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Welcome to the “Interview with Immigrants” Podcast! Join me, Andrea Szew, an experienced immigration lawyer with one of the Top YouTube Channels on US immigration, as I delve into the captivating and inspiring stories of immigrants. This show aims to cut through the political noise and reveal the real heart, humor, and humanity behind every immigration journey. Discover stories that will surprise and potentially change your perspective on immigration.
Subscribe to the show on YouTube and Follow wherever you get your podcasts! It is on all platforms.
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I'm Andrea Szew, top U.S. immigration attorney and creator of one of YouTube’s most-watched US immigration channels, inviting you into powerful, emotional, and often hilarious conversations with people who’ve made the journey to the USA.
Forget the politics - this podcast is all about the people. Each episode uncovers raw, uplifting, and unexpected stories that go beyond visas and green cards to reveal the heart, grit, and humor behind every immigrant experience.
Whether you're curious about immigration, love personal stories, or need a dose of inspiration, this show will surprise you and might even shift the way you see the world.
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I say guilhermo. And a lot of people watching and listening are thinking, why is she saying guilhermo? Shouldn't it be Guillermo? Now fall in love with the city. You have to also learn that you have to start a new life. So how did you get sore? It was called sore when you got and that's when I met Kena Lisa Todd this amazing show Vanderpump Rules that millions of people around the world enjoyed the show that was created by us immigrants, when you have to count money, you go back to your first language. My husband
0:26
at home, we speak Italian, French, Spanish, English, and it's fun. I'm proud to be Latino and proud to be part of that believe in what you are, because today is completely different than before. I mean, I love this country. I love the opportunity that this country bring to people apply for what you want and never give up.
0:48
Welcome back to interviews with immigrants, the podcast where we celebrate the positive side of immigration by cutting through the politics and sharing the real stories, the heart, the humor and the humanity behind every single journey. I'm your host, Andrea Shev immigration attorney, storyteller and the face behind the YouTube channel, Shev law, group that helps 1000s navigate the US immigration system every single month. But this show isn't about forms, immigration laws and policies. It's about food, fashion, funny stories and fearless reinvention that defines the immigrant experience. Today's episode is one you are going to love. Trust me, you'll be so glad you decided to hit the play button. I'm sitting down with guerrilla mozapada, Argentinian board actor, restaurateur and unapologetic Dream Chaser. He came to Hollywood with no English, no roadmap and no Plan B, just a determination to build something of his own, from washing dishes to owning the iconic la hotspot store. Yes, that's the Vanderpump Rules sore the Cherbourg store is one of hustle, heart and going all in we dive into what it means to navigate Hollywood with humility while running a reality TV famous restaurant, navigating entertainment industry on both sides of the camera while raising French, Argentinian and American daughters, juggling scripts in English and Spanish, and why a single spoonful of dulce leche can transport you all the way back to a Buenos Aires kitchen table. This episode is about staying grounded while dreaming huge, and what it takes to build a legacy without losing yourself along the way. So settle in. You're about to meet the man behind the dream. Alrighty. So before we start, I want to talk about the pronunciation of your name, because I say guilhermo. And a lot of people watching and listening are thinking, why is she saying guilhermo? Shouldn't it be Guillermo? And I'm married to an Argentinian husband, and so I learned castelciano, which is what they speak in Argentina. So you would say guilhermo. And when all the Guillermo, I know in Argentina, it's Guillermo or Guiche. So what do you go by? Do you go by guilhermo or Guillermo? Well, first of all, I want to say thank you so much for having me on. Give me the chance to connect with you and all your people. And I want to give the message. You know,
3:02
it's Guillermo. Argentinian pronunciation is very particular. No, in South America, you know, the L, L, the Double L is she like? Another example could be plasma. Can be sisha, Guillermo. It is part of that ll, and that's the pronunciation. But in here it's, it's hard to
3:24
to say that name, you know, to with the LL and R, because they're like, What are you saying exactly? So it is Guillermo here, but home is Guillermo and is Gigi, perfect. Okay, so I'm validated. So you are valid. I have no idea. No, you are doing it correctly. My husband be very upset.
3:44
I have known you forever. It feels like started as your attorney and now friends and I cannot wait to jump in here and talk about your journey as an immigrant. So before we get into anything, I want to go or while we get into everything, I want to go back to little guilhermo, little Gui chermo In Argentina, before you came here. And you're a little boy, and I know that you grew up in an interesting home with a loving mother and father, but your father was a famous artist, performer. So tell me a little bit about little Guillermo in Argentina, and growing up in that environment. That was the year 1968 that I born in Argentina, and Buenos Aires, yeah, family. My father is an artist. You know, his name is Rodolfo Zapata and famous artist, famous artist, an artist. He was a impactful artist, acting musician, and someone that really connect with the Argentinian people and always bringing his talent. And so I grew up with a lovely mother just taking care of pretty much us, you know, four brothers. It is an honor to say that I am the son of Rodolfo Zapata. It definitely is an honor, yes, and him having such a case. Obviously, you're an artist yourself. You're an actor, right? So having a father like that growing up.
