What does it really mean to give your life to art, not the spotlight, but the craft itself?

In this episode of Call Cut with Angelique, I sit down with my dear friend Mauricio Bustamante, a Mexican born actor, Vietnam veteran, and longtime teacher at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Mauricio shares how a single acting class with Lee in 1973 felt like meeting Einstein, and how that moment changed the entire trajectory of his life.

We talk about:

• Growing up in a family that actually cheered when he said, "I want to be an actor"

• Finding home at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute and what Method training really asks of an actor

• The real difference between actors and movie stars, and why chasing fame will never satisfy the soul

• Behind the scenes stories from our film Sarina's Song, including working with Margot Kidder and Michael O'Keefe

• Marilyn Monroe's steadfast devotion to the craft, how her work with Strasberg was misunderstood, and why portrayals like Blonde can be so damaging

• Why mocking a character kills a performance, and how compassion for the role changes everything

• The state of art today, attention span culture, and why quick content can never replace deep creative work

• AI, technology, and what happens if we lose the human soul inside our stories

• The genius of today's kids and teens, from Gen Z to Gen Alpha, and why Mauricio believes they will help correct the course

• How early labels and "soul wounds" shape us, and why shadow work, self worth, and unity consciousness are essential for healing

This episode is for actors, writers, directors, and anyone who has ever wondered if their dreams are worth the sacrifice. Mauricio reminds us that you can be rich in all the ways that matter without ever chasing the illusion of fame, and that real success lives in devotion to the work, love for humanity, and the courage to keep going.

If this conversation resonates, subscribe, rate, and share with a fellow artist who needs the reminder that they are not behind; they are already on the path.

New episodes of Call Cut with Angelique drop every Friday. No matter what life gives you, remember, you must always keep shining.