The Commercial Break: TCB Infomercial – Harvey Guillén

Date: November 4, 2025
Hosts: Bryan Green, Krissy Hoadley
Guest: Harvey Guillén

Episode Overview

This episode of The Commercial Break’s Infomercial Tuesday features improv-comedy banter and a heartfelt, hilarious interview with actor Harvey Guillén—best known for his role as Guillermo in "What We Do in the Shadows" and voice work in "Puss in Boots." The hosts and Harvey discuss his journey from humble roots and early family responsibilities, to navigating Hollywood, landing breakout roles, the impact of representation, and the highs and lows of an acting career. The conversation is rich with industry wisdom, personal anecdotes, reflections on fame, and a heavy dose of the podcast’s signature chaos and warmth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Childhood & Family Dynamics

• Harvey’s Early Life & Responsibility

  • Grew up in a hardworking Latino family; both parents were constantly working, so he took on a quasi-parental role for his three younger siblings.
  • Became the responsible "oldest" after his older brother left home at 16.
    • Harvey: “If you're the oldest, you took care of the younger kids... my older brother kind of bailed... and then I became, like, the oldest in the family. So I guess... I took responsibilities of being the oldest, which I don't regret, because I love my siblings.” (16:16–16:52)
  • Shared memories of wanting to be fun but having to enforce structure as the stand-in adult.

• Family Traditions & Parental Instincts

  • Discusses the close bond with his siblings now, enjoying activities like Disneyland together as adults.
    • "Now, as an adult... we have all the fun in the world because that hat has been taken off. And... we have the money to do it.” (17:19–18:04)
  • Revealed that after a "test-run" of parenting, he doesn’t want kids himself.

2. Growing Up ‘Square,’ Avoiding Trouble, and Parental Expectations

• Teenage Years

  • Never attended or knew parents who threw wild, unsupervised parties.
    • “No, that's kind of crazy. That's insane... that sounds dangerous. Trouble. Wrong. Illegal.” (11:18–11:24)
  • Didn’t drink until age 21—felt pressure to stay focused and not risk his ambitions.
    • “I didn't have my first drink till my 21st birthday because... that just leads down a slippery slope.” (14:14–14:24)

• Cultural Context

  • Contrasted family gatherings (quinceañeras, barbecues) with the American idea of parent-enabled underage drinking.

3. Early Career Struggles & Drive

• Hustling for the Dream
  • Lived in a car temporarily, paid for acting classes by recycling cans.
    • Bryan: “He would pay his way through acting school by recycling cans... that just shows you the gumption that this guy has got.” (05:28–05:46)
  • Comic and improv training with Groundlings and UCB; first breaks came after years of persistence.

4. Breakout Roles: "What We Do in the Shadows" & "Puss in Boots"

• Landing "Puss in Boots" Voice Role

  • Dreamt of voice acting since childhood; persistent auditioning finally led to getting the part of Perrito.
    • “I had always wanted to do voiceover my whole life... I got the ask... to do Perrito in Puss in Boots, and I was just floored. I've been trying to do voiceover for years." (22:24–23:04)
  • Described the challenge of conveying emotion through voice alone; sometimes finds voiceover more exhausting than on-camera work.

• Working with Representation Icons

  • Voiced Perrito alongside Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek; meaningful to see Latinx actors at the forefront.
    • “Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek... when they succeeded... it was a feather on all our hats, because it was like watching someone—representation was so limited.” (24:21–25:05)

• Memorable Perrito Line:
  - Harvey (recounting a favorite fan-quoted moment): “It's okay. I don't need it, because maybe one life is enough.” (25:05–25:25)

• The Multilayered Power of Animation

  • Animation “is for everyone,” Harvey quotes Guillermo del Toro.
  • Discusses how films like "Puss in Boots" and "Up" have different meanings for adults and children—depth, growth, and resonance at every age.

• Landing ‘Guillermo’ on "What We Do in the Shadows"

  • The origin story: went to a friend's wine & cheese night—a chance meeting led to an audition.
    • “I went to Wine and Cheese Night... I got a text from an unknown number... ‘I think you should audition for my fiancé’s new show.’” (26:40–27:57)
  • Took a character far older than himself, crafted a distinct look (which became iconic for Guillermo), and the rest was history.
    • “They mimic the audition outfit... Now there's Funko Pops with this character, the hair and the outfit. Every time I look at those Funko Pops, I'm like, I did this.” (29:26–29:51)

5. Impact of Work, Representation, and the Power of TV/Film

• How Media Bonds Audiences

  • Story of two brothers who drove eight hours to a Comic Con to get their ailing dad a FaceTime with Harvey; the family's emotional connection to "Shadows" while the father was battling cancer.
    • Harvey: “You never know what something like that is going to mean to someone. You never know what work you do today... until you know what it means to someone.” (31:14–31:24)

• The Fulfillment Beyond Fame

  • The most rewarding aspect is the human impact, not the paycheck or roomful of stars.
    • “...it's fulfillment in an honest and organic way. Not that making the money and having all the successes and titles doesn't [satisfy]... but, you know, like, in a soulful way.” (32:18–32:21)

6. Navigating Hollywood, Fame, and Typecasting

• Balancing Money Projects & Passion Projects

  • “You do one for the money and you do one for yourself, and you do one for the money, you do one for yourself... some balance in the force...” (34:22–35:04)

• Turning Down Roles and Uplifting Others

  • As career grows, Harvey chooses variety—sometimes declining lucrative gigs if they're redundant or not the right fit.
    • “I've turned down stuff that was paying well and was a role very similar to something I've done... What a great opportunity for someone else to take that role and maybe you discover someone new.” (35:47–36:11)
  • Encourages other actors, rejects toxic ‘it’s mine, mine, mine’ mentalities.