5:00
What impact did that have on you and what you want to do, and how did that kind of form the idea in yourself of how you're what you're going to pursue, ultimately bringing you to the US to Hollywood. But back then, what kind of experience was that? Since I was very little, I noticed, well, that was kind of my personality, you know, be a goofy try to always, you know, be there and make people laugh and connect with the people, which is, you know, sometimes as a kid, you can see it, or you don't see it, you know, they decide. And in my case, my father saw immediately that I was that I have his the genes,
5:37
yeah. So from the beginning, very young, my father put me, and, you know, to perform next to him. You know, it was something that I was having fun doing it since, I'm talking about, since I was four or five. I was already
5:49
performing with him, singing with him. And I pretty much jump into that besides school. I jump into music and but did you think you wanted to do music, or did you from an early age, was thinking, I want to do more acting and perform. Yeah, no, I think, you know, over the year, you'll see definitely what direction you want to go. For his side, he was more into music, into performing. So he was kind of getting me into music, and I jump in, you know. So I studied music for many years, but in the same time, you know, I was kind of put it away my childhood. So I was kind of compensating and tried to see if I really wanted to be that. Because sometimes it is when parents put a little bit of pressure on kids, you know, just to do it, whatever. I think it's good for you if put a lot of pressure, is not good for kids to do that. So, and how did your father react when you found out that you were thinking more acting the music? And yeah, so, like I said, it took me years in order to probably explain him that music is not something that I want to pursue, and the music because he most likely want me to continue what he created, you know, his legacy and continue with that, which is amazing, because he will already open all the doors for me to continue what he does, and that's I want to do, and that's what parents want, right? Yeah, they have this amazing thing, and they're like, they're laying it out in front of you. When your child says, No, I don't want to do that. My kids want nothing,
7:15
absolutely nothing. And I cry every night, well, but what I what I did, he's gonna take it on as a parent. Now I see it and I give it to totally freedom to choose what they want. I can advise her. I can probably guide what But in his case, he wasn't. No, this is what you're gonna do, what you're gonna miss this opportunity. So when I finished high school and it was time for me to go to university, I know immediately that I don't want to be in music, but I do want to leave the music as an
7:43
tool, you know, for as an actor, I want to pursue the acting. I want to learn. I want to I want to really have, maybe build a career of that, because I like to perform, you know, and that's what I jump into a National Conservatory in Argentina. I was accepted, and I started learning from the best and
8:01
second year of college, I was already able to jump into TV and start working as a paid actor and so and then continue, continue study and working. So I was already building my name strong in Argentina as a young actor. I was 2119 2122 and I was already working one project to another one. But my goal, it was one of my wishes. It was to come to LA. That was my next question, is that, when was the moment that you said, Okay, I'm doing it in Argentina. I'm acting. I'm doing what I want to do, but I want to go to the States. I want to go to Hollywood. I want to go to LA, right? My goal to come over here. It was just to see the city. I mean, it's something that I so your goal wasn't originally to come here to actually, no, no, start pursuing an acting career. No, okay, it probably, you know, it wasn't consciously, consciously, of course, you know, after you see you grew up watching TV shows, American TV shows. It's all good. It's something that you have it in your head, you know, but from one thing to happen, and one thing is to became a reality. But yes, I took the opportunity to when I was have a little break. I was 22 years old. That was year 1992 and I applied for a visa as a tourist, and I was accepted, and I came here for 10 days of vacation. You know, my goalie was just to get the picture in the Hollywood sign and go back and, you know, say to, you know, I made it. I have my experience, I learned. But something strong happened when I was in those 10 days. I mean, I fall in love with the city, yeah, you know that experience of having many people that you know, you go to vacation for short time, and the last day, you fall in love with a person, and then you just want to extend this vacation. You need to go. So in my case, I fall in love with the city. I like the weather, I like the energy. I like that that I was kind of unique in here, you know, people was kind of Wow. Who are you? You know, I was and I was not able to speak English. You sounded because Argent I mean, there are Argentines. And.
10:00
La, but not as Argentinians as there are as other Latin communities, yes. So it was you were unique. Probably your look, everything you know, yes, and the energy, you know. So I think, you know, I'm always optimist. I'm always that the smile ready to go. And I always like to just, you know, see the positives, you know, since, since, always, and
10:21
those 10 days were very strong, and it was like, This is it, that's it. So I decided to, you know, it's amazing, give it away and start a new life and and, you know, but I put everything you know since the day that I decided to stay, I put my own energy and grow. And at that time, you didn't speak any English, right? No, not. So when you first got here, just, I always like asking this too, right? Because this is an amazing story. You get here and something clicks, right? And then you start this journey, because that's the beginning of the journey. You start this journey as a dishwasher in a restaurant, no, not really knowing the language, probably not having because you're here for such a short time, not really having any friends, any support system, any anything. And what were some of the first things that you can think of that were maybe culture shocks when you got to the United States, obviously, you said there's a lot of positive things. Because you're like, Wow, you want Yes, well, but what were some things that like, hit you in the face of like, I am not in Argentina anymore. It's a different culture. Totally different culture. You know you in here. You have space. You know, you in Argentina, you go to a line to the supermarket line, and you feel like you are in next to the other person. And even if you have a space to so you have here, you create your space. So I feel like sometimes that are getting too close to people, and they were like, you know, what's going on here? Another one is probably, you know, initially, I will probably go and give you a kiss, because this is the way that we communicate with people, and it's Whoa, yeah, man to man, man to man. You know, whatever that was, my insti was, you know, immediately, to go and give a kiss and something wrong, and I was like learning.
