Exclusive Interview: Mike Cabellon Talks Mr. Mayor Season 2, Representation in Media, and More

Actor, comedian, writer, and director Mike Cabellon is taking over Hollywood in all facets of his career. But he’s best known for his starring role as Chief Strategist Tommy Tomás in NBC’s must-see series Mr. Mayor. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Mike about the show’s new season, his journey into the arts, and more!

PC: How did you discover your passion for storytelling, comedy, and the arts?
Mike: I grew up in Las Vegas. Most people grow up seeing billboards for doctors, lawyers, or whatever. So you’re like, “That’s what adults do.” I grew up in a city where I saw billboards for magicians and ventriloquists. I always knew that entertainment was an option and that you could make a living doing that. I didn’t know how to pursue it, but I knew I loved that aspect of performing.

When I was a kid, I loved doing magic tricks. I went to a magnet high school, and I majored in TV production. That was where I learned how to edit, how to shoot, how to light things, how to run sound, and how to do all of that. At the same time, I was part of a local improv troupe. I feel like when kids do improv in high school, it’s because their high school had an improv team. That was not the case for me. We didn’t even have a theater department. The local troupe was just a bunch of adults. It was like lawyers and doctors working on their public speaking skills and then me as a sixteen-year-old. [laughs] But I was doing improv and learning how to make films in school.

When it came time for me to decide what to do for college, I was like, “Well, I don’t need to major in film. I already know how to do that stuff.” I majored in advertising. While I was in college, I was working in the digital media lab, hanging out with the film kids, teaching them how to edit. They would always put me in their film. When I was a teenager, I fell in love with comedy and performing. Then in college, it crystallized into learning how to actually perform on camera.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Mike: That’s a tough one. It dovetails into a discussion about diversity and representation because I feel like a lot of White performers get the benefit of mentorships. I didn’t have that. There wasn’t anyone above me who looked like me who could pull me up. So I leaned more on personal influences because my family has always been very supportive. I lucked out in that I didn’t have a traditional immigrant family who was like, “You have to be a doctor or lawyer.” They were like, “As long as you’re happy doing what you’re doing and you can pay your own bills, then do whatever you want.” They let me pursue this in a way that was really, really freeing.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out?
Mike: Booking my first TV gig that was not a commercial, digital, or something that I produced myself. My first actual TV gig was Crashing on HBO. That was terrifying because that episode was also directed by Judd Apatow. I remember my agent calling me and being like, “You booked something.” I was like, “Great.” They were like, “You’re going to work with Judd Apatow.” I was like, “Oh no. That feels like too much pressure.” Imagine you’re a pianist and they’re like, “We got you your first concert! It’s opening for Elton John.” You’re like, “Why? Why so big, so fast?” [laughs] It was scary. I learned a lot on that job, but that did feel like a huge win. I leveled up in a way that I didn’t think was possible—that I didn’t think was likely to happen as soon as it did. That felt really big.

PC: You’re one of the stars of Mr. Mayor, and the series has been incredibly well received. What do you think is resonating most with audiences?
Mike: The lack of deeper meaning. [laughs] There’s a time and a place for television that makes you think and gives you something to digest. That’s well and good, but our show is about politics. There’s so much happening in the world. Audiences don’t want to digest further the impact of local politics. It’s nice for people to tune in and be prepared to be like, “Here we go. I’m going to be spoonfed some political opinions.” But it’s really just a bunch of dummies working in an office. It’s so nice to have a simple show where you can laugh and turn your brain off for 22 minutes.

PC: Season 2 is airing now and we’re learning more about each character. What’s ahead for Tommy?
Mike: I like that in this season Tommy is a lot nicer. In Season 1, he’s not a jerk, but he thinks he’s better than everyone else. He treats people like that. In Season 2, we have the arrival of some new faces, and that threatens the hierarchy of the office and makes him reconsider his alliances and whatnot. He starts to treat people more like peers, which is nice for me because then I actually get to be nice to my castmates.

PC: There’s great chemistry that comes off the screen between the entire cast. How did you all build that bond?
Mike: That was one of the silver linings of the pandemic. In Season 1, we had to stop filming because of the pandemic. We didn’t know what was happening. We kept Zooming with each other. We wanted to stay bonded as a cast. We got this crash course of bonding in a few months. We would call each other and catch up on each other’s lives. That really helped us connect as friends and peers. By the time we came back to finish Season 1, it wasn’t like we were getting to know each other. We were deep in each other’s lives. We were fully prepared to dive into the work. That’s even more true for Season 2. We’re so comfortable with each other. We have such an easy rapport. Shooting is so much fun. I hope that shows in the work.

PC: This is the longest that you’ve lived with a character. Has anything surprised you about the experience? What’s been the biggest takeaway?
Mike: It’s hard to specify one thing. It’s all of it. Like you said, this is my first time inhabiting a character for this long. I feel like Tommy is starting to become his own person. I’m so used to a churn and burn method where I’m like, “Who is this character? He’s a waiter. Got it.” I can be a waiter for three days. You forget about it. You’re done. But to live with a character, it’s almost like having another roommate.

I have to think about how Tommy would react in a situation. It’s built my empathy radar as an actor to be more considerate about how a character would behave in a certain situation. Whereas before I was like, “Okay, what do you need? Do you need me to be angry in this scene? Got it!” I can be angry for a minute and then turn it off.

PC: You were talking about representation and inclusion earlier. What has it meant to you to pave the way for the next generation?
Mike: It’s a blessing and a curse. Being the first in anything sucks. I’m grateful that I’m not the first. If you’re looking at the last few years on NBC, there’s Manny Jacinto who also worked with Ted Danson on The Good Place and Nico Santos on Superstore. That’s just for Filipino men on television. It’s nice to be a part of that legacy. It takes some of the weight off of my shoulders. I don’t feel like I need to be everything for everyone.

I never really want to let my guard down. I know that there are a lot of people looking at me. I’ve had people tell me that to my face. I’ve had Filipinos tell me to my face how much this means to them. It’s something that I don’t take lightly, but I also try not to take personal responsibility for the entirety of the Filipino population being represented on television.

To keep up with Mike, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Watch Mr. Mayor every Tuesday at 8:30/7:30c on NBC.

Photo Credit: Storm Santos