Noel G, known for his roles in iconic films like 'Fast and Furious' and 'Training Day,' shares his journey from street life to Hollywood success. He discusses the challenges of being typecast, the importance of integrity, and his passion for helping others. The conversation touches on his experiences in the film industry, including the realities of independent filmmaking and the impact of his past on his present. Noel also emphasizes the significance of faith and personal growth, sharing insights on how to navigate life's challenges and pursue dreams.
Topics:hollywood experiencesfaith and integrityovercoming challengesindependent filmmakingtypecastingpersonal growthhelping otherslife lessons
EP284 ..this podcast episode originally aired 12/20/2020
Actor Noel G, commonly known as playing characters named Hector in films joins the podcast for the first time back in late 2020. Get to know his story in this early Hard Parking episode throwback.
"...en do you get to hear the three spoon motor Honda Civic? Oh man, I hear that every day bro."
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This is Hard Park and brought to you by right Honda and right Toyota out of Scottsdale, AZ. I'm your host Jay Fanning,
recording from my home studio in Gilbert, AZ.
Coming up on today's show, we take another look back at AJ Classic. No LG.
You guys know him as Hector. Pretty much in every movie.
Fast and Furious Training Day, The Purge and all the above.
This was the first time I went out of the house and took my equipment to somewhere else to record.
This has been digitally remastered, thank God.
But the podcast has obviously come a long way and from this interview I felt a really pretty good relationship with no LG.
He's just the phone and the text away.
He's been on the show a half a dozen times at least by now.
But this was from December of 2020, which means this was probably episode God, I don't know, 50 maybe?
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1st. I want to say that I've seen a
psychos path. Oh, OK, that's what's up.
So hopefully you're hearing good news about that.
Yeah, we. It's it's a movie that we did.
OK, well, go ahead. Go ahead.
No, go ahead. Oh, OK.
No, it's a movie that we did. And Long story short, I did it
with my production company because it's kind of crazy and I never knew this. The number one money maker in
Hollywood period is horror films.
So I always tell people there's, you know, two ways something's going to happen for you. You either get the opportunity
or you create your own opportunity.
And so Long story short, we did that film to generate money so we can really make the film that we want to make.
That's not to say that it was a bad film.
It's just, well, you know, if they like horror movies like Halloween or Friday the 13th, then they should have liked that film. If they don't like movies like
Halloween and Friday the 13th, then they're not going to like the movie. But Long story short, we made
that movie just because, you know, one mistake that I've seen the most with people in Hollywood is they try to make their baby film without the right amount of money.
You can't make Star Wars with $100,000.
You know, you can make a movie like Friday maybe for that because it's just two guys smoking weed in the hood.
But if you're going to make Star Wars, you need $510,000,000 because you're building spaceships in space and whatever. So anyways, man, that's kind of
the heart behind that movie. You know, was, you know, there's
two ways you always make it in the business.
A millionaire believes in you and says there's $1,000,000 check, go make your movie. Or you make your own millions
and then you go make it yourself.
And so I wasn't going to make my baby project without the right amount of money. So that's kind of, you know, the
story behind Cycle's path. But again, you know, it doesn't
mean that we didn't put quality into it.
All right, for the simple fact that it was a horror movie.
But again, if you're a fan of Friday 13th or Halloween, then you should love that film. So, you know, we just went for
it. But we're getting some good
feedback. People are loving Rampage.
You know, Rampage is my boy. That's the UFC fighter right
there. And he brought it, you know what
I'm saying? That's a mean guy.
That's one one guy you don't want to mess with.
And our little special remedy other than candy man is that was the first movie ever with the black serial killer.
So that's, that's right. That that was our, that was our
special remedy. That was our, that was our
secret sauce, you know, in that film or whatever.
But it was crazy because, you know, there was 1 candy man, like I said, but ours was the second.
So, you know, that was cool man. And that's available right now.
You know, people could check it out on Hulu 2, BTV, Amazon Prime, pretty much everything but Netflix, yes.
What time is that? Maybe it it felt like a 60s or
70s. Yeah, it was a throwback.
It was late 60s, early 70s, you know, I would say early 70s.
And I like the film because I got to play a different role.
You know, I play a cop. I got a full head of hair, no
mustache, no goatee. I played a whole different role,
you know, because I like actors who could play different roles, you know, not just stuck in the one roll or whatever.
But yeah, psychos path, man. Check that movie out.
Good horror film. If you like to be scared this
Christmas, it's a good one to put on the list.
And, you know, just give it a watch.
And by watching that film, you help me get a little closer to my dream, you know, So I try to give something for something so I can make something happen because I believe in the old school method where, you know, in in hookups and business wise.
Scratch my back. I scratch your back, you know,
so it's a whole different talk right there.
But. Let's jump there real quick.
What is your dream? Well, my dream is basically
helping people. You know, I want to, I want to
help people. And you know, if I got to get
100 with it, I want to help people serve the Lord.
You know, right now I haven't been the greatest example of that. You know, my marriage messed me
up. So it's it's been rough.
But the ultimate goal is to come back 100% full in integrity with God and serve the Lord and lead people to God and let them know that. Let them know that Jesus is, you
know, really the true the true way.
But that's just my opinion. I never push my belief on
someone else. They decide to hear or not hear.
I respect, you know, everybody, to each their own, but if they were to come to me and ask my opinion, how are you doing it?
How could I do it? That's the answer that I would
give. I feel that, feel that.
So you've been in a lot of different things.
And then like my people, which I consider the car people know you as one and then there's other people out there that may know you from something else. Like what do you think you're
most recognized for? Well, you know, I'm, I'm cursed
with the name Hector, man. I say it as a joke, but it's not
a joke. I'm starting to think it's my
real name. Everywhere I go, I'd be in the
mall, I'd be like Hector. I'm like, what's up, man?
Starting to think I got to change my name or my ID, right?
But Long story short, man, and that's not, you know, that that's all coincidental. It's not like I'm calling my
manager. And if I'm not Hector in this
next movie, then I'm not doing the movie.
It just happens to be that every project, I go out with 80% of them and the script is named Hector.
And so, you know, if it's not broke, don't fix it.
So I just kind of like it now and kind of kept it as a trademark because it's working and, you know, whatever.
So I don't even look like a Noel.
I look like a Hector in real life, you know, so I keep it.
But yeah, Long story short, what I get recognized the most for is, you know, training Day, of course, Fast and the Furious, Bruce Almighty, The Purge, Anarchy, getting a lot of recognition off of that. You know, The Walking Dead, my
TV show, the Fresh Off the Boat and just little things here and there. Sometimes people will bring up
movies that they just pull up out the woodworks and they're like yo Gee, like I, I remember you from Party Animals or you know, harsh times or something like what?
Like I didn't even trip out on that.
I'm like damn, like all right, like, you know, some of those movies didn't get its fair roll of dice, you know what I'm saying? But people catch them.
This movie I just did called the movie called Sailboat Boy called Sailboat where I played a father is a whole different role for me. You know, getting a little
recognition off of that by the kids 'cause that was a kid movie. And you know, so I get
recognized here and there, but I'm on a medium level.
You know, I'm not like Kevin Hart of the Rock where I can't live a normal life. You know, I'm, I'm on a medium
level where I'm able to live a normal life.
And sometimes I get recognized, sometimes I don't, you know, if, if I get recognized, I do, if I don't, I'm a normal person like everybody else. You know, I've, I've always come
in just normal and you know, I deal with it when it comes so.
So you're more the guy where man, I've I've seen you in something. I've seen you in something or
like we're at Wright Toyota a few months ago and the guy asked, he said you look familiar.
And I go, no, he's he's I forgot what I said, but you kind of chuckled about it. So you get more of those.
I've seen you in something. Yeah, yeah.
I get a lot of people that, you know, you see one cholo you see in the mall, right? So I get a lot of people that
are like, you know, hey, did I go to high school with you?
Like, like, dude, my cousin looks like you are, you know, people will be like, hey, were you ever it, were you in Walmart like 2 weeks ago? You know, I get stuff like that
sometimes because they can't figure it out because I dress like this, you know what I mean? Like, I don't care.
Like I, I just dress normal, whatever, whatever.
So it's just funny, you know, sometimes you deal with, you know, I've had some funny fan moments, you know, in other words, but it's a, it's a blessing, you know, But like I said, I, I never say anything If I get recognized, I do.
If I don't, I don't. I'm a normal person like anyone
else. Speaking of Walmart, do you ever
get recognized for those videos you did back in the day?
Were they Walmart when you're doing the instructional videos or the training videos? No, I don't, man.
Those were like 30 years ago, you know, and I don't get, I never really got recognized for any of those.
To keep it real with you. I've never on those.
