Actor Christopher Bencomo chatted about being in the comedy series “Bookie” on Max.
‘Bookie’
Regarding his experience doing “Bookie,” Bencomo said, “It was exciting, to say the least. Working with Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakey, who created the show, was really inspiring.”
“Being on a set and working with them was a dream come true. You would think it would be an intimidating process working with such big names, but they brought a sense of play and joy to the set. They were good motivators,” he explained.
“When we did the table read, we were all crying from laughter, it was so funny,” he said. “Watching it back, ‘Bookie’ is definitely a dark comedy.”
Playing Lex
On playing the character Lex, Bencomo remarked, “I was very excited to play the role of Lex. Usually, for the roles that I play, I like to work on how I look physically, so I worked out like a beast to prepare for it.”
“We got on set, and everyone was just so supportive, especially Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey. They are both class acts, so talented, and funny. Everyone worked harmoniously together. It felt like we were all in recess playing games,” he said.
“Lex was a very freeing character to play, and there were no limits for him. It was a lot of fun,” he added.
Working with Omar J. Dorsey and Sebastian Maniscalco
Bencomo opened up about working with Sebastian Maniscalco and Omar J. Dorsey. “Working with Omar was great. He was so down-to-earth,” he said. “I remember halfway through filming, when I did Episode 6, and I was working out a lot and I hurt my back terribly.”
“In that last episode, I am in a brace, and when they said ‘action,’ I would take it off and do the scene, and then, put it back on. Omar was so supportive during that trying time,” he said.
“We were just going back and forth about working out and back pain. Omar is such a great guy. I am so excited for his success in ‘Bookie’ and I am really hoping for a Season 2, so that they can continue to shine, and hopefully, Lex can come back,” he elaborated.
“Sebastian Maniscalco was also incredible,” he admitted. “From the moment I first introduced myself to him, Sebastian was really nice and welcoming. He is a centered and calm dude, and when they said ‘action,’ magic just comes out of him. I think his stand-up comedy experience has a lot to do with that because he is very confident in what he does.”
“I’m glad that I got a chance to work with Sebastian and Omar, for sure,” he added.
‘Found’
He also spoke about doing the show “Found.” “Right before ‘Bookie,’ I worked on a show called ‘Found,’ which was the polar opposite of what ‘Bookie’ is. I like doing roles that are very different from each other,” he said.
“Now that the strike is over, I hope that the traction keeps going,” he added.
‘Magic Mike: Last Dance’ film
Bencomo noted that doing the “Magic Mike: Last Dance” movie was a “fun job.”
“It was quick… You get there, you do your lines, you do them in a few takes, and it was done before I knew it,” he said. “It was sweet, short, and quick. Channing Tatum was great. Doing that movie also allowed me to visit my family members who are in Miami.”
“Steven Soderbergh directed it, and he is one of my favorite directors, so I really wanted to do this movie just to work with him,” Bencomo said. “It was amazing to work with him, and I would love to work with him again, and the same holds true for Channing Tatum.”
“I am happy with the jobs that I’ve fallen into,” he acknowledged.
AI on the future of the entertainment industry
“Artificial intelligence (AI) is part of the reason that we went on strike,” he said. “We do have some protections from it now, but to be honest, AI is not going away.”
“We need to learn to adapt to AI. I am really just excited to get back to work. If AI becomes a problem for me, specifically, I will deal with that with my reps. We have to learn how to work with it because AI isn’t going anywhere. We will see what happens in the future,” he explained.
“In the future, if AI becomes a bigger problem, I’m sure there will be another strike,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Bencomo said, “The year of the chameleon.”
“I love that I went from working on ‘Bookie,’ a comedy to work on a drama ‘Found.’ As an actor, I never want to be pigeonholed into playing a specific character. I want to continue to break those boundaries and play roles that are polar opposites,” he said.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Bencomo shared, “Being happy and content with what you are doing, and not losing yourself in the process. Being happy, being grounded and loving the process as a whole. Happiness plays a big part in my definition of success.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Bookie’
For fans and viewers, Bencomo concluded about “Bookie,” “I want people to have a good time watching ‘Bookie’… that is what the show was created for: to have laughs. It was created for viewers to have a good time. There is no thought process, you just relax into it.”
To learn more about actor Christopher Bencomo, follow him on Instagram.
