‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’ Star Victor Rasuk On How Hollywood Has Opened Up To Latinos

Somewhere amid the incessant lip-biting and erotic scenes that push the limits of its R rating, the highly anticipated “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Sam Taylor-Johnson’s adaptation of the best-selling E.L. James novel, introduces Victor Rasuk as José Rodriguez, a loyal friend of main character Anastasia Steele who secretly pines for her.

Rasuk, 31, is best known for his role as Cam Calderon in the short-lived HBO series “How To Make It In America.” That show was cancelled in 2011, but Rasuk has kept going with roles in blockbusters like “Godzilla” and most recently as Detective Ben Caldwell in CBS’ “Stalker.”

Millions around the world await the release of the “Fifty Shades” film, which follows 21-year-old Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) as she develops an emotionally and, at times, physically torturous relationship with 27-year-old billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan).

Ahead of the film’s nationwide release on Friday, Rasuk sat down with The Huffington Post and spoke about why he feels the film’s leads are “extremely brave,” as well as his thoughts on the book and on how Hollywood has opened up to Latinos.

Even before his first audition for the role of José, Rasuk didn’t know much more than what anyone with a pulse knows about the book series.

“I had to meet him and show him and do my thing, and be like, ‘Yo, we beautiful too and we can play anything we want,’” Rasuk went on. “I told him, ‘I could add some flavor to this, so if you cast me that’s what you’re going to get.’”

While discussing this year’s Oscars, which have been called the whitest since 1998 due to no actors of colors being nominated, Rasuk said there are several factors that go into being nominated other than talent.

“I think there are plenty of us out there that are talented, that can play those roles, but sometimes you just got to be at the right place at the right time,” Rasuk said. “Unfortunately, it’s not always about your talent in this business. It’s also who you know sometimes. Yes, it could be a very white-nominated year, but I’m sure that those actors who are nominated, as talented as they are, had all those elements.”

“It’s the luck of the draw sometimes, and also hard fucking work,” Rasuk added. “I don’t want to shed a negative light on it, because I think that’s usually the reality of it.”

The Huffington Post