No, I never have. You know, it'd be some bizarre
shit though. Yeah, that would be kind of off
the cuff, man, because I did a lot of videos, like they're called industrial videos and I didn't, I did videos for like, you know, hospitals where I was the patient that the doctors were operating on. And that was an instructional
video to show doctors how to work on a patient.
You know, So I've done things like that.
I've done, you know, but I started developing this, you know, bad guy reputation. So like when I got got hired for
like, you know, the Walmart training videos for security, it was like, this is what you do if you see someone stealing in the store. And I was the one stealing, like
the CDs. Yeah, loss prevention and stuff
like that. So, you know, it's kind of
funny. I've done it all, you know, like
when, when you, when I was first starting out as an actor, I did it all from industrial videos to infomercials to things like that before I started getting, you know, television stuff and movie stuff and so on. You've also been really open on
all these interviews that I've watched about admitting that some movies suck, and I'm glad. I wish more people admitted
that, but the paycheck doesn't. Which leads me to the following.
So you would tell the stories of your first gig?
It was a Taco Bell commercial, which unsuspecting people can look that up or we can jump into it a little bit.
You get your first check afterwards, right?
You thought that maybe somebody had fucked up on some shit.
Now do you just are? Are actual movies?
Do movies work the same way, or do you get paid all up front for the movie? Or a little bit of both.
No, no, it's movies work the same way, you know, it just depends on what you do. But you know, you learn.
So when you do an independent movie, for example, it's kind of funny because I always, I always make a joke that's a joke, but not a joke. I say if all the promises that
were made to me were kept, I'd be a billionaire, not a millionaire, I'd be a billionaire.
So you learn how to protect yourself, you know, and on independent movies, you hardly ever, ever, ever see the back end money. If you happen to be one of those
people who pays me the back end money, then Hallelujah an Amen.
And you're the first person to do it out of, you know, 500 people who didn't do it. You know what I'm saying?
So you learn how to protect yourself in business.
And I never say I know everything because I don't know everything, but I've been very fortunate to know enough to learn how to protect myself in business.
So you don't get screwed, you know.
And so when I do an independent movie, you take more of the money up front because you know that 99% of the time you're not going to see any of the movie on the back end because, you know, people just haven't paid out or pay you on the back end.
And, you know, with with studio films, you don't have to worry about that though. Everything's legit.
Studio films, you get paid for doing the film, plus you get paid when people watch it, rent it.
And you get residual checks. Like for example, training day
in Fast and the Furious, Bruce, these are all movies I did, you know, 20 years ago and I'm still getting checks to this day.
Now it's lunch money, you know, of course, but you know, back then because everybody's seen it, rented it, watched it, you know, whatever, whatever. So it kind of works now where
you know, all the money that the the home run is in the starting and then the money fades because as the movie gets older and watch so much, the checks get smaller.
So that's kind of how it works with the payment in, in Hollywood. So you get your first
Hollywood's scary. Hollywood's scary too, you know,
because Hollywood's scary because sometimes you work, then you don't work, then you work, then you don't work.
You know, we got a real nerve wracking job, you know what I'm saying? Because our job we don't get
fired from and we don't quit. It starts and it ends.
So we got, we got a nerve wracking job sometimes, you know, sometimes we're like, damn, man, when are we going to get our, our next, our next job or whatever.
So. You got to add your money.
Yeah, it could get scary sometimes.
So sometimes you got to, you got to get your money right then and there and make your money upfront and, you know, just just make sure it goes right, you know, and then you got, that's why so many actors have clothing lines and restaurants and, you know, invest in real estate and they're doing other things because that's where they make most of their money more than more than they do with the movies.
You get your first huge check, like I'll say Fast and Furious, right? Because that movie is just, it's
iconic now. What's your face like?
Like take me back to that time when you get this check.
No, Fast and the Furious saved me in a way, you know, because it saved me in a little bit of a way.
Because before Fast and the Furious I was living the street life. I was, you know, stealing cars
and robbing houses and I was doing a knucklehead stuff.
And then when I did Fast and the Furious, I made so much money I didn't have to steal anymore ever again in my life.
Now it's crazy because back in the early days, like I used to be stupid, like I used to steal like a pack of gum or a snicker bar or whatever, just because I really at the time, you know, couldn't really afford that stuff and I could afford it.
I take that back. I don't want to go too extreme.
I could afford. I just, I just used to take it
because I just did that stuff, right.
So I buy like a bag of chips and a drink, but I put a snicker bar in my pocket. But now I've been very blessed
and now it's at a point where I can't even steal a pack of gum because I have the money to pay. I feel so guilty, you know what
I'm saying? So it's kind of weird.
So it kind of saved me in a way, you know, it's like when I saw my first Fast and Furious check, I was like, oh, I don't got to do crime no more to make money. Like I got paid legit, you know
what I'm saying? So it actually helped me in a
big way. And this is kind of where I knew
my life was was changing or going to change.
I never forget this story. I remember one time I went to
the bank and same bank I've been going to forever.
Before Fast and Furious, I worked all types of nine to five jobs. I worked at Denny's, Olive
Garden, Burger King, delivered pizzas, worked at Toys-R-Us, KB toy Store, Walmart, Kmart, like I worked at all these places, right? And going to the same bank for
years, for years, you know, depositing my little checks, whatever. All of a sudden I get the fast
and furious check. I go to the bank.
I never forget this story. Go up to the window, same bank
I've been going to for years. And the lady goes, do you, you
have a financial advisor? And I said, Nah.
And she goes, you should really see about getting the financial advisor. I'd like to take you to the back
and you know, just, you know, have some people talk to you.
I said, all right, cool, manager of the bank comes over, the other guy comes over. They all introduce themselves.
They do their spill. They tell me how I should invest
my money and what I should do with it.
And I let them, you know, try to sell me like I'm listening.
I'm hearing them out. And then when they were all
done, I go, you guys are all funny.
I go, you know, I've been coming to this bank for 6-7 years, been depositing my checks and all of a sudden I'm depositing a fat check and now all you guys want to come out the woodworks and introduce yourself. I go you guys are fun.
I go F all you all man. I go put my money in the bank
bro. And then I left that bank and it
was just so funny, you know. So that's why I like the house
market fell back in the days because they were doing quantity over quality. So all these personal experience
have taught me so much where, you know, before I mess with anyone in business, I do a heart check and a personality check first because I like to know who I'm helping and why.
You know, what the purpose is, what their gift is inside of them. And Long story short, So Fast
and the Furious, The reason why I say it saved me is because you know, when you get experiences like this in your life, it teaches you so much to realize and how to operate with people going forward in the future. You know, you, you're not AG
until you're AG. You're only AG when you've been
through some stuff, made some mistakes, or, you know, counter those mistakes and overcome them in order to know what's up, to know what's up, to be the G that you are.
So moving forward, you can, you cannot make the same mistakes.
You're going to be like, yo-yo, man, I did that last time, Gee, but it ain't going to work on me this time, you know what I'm saying? And so that's what helped me in
knowing how to deal with people and the heart of people and the purpose of people, because helping people is the most awesome thing in the world. But you can't at the same time
allow yourself to be taken advantage of.
You know what I mean? And who you help.
So I could give many examples of that.
But anyways, man, that's, that's what the and the money took me in a different sin, though. You know it.
It helped me because, you know, Mike Tyson made a comment and one of his most famous comments was rich too soon, smart too late. And that's exactly what happened
to me. I didn't know how to invest.
I didn't know how to save money. I didn't know what to do with
my, I had no clue. I just got a bunch of money and
I was loving life. You know what?
I can't say I didn't have some great moment, you know what I mean? Like at the club with, you know,
the girls on the table and the bottles and the limos and whatever. But it taught me and shaped me
and molded me into how I operate today.
And so that's why I say Fast and the Furious really helped me and saved me. It saved me in so many different
ways for the simple fact that it showed me what not to do now.
So how old were you during that time?
20 something I was 2223. Oh, the current you.
If that situation were to happen again, do you think it'd be the same? Like, so if I could go back in
time and talk to myself, yeah, I would tell me slow down, save the money. Through age comes perspective,
yeah. Invest, you know, be wise, you,
you know, use wisdom and be careful.
Know who your real friends are because you know, when I had that money at the time, oh, I had an entourage for sure.
You know, I had all kinds of homies and where they at now?
And now there's only like, you know, to keep it 100 from back then. There's maybe only like under 5.
You know, that are still around today that were the real ones.
You know, I've been fortunate to have some real friends in my life and I always tell people to like, I'd rather have one real friend than 100 fake ones. And that's something very
important to me. So there are some people who are
still around to this day. And you remember little things,
you know, like 1 little thing I remember and I never forget was so it was funny because back in the days everyone always used to complain about driving. Everyone like wanted to get
drunk and, and, and, and not drive.