11:56
So this is kind of, you know, have it, that you have it with you, and and slowly, you have to learn and fast, because you keep doing the same thing. So you're gonna get punched in the face. You get punched in the face, and you get by the husband for someone, you know, so and then, you know, try to explain that in a language that I was not my language, so learning fast and that, okay, well, this is what it is, you know, if you so, a lot of stuff that I was
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learning at the moment, and especially with it, with the language, you know, even if I will, you know, enroll myself immediately to a school. So I was working nighttime and the daytime. I would spend mostly all day in school, learning, and then bring the communication that was my mission, and so forth. A certain point, I kind of even block myself to speak Spanish, Spanish with you know, only the necessary you know, with the people. But I was always get along with American people, you know, so you immersed. You made the conscious choice not to speak Spanish
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yourself with people, to go faster, to simulate because, I mean, that's the way you learn the language, so, but in the restaurants, a lot of them are Latinos, right? A lot more speaking
13:08
Spanish, but you tried as much as possible not to speak Spanish, correct, to immerse yourself. Did you ever have a doubt? Like, I'm sure, in those beginning days, it sounds so wonderful, like, it sounds like, oh, you know, I came here and I I got this job, and everything was great, and the dream was starting. But I'm sure there were really hard days. I'm sure there was a lot of days when you were like, Am I doing this? Like, am I really doing this? Did you doubt it? Like, this was the right choice. Never
13:33
doubted. If you have a
13:35
little bit of doubt, you will not make it. So this is dramatic change, and we have to do it took me eight years to go see my family for 10 days, you know, until I was able to to go and see them so but I never had a doubt that I will not fight and I will not pursue what i My heart is telling me even today. You know, when you think, well, you you achieve something you are kind of, know, just, you know, don't, don't give up. Because, you know, everything is, is a house of cards, you know, yeah, if you feel like you know you made it, you know, you can just, I mean, at this point I can say, well, I've done something, but at the same time not know, internally, I feel like, you know, I have to continue. I have to have, you know, no, there's no way to go. Because it's like, I can tell you I have many, many doubts all the time. So maybe I need to stop doubting myself and start, I mean,
14:23
it's not like, you know, I was always like, cheer up. Of course, it was dark moment. I make mistake. I felt I stand up. I recognize what I've done, it wrong. And, you know, learn from there. Stand up, keep going and but I always internally, you know what I mean, I always have a positive you want to connect with people. You know, you have to. Everybody have a problem. If you you know and life, everyone have your own problem. So for us, when we want to, we needed the necessity to connect with people, to be to learn from people to that's the way that you will grow. It's just to always be positive and always get the the message and willing to live.
15:00
Sin and to learn from them. But if you start bringing your own problem, which is, I, like I said, I miss my family. Miss Yes, I did, of course, of course, you have moment that you can break, but you know, you talk to yourself, Okay, let's do it, but you leave it inside of your home. You leave it inside of your room. When you exit that door and you go outside, there is no time for negativity at all, at all. So you can just keep going. And I have a plan in life. You know, in the next five years, I want to achieve that and work toward that. You know, don't every single day you have to have that necessity or desire to keep building what you plan to do from five years ahead. Of course, I can't sit down with you. Sharma Zapata, without talking about soar, you're a baby. You're the founder owner of soar, one of the owners now you started soar, though. So take me a little bit through, because when I think back, even though I've known you for so long, when I think back, it's like you have this guy who comes this country, right, who starts as a dishwasher, moves up. How in the world would you get an opportunity, the finances, the opportunity, the location West Hollywood. I mean, you know, hard it is to get a location in West Hollywood for a restaurant. Yet. How did all that come about? Whoever is in this country, knowing that, you know, we live in a country, that is amazing. I mean, I love this country. I love the opportunity that this country bring to people.
16:21
So based on that, you had a lot of chances to win. Yes, you know, I came for a country which is a beautiful country Argentina. I love Argentina is in my heart, but it's tough. You know, corruption is big.
16:34
You know, can we say that Argentina, it is in the third world country? Yes, yes. So, you know, I know exactly how tough it is. And like Argentina, there are many other countries in the world that they don't have the possibility for you to say, well, I want to achieve this in life, and this and that it could be, but it's America. You you have the possibility. You have the give you. You have the opportunity, and you know, take advantage of that opportunity, you know, and work toward that restaurant business for me was, I don't call it an accident, but it was something that it was an opportunity, that it was not in my plan, my plan, it was acting. I want to act, and that and that. So you have to also learn that you have to start a new life. Your goal it will be to be a famous actor. That's nothing that you never end. That's your passion, that's your love, that's what you want to do. But on the same time, the reality that this is the opportunity maybe to, you know, yeah, exactly. So you have to put everything in there. And you the tool that you have. I mean, as an actor, you know, we people, they like to acting, and they learn how to act, and it's kind of, you learn how to manipulate, you know, be another person at the same time, you know, you have the skill to, you know, say, Okay, I'm gonna divide myself and create this character and build this person. And I, you know, that's what I like to do. So I was able to do that. So how did you get sore, like, how did you find, did you have a real estate agent working with like, did you have someone or you just happen,
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you just saw an opportunity.
