‘Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo’

WATCH – Machete –

July 11, 2020 – Many of the stories he shares in the documentary are compelling. Back in the day, when he was just a boy, his two role models in his life were John Wayne and his uncle Gilbert. The first was, and still is, his fictional hero. The same one that showed him that as a Mexican he could aspire to a different future by including the actor Pedro González González in his films.

Trejo’s first role was a moment where one could say the universe aligned for him. The actor was speaking at a Cocaine Anonymous meeting in 1985. There, he met a young guy, who shortly after called him for support. He went to meet him at what turned out to be the set of ‘Runaway Train’ (1985), his first movie. The rest is history!

His films include ‘Heat’ (1995), ‘Con Air’ (1997), and ‘Desperado’ (1995) with frequent collaborator Robert Rodriguez. ‘Machete’ is one of Trejo’s most famous characters. Originally developed by Rodriguez for the ‘Spy Kids’ movies; it was later expanded into Trejo’s own series of films aimed at a more adult audience.