So because I had money at the time, I go, OK, I'm going to fix that problem. I'm going to get us a limo.
Everyone show up to the house, park your car.
We're all going to jump in the limo.
Now everybody could drink and no one has to worry about driving because we got a driver and let's just have fun.
And that limo bill became pretty expensive.
I was getting the limo almost like 3-4 times a week.
You know, my friends know what's up.
They were there and those limo days and I was paying for it, all right? I didn't care because I just
wanted to have a good time. And I knew what not being able
to having not having money was, you know, whatever, whatever this is, you know, 20 years ago, whatever.
But. And there's more checks coming
because. And there's more checks and then
like I'm I'm living life. And what ended up happening was
I never forget one of my friends one time behind everybody's back came up to be a private and said, hey, Gee, I don't got a lot of money, but I know that you're always spending all the money on the limo. Every single time we're in a
limo and he goes, this time I want to cover the cost.
He goes, let me pay for it. And he didn't even have the
money to do that at the time. He did it because he knew that I
kept on paying for it, paying for it, paying for it.
And when that happened, I never forget that because it hit me.
It was like, wow, man, like this dude's broke.
But because he realizes I'm paying all the time, he wants to step up and be like, let me cover the cost this time.
And I thought that was one of the most awesomest things in the world. So, you know, he got Tooken care
of more than the other people later because I knew his heart was in the right spot. But sometimes we didn't have the
means to do it, but he did his best to do it.
And now in this generation, we live in a give me generation.
Everybody wants, wants, wants, wants, but they don't want to work for it. They don't want to prove
themselves, you know, worthy of earning it or having it.
And the reason why people progress in life is because of integrity. You're a man who says what you
do, you know, you're a person who says what you do and all these different things. And even if your word is late,
you still do what you say you're going to do.
And it's just funny. We live in a funny world now,
you know, it's the, the respect and discipline, not a lot of it, but a lot of it has went out the door and it's a, it's a whole different world now. You know that we're in, you
know, when times are getting harder, people are more scandalous, right? Cut throat.
And it's just, it's crazy. It's crazy.
You know, you brought up an excellent thing about working for it, and one of the questions that I have for you is, so this is podcasting and there's a lot of people who jump in a podcast and they do 3 or 4 episodes and they start looking for sponsors.
Like, hey, when do I get paid? When do I get paid?
Like what would you tell those people based on what you just said? Essentially, like you got to put
the work in, Like what right now?
What is your message to everybody starting out podcasting? Looking for sponsorship money
from day one? I would say, first of all, if
you're doing it for money and money alone, not out of your heart, that you're doing it for the wrong reasons.
Period. Anyways, you know what?
What I've learned in life, man, is that when you do something from your heart for real, for real, and it's about the relationship and the people, you don't got to worry about what's coming back to you because it's going to come back to you in the right time. God is never going to give you
anything if he can't trust you in the little.
If He can't trust you in the little, He's not going to give you a lot. And so if you're doing it for
the wrong reasons to begin with, you're probably going to crash and burn. You know, you do it for the
purpose of the reason why you're doing it.
Even on Shark Tank, you know, they say figure out what the problem is and come up with a solution.
Everybody wants the solution. Everybody wants help.
It took me 8 years to get my first movie, but I did it because of heart and passion. That wouldn't stop me because I
just love doing it so much and I didn't have to worry about the money. The money came with it.
So I would tell people, you know, the podcast that people are going to watch anyways are the ones that are genuine and real. That's not to say that a funny,
entertaining one can't make it either.
Sure, sure. But so I don't want to exclude
that. But I think a podcast that
changes someone's heart and someone's way of thinking and renews the person, kind of giving the hopeless hope, would go much further in the long run than one that just made somebody laugh for a quick second, in my opinion.
And we all got our own opinion. But I'm now at the point where I
want to help change lives, right?
And you can't change a life without renewing the heart and the mind first. And you know, a lot of that
comes from God and his word. Well, actually all of it does.
And that's what I'm trying to say now.
You know, like I really changed as a person when I was younger.
I was a cool guy and I was humble and I was, you know, I was happy go lucky. I was always, you know, cool
with everybody. I've never been, you know, even
when I was drunk, I was the happy drunk.
I wasn't the one who wanted to fight, you know, I was always a happy drunk and just loving life.
But through that experience, I've learned that it's more about people and wanting to change their art.
And it's funny, a lot of people say you're brainwashed.
Well, my brain needs a washing from everything that's happened in the past. I'm at I'm at a different point
now in my life. So I would tell people that are
starting at a podcast before you even engage, do it for the right reason. Do it for the for the genuine
purpose of the of the project of what it is you're trying to do with the message you're trying to get across.
And you know, dirt will stop itself and you know, genuine and good will will, will, will continue to flourish.
You know what I'm saying? So just is what it is, but I'm
all about the people now, man. I, I really, I really, I really
changed, man. God has renewed my mindset and
has pushed the refresh button. And you know, I just, I just
want to help. I want to see everybody succeed.
I, I even made a comment when I first got in this business because I started noticing it. I said people, there would be no
hate in this business if people understood that there was enough room for everybody in this business.
That's it right there. So that's, you know, that's what
I tell people, man, there's a lot more to that.
But that was kind of a hard question and a little caught off guard, which is good. I like that.
But I like being challenged because it it helps me in my, in my, you know, in my life also as well.
So, but yeah, that's what I would say in a nutshell right now. That would be my nutshell answer
to that question. So you said before, and that was
a good response too, by the way. People got to put the reps in,
you know, they got to do the reps and you help enough people get what they want. I know it's very cliche, but
eventually they get what you want.
You were asked before in other interviews, and I'm not going to ask you, but in a sense, by answering this, it's kind of the same thing about being typecast. You had a really good response
about not caring about being, you know, being typecast because the work is the work, right? Like where does that come from?
It just comes from real life, you know, like if I'm not going to do it, someone else is going to do it, you know what I mean?
And there's certain things that I wouldn't do and I would do as as far to a character of a movie that I play in just for the simple fact that to each their own.
To each their own, no judgement. No, you know, but like Dave
Chappelle said, like you like you watch Dave Chappelle's YouTube video, he's like, you ain't going to put the black man in the dress. Like it ain't going to happen.
Like, and they were telling him like, you know, this black guy did it, this black guy did it, this black guy did it, but I'm the black man who's not going to do it.
And I'm the Mexican Latino guy who's not going to do it.
Like I'm not comfortable in a dress.
I'm not going to wear a dress. I wouldn't play.
I wouldn't play a gay guy. No judgement.
I got gay friends. You know, in Hollywood, you
learn how to make all kinds of different friends that are real, genuine friends of mine. We shared these things with each
other before. No judgement, but I just won't
play a gay role. I won't wear a dress.
There's certain roles that I would not take on that I just won't do because I just wouldn't do them, you know?
But if they need a street gangster cat and some hardcore, like, I'll play that, like, you know, whatever.
But it's, it's, you know, Hollywood.
All it is really is just giving me a platform to be heard and share my voice with whoever is willing to listen.
I always tell people that if you can't give a positive message to two people privately, you don't even deserve to be in front of 1000 people or 5000 people anyways.
It doesn't matter. You don't do it for the glory
and recognition. You do it because that's truly
what's in your heart to do. Because I genuinely like helping
people and it does not have to be seen by anybody.
I do it because that's me and that's what I want to do and that's what I do. You know what I mean?
So I help a lot of people. And you know, the best way to
say it is you don't do it for the audience of people anyways.
You do it for the audience of one, which is God.
And that's all who needs to see it and know it.
And you know, that's why I do it, because we have so much hate in this world. And with everything going on
right now, people need help there.
There's so many suicides happening.
There's people that are turning to drugs to get away from their problems, drinking to get away from their problems.
But when you turn to those solutions, you wake up to it the next day because you didn't deal with your problem.
You just covered it up. You just covered it up.
You masked it. And you got to you got to you
got to deal with your problems. You know, when you got to face
them head on and you got to go through it.
But when you go through the storm, you come out of winter on the other side. So I just let people know, man,
like I did it, you can do it. It's not easy.
It's rough. You're going to hit your speed
bumps. You're going to have your uphill
battles that feel like you're going uphill both ways and but you're going to make it through because God will never give you anything that you can't handle. If you think you can't handle
it, it's because you think you can't handle it.
But your father says different. He says, no, you can handle it.
You just got a man up, woman up and go handle it.
And once you go through the the, the excuse, my French, the shit and the dirt and the, and the filth, you're going to come out clean on the other side to be a winner that you were meant to be. And those are the stories that
make people strong for the simple fact that you end up being someone else's strength. You end up being someone else's
hope. You end up being someone else's
dream. You end up being someone else's
answer because you're able to say I was there at one time, right where you're at right now. I myself thought I wasn't going
to make it. I myself thought I wasn't going
to come through. But look at me, I came through.