18:00
So this is the opportunity. This is when you have to really do it, jump in, you know, if you think too much, the train will pass. You know, when, when I move, when I decided to stay. I didn't think too much. I execute. I was in that time. I was a server, a good server, working in a place called Cynthia's, and I was really doing my job. You know, the way that I wanted to do, you know, I was always on top of, you know, on time and doing, you know, and connected with the customers and this and that. So I learned, and I was 27 years old in that time, sur it been opened by this family, Argentinian family, that, you know, opened originally, then there, but in a few months that since they opened, they noticed that it's not going to work for them. They didn't have the experience. They didn't have the probably, the idea they need help. They need help in order to continue with the business. And, you know, sometimes Destiny put in the same place absolutely. Yeah. So I was friend of the family, so somehow I was getting closer to them and and technically, the offer was there, you know, say, well, we got it. We got an offer for you. But you know, in order to get to receive that kind of offer, you need to be prepared. You need to show them that you are the one to help them, mutual help, yeah. And so they offer me, you know, a big percent of the place if I were able to live in what I had at the place that I used to work and jump in, and that's what you have to really think fast, because in that time I have my own salary, my own apartment, my car, my timing, you know, you start living the dream already at that early age. But when you jump in to be honor, you in a place that is dead, you know, right? I was dying, dying exactly so you you need to have, you will probably, you know, it's a big challenge that some people probably will say, thank you. But I passed, in my case, I said, thank you. I take it and you jumped. I mean jumping, and I eventually, you know, surely, I lost everything I love my app.
20:00
I mean, I lost my car. I ended up living in a couch with a friend of mine. I was honored already. So, you know, I was fighting for something that I believe that I can do. So that is, that is profound, though, because you were stable, yeah, and then you had this opportunity, and you jumped, yeah. No. Sacrifice. A big sacrifice. Look where you are now, yeah. So I work from 6am to midnight, you know, working and be there. I knew what to do. I I changed completely what it was, because originally it was an Argentina state house, and I had my culture of working in restaurant. It was more like an American French style. So I said, Well, the only reason, the only way that I will get involved in sur if we change everything, let's keep the name, but I won't change. I want to remove the Argentinian flag. I want to paint everything in white. I want to put candle. I want to change the music, everything. So it was an agreement from the family to accept, you know, my terms in and, you know, and go from there. And I change everything. I change the menu. It was sore though. It was called sore when you got, yeah, because it's and why was it? So, why was it called, sort, because of South, sur being south, right? Because I know now it's an acronym. Like I said, when, when was original Sur? It was an Argentina state house, right? So it's a famous Tango song. So sur means south. So if you are Argentinian, you feel like you sur means a lot. There's many meaning that shows my I'm not fully Argent, yeah? It's
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something
21:27
that, you know, we consider that this, I didn't know it was a famous tango, yeah?
21:33
But he sings too, yeah? That could be so.
21:39
But now it's an acronym, right? SOAR, s, u, r stands for sexy, unique restaurant that we're gonna go. Yeah, we'll go there in a second. But, yeah, so I thought, because I thought for I didn't know that it was actually already called sore. So that's interesting to know. Yeah. So I, you know, jump in, and in a few months, I was able to, you know, establish and make this place better and better and better with the time the family decided to to go back to Argentina, and I was able to buy their part. So I was 100% owner of that place. And then, and then I met my wife, Natalie, in there. Ah, yes, we love Natalie. So Natalie, Natalie is, we'll talk about Natalie in a minute, but Natalie is a French national. French national, yes, far from an Argentinian Yes. So I met Natalie. I fell in love with Natalie, and Natalie brought something very unique, unique to me, and to do everything, you know. And then after that, which we go back to Natalie, trust me. But when did Lisa Vanderpump and Todd come in? And that was 2004
22:39
Okay, so you started the restaurant in what year 1998 Natalie, 2001
22:47
and well, together, you know, Xinjiang, together, we start going to the start thinking about to go to the next level. And I was looking for that investor to allow me to, for me to keep half of the business, sell and grow and, you know, make this place double, you know, the side and everything. And that's when I met Ken and Lisa Todd, and they like my proposal. Then we connect immediately with them. They were about to get a partnership in many other places in West Hollywood, but they decided just to invest with me and the rest of history. No, I was just with you, and we celebrated, I celebrated year anniversary of became partner with Lisa. Not, not the original, from the original part, but, you know, 20 years, you know, partnership is with a business is tired too. It's like a marriage. It's a marriage, professional marriage, which is, you know, you have to have discipline to maintain that as a business, restaurant is very tough. What's Hollywood is tough. Also is challenging. But I love challenge, so it's something that is another topic that I always pursue, to people to to have in there, you know, the challenge, willing to compete, willing to, you know, to grow and willing to jump into the outside of your comfort zone. You know, it is something that you need to do in order to, I always say that you need to die and born again in order to be successful. Otherwise you cannot do it. You have to leave everything, leave everything behind, and jump into the, you know, the unknown, the unknown. And you see what happens? Right? The restaurant opens, the partnership begins, it transforms, and then you are now in the middle of a reality show called Vanderpump Rules, yeah? Well, I mean, I know there was a period of time, but it's like, you need to be creative. You need to be constantly, if it's not a show, something else you know, work in the menu, working, which is fashion in order to bring to the restaurant. Yeah, and what's interesting to me, because this is a show about immigrants, right? Right? That you have this restaurant that's extremely successful has an amazing history with you, then becomes iconic situation because of the reality TV show, but it's all immigrants that started it, right between.
