Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Get Shorty’s Goya Robles

Goya Robles is a dynamic storyteller who’s currently crushing it as Yago in EPIX’s comedic crime series Get Shorty. Since its premiere in 2015, audiences have been captivated by Goya’s performance as he’s brought to life the many different sides of his character. Pop Culturalist recently caught up with Goya to chat about Get Shorty, what he’s learned from the set, and how he got his start in acting.

PC: How did you discover your passion for acting?
Goya: I was chasing a girl. [laughs] That’s how it really happened. I didn’t start acting until I was twenty-four. It was really because the girl that I liked was in a play at the time, and in an attempt to win her over, I went to see it. It was so good. I ended up going two more times, and it was different each time. I think that was the moment when I discovered my passion for acting. I went three different times and had three different experiences. I was so intrigued by that.

So, I applied for the graduate program at Actors Studio Drama School and got in. It ended up being like a spiritual practice for me. They really taught us how to approach characters and gave me a deeper understanding of who I am as well as my instrument. More than that, I had a great teacher named Elizabeth Kemp. Unfortunately, she passed away a few years ago. I’m a firm believer that people develop passions based on how great their teachers are. She was the person that helped me develop that.

PC What’s one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started your career?
Goya: How drastically different people treat you when they think they can get something out of you. I knew it in theory; people warned me about Hollywood. I thought it was nice to know, but I would get blown off often before I booked this job. I was hustling and trying to make something out of myself. Then when I booked this job, people who would never give me the time of day wanted to connect and have lunch. It’s a very real thing when people perceive they can get something from you.

PC: Season 3 of Get Shorty is currently airing. How has your character changed throughout and what can you tease about his arc this season?
Goya: Without giving away too much, Season 2 ended with everyone in prison. This season, Yago has a higher rank in the organization he’s part of. He really thinks he has more control and freedom. As the season progresses, he learns that’s not the case, and he’ll end up back at square one. There are a couple of surprises that happen and certain alliances that form. Because the storyline diverts into more individual storylines, you’ll see everyone, including Yago, be confronted with their past.

PC: Has anything surprised you about Yago’s journey?
Goya: The writers have really humanized him. A character like Yago can easily be created into a typical archetype, but as they’ve developed him, you get to see all the cracks. He’s supposed to be this hardened villain but it deepens a little more each season. You get to see what makes him work and his self-doubt. That has been such a pleasant surprise that the writers have given me. He’s someone at first glance that you would demonize, but now, we get to look inside.

PC: This is your first big television role. What’s been the biggest takeaway?
Goya: At first, I was afraid that I’d be too intimidated. Chris O’Dowd and Ray Ramano are big actors with big name recognition. From the outside, that can be daunting, but this is where I found the value of ritual and creating rituals that remind me of my own worth. Once I showed up on set, no one was beneath me, and I was beneath no one. We got to work on the same playing field. Because of that, I got to be as much of a contribution as they were.

PC: Besides Get Shorty, you’re working on a few other projects. Can you tell us anything about those projects?
Goya: I executively produced a short film called Wonder, which about an eleven-year-old bi-racial kid from the streets who secretly wants to be Wonder Woman for Halloween. It’s a conversation with the audience about what is gender. It’s not just about the journey of the son, but also the journey of the father. He comes from a very traditional background where everything is black and white, and in the hood everything is black and white. To see his son questioning his own gender and sexuality, and what implications that has affects him greatly. That’s the journey we take in observing their relationship.

To keep up with Goya, follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Catch Season 3 of Get Shorty on EPIX.