I made it. This is what I did.
I did AB and C and you could do it too, man, and be where I'm at. And so people just got to, and I
know it's hard. I, I got a heart, man.
I know it's hard. I'm not saying it's easy.
It's not going to be easy, but if you keep on pushing through and that's why we need God's strength to do it because God lets us know we can't do it on our own strength.
We do need help and we do it on his strength.
We got to be God confident, not self confident.
You know, God is our power source.
And that's why I tell people, man, the more that we get into line with God, the more God. God cannot bless mess.
You're all out of order, but you want to be blessed.
It don't work like that before you put yourself in the order, a piece at a time. God will bless and then God will
bless, and then I'll take care and then you'll start noticing your new life starting to get back into order.
Can't make chicken salad out of chicken.
Shit. There you go.
Yeah, there you go. I wanted to respond to one thing
that you put on a shirt. Yeah.
Not a bumper. There's nothing wrong first
because there's going to be people who listen to this and then watch your other, you know, interviews that take some major issue with some of the things that you were saying about roles that you wouldn't play. I don't think there's anything
wrong with that. Everybody still has the right to
be themselves. It doesn't mean you don't like,
like you were saying, doesn't mean you don't like homosexuals, Doesn't mean you don't. You don't, you're not down with
all that. You know, you don't have
friends. That does not mean that it's
just your own personal choice and people need to understand that because those are the type of statements in today's cancel culture that people run with like cancel, no LG, cancel no LG, he's against gays. Cancel.
No, that's not what you fucking said.
You said for you personally, you're not trying to play those roles. But let me ask you this.
What is your dream role? Like someone were to kick down
the door and say, hey, Noel, we've been looking for you.
There you are. Come with us.
What is your dream role? Yeah.
Nowadays, though, just to say this one thing and then jump into that, sure, anything you say is wrong.
If you're right, you're wrong. If you're wrong, you're right.
No matter what you say nowadays, you can't win.
You can have people who agree with you, people who don't agree with you, you know? Yeah, be yourself.
Do what it is you do and let it be what it is.
But what's funny is, you know, at the same time, my dream role, I don't really have a dream role.
I have dream movies that I would like to get done.
I can't say that publicly because that would let that out.
Understood. Yeah.
Yeah. So But the movies that I do want
to make would be encouraging, inspiring, and they would be a godly message, not a noble message.
Because, again, that's my belief.
And you know, that's why this world is so beautiful, you know, because we have different people who believe different ways.
And then at the end of the day, you choose which one makes the most sense to you or which one you want to ride with.
And then that's what you go with.
And Long story short though, my movies at the end of the day would lead people to Christ because I have movies that I want to make that would do the same for you or anybody else of what God has done for me. And those are the movies that I
want to make, my dream movies that I want to to do.
So that's something that I'm hoping happens before I die.
Like $0.50 said I'm going to do home or die trying.
So that's. Right.
You know, I'm just going to, I'm just going to keep on trying and, and see what's up and, you know, roll the dice and take my chances and my risks. And if it happens, it happens.
If it doesn't, then you know. Damn.
Like you haven't, have you never like sat back and you're watching something like Star Wars or something, right?
And you're like, fuck, I wish I was Han Solo right now.
If you put yourself in a movie. I wouldn't mind being in a Star
Wars flick, man. I'm a Star Wars geek fan, bro.
Like I collect a lot of Star Wars Legos and I got them all on deck. I, I, oh man, you know, shout
out to someone who's always going to be Star Wars Legos.
And I'm just, I'm just loving it because, yeah, she's a big reason for a big part of my collection.
And Long story short, though, I, I wouldn't, I would, I would love to be in a Star Wars movie. You know, sometimes I make a
joke. I'm like the the Mexican Samuel
Jackson, you know, that guy is in everything.
He's in everything. Jurassic Park, Star Wars, I'm
like, damn, I want to follow his footsteps.
But Long story short, yeah, I wouldn't mind being in movies like that. Of course that, you know, I
would love to, I'm kind of like, you know, I would love to do anything because you only live one life.
So I would of course love to have an opportunity to do this, this or that, you know, that is something different out of, you know, a street, just a street movie, you know.
So I would, I would love to do movies like that.
I just did one recently with my boy Chris Volken's The Catalyst, and that's kind of a different movie, futurized and kind of like, you know, Star Trek, Star Wars, not yet, but, you know, that's going to be dropping soon.
And that's kind of In another world, you know, that movies like In another World. So I would say that's a good
flick, you know, like something. But yeah, I would love to do
stuff like that. Speaking of recent stuff, before
I move, move on because we're going to talk a little bit about you coming up, you know, and then in your childhood is watch the tax collector. Tax collector man with my boy
David Ayers Conejo. George Lopez up in there, Shia
LaBeouf, Chelsea Randon's up in there.
Bobby Soto it that's that's a movie you got to check out.
That's on the bucket list. That's one of my last movies
that has just come out. I was blessed to have done
something before COVID, have it come out during COVID.
And so that's another movie, you know, put that on the list.
Check it out. I've been grinding with my boy
David Ayer for years now. And you know, he's a big part of
my career. He's always remembered me and,
you know, kept me afloat and just, you know, shot out.
So that's what's up. We were sick.
So you worked at a convalescent home in your late teens and you've told the story in other other interviews.
Tell our listeners what the question was so they don't have to go back and dig. There was a question asked for
people 65 years and age older that resonated with you so strongly. So they asked everybody over 65
years and older, if you could go back and change something about your life, what would you have done differently?
And 83% of the people in the home that I worked in at the time said that they would have took more risks and more challenges in their life because now they're 65 and older, wondering, could have I owned that business?
Could have I owned that clothing store?
Could have I became that rapper? Could have I became that
actress? Could have I became that actor?
Could have I became that doctor and now they're 65 and older wondering, you know, Dang, could have it happened or not because they didn't take more risks and challenges in their life when they were younger. So I always tell people the
stupidest question that you can ask is the one that you do not ask. So take risks, take challenges
in your life. Go knock on doors, hustle, grind
a closed mouth, don't get fed. I have to give the gab.
Have a personality you know. Be loving.
Be out there. Be a problem solver, not a
problem. You know, I always said this in
other interviews too. And I'll just give a quick recap
here for this one, please. When you go to work.
And if you say I'm sorry I'm late, I'm sorry I didn't take care of that phone call you asked me to take care of.
I'm sorry I forgot that e-mail. I'm sorry I forgot to do that
fax. I'm sorry I forgot to pick up
what was needed in the supply room.
You just become a sorry worker. And nobody wants to work with
sorry people. They want problem solvers, not a
problem. And you know, that doesn't keep
a business moving forward. So at some point in time, you
cannot be sorry. You got to just do and and
that's it. And you know, there's no way
around that. You know, if if you get away
with what you get away with, then you got one hell of a boss, you know so. So why did that mean so much to
you to have heard that from those 65?
And it meant so much to me because of the simple fact that whenever you're young and you have something implemented in you, put in you, you know, deposited in you, you can't output what you don't have deposited in you.
And so Long story short, it meant the world to me because it made me a risk taker. It made me challenge myself.
It made me go knock on doors because getting to have that blessing to hear that then made me say I don't want to be one of those people. Here's all these people, all
these people right here who are mad or disgruntled or hating life because they don't know when they failed or they didn't make it and they settled. Regret.
Regret and no, not me. I got the chance because I was
able to hear not only one all of their stories of why they so I said fudge that I ain't going to do that.
You know, I go, I'm going to, I'm, I'm going to go out there and do it and not be one of them.
You could say fucking this. Later yeah, I know I feel you
man. I just and I do cuss man I, you
know, I do cuss to be real with you.
I that's why I said like ever since 2015, I've been back and forth with God. One day God, one day devil.
And that's a whole nother speech.
But anyways, what I tell people, man, I just keep it real is God.
It's it's the hardest thing in the world to serve God because of certain things you have to give up in life.
But anyways, to jump back to your question, I that's why, you know, I, I and I've been able to hearing that I've been able to make my dream a reality. I've been able to push forward
and and be a go getter and say, you know what, I care less.
I got nothing to lose. I'm doing it.
And that's where I got where I'm at today because I pushed forward and I said fuck it. And there it is.
There it is, there it is. It's not customer for you.
So I I did it and you know, here I am.
So that's one of two things that made a huge difference on you.
But what happens if you're not there knowing that, knowing, knowing how impactful that has been for you over the last 30 plus years or however long that was.
I think it was somewhere between 15 and 18 years old.
