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thedeaditeslayer · 6 years

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Interview: Ray Santiago ready for the next chapter in life – whatever that is.

Ray Santiago (aka Pablo Simon Bolivar from Ash vs Evil Dead) stopped by to chat with us at 1428 Elm about his memories of the show, what is going on in his world and the future.

“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.” – David Bowie

Along Came Pablo

The heart and soul of the Ghostbeaters on Ash vs Evil Dead was Pablo Simon Bolivar, played for three seasons by the always engaging actor, Ray Santiago. We fell in love with him as the shy clerk at Value Stop who carried a torch for the beautiful Kelly Maxwell (Dana DeLorenzo). We watched him grow into the self-confident El Brujo Especial who helped his Jefe (Bruce Campbell) save the world.

It was the role of a lifetime in a legendary franchise and Santiago played it to perfection. At 1428 Elm, we were fortunate enough to sit down with the actor to discuss his memories of the show, what is going on in his world and his hopes for the future.

The Interview

In the Rearview of the Delta

1428 Elm: Hi, Ray! It’s a pleasure to be speaking with you again. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us at 1428 Elm. We loved the finale and the entire journey of the third season. What was the mood on the set the very last day of shooting? Was it difficult not knowing the fate of the show or is that just business as usual nowadays in tv?

Ray Santiago: I think it was just one of those moments. It was difficult. No one knew if we were coming back. We did our best with the finale so that it could ultimately be the last episode while setting it up for a great fourth season if that is what happened.

For all of us, we were more than a little bit sad that we didn’t really know. If you know the show is done, you can close the chapter and walk away.

We were going through the same thing the fans went through waiting for an answer as to whether or not we would be coming back. So, we were in a very similar place to them.

Looking at a Legacy

1428 Elm: In LA, we talked about the possibility of a spin off happening. Bruce has given you and Dana his blessing. How do you see the series continuing in the future? There has been some interest in an animated version of the show on the part of fans.

RS: I mean, listen, it’s really flattering that people want to keep these characters alive and that they generated such a fan base that people want to continue it. For me, bringing life to Pablo changed my life as Ray in a lot of ways.

So, I will always want to keep Pablo alive and keep the Ghostbeaters alive, as well as the franchise. If they call me in 30 years to do another version of this show, I would. It’s one of those series that is timeless.

I’ll be the voice of Pablo for an animated program, go for it!

1428 Elm: Were you pleased with Pablo’s story arc this season? Is there anything you wished the writers would have considered or done differently?

RS: I was very pleased with my arc. I had no idea that it would culminate in the way that it did. It was great that we got to see the evolution of a guy that started off as a sidekick and became a significant part of the team.

He became his own hero by embracing who he really is and by understanding the power he had within himself to bring to the group and to help save the world from evil. So, I was very pleased with my arc.

Ghostbeaters Never Leave a Man or Woman Behind

RS (Cont.): Do I wish that the Ghostbeaters were there for the final fight? Yeah. Even though it was emotional for each person in that car when Ash sent us off, I really did feel like it would have been nice to see us in the battle with him or to see where we ended up.

Because it wasn’t like us to leave Jefe. For me, he spent three seasons grooming the Ghostbeaters so that they finally have all their strengths and they’re ready to do this and then Ash does it by himself.

It is called Ash vs Evil Dead but I would have loved to see the battle if we would have been a part of it. With that being said, it did make sense the way that they did it.

You know people want to see Ash kill that monster. I just felt bad that we left him.

Acknowledging the Journey

1428 Elm: I want to talk about that scene in the truck. It was very emotional. Watching you looking at Ash was heartbreaking. Were you caught up in the moment? Was that your real reaction?

RS: I think for me since I spent so much time shooting with Bruce what you saw were tears of joy and tears of sadness. They were also tears of recognition and acknowledging the journey that we had been on together as actors and as these characters.

