Life long theater kid Tonatiuh joins Behind the Awards to talk about one of the Movie Musicals of the year alongside Jennifer Lopez & Deigo Luna. Tonatiuh shares his journey from audition to shooting in record time to the premier. Tonatiuh recalls being put through his dancing paces with Sergio Trujillo and the friendship his gained under the direction of Bill Condon. As if that wasn’t enough Tonatiuh shares the advice and friendship Jennifer Lopez shared.
Also in this episode - What 2026 Theater Eila & Bruce are looking forward to: Titanique, Dog Day Afternoon starring Jon Bernthal & Ebon Moss-Bachrach & , The Lost Boys, Proof starring Don Cheadle, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone starring Taraji P. Henson and Directed by Debbie Allen.
Tonatiuh (no last name) is an accomplished actor, singer, and performer who can be seen in the lead role of Molina in Kiss of the Spider Woman, directed by Bill Condon and starring opposite Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna. Produced by Artists Equity and Jennifer’s Nuyorican Productions, the film is based on the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical adaptation of Manuel Puig’s critically acclaimed 1976 novel.
The film debuted at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it became one of the most talked-about premieres. Tonatiuh’s performance earned widespread acclaim, with Deadline calling him a “breakout discovery,” USA Today declaring him “enchanting” and a star on the rise, and ScreenDaily hailing him as a “revelation.” He landed the role after an extensive and highly competitive casting process.
Most recently, Tonatiuh was seen on stage as a part of at the prestigious Williamstown Theater Festival co-starring in Jeremy O’Harris’ “Spirit of the People.” and he is currently in production for Ryan Murphy's "American Love Story" for FX in which is he portrays Narciso Rodriguez. Tonatiuh also recently co-starred in the Netflix thriller Carry-On, a Netflix thriller produced by Amblin, alongside Taron Egerton and Jason Bateman.
On television, Tonatiuh starred as a series regular in ABC’s Promised Land alongside John Ortiz, Cecilia Suárez, and Bellamy Young, and appeared in Peacock’s Angelyne with Emmy Rossum and Martin Freeman. He also lends his voice as a recurring character in Nickelodeon’s The Loud House and has made guest appearances in Jane the Virgin, Chicago Med, Famous in Love, and Stargate: Origins.
On the film side, he starred in the SXSW-selected indie feature Drunk Bus and played a supporting lead in the indie dramedy Shoplifters of the World.
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