You know, if you don't hear that message, where are you today?
I can't answer that question because if I don't hear that message. Because it changed you so much,
or it impacted you enough to just be like.
That doesn't mean that I couldn't have heard something later down the line here at another, because there is something else that happened that I heard that had nothing to do with the convalescent home. But I took what happened at the
convalescent home, what happened to me in this acting class in order to move forward. And back in my days when I
started, you got to remember that there was no such thing as emails and this and that. You had to get a picture, put it
in an envelope, mail it out and hope for the best.
And I was in this acting class and I found myself becoming a professional student instead of a working actor.
And I never forget I told the acting teacher I was like, man, I don't got money to pay for this acting class What's up?
After a year of taking the class, I was paying abandoned breaking bread. I'm like, I don't got this type
of money to pay for this acting class.
You need to tell me how to be in a television show.
You need to tell me how to be in a movie.
You need to tell me how to get some work now.
Like I've been doing this long enough and I don't got the money to continue to pay just to learn how to act, act that.
And I never forget what he did. He told me meet me after class.
So I met him after class and he showed me this book that had all the agencies in it, but under 90% of all the agencies and big black bold print lettering. It said absolutely no phone
calls or personal deliveries. And he said, you know what
that's really saying? He's saying if you don't think
you're good enough, don't walk in their office.
So I had to look at that a different way.
Sure. So what I did was I took down
all the agencies from Lois address to highest address on the same Blvd. and I just went in their office and I had my
headshot, my picture, and I was like, what's up, man?
My name is Noel. Gee, I'm here trying to be an
actor and someone like get the hell out of the office.
We don't do it like that. But others were like, I like
your courage, man. You're pretty damn bold to just
walk in the office and ask for an agent and a manager to represent you. But you know what?
I like your courage. Let me see what I could do for
you. Before you know it, I got an
agent and a manager, started getting sent out on auditions, started booking jobs. I had students in the classroom
asking me how the hell you get in the movie, how you get in ATV show. And those were experiences in my
life that helped me advance in my life so carry forward.
So I can't answer that question because that didn't happen to me. If that happened to me, I don't
know what would have happened because it didn't happen to me.
I'm blessed because this is my life and what did happen to me.
And This is why I'm here now, sharing the story that I'm sharing now. Because if these things didn't
happen to me, you would meet another Noel who's a whole other person with a whole other story, a whole other whatever.
That would be something maybe different who he's not now.
So I can't answer that question. I could only answer.
I could only answer for who I am now.
Right, right. That's fair.
And everything you've gone through has brought you to the point where you are today, correct?
That's one of those things where like if you could go back in time, would you do this? Would you do that?
And I'm the same way. I say I can't answer that
because everything that's ever happened to me has brought me to where I'm at today. OK, so age of 13, right?
We're going to touch on this and I know you've talked about it on others, but parents, peace out on you like they're gone $500.
Here you go. Good luck with life.
And you said you don't blame your mom at all.
You know why? Why do you say that?
Were you were you? So you had a pretty decent life.
You did sports and all that kind of stuff, but were you kind of getting in trouble and shit? And mom was just kind of like,
I'm tired of yelling at you all the time or like, where does that come from? No, no, no.
So I don't blame my mom at all because my dad was the breadwinner of the family. He was stingy, though.
He didn't, you know, my mom was like, let's put them in sports, that's a waste of money. Let's put them here, that's a
waste of money. Let's get them.
That's a waste of money, Daddy. Sounds like me.
So shit, so my mom, to be able to have some of the extra things that I was able to have, she was a house cleaning lady, made her own money and said, OK, you don't want to do it for our son.
I'll go make the money and do it with my money.
And I never forget that, right? I see my mom, it's a little hard
to talk about because my mom just passed away.
But I see, I see my mom. It was recent.
My mom just passed away six months ago.
So it's still a little tough but strong mom though, man, she cancer fighter for 15 years got a brain tumor though, and that took her out in two months. And that's that's what kind of
Yeah. But anyways, reason why I don't
blame my mom is because my my dad came home one day out of nowhere and just said I'm leaving.
Since I was told this story numerous times, I'm going to stick on my mom and why I don't blame her.
Number one is I saw my mom fight tooth and nail to do everything that she could for me with a my dad wasn't a bad dad, you know, he, he, he just, he was stuck in his ways, you know, he's an Italian man. My mom's Mexican.
And if you know Italian guys, they're they're hardcore guys, you know, Goodfellas is no lie and.
And one of us, he's a good guy, he's a good fellow.
Right, right. And Long story short.
So he was just stuck in his ways, you know, but good father, he provided he, you know, gave us a home and, you know, whatever. But when my dad came home and
said I'm leaving, I call it the two weeks of hell.
My mom fought tooth and nail. Like, what type of man are you?
Who are you? What are you talking about?
What do you mean you're leaving? Reasonable questions.
And I was there exactly. And I was there for the two
weeks. I witnessed all of it.
My mom fought tooth and nail like you're crazy, don't leave.
What are you talking about? Are you serious?
I heard them arguing. I'm in the bedroom next door.
And my mom was crying. In the two weeks while my dad
was really executing this plan, he's selling the house.
He's putting up and stuff in storage, He's packing.
And my mom is like, who have you become?
And I saw my mom fight so hard for me, for my dad not to leave us. But my dad was the breadwinner
and we couldn't have what we had if it wasn't right for him.
Because I didn't grow up poor. I grew up in a middle class
home. I was, I was straight, you know.
And Long story short, I went to my mom and I said, don't worry, I have a place to live. I go, one of my friends is going
to let me live with them. I go, I'm already taken care of.
I really didn't have a place to pray.
Pray. I said this to eat as my mom's.
I said go with my dad on the boat because I got a place to live I'll be OK. Even then she didn't want to go
when I forced her to go because I knew that if she would have stayed it would have been two homeless people instead of 1.
And so my mom went and I never saw the most hurt broken woman in my life. And with with no understanding
of why this is even happening. You got to remember when my dad
did that, it was like a light bulb.
It was literally like an on and off switch it Just imagine one day living normal. You're in a middle class home
and one day the owner of that home comes and just says I'm gone, I'm leaving. Good luck to you guys.
It's like what it yeah, it was the craziest thing ever.
But you know, so that's why I don't blame my mom.
And that's why I do everything in my power when my mom was alive to be there for her 100% and and help her and be there for her. So that's I know people kind of
throw this around a lot, but this happens to us at all points of our lives without assuming realize it like that's some ingrained like that's some PTSD stuff.
They kind of it changes your life.
It's a life altering event. So the story for the listeners
who who don't know it is your father had a best friend with a lot of money and he says come travel the world with me.
Do you? I mean, I could only assume that
he didn't really know what his situation was at home.
His best friend. Maybe like if he knows the fact
that this guy's getting ready to peace out on on on his own son, you know, do you think he ever would have asked him or do you not even know? I think.
I think. That's some ballsy shit for one
person to ask another trade. Drop everything and let's go do
this. So the only thing that brought
pleasure to my dad was scuba diving and fishing because my dad was a heavy scuba diver and a fisherman.
And this guy owned a big boat. You know, it's like a yacht
almost. And you know, you get the
opportunity to live on a boat, go sell the world.
And you only live once. You know, at that time, you find
out a little what's more important to you.
And so he left and you know it, it was, I would assume that he knew. They just didn't care, you know,
but I don't blame the best friend.
You know, he, he presented someone with an opportunity.
He didn't have to do it. But I really want to make this
clear, though. I forgive my dad.
I don't even, you know, I, I, I love him now and I forgive him.
And I had a plan. You know, when I first see my
dad, I just wanted to cuss him out, fight him and, you know, beat his ass. Which makes sense.
But yeah, but then through maturity and loving God so much and being taught by God's word on what you should and shouldn't do, I forgave him said. I mean, I want to understand why
you did what you did. And now we e-mail each other and
we're redeveloping our relationship.
And that's been happening now for the past three years.
So the first time I saw my dad is when I was 4241, somewhere in there. So I haven't seen my dad since I
was 13 years old to 41. Never saw him talk to him,
e-mail, phone call, nothing. Nothing.
So how did that happen? He just showed up at my door
with my mom. My mom brought him to my house.
So that's how that happened. And just, you know, kind of
hugged him, I'm not going to lie, as an awkward hug.
And, and we talked and I just, I just said, you know, I'm hurt by what you did. And it, it, you know, it is what
it is now. But I, I said, you know, I'm a
different man now and I just want to understand.
And I go, dad, I'm not even mad at you.
I don't even worry about it. Like let's just start over and
we started over and life goes on.
I don't know if I would rather because I, I don't know my, my father just passed as well in October.
I was adopted when I was a kid, four years old.
