Roberto Sanchez may have turned the big “6-0″’ in January, but the time that he’s invested in health and fitness is certainly paying a lifetime of dividends. The star, who has been on our screens for more than 20 years, tells M&F that he’s still bagging roles that were written for actors in their forties.
I caught up with Sanchez last year as his milestone 60th birthday loomed. I discovered that a love of skipping rope and a proclivity for intermittent fasting were keeping father time at bay. Now 60, the star is just as fired-up about being in top shape as ever. And, the continued positive feedback that he gets from casting agencies is putting just as much of a spring in his step as his love of jump rope.
Roberto Sanchez Gets Ready By Staying Ready
In the recent series Dexter: Original Sin, Sanchez played the villainous lone shark Tony Ferrer. In one brutal scene, Sanchez was required to go sans clothes. Well, aside from some plastic sheeting and his alligator skin shoes that is!
And, although the star can’t give any of the story content away ahead of Season 2 of Palm Royale, he did reveal that his character Pinky is also required to wear very few clothes for one very hot scene. “You know, they had given me notice for that,” he says of the Palm Royale shoot. “I had seen the script in advance, and I knew that we were probably going to do that,” he says. “I always stay ready so that I don’t have to get ready. But I’m thinking give me at least two or three weeks. In fact, the notice came about a week in advance, right before Thanksgiving.”
Sanchez jokes that as a result, his Thanksgiving was “horrible,” and involved abstaining from his mother in law’s home cooked brownies, but his commitment certainly paid off. Even in a hotel with no gym, Sanchez says finding a way to exercise is all about being creative.
Do pushups on the floor, use the desk for dips, there’s never an excuse to stay sedentary for too long he explains. Indeed, this actor is redefining how casting departments view those of a certain age.
“When I book something, at least from a personal perspective, the role is usually for somebody in their mid-40s and that’s what the casting notice was,” shares Sanchez. “And then finally, I’m on set, and I’m talking to the producer, or even the director, and they find out how old I am. They’re like, ‘Oh, my God’, you know you look phenomenal … I don’t know, it’s always about making sure primarily that you’re healthy.”
How Roberto Sanchez Prioritizes His Health
In order to stay healthy, Sanchez doesn’t have a cupboard full of supplements. Instead he prefers to get the bulk of his nutrients from whole foods, but he does sip on protein shakes between meals and is also enjoying the benefits of creatine.
Despite a recent ankle injury, the actor has been able to work throughout, and thanks to physical therapy is almost back to 100%. It’s the reason he’s been able to jump from set to set without missing a beat. Next up is the basketball-themed comedy Running Point for Netflix. “I play the chairman of the board,” reveals Sanchez. “So, I’m a no-nonsense kind of guy. Everybody around is wacky, but I’m kind of like the guy that puts his fist out. I had such a great time.”
Despite his youthful outlook, Sanchez is well-aware of the fragility of life. Living in Palmdale, CA, the actor is a safe distance away from the terrible wildfires further south in Los Angeles. But he has friends who are affected by the tragedy.
“It’s not just the people in the Pacific Palisades, which is a very upscale part of LA,” he says. “It’s also everyday folks that have been affected by this. And you know, whatever anybody can do, whether it’s a dollar, $2, whatever anybody can do, man, it would be greatly appreciated.” Those who wish to send their support can donate to the American Red Cross by clicking here!
Turning 60 has forced Sanchez to think about his own mortality too. The star says his mind has been wandering to grown up issues like what happens when he’s no longer around. The star says he has a vast Bruce Lee memorabilia collection and it’s important to him that it ends up in the right hands.
But looking to the past is not high on Roberto Sanchez’s agenda. “I’m a guy that tries to think positively and in a positive space,” he shares. “I feel good, very blessed, and just happy to have another day.” No doubt Sanchez will be bagging roles written for younger guys for many, many years to come!
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