As far back as Julian Works could remember, he dreamed about being behind the big screen.
As a child, he was entranced by a bilingual TV channel, “MUN2,” and inspired by what he saw, Works would mimic news anchors, often engaging in imaginative role-playing sessions with his uncle Erick. He discussed the latest games, athletes, and sports stories of the week, and he continued developing his skills in high school, landing the role of Oscar Madison in the school play’s rendition of, The Odd Couple.
“I caught the acting bug right there and then!” Works said.
On June 7, 2022, Deadline announced the official casting for the upcoming film, “The Long Game,” a historical drama based on Humberto G. Garcia’s novel, Mustang Miracle. The film portrays the true story of five Mexican-American high school caddies, including Joe Trevino (described as one of the top players among the kids), and Works’ newest character. Facing segregation, these determined teenagers built their own golf course in South Texas to compete against wealthier, all-white teams and ultimately win the 1957 Texas State High School Golf Championship. Professional Mexican American boxer, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, was named Executive Producer of the film, and The Long Game later received the SXSW Narrative Spotlight Audience Award in 2023.
In an exclusive interview with The Knockturnal, Works opened up about what it was like embodying Trevino on screen and discussed his aspirations for the film’s impact.
The Knockturnal: In The Long Game, your character, Joe Trevino, walks a tightrope between righteous rebellion and destructive anger, particularly stemming from oppression in his environment. Did you find any personal experiences or techniques that helped you get into the mindset of this character and understand the motivations behind his outbursts?
Julian Works: I’ve dealt with several challenges in my life that, at the time, appeared to be insurmountable. However, sports helped me immensely. I’ve always been athletic and played a bevy of sports growing up — from football, basketball, and baseball, to boxing and golf. I was never physically the biggest player on the field, but I made up for it with relentless energy, determination, and perseverance. I’ve learned that you have to keep getting back up every time you fail and keep moving forward in order to succeed at anything in life. Defeat is definitely not an option. These are traits that I share with Joe Treviño. Yet one of the main differences between us was his lack of parental support and the prejudice he faced. I’m blessed to have parents who supported me in everything I’ve ever pursued, especially with my profession in the performing arts. I’m also proud to be an American who can look back at Joe’s plight and the history of our country and say, “We’ve come a long way. And we’re here to stay.”
The Knockturnal: You’ve had an amazing career already, making appearances in shows like Modern Family and The Fosters, and now you’re starring in 9-1-1 Lone Star as Mateo Chavez. What was it like working on a film that represents a true story of overcoming adversity, unlike your previous experiences on TV shows? Did playing a real-life character cause any additional pressure for you?
Julian Works: Any time that an actor takes on a real-life person as a role in a film or TV show, it surely becomes a great responsibility to honor that person and embody their essence to the best of our ability. As much as I’ve run into some instances of prejudice in my life, there is no comparison to the racism that Joe confronted in the 1950s as a young man. And, within that context, I can only say that stepping into his shoes was certainly humbling, as I can’t imagine running into the hardship that he faced. I tip my hat off to him and deeply thank him. It is a privilege to play make-believe as an actor, as opposed to dealing with the actual prejudice of the magnitude Joe encountered, which has mostly been relegated to the dustbin of history. In the TV series, 9-1-1: LONE STAR, the character of “Mateo Chavez,” which I’ve played for 4 seasons (we are currently filming our 5th!), also deals with adversity — he is a young Latino man with DACA status who needs to hold down a job to be protected from deportation and be given a work permit to remain in the United States. Mateo also suffers from dyslexia and it’s up to him to do well on a written test in order to stay in the country. Overcoming this adversity with the help of his fellow firefighters is ultimately what gives him purpose, dignity, and the validation of being an American.
The Knockturnal: The Long Game features a stellar cast, including Dennis Quaid, Cheech Marin, and Oscar Nunez alongside rising talents like yourself and your co-stars. Did you have any specific moments of mentorship or advice from anyone throughout filming that you found particularly impactful?
Julian Works: I’ve had the great privilege of working with several supremely talented filmmakers in the entertainment business, from John Ridley, Gus Van Sant, Dustin Lance Black, Judd Apatow, Greg Berlanti, Ann Biderman, Jon Wells, Jeremy Kleiner, and Julio Quintana, to great actors such as Angela Bassett, Regina King, Rob Lowe, LL Cool J, Dominic West, Finn Wittrock, Timothée Chalamet, Jay Hernandez, Oscar Nunez, Cheech Marin, and Dennis Quaid, and there is one thing that I find is the common denominator when you get to collaborate with any of these people on set: they are fully prepared and ready to work, no matter how big or small their contribution might be on any given day. They know their job is to contribute to the story we are trying to tell, and they expect everyone on set to be on the same page. Personally, the best advice I’ve been given was from my manager, which was, “never get too high on opportunities given, and never get too low on missed opportunities. The [Film and TV] industry is a rollercoaster, and we have bigger fish to fry.”
The Knockturnal: Golf is a central theme in The Long Game, and the audience sees you and your co-stars playing consistently throughout the film. Were you already a golfer before taking on this role, or did you have to undergo extensive training to become comfortable and believable on the course?
Julian Works: I’ve been playing golf for several years! It was truly serendipitous when I received the script for The Long Game. I didn’t know about this true underdog story and was in shock that it hadn’t been told before, albeit the book by the great Humberto G. Garcia (Mustang Miracle) had been published for over a decade. Of course, as soon as I booked the role, I took it upon myself to incessantly train and play golf. When I arrived on set, the production had an amazing golf coach on hand for the actors who helped us perfect our positions and swings for the film. It was truly an unbelievable experience that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. My hope is that golf becomes more readily accessible to young kids of any background, no matter your socioeconomic level or geographic location.
You can catch The Long Game in theaters nationwide, released on April 12, 2024.
Photographer Credit: Dylan Perlot
