Listen to actor Phillip Garcia chat with Vaughn Lowery about Sprung on 360 MAG Apple/Spotify podcast HERE.
Born May 24, 1988, Phillip Garcia was raised in San José, California. As an adolescent, he loved anything that had to do with art, including musical theatre. At his first audition, he belted NSYNC‘s “This I Promise You,” earning him the lead role.
After years of honing his craft, Phillip attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) in Los Angeles. Subsequently, he landed a plethora of roles in both TV and film: Criminal Minds, Scandal, Animal Kingdom, and OKJA.
The dramedy was created by the Emmy award-winning television director, writer, and producer Greg Garcia. In the hit streaming series, his character, Rooster, is released from prison due to COVID. And, he ends up sheltering in place at his mom’s with fellow inmates: former cellmate Jack (Garret Dillahunt); Gloria, Jack’s ex-prison girlfriend (Shakira Barrera), and his mother Barb (Martha Plimpton).
Although this critically acclaimed thespian continues to produce epic performances, he still found time for love. In fact, this week marks his one year anniversary with his beautiful and supportive wife. As they celebrate their nuptials, we’re sure the two of them will be toasting to his most talked-about starring role on Sprung.
‘‘He’s a lovable jerk. He would do anything to protect his mother… to protect the ones he loves. And for me, those were the moments that I love this character the most,’’ Phillip adds.
Phillip exuded a lot of excitement to have worked in tandem with such a dynamic cast, especially as the ensemble boasts other Latinx leads. Reliving his character’s plight, “What do we do now? We must shelter in place, we are in a global pandemic,” Phillip says.
The first season has been a roller-coaster. According to Philip, “We basically shot 10 episodes in 10 weeks, which is like a crazy time for me,” he says. Now, it’s being heavily praised by a myriad of media outlets: Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, and Paste Magazine.
In sum, Sprung is solid, possessing raw humor and well-handled emotion. We’re looking forward to Season 2.
Article: Andrea Esteban, Vaughn Lowery
Photo: courtesy of Freevee