What we started out to do, we did and we did it in a way that was beautiful and satisfying to the fans and to ourselves. For me, it was a moment of “Oh, you may not come back to this.”

You now know that you can walk alone in your next journey because you went through this. So, yeah, that moment that you saw, it was a tough moment for me.

I was pretty mad that we had to share that window because it wasn’t very easy. When I envisioned it, the doors of the vehicle were open and you could really see us.

You’re the Jefe Now

RS (Cont.): You sort of had to find that small window. For me it was hard because I knew I had like two seconds to find it. Originally, Bruce didn’t say anything to me in the last moment.

I said, “I think it’s bizarre that you say something to Kelly, and that you say something to your daughter but you don’t say anything to me.” He said, “Well, what do you think I should say?” I answered, “I don’t know. You’re the Jefe now?”

Bruce liked it and kept it. There was a lot of that between him and I where we would play and things would happen. I was glad that he threw that in because it makes sense when he gives us the final farewell.

It was emotional for all of us. I am glad that the moment worked and that the fans felt it.

Reflections of a Brujo

1428 Elm: Do you have any memories about life on the AVED set that you could share with the fans?

RS: I have a beautiful family at home that raised me but my tv family, my tv Dad and my tv Aunt (Lucy Lawless) and my tv hot stepsister, it was a beautiful thing. We were really a family unit.

Some of the memories I think about are Bruce chartering a boat and taking us out on Easter for Seasons 1 and 2. He also took us out to fancy dinners. We always wanted to hang out on our days off.

It’s not a thing that really happens when you’re around people all the time. There was that and there were wonderful dinners at Rob Tapert’s house where they had sommeliers and chefs that made beautiful meals.

Other great memories for me were becoming friends with the crew. By taking me and showing me their country, that meant a lot but they were also my moral support.

I became really good friends with my hair and makeup team and my wardrobe dresser. Being able to collaborate with everyone was terrific. The costume designer was very hands on with us. It was really nice having that experience.

Welcome to the Evil Dead

RS (Cont.): I will never forget the look I shared with Bruce whenever we showed up and they would tell us what we were doing and they would explain it. We would just look at each other in whatever dark basement we were in and in the midst of shooting and things being set up, we would just find each other’s eyes and start laughing.

It happened once and I thought am I the only one seeing the absurdity of the situation? Then as episodes went on and on, it became this thing that we did. “Yep. This is the Evil Dead. This is our life.”

I remember we hated the blood or we complained about the blood and I’m on this other horror shoot now and I’m thinking there is not enough blood! I am wondering where the rig is and what are we doing? We need more blood!

I am so used to the craziness of Ash vs Evil Dead. The other thing we experienced was we got to travel around the world with Bruce and meet our fans. He is such a showman.

Bruce is number one on that call sheet and he showed me how to be a leader. He has more energy than Dana and I and we’re much younger than he is!

We had a blast making the show and I had a blast watching it. Whenever it would premiere I would be like a little kid.

Now for Something Completely Different, Yet Somehow the Same

1428 Elm: You will be appearing in the very first episode of Blumhouse’s new horror anthology series, Into the Dark on Hulu this October. I know that each segment is going to be the length of a movie. What can you tell us about The Body? Can you tease anything?

RS: I play a young Hollywood wannabe visual effects maker who is also creating a virtual reality experience. He’s a trust fund kid. There is a party on Halloween and a bunch of crazy things happen to him and his friends.

There is a body, it’s Halloween and it’s happening to me and my friends. This has been really fun because the action takes place all in the course of one night. We’re shooting in Los Angeles so I can just pop over to the set really quickly from my place.

We have this great, young horror director named Paul Davis who really knows his shit. He’s thrown a bunch of Easter eggs in the film and we have a great cast, it’s really fast paced.

It has an 80s really culty, Prom Night type of feel to it. It’s really beautiful the way we’re shooting it so I’m excited for it to be coming out. I’m excited to be working with Hulu and Blumhouse.

