For Andrew Reyes, the most pivotal moment of his career started with a prank. Three years ago, he showed up to support a friend at an indie film audition in Orlando. She never showed. “She knew I’d finish what I start,” Andrew says, half laughing, half amazed. “So I went ahead and did the audition. I completely froze. I forgot every line. I bombed.”
But life had its own plan. That night, he got a call. They wanted him back on set, not as a lead, but as a background extra. “I went, and even as just a party guest, it all felt right,” he says. “I made friends, I made connections, and that moment started everything.” A single failed monologue became the beginning of a new life.
Before acting, Andrew spent over a decade working delivery routes for FedEx. The job was steady but draining. “It felt like running into a wall every day,” he recalls. “I was just going through the motions. Nothing made me feel fulfilled.”
Raised to believe in a traditional path, college and a 9-to-5 were always the expected goals. But the camera offered something else. “I realized there’s more I could be doing. I wanted to make people happy, even for a moment,” he says. He rediscovered a dream he had shelved since high school drama class. “I asked myself, why am I still holding on to this dream instead of living it?”
Now 33, Andrew is stepping fully into the light. He’s acted in short films, landed fitness shoots, and modeled for pharmaceutical brands. He’s also expanding his craft with voice-over work, evolving from a delivery man into a performer with purpose. “You’re never too late to start. You just have to know where to start and surround yourself with the right people,” he says. “For me, that meant joining VIP Ignite. They gave me tools, real guidance, and people who genuinely care.”
Andrew describes acting as transformation. “I love bringing scripts to life and seeing joy on people’s faces, especially through laughter. Laughter lets people forget their problems for a while,” he says. Modeling, for him, is a way to showcase not only products but also the art and vision behind them. “It’s about helping someone else’s work shine.”
The biggest mindset shift he’s experienced is about growth. “Being uncomfortable is how you grow,” he explains. “Taking risks is how you become who you’re meant to be. Even playing it safe gives you no guarantees.” He pauses, then smiles. “I’m still learning this one, but communication is key.”
To anyone over 30 wondering if they’ve missed their chance, Andrew offers honest advice. “Take the risk. Get uncomfortable. It’s not as scary as your brain says it is.”
The journey may have started as a joke, but there’s nothing accidental about Andrew Reyes now. He showed up for a friend. He stayed for himself.
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