25:00
You Argentinian, right? And Ally French, and then Ken and Lisa British, right? The British. So you have four immigrants creating this, let's be honest. You know, Americans, it's a country for immigrants from day one. So, you know, we all immigrants. Course, it is, but that's what this show is about, is to, is to kind of show and kind of talk about these immigrant stories and things that people that are maybe not first, second generation immigrants, right, right, but that are been here well, and they turn their TV and they watch Vanderpump Rules, and they don't even process sometimes we forget, right, that we wouldn't have this show. We wouldn't have soar, we wouldn't have all these fun things, you know, to entertain us without immigrants. So it's, it's the idea of,
25:43
you know, acknowledging and accepting the fact that, look, this amazing show Vanderpump rolls at millions of people. I think we're in the 11th season now, 12th season. Now on Hulu, right on Hulu, yep, yep. So, I mean, for 12 seasons, people around the world, because I know people that around the world watch mandarbles, enjoy the show that was created by us immigrants. So it's important, I think, that we acknowledge that, and we give
26:11
credit to that, that, yeah, well, many other cases, and it's good that you, you know, want to connect within and pass the message that is possible as an immigrant to come over here and and pursue it, and like I said, it's when you suffer, but when it's tougher is even more challenging than but what you bring, I mean, it's also what immigrants bring to the United States with them, right? They don't just bring their bodies, they bring their their histories, they bring their cultures, they bring their ideas, they bring their language, they bring their food, they bring entertainment. I mean, there's so much that comes with an immigrant that we have to kind of nurture and appreciate that we sometimes we forget about, yeah, so we know that, you know, in Argentina, you were already acting right, and doing stuff. You come to the US. You know, this whole journey begins kind of diverting you a little bit away, obviously, from your acting career, but coming right back to where you are now doing amazing. You do a lot of commercials, you do a lot of features. You're doing TV, I mean, ever, and you're doing it here and in Argentina now, not just here. So tell me a little bit about that journey and how you because you did right there was a period where you weren't doing, obviously, anything, yeah, no. How did you find your way back? I always feel like I was doing something, you know, like I said when I go back to explain you that, you know, as an actor, you always have to, you know, leave Guillermo inside of that place that you live and go outside. So for me, it was like always doing a stage. You know, actors love to do a stage, you know, in, you know, perform. And I feel like the restaurant for on my head. It was like a stage for me. It was like, you know, always getting ready, going, you know, com my hair, you know, always be, you know. And I would jump in. And every single day I was kind of performing, you know, half and half, you know, you had to be you, but at the same time I was able to perform. So I never lost that. So few years after, I was able to find an agent, my dear friend Gloria njosa, that I still represented by her, and I was able to be a SAG member, and I was able to start working in commercials. So I was always have a little bit of income, and a little bit of, you know, something hope, because I was already since 1990 I'm sac member since 1994
28:27
so I'm still member, sack member until today. So I was always able to do something as a model, as an actor, a little part here, little part there. So I was always keeping it. It was not strong enough for me to say, well, I can I have this contract in order for me to focus 100%
28:43
on this. But I was always have it in there so, you know, but the restaurant, it was something that I
28:50
was me in the situation that I am right now, I kind of figured it out that I need to go for different plan
28:57
than be keep auditioning and keep, you know, waiting for the phone call of the agent calling you, which is, you know, normal what you do, but sometimes you can do that, or you can just, you know, be proactive and start saying, You know what, I'm gonna, what about if we go straight to the point, I'm gonna produce my own stuff, and maybe I find a better way to, you know, go in this direction, because the competition is a lot, and there's always something. And if you are, you know, you'll find your own way. So I'm pretty much jumping and start using, you know, start in short films, producing it, acting in short films, just to start slowly getting involved. Because a producer, as a producer on films, it's kind of the same thing that I produce the rest of them, you know, men, you know, contact with employees have. It's a lot of similar, similarity from have a restaurant, you know, in a daily base, then produce. That's interesting. Well, it is. It's running a business, writing a business. So in the same head, you just start putting together, but you have to start very small, like I start with the restaurant. So that's what I start with, very short films.
30:00
With friends, and we'll put a little bit of budget in there and and try to make as much cooler this. And I jump in. So from there, I start, and then jump into films and and then start using what I left behind, which is, you know, all my contact in Argentina, my possibility to contact and to show, eventually, what I believe that is one of the greatest places for for actors and filming Argentina is super talented in every way. So I kind of convinced myself that that's the way for me to
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start doing it and do the films in Argentina, bring it over here, find distribution, and that's pretty much what I'm doing right now. Tell me a little bit about because you you've been acting in Argentina, and you act here, yes, you just had your new film come out. The cloud, the clouds. Yes, amazing. I've seen it. You all need to see it. Amazon and Apple TV, excellent. Yeah, it's a great movie. Action packed. Great movie. Amazing. You produced it, yeah, you acted in it, correct? Yes, excellent. I mean, it's really good. So if anyone out there has not seen it, they need to go see it. Thank you. I'm curious of one thing, because, you know, like I said, I'm married to a Spanish speaker. When my husband speaks in Spanish or talks in Spanish, he's a little bit of a different person than when he speaks in English. And I don't care how good your English is or how good your you know, I think your native language is still your native language, no matter how you could be here 500 years and it's still gonna be so tell me about acting in Spanish. You know what you notice that is your first language when you have to count money, cash, yeah, you go back to your first language. Really, I don't know if somebody
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every language you want, but when you stand to count money, my wife, Natalie, too, when she has, you know, she go for French. That's because my husband also does addition, like when he does the math, like when he's or he's done the bill at the restaurant. He's always doing in Spanish, yeah. But how about acting? I mean, do you feel more comfortable acting in Spanish than you do in English? Or is it different more jobs to do it in English, you know. But I, you know, after so many years, I think I'm able to, but you feel like you're a different person, like when you act in Spanish versus acting English. Do you feel like you're different? I don't know. This time is like a, you know, I think in English, you know what I mean. So it is something
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we have the accent, you know, sometimes the accent, you know, it will be something that, you know, could work new work for different project, but Spanish and English.
