Furious 7 Cast, Plot, News & Trailer: Romeo Santos on How He & Fellow Latinos Can Relate to his Dominican Character [WATCH]
Has "The King of Bachata," Romeo Santos, found another 'throne' to reign -- the movie set?
The Dominican singer and composer recently made his acting debut in "Furious 7," the latest installment of the hugely popular "Fast & Furious" franchise, which hits theaters on April 3.
In "Furious 7," Santos plays Armando, a.k.a "Mando," who plays "a helpful friend of Dom and Brian's in the Dominican Republic." He helps Mia Torreto (played by Jordana Brewster) by providing her safety at his mansion in the Dominican Republic.
As a longtime fan of the "Fast & Furious" films, Santos said that he's "honored" to be part of the latest production during a recent interview in Spanish.
Upon describing his character, "Mando," Santos pointed out some parallels between his character to both his on and off-stage personas as well as Latinos overall.
"Personally, the majority of us Latinos are that way. I'm portraying a character who is extending a hand to a friend that needs my help ... and that's what we do, and thats what I would do in my personal life," Santos said.
He went on to explain that in some ways he can "identify" with "Mando," which in turn made the role easier for him. "Family is everything," he added.
In an earlier interview, Santos -- whose real name is Anthony Santos -- admitted that his nerves were at an all-time high when he went on the set of "Furious 7."
"I was very nervous. It's a whole different dynamic. You're not Romeo the singer. The entire cast made me feel so comfortable. But I walked into the set very very nervous," he told CBSNews.com.
With millions of loyal fans from the U.S. the Dominican Republic and around the world, the bachata singer's on-stage persona, "Romeo" is also comparable to "Furious 7's" "Mando," according to Santos.
He explained that "I'm Anthony; I'm a bit more timid, more reserved. This persona, Romeo, who is the alter-ego of Anthony, is somewhat like Armando. A man with power, very secure ... controls the Dominican Republic. I'm not saying that I control the Dominican Republic," he sepecified. "I have a good reputation, so I control a little part of it," he smiled.
While on tour last year, Santos announced the exciting news that he would have a role in "Furious 7" alongside "Fast & Furious" favorite Vin Diesel. Santos also pointed out that Domincans love Diesel because he's a "genuine person."
Also a songwriter and record producer, Santos was the featured composer and former lead singer of the Bachata group Aventura. He recently teamed up with Marc Anthony for "Yo También" and posted the official video via Twitter.
In "Furious 7," the action-packed thriller brings the speed, adrenaline rush, good looks and an impressive line-up of sharp, high speed cars and stunts from L.A. to Abu Dhabi that are sure to impress audiences around the world.
"Continuing the global exploits in the unstoppable franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson lead the returning cast of 'Furious 7,'" according to Universal's International Division. "James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series that also welcomes back favorites Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Elsa Pataky and Lucas Black."
"Furious 7" also includes some new additions, including MMA fighter Ronda Rousey, as well as international action stars being added to the franchise, including Jason Statham, Djimon Hounsou, Tony Jaa, Nathalie Emmanuel and Kurt Russell. Neal H. Moritz, Diesel and Michael Fottrell also return to produce the film written by Chris Morgan.
The late Walker filmed most of his scenes for the film before his tragic death in November 2013 in Valencia, California, where he was killed in a car crash. Walker's death halted production and pushed back the film's release date so his friends, family, cast members and fans could mourn.
Check out Santos' interview below. "Furious 7," hits theaters on April 3, 2015.
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