Say hello to Henri Esteve! Based in Los Angeles, this Cuban-American talent is making big waves in the acting industry. You can spot him in Revenge playing the black sheep bad-boy hacker “Javier”. He can also be seen playing “Abel” in the Amazon award-winning series Homecoming, and the questionable but lovable “Javi” in Grown-ish, streamable on Freeform. This actor is always at work, whether he's pushing his limits on a motorcycle or using his platform to advocate against Cuba's brutality against its citizens. Henri is a brilliant actor, as well as being an avid supporter of mental health in teens and young adults. He implements this passion through the JED Foundation: a non-profit organization that prioritizes mental health for all! Learning from his past experiences, Henri is a true believer in community and support. Jejune is excited to talk to this compassionate human being about his experiences with acting, his thoughts on the crisis in Cuba, and how he deals with stress and anxiety in such a demanding industry. Please continue reading below for the full interview with Henri Esteve!

Where are you based?
Los Angeles.

You are a fantastic actor with an extensive range of roles under your belt. Was acting something you always wanted to pursue? How did you know performing arts was for you?
A seed got planted when I was kid. I saw John Leguizamo on TV doing his HBO special, “Sexaholix”... I don’t remember how old I was exactly, but I was way too young to be watching it. My mom walked in and made me shut it off, but that was the moment. The moment I felt the "I want to do that" feeling. I didn’t start pursuing it till after high school, but I always knew I would.

Was moving to NYC from Miami to study at the Lee Strasberg Theater & Film Institute a no-brainer decision because of your love for the arts?
Yes. NYC had been calling me for as long as I could remember. It always felt like if you really wanted to give acting a shot you had to be in NYC or LA. There was no industry in Miami, that was partly why I waited until after high school to start.

What was your first acting gig, and did it feel like a monumental experience for you?
First TV was REVENGE and, yes, that felt huge. I think at the time I thought you just needed the first one, and you are in. Now, a few years later, I’ve learned that there is no destination which makes the ride way more enjoyable.

What is a lesson you’ve learned from the acting industry?
Beware of midnight promises. That’s a Robert Evans quote about the industry, but I think it applies to life in general.

You are well known for your television debut role in the ABC hit series “Revenge.” You played “Javier Salgado”. Can you tell us a bit about the series, and did you see yourself in your character?
Well, Revenge was based on The Count of Monte Cristo. So it followed Emily Clarke's return to the Hamptons to get revenge on the people who had set up and murdered her father. My character, Javier was a black hat hacker from NYC who recently got out of jail and was on house arrest in the house of his former cellmate and hero Nolan Ross.

Javier was such an outsider in this community of Hampton elites, so I think coming into the show late, and it being my first television job really helped with that. I felt out of place at first, and as Javi settled into the world of the show I, Henri, was settling into the world on set.

What is your favorite character or role that you have played?
I think it is Javier, in terms of just who the character was. There’s something I really love about that black sheep archetype. Javier was this genius young man, that couldn’t get out of his own way, and play the game. There is a purity in those people, and that’s fun to play, to let yourself be so governed by your emotions.

Are there any challenges to embodying characters? How did you learn to step into their shoes?
Every character is different and comes with its own set of challenges, but I usually find something in the script, a line they say, or what is said about them. I start building off that. I’ll find their “Mantra”, and use that as a foundation for everything they do. I read the script over and over and over learning and piecing things together with every read. Then, finally, I get up and start trying to put it into my body.

You also went on to play in Amazon’s award-winning and critically acclaimed show “Homecoming,” featuring Julia Roberts; what was the process like to landing this gig, and how did you feel once you got the part？
I had just lost a part I was in love with the day before. I probably shouldn’t say what show, but I was super disappointed and pissed off. So I was too in my feelings about the project I just lost to feel any pressure during the audition. Which ultimately worked really well for Abel. And once I got it, I was shocked, which gave way to epic excitement to work with all these heavy weight actors and to be in something Sam Esmail was directing.

Jejune loves Grown-ish! You play “Javi”, what was your favorite part about filming, and do you enjoy playing “Javi”?
Awhh thank you….. We just have so much fun on set. Grown-ish feels more like a family than any show I’ve ever worked on. So, just being with the cast on set and getting the opportunity to be part of really important conversations for our audience.

