Victor Rusuk opens up about 'Godzilla'
Actor Victor Rusuk talks about starring in the new film 'Godzilla.
Actor Victor Rasuk is a rising star, with big roles in two major upcoming Hollywood movies, "Godzilla" which opens Friday, and "Fifty Shades of Grey," which will be out in theaters next year.
"This Godzilla is the best remake," Rasuk told Fox News Latino. “I literally had hairs sticking out in the back of my neck," he said, referring to the creature’s roar and the computer generated images.
In the "Godzilla" reboot, Rasuk plays Sergeant Tre Morales, a soldier fighting alongside the movie’s main star, Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Together they have to protect humanity from Godzilla and other monsters that have resurfaced from beneath the ocean.
Rasuk gets opening credits in "Godzilla," which also stars Hollywood heavyweights Bryan Cransyon, Ken Watanabe and Sally Hawkins.
"It is the biggest movie I've ever worked on!" Rasuk said.
But Hollywood is not new territory for the 30-year-old actor, who in 2002 received a lot of attention for his role as "Victor" in the independent drama "Raising Victor Vargas."
Since then, he has appeared in numerous films such as "Jobs" and "Lords of Dogtown," and most recently starred in the HBO comedy-drama "How to Make it in America."
Getting cast in "Godzilla" and "Fifty Shades of Grey" was, he said, the result of many years of hard work.
"I'm not regretting all the little films, it led me to become a better actor, to [be able to] put up a good audition," he said.
The New York native of Dominican descent was quick to explain his Arabic last name. "My great grandfather was Lebanese, but he married a Dominican," Rasuk said. "The last name carried down but I'm more Dominican than I am Lebanese," he revealed.
Although proud of his Latino roots, Rasuk said he never wants to be defined by them. When he auditioned for "Godzilla," the role was open for any ethnicity. After he was booked for the movie, producers decided to name his character Tre Morales.
"I happen to be Hispanic or Latin or whatever people want to say but I'm an actor first," he said.
Rasuk also recently wrapped filming the highly anticipated movie "Fifty Shades of Grey," the romance drama based on the best-selling saga by E. L. James.
Here he plays José Rodriguez, Anastasia Steele's best friend and romantic rival to Christian Grey. Although Rasuk admits he wasn't familiar with the books before filming, he read the series and did his homework.
"When I got the role and read the book, I said ‘I know what the craze is’," he said.
It was a highly coveted role and Rasuk beat out many Latino actors vying for the part. "When ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ was casting, every actor in Hollywood auditioned for the same role," Rasuk said.
Although he was asked to be tight-lipped about the female-centric movie, which will hit theaters in February of next year, he did offer up reasons why men would enjoy it as well.
"It allows you to see different sides of what men go through," Rasuk said, adding, "I think a lot of men can relate to it, not just women."
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