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I think it's for me, I enjoy both something different, but they're different, right? I mean, you bring something different to each Yes, yes, yes. You will have to bring something different. So when you're not around, because obviously, you have to go film, you have to be on set so you're not in the restaurant. Do you feel like a pool like well, because you have such a such a strong connection with sore Yeah, I know. But that that's, it's true, and I have something that is, I need to be there in order to deliver to the customer that they come in. I have such a respect for customer, whoever walk inside of the restaurant, because it's just for me. It's like you bring your guests to your home, you know, you just want to make sure that everything and every single customer, everyone out there that maybe haven't been to sort it is a very homey feeling when you walk into sore and that's what I feel to eat. I mean, it's beautiful, and it's I'm personally give the Welcome to the end and make sure that they're fun and it's good for them, and it's good for the employees as well, because they see that, you know, the owner care about it. You know, they care that we want to, you know. And those people that they make a reservation, I constantly say to my employees that they need to understand it, that, you know, it doesn't happen, that they got the phone and we want to eat and go no sure is something that people have reservation for months. It's an experience. It's an experience that they've been preparing this moment for four months, or perhaps for years, and they come for all over the world. So it is so important when they come to do the restaurant and deliver what they expecting and beyond. But going back to what you said, and going back to Natalie, I think that I'm able to do everything that I do because I have the love of my wife, a partner that you know in life, on the support, and she does an amazing job because she's next to me on Sur. So she is the one with the brain that makes sur going. I'm always saying that I'm like a balloon. You know, the balloon is doing that, but she's the one holding it. She's holding the stick
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in more ways than one, she is the one holding the stick. And I have to ask this, if you had to ask, if you had to pick an actor that you would love to act with, who would it
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be the greatest, that's no doubt for me, is Daniel Lewis.
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Yeah, I'm thinking he is. So if he's listening, he should definitely call you and you guys, yeah, like I said, you know, that's key number one. Then you know, there is many actors I have respect for. A lot of actors when they champion and they do the job and and then, you know, when they're able to be established actor. Means something. You know that, you know they earn what they do. They do their their mind. Respect.
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And, but that guy is just beyond, you know, that guy transformed himself, you know, on the latin community, you can just see, you know, also Javier Bardeen, I think, you know, he was able also to deliver, you know, an amazing characters. And that's, you know, I think he probably does two actors that I have a lot of respect for them, you know. And now, going back to the immigrant theme of this whole podcast, is that Natalie's a French national, you're an Argentinian national. You've come together and had two gorgeous children that you've raised. And how was it in that environment of having two cultures, because you have two cultures, two languages, coming together and creating a family, happens all the time, but not necessarily, when you have two different cultures, like that a French and Argentinian in the home. Did you speak Spanish? Did you speak French? Did you speak English? What was we speak English at home? Yeah. And then growing up, did you guys speak to them only in English? There is something that I've been, you know, probably in my head is like in at home. We have to, we live in America, you know, the first language is English, so, but you can also, you know, like Natalie, talk to them and say they were a little in French. So they speak French fluently.
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I spoke, but not the way that Natalie did with them. But now they just, just a little, you know, teenager that they we speak more because they learn school, and that's what I want them for learn. I want them to learn. And they have the, the necessity to learn, to talk to me in that language. And now they have it, and I feel comfortable now to jump into the Spanish with them. So do you speak to them in Spanish, like on a now I do have, yeah, have English, have Spanish, because on the same time, I learned French. So now
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I learned French because my wife, yeah, and because we travel every year to France, and, you know, I'm connected with their parents. They don't speak English or Spanish, so I kind of jump into the language to learn it. So, and then my wife, my mother, is Italian, so I speak Italian as well. So there is a lot of language that we speak now at home when, you know, and we speak Italian, French, Spanish, English and and it's fun. Yeah, it's fun, but in the moment when they were growing up, I keep that English, but I have to tell you, you know, there are studies, there's millions of studies done, right, that kids that learn more than one language. You know, when they're really little, I'm talking about like 123, years old, more languages they give the more, the easier it is for them to pick up languages as they grow older. So the fact that now they spoke to them in French, plus they were hearing English from you, plus outside they were hearing English, and then they were probably hearing Spanish. When you would go visit Argentina, they would hear the Spanish. So, you know, that's probably why now it's probably like, it's my dream, right? Having Italian, Spanish, French, English, all. I mean, I love languages in all in a house, but I do agree that, you know, the US is English is our language, and we should learn English primarily, right? But I do 100% stand with Natalie on the fact that we should, you know, we should talk to our kids. But I go back to the way that probably, since I grew up with a father, what I love my father, he passed away, but, you know, he's in my heart, and he says in my idol and everything, but he kind of forced me to do something when I was a kid, music and music, and you had to sing what I'm telling you. You had to think and and I want to go play soccer with my friend. I know you have to study music, so I don't want to. I don't want to do that to my kids. So I very tough with you staff with it. So I don't want to push my girl to speak Spanish, because this is my language. That's my language. So when they were kid, yes, I dropped some work in Spanish that. But you see that there's no connection, and they want to, they contact, you know, they go back to you in English. So I kind of step away from that pushing, and that's why, probably I'm kind of different, and then the other person, because I feel like, you know, parent shouldn't be pushing, you know, well, it came from your childhood. I mean, it came from your history, right? Your decisions. I don't think there's any right or wrong answer. I think
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I am just love languages, and I love the whole idea of mixture of different cultures, and I think people sometimes are scared of that, right? I mean, I'm American, and my husband's Argentinian. He only spoke Spanish to them growing up, I only spoke English, and the kids are brilliant. I mean, they're brilliant. Of course, they're my kids, so they're but they're brilliant, because the kids would look at me and speak in English, and they would look at him and speak in Spanish, like, I didn't know what Mommy doesn't understand what that is. So like, he would say, sold, you know, to Poppy. And they would look at me and go, son, like I didn't know what I was talking about. But it's interesting, because kids are just sponges, and they, like I said, they're both learning, and they go, yeah, when they want to talk in Spanish, we jump into, well, now it doesn't matter. I mean, they're older, they know everything. They know what you know when they're a kid. I was very careful not to push in any way, you know, like, we like acting, you know, they both have that little brilliant also in the genus, and they did commercials on TV and that. But we never pushed the.
