Story and Editorial photography by
Katherine Kocian
Additional photography courtesy of
Adrian Alonso
Damian Alonso is no stranger to the stage. The moment he stepped into the spotlight, the young actor was captivated by the magic of performing. Whether starring in school plays or immersing himself in the local movie scene, Alonso possessed a natural talent and an unwavering commitment to his craft.
This dedication, coupled with his undeniable talent, would ultimately catapult him from his small-town roots to the bright lights of Hollywood.
Although born in San Diego, California, the vibrant border town of El Paso, Texas would ultimately become his true home. Here in El Paso, Alonso’s artistic ambitions began taking shape. Initially, a friend invited him to join a theater troupe, and he was stoked to be involved, as he never had access to such a community before. Alonso says he immediately fell in love with the arts and began starring in multiple theater productions with Chapin High School.
“That first day I walked into the theater, I was captivated by the entire environment,” he explains. “From that moment on, it was non-stop acting and theater – I knew this was what I was meant to do.”
From then on, Alonso was captivated, diving headfirst into the local theater scene. The vibrant creative community nurtured his talents and ignited a burning passion. Falling in love with the
theater environment, he wanted to share his passions with his family.
“My parents went to one of my opening nights for a play at Chapin, it was their first time seeing me on stage,” Alonso recalls. “Seeing them look at me differently and telling me they were proud of me is a memory I hold close.”
He soon found himself immersed in the acting world.
Alonso steadily accumulated an impressive array of acting credits through a diverse range of roles. Outside of theater, he began to star in short films such as “My Friend Richard” and “Edge of Desire.” For the short film “Act of Contrition,” Alonso embarked on an adventurous film festival “tour” and in one particularly exciting stop, was honored with a nomination for Best Actor at the Prison City Film Festival.
Being involved in the industry he met Mark Martinez, a local director, who cast him as the lead for his short film “Scarab.” A year later, Martinez reached out about his feature film “Dirt City,” immediately offering Alonso the lead role. He eagerly accepted, throwing himself into intense preparation to embody the character of “Angel.”
After honing his talents through a series of captivating short films in his hometown, Alonso found himself gripping the steering wheel, on his way to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he would audition for his first major feature role in “Banging Laine.”
Despite the nerves that gripped him, the moment he stepped into the room and began auditioning, all those lingering nerves melted away and were replaced by his raw talent and magnetism that captivated the room and led to him being offered the role of Jordan Wiser.
Alonso’s big break into the world of mainstream television came when he landed the role of Jake Matthews on the Disney+ series “Big Shot,” starring the legendary John Stamos and Yvette Nicole Brown. Alonso is a longtime fan of Stamos’ work, particularly his famous role as Uncle Jesse on “Full House,” and a fan of Brown’s, who is known for her beloved role in the hit series “Drake and Josh” as Helen Dubois.
Alonso says he was ecstatic to share the screen with such established and iconic stars.
“John was an absolute rockstar,” he says. “He really took the time to mentor us, and to make sure we all felt comfortable and confident in our roles.”
When preparing for any role, Alonso will utilize music to help himself get into character. For the role of Jake Matthews, he listened to a lot of raucous rap, Drake in particular, as his character seemed to be a jerk with a heart of gold.
While Alonso’s role on the Disney+ series Big Shot had represented a major milestone in his career, he soon found himself presented with another exciting opportunity – a part on the beloved Nickelodeon series “The Really Loud House.”
In preparation for the role of Bobby Santiago, he watched every episode of “The Loud House” as well as the spin-off series “The Casa Grande” to understand Bobby’s background and mannerisms. Portraying Bobby was more than just a role for Alonso – it was a chance to represent a Latino role authentically.
Working hard to channel that “golden retriever energy,” and mixing in his Latino roots, he brought Bobby to life!
His first day on set for “The Really Loud House” was Phil Lewis’ last day on set, who is well-known for his role as Mr. Mosby on “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.” As Alonso said hello to “Mr. Mosby” he turned around to see Brian Stepanek, who played Arwin from “Suite Life of Zach and Cody,” and became truly starstruck to find out Stepanek was one of his co-stars.
“The No Sabo Kid” has become Alonso’s latest passion project, a short film he wrote, directed, and starred in.
The short film represents an exciting new chapter in his filmmaking journey.
Deeply rooted in the culture and landscape of El Paso, where the story is set, “The No Sabo Kid” explores themes of identity, belonging, and the universal desire to connect with one’s heritage. The short film was accepted into the El Paso Film Festival, which was a long-time goal of Alonso’s.
From the initial writing to the production process, creating the short film inspired him to continue pursuing his dreams of becoming an actor and a director.
From his humble beginnings in the vibrant art community of El Paso, Texas, to his current status as a rising star, the 24-year-old actor has navigated the entertainment industry with a rare blend of raw talent. This is only the beginning of Damian Alonso’s career, and the world eagerly awaits the next chapter of his remarkable journey.
