Pop Culturalist Chats with Shine’s Jorge Burgos

Jorge Burgos is best known for his moves on the dance floor, but this October, he’s shining on the big screen in his first feature film. He’s leading the extraordinary cast of Shine, a timely and relevant film about a community that’s affected by gentrification. It’s a breakout performance that will shake audiences at their core. We spoke with Jorge ahead of the film’s release.

PC: Tell us about Shine and your character.
Jorge: My character is Ralphi and he’s the older brother of two. Growing up, they were the top salsa dancers in Spanish Harlem. A tragedy separates them for a few years, but they’re brought back together later in life and caught on two opposing sides of gentrification. They utilize the very important components of family, community, and Latin culture to unify those two worlds.

PC: It’s your first feature film and you’re playing the lead. Did you experience any nerves during the process?
Jorge: Surprisingly, I went in very confident. I’m already a confident person to begin with, but I was even more confident because of the people around me: my team, the cast, the director, and the producers. The only bit of nerves that I experienced was the pressure I put on myself to do the best job I could possibly do for my team. It was a tough situation. I’m the lead of the film and technically less experienced than some of my other cast members, so I put a lot of pressure on myself mainly because I wanted to make them proud.

PC: What was the biggest lesson you learned?
Jorge: I learned so much more about gentrification. I was born and raised in Orlando, so gentrification never hit me, personally, but throughout this process, I got to see and learn so much. I have friends from the dance community who live in New York and have been affected by it. Unfortunately, after we were done filming, gentrification affected the café that’s in the film and they went out of business. I was able to gain so much knowledge about an epidemic that’s affecting the world and how it’s affecting communities, cultures, homes, and businesses. It’s been a blessing to be a part of this project because I’m hoping to pass the knowledge I learned onto others.

PC: How much of yourself would you say is in your character?
Jorge: [laughs] I want to say close to 100%! When I was given the script for Ralphi, it felt too good to be true. I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ve had a lot of the experiences that Ralphi has in the film in my real life. The relationship between Ralphi and his younger brother, Jr. (played by Gilbert Saldivar), is very similar to the relationship between my brother and me. While I was reading the script, I knew I could relate to him. I think it also helped me feel comfortable as a first-time actor; I felt like I was Ralphi.

PC: Ralphi goes through a huge transformation in the film. What was your favorite aspect of him to explore?
Jorge: The biggest thing that I enjoyed about Ralphi’s character is his struggle. He’s fighting to make sense of a situation and, in the end, not succumbing to any obstacles. Family is first and you can do anything that you put your mind to. With this film, I was able to accomplish all the goals that I wanted to. Was it a struggle? Were there obstacles? 100%. I didn’t let anything get in the way, though. I see that in the film, too. I feel so privileged to be a part of this film and to be able to accomplish the goals that I had for myself.

PC: The film has a diverse cast of traditional actors and dancers. What did you all learn from each other?
Jorge: I can only speak for myself, but I learned so much about the acting world. Anthony Nardolillo, our director, was amazing. He motivated me by believing in me. Gilbert Saldivar, Kimberli Flores, Jadi Collado, and all of my cast members played a part in making me feel comfortable in my role, whether that was helping me with a line or encouraging me to try something in a different way. David Zayas was absolutely amazing, as well. I got to run lines with him, which was extremely nerve wrecking because I’m also a fan of his. He brought me into his trailer and we ran lines together and he was just so helpful. He knew I was in a very new position, so all of his tips and knowledge were extremely valuable to me. I feel like it helped me give a stronger performance. Everyone played such a vital role in the process. Without them, this wouldn’t have been possible.

PC: Do you have a favorite scene and what was the most challenging?
Jorge: There’s an emotional scene between Ralphi and Jr. and it’s one that I’ve lived in my real life. The emotions that you see in that scene are 100% authentic because I’ve lived it—it was an experience I had with my actual brother. Even though it was my most difficult scene, it was my most enjoyable one, too, because I knew the reality behind it. I love my brother to death and he’s one of the reasons that I got this role. That scene was actually my first day of shooting!

PC: The film is out now. What are you most excited for fans to see and what do you hope they take away?
Jorge: I truly feel like this movie has so much heart. When I communicate this to other people, I really try and emphasize that this is not just another Latin film for Latinos only. This is a Latin film for the world. You don’t have to be Latino to enjoy this film, to be touched by it, or to relate to it. Gentrification affects people all around the world. We utilize the beautiful components of Latin music, dancing, culture, and the power of family and community to bridge that gap between gentrification and those aspects of life. My message to the world is that this is not a film just for Latinos, it’s a film for everyone. Your heart will be touched, your feet will be moving, and your head will be bopping.

Make sure to follow Jorge on Instagram, and check out Shine in theaters now!