You know that's. A tougher love?
Well, I, I have a life book. It is.
I have a life book and I have some photos, but no photos of this guy. I have no idea where he's at.
Right. And it's one of those things
where I don't know, because I've never been angry about that, but I probably would be if I was 13 because that's a dangerous time, you know, for a parent to peace out or to lose a parent or, you know, that's a really dangerous time in your life.
So it's it's really something special.
You know, like I was saying earlier, at your age comes perspective that you're able to, to have something with both, even though your mother's no longer with us.
You know, there's a lot to be said about that man.
At 13, you know, at the time they left, yeah.
I hated the world. I couldn't understand why they
left. Not they.
I take that back. Why my dad left.
Of course. You know, I'm.
I'm going through stuff. It was, it was funny too,
because I never forget this. So I used to sneak out a lot of
my house, you know, at the time we were living there.
Did you do the whole blanket pillow stuff thing?
I oh, I did it all, man. I did the Ferris Bueller move
and everything right without the sound effects.
And Long story short, my dad takes off a house that was once furnished like this, empty, nothing but the rug in there, nothing but the carpet in there. But because I used to sneak out
in the middle of the night, I knew how to get in and out.
And I was sleeping in that house for a month, and I used to shower there in the daytime and everything because the water was still running. And it was the craziest thing.
A house that was once furnished, completely empty, nothing but the carpet inside. I used to sneak back in through
the bathroom window, sliding glass door, and I used to sleep there. The time that I had to realize
my journey began is when I went to the kitchen one time and I saw a phone connected in the kitchen snap.
And I picked up the phone and there was a dial tone and I said some people have been in here. That means the new owners were
coming in. And that's where I started my
real journey. So you were squatting in your
own house, essentially. Yeah, and I took off and then
met the homies in the neighborhood and they taught me how to be a gangster and taught me how to steal and rob.
And this was the new family I took in.
And then my street life started and there we go.
Are you afraid of becoming your parents or be afraid of becoming the person your father was at the time?
I have become that dad in a way. I so 2 of my kids I have a
relationship with. My third kid, I don't.
Yeah, the older one or the youngest.
That's the youngest and it's a long story.
I don't blame the kid at all. It is not the kids fault at all
but and there's no excuse for it actually to be real either.
I'm pretty open because I just don't care.
I just want to be real, you know?
And Long story short, I have to engage in a relationship with them. I got to make the move and fix
that. But the other two in my
daughter's life, my daughter being my first, I was never a good dad emotionally, right? Oh, but I was a super dad
financially, but that don't make it right.
And then I, you know, than in there, because I cared more about party and I cared more about women.
I cared more about acting a fool in the streets.
I, I just didn't care. And 2008 is when I started
becoming a better father to my daughter emotionally because that's when I turn my life over to God.
And God started teaching me new things and new ways.
And so I was always in my daughter's life from day one off and on, emotionally, 100% Financially though then in 2008, I became an emotional good father as well as a financial father to my daughter. But I don't give my daughter
stuff. She knows that I teach her.
You know, I say cuz I'm your father.
You're going to have a lot of help, but at the same time, you're still going to learn discipline and you're still going to learn how to do for yourself. 100% man.
And then with my second son, I'm developing a relationship with him and we're starting our new relationship.
And the third son, I could just honestly say is a nightmare and I have to fix that. And that's the truth with my
with my kids. And again, I don't care because
not in the sense of don't care like that.
I don't care in the sense that I keep it 100% real because I think nowadays that's what we need and there's nothing more gritty, raw and real than being real.
So I let it out there and hopefully you guys can learn from me to not make the same mistakes.
I always tell people, you know, reading a book is reading someone else's mistakes in someone else's life.
So you don't have to make the same mistakes and have the same life to have a better life. You kind of Fast forward
yourself. And I always say the student
should become better than the teacher because the student has all the knowledge from what the teacher taught, but then they have their own life experiences as well.
So every teacher should become better than the next teacher.
And, you know, that's just the way I believe so.
So yeah. First off, I would say thanks
for sharing all of that. You said there's no excuses, but
one thing there definitely is, is time.
You know, time kind of brought you and your parents back together and we're able to get some, some closure with that from as as a child. And so there's still time and
there's still time, which is good.
No, and thank you for that and I appreciate that and you know I appreciate that and thank you for that.
I, I, I am going to fix things in time and everything takes time, you know, and but it's how you loot.
It's how you utilize your time to what you put your time into and what you don't put your time into.
So it's recognizing that as well.
So I am I am going to come back strong and and finish great unless I die in between that on an accident or something.
Hopefully not, but we've got a hell, we have a hell of a good story then. So over your years of acting, 30
years going back to like I guess the last 20, right with, with Fast Furious. That's when everything really
started going forward. Have you met people on set
you've become like good friends with or just kind of like everybody's independent contractor and maybe you work with them again, maybe you don't, but you don't really a.
Little bit of all that, made some great friends, some acquaintances, some were cool with.
Just when we see each other again, you know, Vin Diesel for example, is the reason why it came back to Part 7.
So got to love him, you know. Yeah, Vin Diesel wanted me back
in the in the in the franchise. And so I was able to come back
to part 7 because I am putting in Word and and bringing me back. So, you know, that's a all over
the place answer. Because sometimes a lot of
people think like, because we're actors and we're the same movie, we're all hanging out together. Some are like SAG posse, right?
SAG Posse. Yeah, some are like that and
some aren't. You know, there's some that I'm
close with and some that I'm not close with, and, you know, it just is what it is. But we always have a good time
and respect each other when we see each other, show love to each other and, you know, try to make more movies and projects and things happen. So yeah.
Without naming names, is there anybody you've worked with or you're just like this? This person is an asshole.
I don't. Yeah, I can't name, but there's
a, there's some people that unfortunately have allowed Hollywood to get to their head or fame get to their head and they, they treat people nasty. And I've seen it right in front
of my face and it's, I don't know, I just, I don't want that reputation following me around. So I, you know, I, I'm, I'm cool
with everybody. I, you know, I, I always tell
you something that's. Right, you're going to have to
be the bigger man. I mean, I wouldn't say it that
way respectfully. It's just who you are.
You know, it doesn't make you a bigger man.
It just makes you who you are. But but in my opinion, but you
know, I get what you're saying and how how you were saying it, but I would just say, you know, I always make a joke.
You know, if you never disrespect me, you never meet in OLG Part 2 and that's that's how it goes.
You don't want to. You don't want none of that
sequel Smoke, so you don't want none of that shit.
So, yeah, but I just, I just had to be nice to everybody, man.
Like, it's like, I just want to respect everybody.
You know, I, I, again, I'm about helping people and respect.
And, and, and even when I wasn't in that mindset back in the early days, not helping people, meaning like not helping them the right way, you know, not helping them the right way, leading, giving them the right advice.
Because I have an old file and now I got a new file.
You know, my old file gave some advice that the new file wouldn't give today. So I thought I was always
helping people, but I was helping people the wrong way.
But my point that I'm making is even back then again, I was always cool with anybody and everybody because I didn't care who you were. You know, I'm from the streets
and I just, I just loved everybody.
I could talk to a homeless guy the same way I could talk to a rich man. It didn't, it didn't make no
difference. And you know that that's how I
am today. I don't, I just I talk to
anybody and everybody, you know, respect.
Sometimes we have to agree to disagree.
I've had conversations with people that have straight up told me to my face, I don't believe in God.
OK, cool. That's your opinion.
My opinion is I do. It is what it is.
It didn't break us. But you know what's funny is
like once you talk about cars, your favorite, you know, baseball team, your favorite football team, sports, whatever, it's all, it's all gravy. But once you talk about your
belief, that's all of a sudden it gets kind of funny.
And you know, so I've had those conversations, but then it's it's always come down with certain just an agree to disagree situation. And I respect that.
You believe you respect what I believe.
But hey, so you still want to go to that ball game together or not? All right, let's go, you know,
right. So it just is what it is.
No, screw that. You're not cool no more, right?
So you said it took, let's go back a little bit.
So it took you 8 years to get your first big gig?
Yeah, right. What's the lowest of the low
during that eight-year period? Meaning what when you say that
lowest of the low for? You because, because first you
do your Taco Bell commercial and you're like, I'm on my way.
And then you realize you have to work all those different jobs and you keep working, working. I mean, there's, there had to be
some time where you're like, fuck this, I'm, I'm, I'm done with this. Yeah, it's the lowest of the low
for me probably is when I was locked up, when I was doing dirt in the streets. I did four years, but that was
off and on years. So I did a year straight and
then when I got out I did another eight months, but I was only out for like 3 months and then I went back for eight months fighting the case and then being on probation.
Everything you do is a violation.