I do enjoy playing Javi, lately he has been doing and saying some stuff that I don’t agree with, but I kind of relish the opportunity to go big in those moments and hopefully spark conversations/reflect some problematic mindsets.

Javi is a Cuban Republican activist. How does it feel to play him? Can you relate to him?
Politically no, but I relate to him in a sense of activism and wanting to really use my voice and be involved in my community.

Without a doubt, Grown-ish is an inclusive and diverse show. Do you hope to see that in other projects you participate in?
Yes, for sure, I think we’re seeing a shift now, albeit slower than we would like, but Hollywood is a big ship and it takes a while to turn. I think the more the people at the top push for diversity and adopt things like the inclusion rider, the more opportunities we will have as an audience to view really diverse, textured, and exciting stories.

How has your identity as a Cuban American man impacted your acting career? Have you ever been passed up for a role due to race or seen that happen to someone else?
This is a complicated question because I think everyone has their own experience. I have a very specific experience in that I am a white passing Latino (which I am really aware of the privilege I have in real life because of that) but when it comes to casting and projects I have been told I am "too Latino" for some roles and actually verbatim had casting tell my Agent “He isn’t brown enough, we want the role to add color to the cast.” These are things that I think will change with people becoming more and more accustomed to diversity and understand the nuances of Latino culture for example.

There has been ongoing unrest in Cuba due to protests against the lack of basic necessities and rights. Can you tell our readers a little bit about what is going on and what you would like to see changed?
Yes I appreciate you bringing this up. It’s a much longer conversation, but the short version is Cuban people are being starved, beaten, murdered and silenced by an authoritarian regime that has been in power for the last 62 years. This same regime re-invests eighty percent of the government budget in hotels, hotels that have food for tourists, but not for Cuban citizens. This, as well as, numerous other human rights violations, have been happening for years. The Cuban people risked their lives and took to the streets protesting for their freedom on July 11th 2021. The Regime’s response to these protest was to violently beat, arrest and kidnap their citizens while shutting off the island’s internet, so no more footage could get out and people wouldn’t have access to any information.

The first thing I would like to see change is for the international community to step up and give the Cuban people access to internet therein by giving them a voice . Something that President Biden said he was looking into. Past that, I think the end goal is to dethrone the current regime and give Cuba its first free elections since 1948 (10 years prior to Fidel’s revolution).

How do you use your platform to spread awareness? How would you recommend others to get involved?
I have been very active in demonstrations in and around Los Angeles and Miami to try and use the freedom of speech I am so lucky to have to amplify the voice of the Cuban people who are being killed for using their voice. I recommend people educate themselves, use the hashtag #soscuba, and spread the word, information is power, and the more aware we are of the atrocities going on 90 miles from the American border, the more we are equipped to demand change and help.

You currently are an advocate for mental health. Why is this important to you?
I’ve had depression, anxiety, and addiction all touch my life in different ways. And I think the most beneficial thing I can do is help dismantle the stigma around these issues and make people feel comfortable to go get help. I think once we normalize something that is a growing epidemic in our society, we can start to change it. So, if me talking about my battles with depression and anxiety makes someone feel a little less alone and “different”, then that is the least I can do.

How do you deal with anxiety or stress in such a fast-paced and demanding industry?
It’s a process and some days I do better than others. For me the best outlet is something that forces me to be in the moment, like actually FORCES. Motorcycle rides are huge for me, I don’t have an option, I can’t think about anything but the ride. A less intense coping mechanism is just picking up the phone and calling people I'm close to, getting those feelings out and talking about them.

What is the JED foundation, and what is your role?
The Jed Foundation is a non-profit organization that protects mental and emotional health and prevents suicide for teens and young adults. I recently connected with them, and we are figuring out how exactly I can be of the most service to them and their mission.

Mental health has been a major issue during the pandemic. What advice would you give someone having troubles during these times?
Talk to someone, whether a friend, a professional, or a family member. I think that the biggest thing is to look for help, people are here and are willing to help and listen. Community saves lives.

How have you been staying positive during shelter in place? Are you back to normal now?
Yes, Los Angeles has been on a sliding scale of normal for a while now. Thankfully.

What is your life motto?
Process over product.

If you’d like to stay up to date on all things Henri, please follow him on the platform(s) below:
Instagram: @henrijesteve

Following Your Calling With Henri Esteve