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On a way to say you have to do these because, you know, you understand that this is the same, that you need to continue. But they're both did it, but at their point, when they were a teenager, she said, very clear, I don't want to do this anymore, and we stop it. Do you feel, evershamoe, that you have some type of obligation to Latin community as being in now in the public eye with with Vanderpump Rules and having this very successful restaurant, and now doing movies and being more, you know, exposed. Do you feel any sense of like a responsibility to Latin community, to be a certain way, or to speak out, or I think I have the responsibility, like I'm doing right now is just to give the message and to tell them that it's possible that there is thank you for doing that. Yeah, thank you for and I think it might only get obligation is just to pass the message more than that, you know. I think, you know, over the years, I was able to, through my work, to give a lot of work to people, and, you know, to the community and in, you know, to give back on my own. I don't give back
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an easy way. I'm honest, you know. So I what they're going to hear from me is honesty. They're going to hurt for me that you know, I don't feel sorry for anybody. I don't want you to feel sorry for me or for whoever you know. I want you to do the job and believe in what you're doing. You come to this country to do good, to do perhaps better than what your own country can bring to you or your future. So when you make that kind of determination, is up to you to make that big commitment with this amazing country and do good, you know, and that, you know, consequence of that you will be generated, you know, good in your life and for for the people next to you. So I will, I will probably
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advise to go in that direction. You know, having
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lead by example, lead by example, that's what you're doing, and that's what I do. I'm connected within I'm proud to be Latino, and proud to be part of that and and I'm always, you know, supporting, you know, immigrant for you know, not only Latino one, but any immigrant, they come over here to believe that we are in the right place, perfect. So what advice would you give your 22 year old self from today? Like, if you could go back and give your 22 year old self gain off the plane in LA, what advice would you give? Yeah, I'm not good. To give advice to people and just yourself that keep going, keep dreaming what you had never lost. You know, the fire that you have in your heart, that the only fuel that you will have in order to continue in life, if you if you feel that, you know that fuel on your heart is is given up. You know, just to
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always, you know, bring a read, connect with people. They can just fill it up, the love in order to have the North enough fuel in your heart to keep going, never lose that, you know, keep always building that
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believe in what you doing and keep going one day, you know, at least you, you you have the support of this country, and keep going and fight for what you want. Really fight and never give up. Because sometime, you know, after a few years, you say like it's not going to happen. It will happen. It's all depend on you. It's not dependent of any president who is in charge, who is in charge here, or the government or whatever. No, they have their own problem. They have to figure it out on their own what to do. And they're thinking about then. So nobody thinking about you, just you the person that you need to think in yourself and and you know, and just do the best and just always keep the smiling and keep going. So I will probably tell him, keep going. Keep going. Never give up, right? You know. So my advice to whoever want to be an actor and come to Hollywood is, perhaps, if you come in with idea, or live in this country and live acting on the side, and you know, maybe you know it will happen or not, but you want to live here, and you want to have a great life, and especially in Los Angeles, which is beautiful,
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stay in your country. Believe in what you are. Believe because today, for today, is completely different than before. You can have a film that it can go, you know, it can do very well in your own country. And then, you know that film will cross frontiers, and then you will come with a different presentation to America, because, you know, you come with a film that is a word, you know, you can go with your film from your own country to festival all over the world, and that will allow you to come strong to America. It's interesting. I'm really happy you said that, and this has nothing to do with the interviews, interviews with immigrants, but I tell people that all the time, like in the artists in the world, and I'm glad you brought that up, because I want to accentuate that fact, because a lot of artists internationally want to come to the States and they want to get visas and they want to come here, and I tell them, in the world we live in? Be Amazing where you are first, because we have such a global world now, and everything moves so quickly and so fluidly between countries that be amazing where you are. Don't be afraid. You don't have to be in Hollywood to be amazing. You could be amazing in,
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you know, Uzbekistan. You could be amazing any.
