Toronto based multi-award-winning Actor – Director Tazito ‘Taz’ Garcia shares with us what he’s been up to before the pandemic and how he’s been staying creative during the Quarantine Era. Taz hopes to brighten the days of many that feel the anxiety of our current situation from personal experience.
For those that are meeting Taz for the first time. He is dubbed “The Nicest Guy on Set.” Besides being a great actor that is known for doing all his own stunts with a Hong Kong-style flavor. His sheer heroic screen presence and charisma are infectious, and he hopes to land the next big MARVEL or DC Superhero role.
So Superhero god’s wherever you are. Now is the time where all our action idols are in their 70s and retiring, hanging their gloves and capes, this guy is ready to hop on. His most recent role is Project X-traction starring Jackie Chan and John Cena, where Taz plays Paddock’s Mercenary, The muscle beside Game of Thrones actor Pilou Asbek’s (Paddock). Taz is also currently in pre-production for one of the largest Canadian co-production set to go to camera in early 2021.
Taz has recently donated $15,000 to PPE and taken to Instagram Live for Q&A’s and free seminars for all his fans and friends. Taz’s been able to connect with over 150,000 people worldwide and get them smiling by the end of the Live broadcast. “I’m just very happy to be able to make you all smile today”- before Taz signed off.
The variety of seminars offer new Action for Film routines (fight choreography), in-home workouts as well as some Film Industry Actor Secrets for all the up and comers.
There’s a light at the end of the tunnel:
Garcia has also shared a more vulnerable side as to how he’s been able to coop and relate to the current situation.
“I know what it’s like to be scared. To be uncertain and drifting around in the unknown like a pilot with no coordinates. It’s one of the reasons why as much as we may hate routines and consider them boring every so often. We like it. Routines allow us as individuals to foster our habits, jobs, and experiences to match our goals, ambitions, and aspirations at full speed. At this point, this virus is a speed bump with no definitive end.
The storm will pass, I promise. The reason I say this is because I know – we just don’t know when. When I was 10, I was stuck in a Doha, Qatar. A foreign country that I spent most of my earlier years. In the 90s, it got dragged into a war, The GULF WAR. We had a curfew, much like quarantine. It was for an unknown period. All we knew is between 6:30 PM onwards that would be better known as “blackout time.” That was the time where all buildings, condos, apartments, and houses switched off all lights so the fighter jets above wouldn’t identify the buildings in 3D. Everything looked flat when dark from above.
We also had no certainty of when it would be done. We didn’t know if it was safe to go out and grab groceries or even stay home tucked under a desk.
We weren’t certain if we were the next intentional or accidental target of the flurries of ground and airstrikes. We had no wifi, no skype, no social media, and barely any cell phones. We couldn’t even check on our friends down the street as quickly as we can check on someone in a different country like nowadays. We are blessed.
Looking back, though, I feel blessed to have been through it because it taught me it’s okay to be scared. Uncertain. To be okay with letting go of control of life and routines and adjust to what is happening, temporarily. Every moment could be sweet or bitter based on a mindset. I could learn to live for the now and be okay with knowing there is no tomorrow or spend today worrying about when tomorrow will come.
Most importantly, I learned that without tasting sour, I won’t be able to identify the taste of sweetness. Many times what is deadly is the unknown. Much like the dark. We may not necessarily fear the dark, but we may fear what’s lurking within. Which generally speaking, as humans, we tend to draw the scary worst-case scenario.
…the positive. There are many times because of that routine; we’ll call that the 1.0 is our comfort bubble. Be it work, relationship, skill, etc. We need that bubble to pop. Gently or abruptly to push us to adapt, modify, and grow to our 2.0 level. We learn to be flexible and bend; we will withstand the worst of winds and storms. Sure, if we decide to look back at where we were, we will feel stuck for some time, and not ‘bend’ then we can break and stay broken and hope for it all to pass.
You are a superhero right now. A hero to yourself, to others, your children, and family.
It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay for those around you to understand you’re scared. It is one of the sensations of being a human. What makes us heroes is despite fear, heroes are the first to jump in when everyone else is ready to jump out!
Here’s a tip: Start your day by writing out a few things you’re happy and grateful for. Even ‘for granted’ things. Like being able to see through both eyes. Breathe. Walk Talk. etc
Much love and strength to you and anyone else that’s been struck.
In the modified words of Rocky: Corona will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it! You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done.