So I got six months sentence here, six months sentence there, three months sentence there. So if you add it all up, I did
four years total. All the months that I spent
locked up off and on. And what's crazy about that was
I got a wake up call one time. I was facing 15 years in prison,
assault with a deadly weapon, attempted murder and 2nd strike.
And that was my wake up call. That's where I realized, man, I
don't care how tough you are, how tatted up you are.
No one wants to be locked up in a two men cell.
And I don't at least, and I always tell people I don't either. I always tell people like, go
ahead, say what you're going to say.
No, I'm saying I'm good. Yeah, I don't want.
I don't want none of that either.
No, yeah, exactly. I always tell people if I'm a
dork and a nerd because I want freedom in a family, then I rather be a dork and a nerd with freedom in a family than a tough guy in a two men cell. So that's how I answer the
question. So that was my lowest of my low
meaning that was my wake up call of like, I don't want to be locked up and you know, the street life, it's the most iconic answer, but it's the truth is death or jail.
And Long story short, I don't want to be none of those things, man. I want to I want to be
remembered for something great. I want to be remembered for
helping people and guiding people the right way and, you know, being a man of God and, and you know, that's why I share my real struggle because I let other people know that serving God is not the easiest thing in the world.
And you're going to have your ups and downs.
You're going to have one day God, one day devil, one day God, one day devil. Because I remember when I was in
integrity with God. I'm married to my wife at the
time, you know, we made a joke. We're like a we're serving God.
Welcome to the boring life now. And it was just, you know, it's
a joke, but it wasn't a joke, but it was because God is exciting. Don't get it twisted, but it you
get the joke of what I'm saying. So the lowest of the low is when
when I didn't care about my life no more.
And there was a time, you know, to keep it 100 that I was suicidal and didn't want to live no more.
A lot of people, they're funny, man.
Like they see the the movies and, and, and the money and the bling and they think like, Oh, that guy has it all together.
And there's so many people who don't have it all together, even though they have everything in the world they don't.
You got to be hardened to write and in your mind and you learn different things with different people.
You know my boy Richard Martinez, the guy who created Hot Flaming Cheetos? Loved that guy to death.
I love him too. Now I know that because that's
my favorite. That's that's I just had before
you got here, but you made a comment.
You know that. Don't tell people that money
can't buy you happiness. It can't buy you happiness.
Don't tell me that if I didn't give you $5000 cash right now, you wouldn't be a happy camper. But the happiness will fade.
How do you find real, true joy that will last you forever?
You find it in Jesus Christ. And so it's things like this man
that you learn, that you hear, that you take in, and that's who makes you who you are today. So for me, the lowest of the low
is when I wanted to quit in life, give up, commit suicide because I thought nothing in my life was worthy of happening or is happening. But then there was a day, a
light bulb switch that kicked on.
And I said to myself, that's not the route I want to take.
That's not the statistic that I want to become.
Let me overcome that. And that's when God gave me the
strength to overcome it and get through it.
And I'll be real, man, it was one of the hardest times ever in my damn life. It was at a time where I thought
nothing could ever save me or pull me out.
And I got pulled out and here I am.
And that's why I'm saying, man, that's why we get to be someone else's strength and someone else's hope.
If you're not someone else's strength and hope, then you're with them in the shit. And you could be, or it's up to
you to decide how strong you're going to be and how much you're going to fight. And that's why, you know, I
always tell people it's kind of funny, but just to doing a demonstration, how much do you got in you, right?
How much are you going to keep on going until one day you just give up and say enough's enough? And me, I got a lot of that in
me. I'm going to keep going.
So yeah. My man just startled me a little
bit. Hey, you want to?
He jumped. Let's let's let's.
Jump into some light hearted stuff before we wrap this.
Yeah, I got 15% left on the phone, so I want to.
That's plenty, man. We make it before it.
We will. Go ahead.
So you say you used to well now you drink on and off.
Used to be a heavy drinker, but not so much.
So what is your drink of choice today?
What is Noel GS So? Your choice.
When I was in integrity with God in between 2008 and 15100% full integrity, I went from demon to Angel overnight.
I quit drinking. I was no longer a male slut.
I quit gambling, I quit fighting, I quit putting myself in atmospheres that were easy to fall into sin.
I can't say I didn't cuss, but what I can say is I didn't cuss in seven years, 90% of those seven years, I changed my way of speaking, I changed my language. But I did cuss in those seven
years. But I kid you not, it was like
10%. Now I cuss like every other
word. You could see how I control it
in an interview, obviously, but you know what?
I'm talking freely. I cuss a lot, you know?
But in an interview, I try to keep it as clean as possible out of respect to the viewers and certain viewers that were watching it like that. So I went from demon to Angel
literally overnight like this, Like black and white.
And that's not to say I was better than anyone or anything, it's just I made a choice. Personal, personal choice.
I made a personal choice to serve God and to be in integrity with God and to do things that God would have me do, not things that Noel would usually do. Because if you accept God into
your life, truly, really, there should also be a change in lifestyle. There should be a oh man, before
God, you were like that. But now that you're serving God,
you're who are you now you're becoming someone new.
That's why you're reborn again in the flesh, because he renewed your heart, renewed your mind, renewed your way of thinking, renewed some of the old things that you used to do.
That's why we love God so much because he's someone who helped us in life to be someone different in life from who we were in the past. And so then, and I'm answering
the question. So then, but I always set
everything up because I want people to understand why I answer a question, why I answer the question the way I answer a question. So what ended up happening was
not going to lie in front again. I'm keeping it 100.
My marriage tore me up, bro. That was another low point of my
life, losing my wife. It really tore me up bad because
I lost a good woman. And I tell everybody straight
out, it wasn't her fault at all. I was the piece of shit, not
her. That was a great, fantastic
lady. You know when they tell you you
have a girl who's great, don't lose her.
That's exactly what I did. I lost a good lady.
And Long story short, it messed me up.
And the Bible says when you stop serving God, you go like a dog backs to its vomit. You go back to what you knew.
And that's exactly what I did. I went back to what I knew,
which was the old Noel gambling male slut, cussing, drinking, hanging out, acting a fool. The only thing I didn't go back
to by the way, was smoking weed. I haven't smoked weed since
2008. But I did go back to drinking
though. So anyways, now I drink off and
on. Now I drink here and there, but
my drink of choice is Corona. And it was funny, dude, with the
coronavirus came out, everyone was like Corona.
I was like, no, dude, what do I got?
That's all I drink. And then I found out that wasn't
it and whatever. But anyways, Corona is my, my,
my drink, you know? And but again, I don't drink
anything like I used to before 2008.
I drink every day. And literally when I say every
day, I meant like every day. But now it's just on and off.
Sometimes I'll have a beer, sometimes I won't.
You know, it just is what it is. Slime or no lime?
No lime I usually drink it puts a little hair on your chest when you drink it straight. So I was playing, but yeah.
So anyways, that's that's the answer.
What is your most hated movie reference?
Host mated movie reference. No your your most hated movie
reference. What do you mean by that word?
So hey, I know you're from Oh, I actually have a movie written down but I skipped it just to ask.
You let me hear it. Let me hear it real quick.
Bruce Almighty is. That your most now you know
what's funny, man. I don't really have one to keep
it real with you. It is kind of funny though
because there's not one day that goes by that I don't hear Bruce Almighty. Hey the monkey.
It's hard to laugh at that joke 15,000 times when you hear 15,000 times. But I understand when it's
someone new coming up, so I'll laugh as if I heard it for the first time. But it's getting hard now.
Fine, that's real. Yeah.
Yeah. But Long story short, I don't
really have a hated movie reference, to be honest with you, because it's a blessing to be recognized.
And so whatever someone's excited for, Hallelujah and Amen. And that's awesome and super
cool and no problems here, you know, because I get it that it's their first time ever seeing me. So I just accept it and like,
you know, laugh about it, joke and say OK, cool and whatever, you know? But I don't really have a hated
movie reference. I it's, it's a blessing to be
recognized off of anything, period.
Whether it was the small movie or the big movie, if they loved it or hated it, hey, I'm recognized.
You know what I mean? So it's like whatever.
How often do you get to hear the three spoon motor Honda Civic?
Oh man, I hear that every day bro.
Every single day. Like 100 times a day, 100 the.
Month, be a year, training day off and on.
But you know what's so cool? It's so cool that something from
so many years ago could stick with people to this day.
When you make a business or have a dream, that's an awesome thing for it to be remembered for so long and go down with you till death do you part. So I, I love it, man.
It's, it's, it's all in fun, man.
It's just, you know, I, I'm very blessed to live a fun life, very blessed to live a fun life. And what I love about my job and
I and I never say anything against the guy who works the 9:00 to 5:00 because there's no, there's nothing wrong with any job. I always say, I love what you
do. It's not work anyways.