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Wear in the world and grow that, and then use that to catapult yourself, if you want, still, into the United States market. So it's
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so
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strong, it's so strong that whatever you do, even in your form, you can check something that it will go virus. And, you know, people will have the desire to be next to you. And in that case, Hollywood will open the door in a different way, exactly, and this is the way that you will have to probably pursue it as an enemy. But you come in, you know, to America, you know, but surely to learn to, you know, to experience, to spend a couple years, maybe to pursue it or not, but at least to learn the language, to connect to to experience. You know, what is it about to take opportunity with that kind of mentality? Okay, that that might work. You know, you might learn something in life that will help you in the future to build. But it's tough, right? No, it's tough. So the last question I have for you, and then I want to taste some Argentinian deliciousness, is, if I made you pick one thing about the US that you love. What is it? The fact that you know United States compared with the other country is is, I don't want to say 50 years ahead of the game of any other countries. Okay? So the fact that you know you are in a country that they already are ahead of the game compared with that. It's just for me, it's super challenging, because I always want one. I'm curious to see what's next. And I want to be, I want to be challenged. I want to be next to I want to be the clearly, you want to be challenged, yeah, for sure, the family group here. I want to be, I want to be surround myself with smart people. And if I, you know, I want to, I want to learn from there. I don't feel humiliated, you know, to be the lowest, you know, brain in this group, because I want to be with those people, you know. And that's what America bring, you know, to any person that they can from another country, be challenged, be next to the top. And like I said, if you make it in, in Los Angeles, what is one of the toughest city in the world, you know you got, you can make it anywhere, any part of the world. And that's what America bring to
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me. I mean, it's just love Excellent. Well, what is the one food, or what is the one deliciousness that you stuck that stuck with you after you left Argentina? I think the alfajores, yeah, there's something that inside Alpha Horace stuck with, yeah, this is something that
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you know, as an Argentinian, 99% of Argentina we love dulce de leche. Yeah, I think we say that we created, well, I have, actually, I looked it up because I was curious, like, where do so let you came from. And according to what I read, there's a debate about but I wrote and I wrote it down. It says the most common story links it to Argentina from the 19th century, where it said it to have been discovered accidentally when a maid left milk and sugar cooking for too long. I don't know if that's true, because I read online, there's a bunch of theories, but I'm gonna go with that one, because I'm gonna go with that one because I'm charging teens. I think it does pretty, pretty good one. And it's, it's basically our, you know, it for people who out there who don't know what it is, it's basically caramelized milk. It's not caramel, right? It's not caramel. A lot of people think it's caramel, but it's not, and I can vouch, as an American, being here many generations, is not caramel. It's much, much better going back to what you're saying, if I keep something that I love for Argentina,
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and I have to say, you know, I fortunately, I get the benefit of having an Argentina in my home. So we have this stuff all the time, but they have a powdered sugar one, which you probably yeah the blancos. Yeah, love blancos. And I like, honestly, I think I like these. I mean, I think I like the blancos more. But for you, I'm gonna have the
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chocolate.
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It's so good. It's so good, yes, and inside it's a cookie, and then it has Dulce leche, and then it's covered in chocolate. It's so good. So something I can eat one, the second one, the third one is like three of these. Imagine, no, how about it? I won't do that. I have a sweet tooth, but I can eat three of these. I will tell you what I could I will do something that many people will find I wanted you to do a first so I don't feel bad. This is I'm gonna actually take the Duce leche and just eat the Duce leche.
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So good. It's so, so, so good. What are the ones that are called their Massena, right? That made with that? Those micena, those at micena. It's like it's made it's not made with this. It's different. It's, yes, it's made it with exactly. I don't know how to translate. That is a different way, too. Yeah, it's a different type of alpha chord, but those the little ones, because they come little, they're basically the same the Alpha code is, but they're small and they're made from a different material. The they're set the do, so that's sandwiched between a different material. What is it called? So I pronounce it right myself.
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Yeah,
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those I could eat, like five, six, but
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anyway,
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you guys go to Argentina. Yes, you have to bring us a souvenirs and alfajores. But yes, if you got an opportunity to go Argentina, I always tell people that it's a place that I'm going every day, every year, like at least twice years ago, I visited my mother. My family is well there. And I'm thinking, you know, Argentina is, is my it is in part of my heart too. So it's a beautiful country, and fortunately, I get to speak to it, because I've been there so so many times, right? But now, I mean, after being there so many times. Guilhermo, yes, you know my favorite part, no, is the food, the food. I've been to many, many places in the world, but I'm sorry, Argentina, you really are you accept my invitation. I like to do barbecues at home. Oh, Argentina, I love to do that. I will be there. I will be there. But thank you so much. No thank you for being here. Alrighty, a huge thank you to Geshe mozapada for sharing his powerful story from leaving Buenos Aires with little more than ambition in a dream to navigate a new language in a new country, building a career in acting, stepping behind the camera to produce films, and transforming a small little restaurant into one of the most iconic hot spots in Los Angeles. Soar guilhermo shows us that the immigrant journey isn't just about survival, it's about reinvention, perseverance and the courage to create something entirely your own from the ground up. If
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you want to see guilhermos World in Action, visit sor restaurant in West Hollywood. Tune into Vanderpump Rules to catch him on screen and follow him on Instagram to stay updated on his latest film projects and creative ventures, because, believe it or not, he's only just begun and he's nowhere near done. If you enjoyed today's conversation, don't forget to please rate review and share this episode, and if you're watching this episode on YouTube, please make sure to comment and like and share it, and don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any of our future episodes. I'm your host, Andrea Shev, and remember, please behind every immigration story is a human story. Thanks for listening, and we'll see you next time on interviews with immigrants.
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You