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Actor Miguel Angel Garcia, who grew up in Ossining and graduated from USC last week, not only has a new movie premiering on Netflix with Dennis Quaid, on Thursday, May 27, he's also currently working on an ABC pilot and has an indie movie on the horizon.
The Netflix movie, "Blue Miracle," was the perfect fit for the young actor who said he sent letters and emails to the producer until he got the part.
The movie, based on a true story, is about how a guardian and his kids from a cash-strapped orphanage partner with a washed-up boat captain for a chance to win a lucrative fishing competition.
Garcia says he plays a homeless street kid who thinks he doesn't need any help but ends up joining the group in their adventure to win the competition.
"I grew up watching Dennis Quaid on TV and then there I was acting beside him," he said from the set of the new pilot he is working on. "He was so nice and funny and very helpful. It was surreal."
Garcia says he knew he wanted to be an actor since he was 11 or 12 years old and went to his parents to ask for help in becoming one.
"My parents have always been very supportive and gone out of their way to help me," he laughs. "My mom would drive me to and from auditions or to the train. It was hard in the early days."
It's still hard he said after years of being turned down until that golden day last year when he was booked for the movie.
From that moment on things have turned around for the young actor who still keeps up with his drama teacher from Ossining High School and his buddies from town.
"My phone keeps going off with texts," he said. "Everyone is excited to see the movie."
Garcia, who of course has seen the movie, said he will probably be too busy to watch tonight. But he knows his parents and friends will be tuned in.
"I expect to hear from them all," he said. "It will be crazy."
In his new project for the ABC series "Promise Land" which tells the story of an ultra-rich Latino family, Garcia plays one of the sons who is always in trouble and into drugs from having too much money and everything handed to him.
It's the exact opposite from his real life and the part in his first movie.
After the series wraps, Garcia is heading back to Los Angeles to work on the indie film.
And although acting is first love, his real desire is to let kids in Westchester and across the country know that they can do what's in their hearts with a lot of hard work.
Garcia said growing up there were no actors in Westchester or anyone around who was into acting besides those at Ossining High where he graduated in 2016.
"I want to be an inspiration to let kids know to follow their dreams and to tell stories through film that help and inspire people," he said.
He also wants to thank his parents, who he said made it all happen for him.
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