Breaking Into Acting with Sal Velez | BHL’s Breaking Into - Publication Date |
- Nov 20, 2017
- Episode Duration |
- 00:50:47
Breaking Into... -- In this episode Black Hollywood Live host James Lott Jr. interviews Sal Velez.
Sal Velez Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois as Salvador Velez Jr. to Vivian Hernandez, a school teacher and Salvador Velez, a U.S. Postman. A second generation Puerto Rican, Sal's parents divorced at an early age where Sal, his mother and sister relocated to Houston, Texas. Sal later returned to Chicago's Humboldt Park at the age of 14 to reconnect with his father.
Growing up in the rough streets of Chicago while working a full-time job in the Steel Worker's Union, Sal used entertainment as his muse, from impersonations of iconic actors to singing Latin Jazz in nightclubs. In 2001, he was discovered and invited to audition for the infamous Chicago's Second City where he won a three-year scholarship and studied Improv, Classical, Sketch Writing and Musical Theater and soon after joined their Second City Tour Company.
His love for performing found him