Who would have thought that imitating a television character could be the start of a successful acting career? José Palma tells us how his talent for imitating Elodia, a fictional character in Costa Rica played by actress María Torres, sparked his passion for acting and inspired him to pursue his dreams. Today, this Costa Rican actor is thriving in London, proving that perseverance and a love for the arts can help you achieve your goals.
We recently spoke with the talented Costa Rican actor José Palma, who has participated in film projects for production companies such as Netflix and Marvel. Here, we tell you about his current project, his career, and his essence as a person.
He is originally from Sabanilla, San José, but he doesn’t remember much about this area because his parents moved when he was very young, first to San Carlos and then to Grecia, Alajuela.
In Alajuela, he studied at the Eulogia Ruíz school, where he remembers playing soccer with his friends next to the school, as well as bolinchas.
José Palma is currently in London, England. “I’ve been here for 10 years. I moved to London because I was fascinated by the opportunity to take my career to the next level. I think Costa Rica looks very different in my industry right now, but more than 10 years ago, I felt I needed more challenges,” he said.
How does José Palma define himself?
According to the virtues and flaws that José Palma sees in himself… He considers not giving up when he encounters a barrier and being patient in every situation to be virtues. Regarding flaws, he says he has many, one of which is “being too accommodating.”
Human beings are largely defined by the way we behave according to the teachings and principles instilled in us by our parents, as well as how we treat our neighbors. Incidentally, during our conversation with José, he recalled those teachings from his parents, which he feels fortunate to have received. “My father always told me, ‘Everything has its limits,’ and that has helped me a lot in what I do every day. For example, I apply this when I consider my well-being. My body and mind are tools. If I work too hard and don’t sleep well, my body always makes me pay for it. My mother always told me, ‘Words have a lot of power,’ and today I believe that manifestation has brought me to where I am. It’s very true that words have great power, and if I don’t believe in my words, I won’t believe in my goals.”
Above all, he is a man who loves to cook and play percussion (“I’m not the best, but I can do something”). And very importantly, he is fascinated by photography.
Holding Costa Rica high
José has a 12-year career as an actor, which began in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
He told us that he entered the world of acting thanks to two women: María Torres and his mother. He imitated the Costa Rican character Elodia, played by Costa Rican actress María Torres. “I would pull my pants up as high as I could and ‘fly’. I remember that I loved making my mom and grandmother laugh by playing the character; it was my first taste of entertainment. When my mom saw this imitation, which I hope was good, she pointed out that maybe acting was something I could do. She was the one who planted the seed for my career,” said the actor.
Palma has had the opportunity to be part of series, feature films, short films, theater, video games, voice acting, and much more. “Everything has led me to visit many countries. For example, with Taika Waititi’s series, Time Bandits, I was taken to New Zealand, which was incredible, getting to meet the indigenous Māori people and, of course, working with Lisa Kudrow. As for companies, I have been fortunate to work with Apple, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Marvel, and DC.”
The first project he did with Netflix was called “The Liberator,” where he worked with his good friend Bradley James. In his opinion, it was a wonderful experience because “we all admired Jeb Stuart, who was the showrunner for the series, and we were all on the same page about what we had to do. And then I did more, for example, ”3 Body Problem,“ which was also really cool to be part of this monster of a series.”
With Marvel, he has had the opportunity to work with Tom Hardy, Andy Serkis, and Woody Harrelson in Venom 2. “It was wonderful because they were so kind to me. In fact, I spent my birthday with them, which was a highlight of my life. I hope it happens again.”
Knowledge
He has learned much of his acting knowledge from the best in the industry. Whenever he had the opportunity to work on a series or film, he always paid attention to his more experienced colleagues: how they handled their characters, how they projected their voices, how they handled camera angles, what worked and what didn’t, and how they stayed focused. “The best part was that the opportunities came with acting lessons included, and they didn’t even realize it,” he added.
He has also had the opportunity to attend the Actors Studio in England to gain further knowledge.
Part of the actor’s motivation and inspiration, in his opinion, is that he will never know everything and can always be part of a new story.
Do you have a company/business venture? What is it?
José Palma is the founder of a production company called Meliora Productions in England. The mission of this production company is to bring hidden stories to light for the industry. “I believe there are many stories waiting to be told, especially in Costa Rica. We are currently working on a film called Black Gold, where we want to bring our story to the big screen. During the national campaign, a lot happened in our country, and there is also a lot that is not taught or talked about. We have a very large and talented team, including producers Deepak Sikka and Josh Harris here in England, and in Costa Rica, we are working with the best producer in the country, Esteban Quesada. Our writers are Jeremy Sheldon and Antonella Sudasasi. We are very excited!”
The personal meaning of art and the personal impact of practicing it
In Palma’s opinion, art is food for the soul, it is nourishment for the soul with different flavors. “The great Anthony Hopkins once said: ‘It is the ability to make someone feel the unexpected,’ and I believe that is nourishment. There is something very organic about art that cannot be denied; when you connect with it, it is a reflection of the human condition. That’s why acting rescues me every day; I can do something that is pure for me.