• On “Overnight” Success and Versatility

  • “Overnight success takes far too many nights. Right? It really does.” (39:13)
  • Stresses the importance of range to avoid being typecast.

7. Fame, Recognition, & The TSA Licorice Incident

• Newfound Attention After ‘Shadows’

  • Harvey recounts being recognized in airports, even by TSA agents, sometimes in the most unexpected locations.
    • “...Yesterday we were at the airport in San Antonio, Texas... TSA agent, ‘Excuse me, sir... can I talk to you…?’ My whole life was like, ‘What's going on? Oh my god, what did I do?’ It was just to say hello.” (42:01–43:16)
  • Surprised to be recognized for other recent projects ("Companion"), even more so abroad.

• Fans’ Reactions & Mixed Recognition

  • Sometimes people stare: “...I can't tell if they recognize you or they're literally talking shit.” (44:37–44:47)
  • Most encounters are positive.

• Staying Grounded: Still Auditions

  • Even as offers roll in, Harvey insists on auditioning for some roles for mutual confidence in the fit.

8. Industry Realities: Money, Viral Casting, and Getting Replaced

• Acting Isn’t Always Glamorous

  • Paychecks today don’t match the “golden age”; more jobs to keep the lights on due to market saturation.
    • “This isn't like the money... in the 80s and early 90s... We're so saturated with content that there's no way they can pay those checks like they used to.” (47:14–47:38)

• On Getting Recast/Industry Volatility

  • Discuss social virality and sudden recasting, sometimes losing out to an influencer post-shoot.
    • On the infamous "Hakatuh girl" replacement: “Hope it's not real... But apparently it was...” (48:13–48:42)
  • Harvey: “Every actor should get fired once… it does humble you... it wasn't the right fit... People make assumptions that it's smooth sailing... that's not necessarily true.” (46:31–47:14)

9. What’s Next for Harvey?

• Upcoming Projects
  • Damned if You Do – festival circuit, plays a demon (campy comedy)
    • “It’s very campy and I love that.” (51:29–51:50)
  • Pickleheads – competitive pickleball comedy
  • Helluva Boss (Amazon, ongoing voice role)
    • “Helluva Boss... the fans are incredible... definitely for adults, because it’s foul language, sexual scenarios, and it’s just great.” (53:44–54:00)
  • A new movie with Billie Lourd (details forthcoming)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• Harvey on Family Responsibility:
  “If you're the oldest, you took care of the younger kids... my older brother kind of bailed... I became, like, the oldest in the family.” (16:16)

• Harvey on Drinking in His Teens:
  “I didn’t have my first drink till my 21st birthday because I was trying to be like... no, that just leads down a slippery slope.” (14:14)

• On the Importance of Representation:
  “Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek... when they succeeded... it was a feather on all our hats, because... representation was so limited.” (24:21–25:05)

• Favorite Line from 'Puss in Boots':
  “It's okay. I don't need it, because maybe one life is enough.” (25:05–25:25)

• On Booking ‘Shadows’:
  “I parted my hair in the middle... they mimic the audition outfit… Now there's Funko Pops with this character, the hair, and the outfit. Every time I look... I did this.” (29:26–29:51)

• On Artistic Impact:
  “You never know what work you do today... until you know what it means to someone.” (31:24)

• On Work & Fulfillment:
  “You do one for the money, and you do one for yourself… some balance in the force…” (34:22–35:04)

• On Hollywood’s Volatility:
  “Every actor should get fired once… it does humble you... People make assumptions that it's smooth sailing... that's not necessarily true.” (46:31–47:14)

• On ‘Overnight Success’:
  “Overnight success takes far too many nights. Right? It really does.” (39:13)

• On TSA Recognition:
  “I was like, what did I do? Like, my friend's too shy over there and it was another TSA agent... Come over here and say hello.” (42:01–43:16)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |------------------------------------------------|--------------| | Harvey’s intro, family context | 10:49–18:18 | | Growing up "square," avoiding wild parties | 11:18–15:46 | | Early career hustle, breaking in | 05:28–07:01 | | “Puss in Boots” voiceover journey | 22:24–25:46 | | Favorite line & fan response | 25:05–25:25 | | "What We Do in the Shadows" audition story | 26:40–29:49 | | The meaning of TV/film to fans | 31:14–32:21 | | Passion projects vs. money jobs, turning down work| 34:22–36:11 | | Reflections on "overnight" success | 39:13–40:50 | | Recognition stories (TSA, airports, etc.) | 42:01–44:23 | | State of the industry, viral recasting | 47:14–48:46 | | Upcoming projects & closing remarks | 51:29–54:32 |

Tone & Takeaways

The episode is funny, honest, and engaging—as expected for "the Cheesecake Factory of comedy podcasts." Bryan, Krissy, and Harvey bounce between riffs, candid insights, and sincere connection. Harvey’s self-awareness, gratitude, and humility stand out: he’s passionate about craft, embraces his roots, and is committed to using success to uplift others and bring joy.

For listeners: Whether you’re curious about showbiz, appreciate stories of resilience, or just love "What We Do in the Shadows," this episode delivers a potent blend of laughter, insider knowledge, and heart.

Listen for:

• Harvey’s stories of recognition in odd places
• How one trip to a friend’s cheese night changed his life
• His philosophy on sharing opportunity in a competitive industry
• Memorable reflections on fame and creative fulfillment

[End of Summary]