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RadioFree.com: Could you tell us a little about your basic background? When is your birthdate, and where are you from?
CARLOS: My birthday is September 2, 1993, and I'm from Columbia, South Carolina.
How did you land the role of Owen?
[jokes] Well, I could tell you the long story, or I could tell you the short story. Which would you prefer?
Which do you think is more interesting?
You know what? What is more interesting is the short story. Here it goes: South Carolina, listening to the radio, there was a commercial for this convention where you get to meet a bunch of agents and managers. I went for a weekend, found my agent, and he says, "You have to move to Los Angeles." I ask my mom, she says, "Cool." Quits her job, pack it up, we move it over here. [laughs] And then I start auditioning for all these roles. I get a couple parts here and there, and then I come across this for Supah Ninjas. Went in, did it once. I think it was two or three auditions on the same day the first day. Came back, did a screentest--which is when they take me and the other actors and put us together and see how we work together--and then later found out that I got the part. So it was some really crazy stuff to go from South Carolina to LA five years later.
Before you officially got an agent and made the move to Los Angeles, were you heavily involved with acting?
I did community theatre! [laughs] But really, the whole acting thing started from being in the house and watching TV shows with superheroes and dressing up like them, and jumping off of couches and being, "I want to do that, I want to be a superhero!" And you know, this is as close as I could have gotten... [laughs]
Who were some of your favorite superheroes?
I used to watch the Power Rangers like all the time. Buzz Lightyear. Superman. Anything superhero, I was onboard.
Did the fact that your mom quit her job to move out here put a certain pressure on you to succeed in acting immediately?
[laughs] Well, it was no pressure from anyone else--not from my mom, my family. There was no pressure from anybody. It was a lot of pressure [from] myself. I wanted to do it and succeed, because somebody made a sacrifice for me to come over here and do this. And I'm a really competitive person--anything I do, I want to do it to the best of my abilities.
How was the experience of the Supah Ninjas cast coming together? Did you guys bond pretty quickly?
Yeah! We got really lucky, and everybody likes each other. [laughs] So that was pretty cool. We came together and it was really like, "Hey, I like you guys! Like I really like you guys!" And it's cool being around them. Because shooting a TV show, you have to be around the people that you're working with all the time, and it was very possible that it could end up not as pleasant as it is, you know? We really, really like each other. And I don't know how else to say it, but we got lucky with that situation. [laughs] You know, I've stayed the night at Ryan's house and had his mom cook me dinner...We're pretty close now.
How has it been working with George Takei?
[laughs] Man, it's amazing, because his voice is, like, masterful. It's just crazy to hear him deliver his lines, and you're like, "Whoa..." He could say, "Burnt toast is tasty." But the way he says it, you're like [in awe], "Oh my God, burnt toast is crazy!" [laughs] He's got so much conviction, and so you kind of listen to everything that he says, because he's been there, and he's done the acting thing, and we're kind of just learning from him. So it's an experience.
 
Owen is very much the jokester and comic relief guy...
Oh, yeah!
Would you say your role is split pretty much 50/50 between comedy and action, or does it skew one way or the other?
I think Owen is just like the whole entire show itself: it's kind of really split evenly. So if you like funny stuff, you're going to like the show and you're going to like Owen. If you like action stuff, you're going to like the show and you're going to like Owen, because he has both sides of it. You're not just looking at some goofy kid messing up all the time. It's balanced between him learning how to be a ninja (which is hilarious, watching him try) and then him being a ninja (which is just awesomeness). [laughs]
How comfortable are you with the physical aspects of the show, like the stunts?
They made me very comfortable. They sent me to a Taekwondo class so I knew what I was doing. And any fight scene we had to do, and before I do any stunt, they ask me how I feel about it. And if I'm not comfortable with it, they bring in a stunt double, or they show me how I can deal with it safely.
Of all the show's physical aspects, what has been the most fun for you?
The fight choreography is really fun to learn how to do. I enjoy that a lot. And to do it and then watch yourself and be like, "Oh, man! It looks like I just got punched in the face! But I didn't, because I did it, and I know I didn't..." So I think the fighting is the most fun. For me, at least.
How long is the rehearsal process for a typical fight scene?
Well, the first time, it took us a really long time because we were still trying to get the flow of things. [laughs] But after a while, you start getting used to learning this stuff, and you kind of pick it up a little quicker. So sometimes we learn it right before we go on set to do it. It's that fast turnover, because they make it really easy and they make it simple. And if you don't know how to do something, they can correct you right there while you're on set. So other than the Taekwondo classes we take outside of shooting, learning a fight choreography only takes like 10 or 15 minutes, depending on how long the scene is. If the scene is really long...You know, we had some scenes take us an hour and a half. But most of the time, we can pick it up in half an hour.
As an actor, what has been more satisfying for you to perform: the comedy or the action?
It's fun to be funny, but the action is something that I've never really done before. So now that I'm doing that and I'm learning how to do it, when I do it and do it right, it's a really good feeling. So the action is definitely, for me, the biggest part. It's like, "Man, I just threw down with an evil villain, and there was an explosion, and I jumped off of something!" And it's always exciting, while being funny is just kind of stuff that everybody does their whole life. Not everybody gets to do stunts.
Do you have any particular role models in terms of comedy and/or acting?
I watched a lot of Chris Tucker. And Mitch Hedberg is like my favorite comedian. And you know...Robert Downey Jr. acting-wise. I look at him a lot, and Will Smith, and of course the people everyone looks at, like Denzel Washington. But yeah...Chris Tucker, Kevin Hart...I love him. And Mitch Hedberg. I watch a lot of those guys.
What are you looking forward to exploring on the show as the first season moves forward?
Well, I know for a fact that we're going to explore Owen some more. And so you're going to start to see maybe what his family looks like, or maybe what he does when Mike's not around--you know, into Owen's background. Because right now, you really don't know. So that's what I'm excited to see, to reach some more into that. And of course, finding new villains. Because there's always a new villain in your face. So Owen's background and new villains--that's what I'm looking forward to.
Well, best of luck, and thanks for your time!
Thank you!
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