We've all heard that one and long story, but that's the truth. And what I love about my job is
that I'm always travelling, get to do things like this.
I'm always meeting different people.
It's always something different when I show up.
That's a fun job. Who's complaining?
You know, not me. So I love my job.
You know, as you were saying that, I was thinking because you were in the original Fast and you're in Fast 7 and there's a scenario that could possibly play out where you could be in a future Fast. But just having that slice of
the original Fast, Fast and Furious and then having people remember you from that, that's pretty fucking special and pretty cool. So I completely get your your
response on that. Is Fast and Furious 9 headed to
space? I know, right?
I, I wouldn't be surprised if it is, man, I, I, I trip out that fast and furious is the most money making franchise for university, yes, ever, ever, right.
So they're not going to stop it. It it it would just they're just
not going to stop it. I mean, what if it's the most
money making movie and the number one?
Why would they stop it? So it's going to go on and on
and on. Why do you travel around and do
what you do? Because it seems like it could
be kind of nerve wracking and I know people enjoy seeing it, but like I've seen you at 2 charity events out here in Scottsdale.
Like why is it important to you? Because it goes back to helping
people, being there for people, meeting people, being a people's person and being able to, you know, having the blessing even be able to go here, there and there.
So I love it for the simple fact that I get to meet all kinds of different people from all kinds of different places.
And again, you only live once, travel as much as you can.
You know what I mean? I remember when I was in the
hood. Well, let me put it to you this
way. I never really traveled before
acting, right? So that was a whole new
experience for me. And traveling has expanded my
mind so crazy because sometimes your biggest blessings are not at home, they're somewhere else. And ever since I've been
traveling. Long story short, man, it's made
me see and think so many different ways where it's just expanded my mind so much where I've been able to learn and see historical sites, see places of things that happened in other places that were talked about to be in school that I never got to see before, you know, things like that.
So I love traveling, man. I, I love it with the passion.
I love getting to meet people. I love all that.
Stuff. So I see you.
I forgot you just brought it up. I do see you.
You go to places. You go.
I'm I'm, you know, I'm here at this museum.
I'm here checking. Yeah.
I do that all this cool. Hey man, so whenever I travel
now, I got this new thing, I always want to go to a place that I can never go to that I won't get the chance to go to at home to to go see it and just to say that I've been there.
So one of the first things I do when I touchdown after I settle in the hotel is I always go look at the pamphlets or ask people who live there. I say what's on the historical
site around here or what museums are around here?
What's something that I can't see at home that's famous for here? And I just like to go check it
out, Instagram, it show people I've been there and.
And that's it. So that's cool.
Yeah. I just love doing that stuff,
you know. So like, just like last night,
you know, I in Arizona, I went to the winter, the, the winter Wonderland Christmas House, which I thought was one of the most awesomest things in the world.
You know, it's, it's something for the people.
It's something where people could have fun.
There's no violence. People can get away for a minute
and just trip out on something that's so awesome.
And just to go check it out, even though I was only there for about 20 minutes, half hour, it was just something to be like, man, I've been there. You know, it was a cool spot to
check out and the passion that was put behind it, like it took you away from your problems for a minute.
It took you away from your anxiety or stress or whatever.
It just, it was like, man, let me just enjoy this and have fun and relax for a moment. And I love doing stuff like that
because that's what we need to do.
I tell people straight up, straight out, even if you can't afford a vacation, find a way to go take a vacation and take a vacation. Because when you do that, when
you force yourself to take a vacation dude, I promise you it will make you think differently and put you on a whole nother level and it will make you just relax for a minute and get away from everything and you will get a flash moment of something.
It's good for your soul, man. Yeah, it's good for your soul.
Let's get you out. Let's get you out of here on
this. Tell us about godsters.
Last question And we're done. Godsters.
All right, so godsters is a clothing.
Line that I started when I was in full integrity with God, because the blessing of God is that he gives you visions, dreams and ideas that are not Noel ideas, they're God ideas.
A God idea will always be better than a Noel idea.
And God gave me the vision. One time I was in church and I
was worshipping God and I was just worshipping God and God said open up your eyes and look in front of you.
And I didn't want to always fight me.
He's like open up your eyes and look in front of you.
And I heard God tell me that specifically and I was fighting that. I didn't want to open up my eyes
and I opened up my eyes, I look in front of me and there was 4 gangsters that were in front of me that were worshiping God also as well with their arms up. The difference is when they had
their arms up, they were all tatted up, all their arms, all four of them. So 8 arms in front of me, all
tatted up, worshipping and loving God, loving the Lord, dancing for God and just praying to God, loving the Lord, taking their intimate time with God. And right then and there God
showed me why He told me to look in front of me.
When I saw the 8 arms in front of me and these gangster guys who were once gangsters and now serving God, I said they're not gangsters anymore, they're godsters.
And right then and there, God showed me and I said, I'm going to come up with a clothing line that says I used to be a gangster for the world, now I'm a gossip for Jesus.
And that's what God does, man. God gives you new businesses
that glorify him. And that's.
And if you're in integrity with God and you're real about God, God will bless your company and he will allow you to make the money because he knows that you're real with him that you're not taking the money to a strip club or spending it on drugs or things that are not of him that you shouldn't be spending it on.
He'll bless your company because he knows that you're a man in integrity or a woman and integrity with God because you're using it for the right things.
It's really your choice at the end of the day if you want a God party or a devil party. And even in the devil party,
there's money. Because I remember when I used
to go out with the homies and I'd pitch in for the beer, a pitch in for the hotel, pitch in for the gas on the car.
So do you keep the devil party going or the Godster party going? Godster Party is let's continue
paying for this church so we have a place where people could come and hear the word of God. You forgot one pitch in for the
strippers. For the strippers on the Devil
Party. Yeah, on the Devil party and not
the God party. Not the gods.
There's a lot more, but I'm just making a point.
So Godsers came alive at the time that I was 100% in integrity with God and when God was showing me things left and right. And that's why I know God is so
real, because at the time I was in integrity with God 100%.
Not claiming perfect, never saying I'm a perfect man, but at the time I was in integrity with God 100%.
God has showed me not only so many different dreams, visions and ideas, but he, he showed me ways out, ways out of different things that I never thought I could get out of.
And so these are all the reasons why I love God so much, because I've seen God truly bless my life and work in my life as my father slash Creator, who has always directed me the right way, not the wrong way. So yeah.
That's godsters with AZ godsters.com you guys need to go
check that out and pick up some godsters.
Gear, Yeah, yeah, yeah. So my last words would be you
have to get to know God first. And I would say don't even trust
them right now. Don't even worry about trusting
them. Just get to know them.
See if you even like them after getting to know them.
Then when you get to know them, you make the decision if you trust them or not. And what do you do when you
trust someone? When you start trusting someone,
you start loving them. And what do you do when you
genuinely love someone? You don't want to hurt who you
really love. So I would just tell people,
just get to know God for now. Don't even worry about trusting
them. See if you like them or not.
See if you like what he's telling you as a father, your creator. See if you like how he's guiding
you. See if you like how he's solving
your problems. And then after that, you'll
start to realize God, you work, you're my father, and they're telling me what's best for me because you care about me.
You'll start to trust them more and more and more, which will eventually make you fall in love with them.
And then when you truly love them, He's what will keep you straight and you'll not want to hurt him because you don't want to hurt who you love. You can hide it behind man and
woman's back all day long, but you can't do nothing in private, I admit from him. So my last words would be, spend
your intimate time with God the way you would with your wife, the way you would with your best friend, the way you would with your brother. Because only you know the people
you know personally by spending that personal time with them.
And then Long story short, after you spend that intimate time with God, God will redirect your path, redirect your He'll renew your mind, renew your heart. And not to kick a dead horse,
and I don't want to be a Bible thumper.
I'm going to leave it there and just tell you guys to you, man.
Yeah. And I'm just going to tell you
I'm always, always. And I'm just going to tell you
guys with that, I would just say God first and the rest will work yourself out. Keep up with me on my Instagram,
act in the well G, that's what's up.
Watch my movie psychos Path, available on pretty much everything but Netflix, and check out my other movie Ditch party. You'd be helping me get closer
to my my dream by supporting those two movies and watching them. And Long story short, just know
that we can all do it in life. We just got to be risk takers.
Challenge ourselves and remember the stupidest question is the one that you do not ask. If you do not know something,
ask and know you can trust a lot more.
But Long story short, my last words that I've done is God first and the rest will work yourself out.
No LG everyone, thanks for coming through.
Hey guys, I want to thank you for stopping by the podcast.
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Now it's stripping. Time.
Ain't nobody got time for that. Shut up.
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