DANNY TREJO
"Machete don't text."
 |
| Image from NYdailynews.com |
We've all gladly sucked in the lies Hollywood has fed us. The criminal world is full attractive, twenty-something young men with quick wit, charming attitudes, and a glorious, star studded life. From the low life gangsters to the elite world of thievery, the good and the bad never looked so...well. Porcelain pretty and perfect. And then there's Danny Trejo. An actor who will not bow down and spit shine your television screen. This 66 year old, tight-lipped man of steel and muscle is not afraid to be dirty, gritty, and generally reign hell and brimstone with nothing but an icy glare and quick throwing hand. Trejo himself did not lead a charmed life--he spent his young life as a child drug dealer and spent eleven years in and out of a couple places you might've heard of: Tracy Prison, San Quentin State Prison, and Soledad Prison. In short, he kind of missed the whole free love and peace part of the 60s (but seems to have made up for it). And now, he's a big part of talking to kids to keep them out of that way of life. Frankly, if Danny Trejo stepped me aside and told me to start behaving myself, I'd probably be so terrified I'd join a convent the next day.
Best Roles: The knifethrowing Navajas in Desperado (1995), Trejo on Trejo in Heat (1995), the snarling Razor Charlie in From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), and finally getting the lead role he deserves as Machete in Machete (2010).
Little Known Factoid: He's second cousins with the man who just happens to hire him so often, Robert Rodriguez, though neither of them were aware of the fact until they were filming Desperado together. The badassitry does not fall far from the tree.
Personal Quotes: It was the funniest thing I'd ever heard. I'd been in Soledad, San Quentin, Folsom, Vacaville, Susanville, Sierra--and here's a guy asking, "Can you act like a convict?" I remember I said. "I'll give it a shot".
Little Known Factoid: He's second cousins with the man who just happens to hire him so often, Robert Rodriguez, though neither of them were aware of the fact until they were filming Desperado together. The badassitry does not fall far from the tree.
An awesome post!
ReplyDeleteLove Trejo in "Desperado" for sure.
And let's not forget...he's badass enough to do a guest starring role on Modern Family and STILL seem like a badass. I'm just saying.
ReplyDelete<3
@ Rachel [f.g.i]--Thanks! I JUST rewatched Desperado, hence why I immediately had to post about Trejo. He KILLS in that movie. I mean, literally, but. You know what I mean.
ReplyDelete@ E.--Damn straight he is! He could guest star on the Powerpuff girls and still be the shit. And I definitely have to see that episode.
Trejo rocks the world of badasses. He's one of my all time faves. Desperado and Machete, nuff said. Your comment at Filmmattic brought me here and I will be returning. Any one who has a BAMF of the week rules.
ReplyDeleteDesperado and Machete are just way too cool, and Trejo blows everyone out of the water in both of them. I have to be honest, I didn't know who to cheer for in Desperado--El Mariachi or Trejo. They were both just way too epic.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm glad you like the BAMF of the week! I have much too much fun with it. Anyone who's a friend of Road to Perdition is a friend of mine.
Nice post. This dude is synonymous with badassness. His Vampire character in From Dusk Till Dawn was equal parts maniacal and just plain scary. I never knew he had a prison stint. It makes sense.
ReplyDeleteThanks! He definitely is synonymous with badassness. I'm sure if you looked up badassness in the dictionary, his picture would be right beside it. And his vampire character was a tank. I definitely don't think it's a stretch of the imagination to see him with a record.
ReplyDelete