saturday Night Live writer created with co-stars Ana Fabrega and Fred Armisen. “I think we just do things the way that we know how and like to do them.
And in my case, I feel like I don’t know how to do it any other way.”Torres’ singular comic voice and vision — highly conceptual, sardonic yet heartfelt, and shaped by his experience as the queer Salvadoran immigrant son of an artist — registers in all he does.
The humorous threads connecting his signature SNL sketches, live standup, and Los Espookys are unmistakable in his new film Problemista, Torres’ feature filmmaking debut.“[That] sort of snuck up on everyone, I think,” Torres recalls of his path to the director’s chair. “Because it’s like, ‘Oh, he’ll write it, maybe be in it.
Oh, okay, he’ll be in it. Oh, and now he wants to direct it, and Tilda’s on board, so I guess we’re doing it.'”Tilda, of course, refers to Oscar-winner Swinton, who stars in the film alongside Torres, who plays aspiring toy designer Alejandro, the queer Salvadoran immigrant son of an artist.
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