They’ve been really supportive in allowing us to do what we want to do. My character is sort of high strung, kind of an asshole. He reminds me of Matthew Lillard in Scream.

He’s a little bit different but you’re going to see my eyes bulging out of my head, just like Pablo. In the sense that I am trying to escape being tortured.

1428 Elm: Are you done shooting Speed of Life now?

RS: Yeah. We finished. That was a very amazing experience. I got to work with Ann Dowd. I had my first sex scene with her so I am super excited for the world to see.

It was a bizarre movie and it was nice to not rely on things that weren’t there. In other words, it was nice to act with another person. To have someone there and to have a conversation and let the action be in the words and not practical effects or CGI.

There are some of those things in this movie because it is about a guy who falls into a time warp and he comes back to the future. It seems like I am being followed by this strange portal and time zone kind of film taking me to different places.

I am excited to see where things go. Working with Ann and Allison Tollman was really wonderful because they’re such pros and leading ladies of this industry.

1428 Elm: How is the character that you are playing in Speed of Life different from the one that you are playing in the Body?

RS: The Body is a horror movie. In Speed of Life, it is a romantic comedy. My character loves cracking jokes. He doesn’t take anything seriously.

Then he becomes shaken up when he is thrown into a different time zone. He has to step up to the plate and be a man by trying to save his relationship in a way that he never thought he would have to.

Possibly Getting the Band Back Together in a Different Way

1428 Elm: Could you foresee a non-Ash collaboration with any of your former co-stars?

RS: Certainly! I told Bruce that I wanted to remake Fantasy Island with him. We would laugh about it.

1428 Elm: Is there anything else that you would like to experience in the future career wise? When you sang ‘At the Ballet’ from A Chorus Line at Dortmund, it was surprising! You have such a beautiful voice! Is there something you would like to do where people would say, wow! We didn’t know Ray could do that!

RS: Yeah! I do like to sing. There was talk of them making “In the Heights” (Broadway show by Lin-Manuel Miranda) a film so I would love to do that kind of thing. I would love to be on Broadway whether it be a musical or just a straight play.

I have had a couple people say if there was a chance to do a Prince biopic would I jump at it? Absolutely. I have also been told that I remind people of Freddy Mercury and Jim Croce.

If the opportunity came up to do a multiple camera sitcom, that would be great. I learned so much from doing AVED exploring so many different avenues in a half hour. So, I am really ready for whatever the next chapter is.

It’s fascinating that Blumhouse went for someone like me to play the asshole and the trust fund kid. I don’t know very many Latino trust fund kids so I thought it was a real interesting play and I was happy to do it.

Saying So Long

1428 Elm: Do you have a message for AVED fans?

RS: I would like to thank them for accepting me into their households and into a franchise and for loving me. I love them! I would like them to continuously support and keep their eye on me because I am going to make more stuff. This is just the beginning.

What got me this far was making the choice everyday to believe in myself. When you look in the mirror, that’s all you have is yourself. If you believe, the world will believe in you.

I say to the fans that whatever they do, if they stay true to themselves, the world will speak to them, the same way it has spoken to me.

I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart. I’m happy that they are down with me because this lets me know that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing.

It’s All about Heart

This last part was a special message to Bruce Campbell and Lucy Lawless from Ray. It is touching and I am glad that he shared it with us. This is precisely why Ghostbeaters are for life.

RS: I learned a lot of things from my Dad but I learned more from Bruce. He was the best leader I could have ever had and it makes me sad that this great adventure has come to an end. The saddest thing about my job was when they said, “That’s a wrap,” and I had to go home.

People like Bruce and Lucy who have been in the industry for so long taught me how to do it and how to be happy doing it and what is the right way to do it.

I am so thankful for them and I am also thankful for the fans because without them, we would be nothing.

#Ray Santiago #1428 Elm #Ash vs. Evil Dead #Ash vs Evil Dead

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