Regarding how the world of acting has changed, Palma believes that it has changed a lot, especially after the pandemic. Something he misses a lot is attending auditions in person with the casting director. “I don’t know why, but that collaboration you get in that room, that fear you feel before you start, that eagerness to find something that might feel a little uncomfortable, that’s what I miss from when I started. After the pandemic, auditions are now done at home, and obviously, that has its advantages, but it’s not the same.
Awards and recognition received
He is currently the recipient of the 2020 Best Actor in an Indie Film award from the Los Angeles Actors Awards.
When asked what José feels he still has left to do or achieve, the Costa Rican actor told us that he still has everything to learn and achieve, and that there are always stories to tell. “I will continue learning until the day I die.”
Highs and lows in acting and how he has overcome them
José told us that actors go through many stages in life, one of which is doubting their profession. “After the pandemic and the actors’ strikes, I didn’t work for two years, and it affected me a lot mentally. I fell into a deep depression because I felt that maybe I had made a mistake in choosing this as a career, leaving my family and my country for something I couldn’t do at the time. It was hard because I didn’t want to give up what I love. My fiancée helped me a lot at that time, telling me that everything would pass, and she was absolutely right. Thanks to her support, I was able to overcome my doubts and realize once again that in this career, we have to be very patient”.
Among the highs, José referred to every opportunity he has to perform, whether in auditions or on set.
Most challenging characters
When discussing the most challenging characters and those he has enjoyed the most in his 12-year career, Palma mentioned the character Hendrik, whom he found challenging because they didn’t have much time to film, so everything happened very quickly and it was often difficult to know if everything would turn out well. At the same time, it was a character he enjoyed because of who he represents in the story.
The character Hendrik is a very current reflection of what it means to be part of a circus artist and someone with a very big heart. Thanks to the character, you can see the dedication that must be had in the circus and the Olympic level of each performance.
One of the questions we asked the Costa Rican actor was whether he had ever played a character similar to José Palma in real life. His answer was no, and that he would be afraid to meet him. “Even so, all the characters have bits of me in them, and maybe bits of who I am now and bits of who I used to be.”
Actors he admires
Among the actors José admires most are Meryl Streep, who he considers to be the best actress around. “I’ve always loved what Marlon Brando did in the past, and I grew up with Robert De Niro and Daniel Day-Lewis. But today, there are many incredible artists that I also admire, such as Edward James Olmos, Diego Luna, Sam Rockwell, Rosamund Pike, Zoe Saldaña, Penelope Cruz, and the list goes on.”
Projects for the rest of this year or in the future
He has a film that will premiere at the BFI (British Film Festival) on October 15th. The film is called High Wire, for which he had the opportunity to work with Isabella Wei. It was directed by Calif Chong, a director from Hong Kong.
The story follows the character Isabella (Go-Wing). We see her days spent working and studying at her father’s Chinese restaurant. Beneath her sense of duty lies an overwhelming loneliness and the prospect of an unsatisfying life. So, when an acrobatic circus comes to town, thanks to a little accidental blackmail, Go-Wing manages to join them, meets the character Hendrik (José Palma), and discovers the promise of community, artistic liberation, and a fulfilling future lived on her own terms.
In the film, they worked alongside the world’s best circus artists and athletes. José’s character was based on the great Prince of Clown (Henry Ayala) and his team, John Silva, Yeison Silva, and Jhon Londoño, who appear in the film. “An unforgettable experience,” he said.
About his beloved country, Costa Rica
What inspires you about Costa Rica? The connection that Ticos have with nature. “Every time I hear about our country’s biodiversity, I realize that Costa Rica is a very unique place. For me, that connection has great value in my life; it is a pure and positive connection. There’s nothing like going to the beach, being in the sea, and seeing those mountains with a green that I can’t see anywhere else. I owe a lot of this to my grandfather, someone else who taught me respect for Mother Earth.”
How can José describe what it means to be Costa Rican, according to the essence of Pura Vida? For him, Costa Rican identity is very interesting. He has been exploring this even more with the Black Gold project, which analyzes the history of Costa Rica. “We see our achievements as a country, but it’s important to see where we fail. Ask me again when we finish the movie,” he said.
The Costa Rican actor also shared a message in which he insists on supporting more national talent and art. “Costa Rica is ready for more. We have the talent to make our mark on the world. Every time I go to the country, I meet professionals who have the skills to work at very high levels. I always hear, ‘Costa Rica has a long way to go,’ and I don’t think that’s right. We should support each other more. Art unites us, art gives us conversation and perspective. Imagine if we looked at national art and found more than what it means to be Costa Rican.”
For José Palma, art is much more than a profession: it is food for the soul, a way to connect with the unexpected and reflect on the human condition…
If you want to follow in the footsteps of Costa Rican actor José Palma, you can follow him on social media, on Instagram @themrpalma and on Facebook: Jose Palma.
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Beleida Delgado
