NYFA Alum Orlando Pineda on starring in the Netflix show "Griselda" & his career after NYFA

NYFA BFA Acting for Film Alum Orlando Pineda stars in the hit Netflix mini-series "Griselda". Since graduating from NYFA, Orlando has worked on numerous projects from brand commercials to TV and films. His hard work lead him to his most notable role yet, playing Dixon, the son of the infamous Griselda Blanco, in the Netflix show "Griselda".

Orlando spoke to us about getting the role, working alongside Sofia Vergara and his career. 

NYFA Alumni Network: Can you tell us a bit about yourself, where you're from, and what brought you to the New York Film Academy?

O.P: I was born and raised in Colombia, all over the country due to my dad’s job, I started acting since I was 15 in school plays and decided I wanted to do it professionally at 17. I found out about NYFA at a college fair in Bogota, I asked some info and in less than a month I was going to a Sumer Camp in New York to try it out. After that, I decided I wanted to enroll, I auditioned and went to the LA campus where I eventually graduated with my BFA in Acting for Film.

NYFA Alumni Network: What projects have you worked on since graduating? Have you won any awards or been showcased in any festivals or competitions?

O.P: I have done a lot of commercials for big brands like Nintendo, Toyota, Old Navy, T-mobile, etc. I was part of the cast of Milagros de Navidad in Telemundo, also in Narcos: Mexico, and in The Infiltrators a feature film that debuted in Sundance Film Festival winning “NEXT Innovator Award” and “Audience Award-Best of Next!” before working on Griselda as Dixon.

NYFA Alumni Network: Your most recent role is Dixon, the eldest son of Griselda Blanco in the Netflix show about her life. Congratulations! How did you get involved in the project and what was the audition process like?

O.P: Thank you so much! I got the audition through my manager in September 2021. It was a selftape and after a few months of not hearing anything from it, I got a callback, and then another one, and then a meeting with Andi Baiz, the director. At the end of that week I got the big news. Everything was via Zoom because the industry was still shut after Covid, so I got to meet everyone when we were on set in January 2022.

NYFA Alumni Network: How was it like acting alongside Sofia Vergara?

O.P: It was a dream come true. As a Colombian actor she is such an inspiration to me. She is someone that made her way in the industry and reached the highest level possible starting from zero. As a person she is nothing but love, humor, and talent. Every day on set was an adventure that we got to enjoy because of everyone’s positive attitude and hers was one of the best.

NYFA Alumni Network: How did you prepare for the role? Do you have a special process?

O.P: I read absolutely everything there is on Griselda Blanco and her legacy, including family, business, and private life. I worked on my character’s intentions, motivations, obstacles to build an arc, I asked my dad (retired General in Colombia’s Military) so many questions about that world and all of that helped me find the essence of Dixon, who is a very different persona from myself. Lastly, I had to stop working out and slim down a little bit to portray the physicality of an 18 year old in the 70’s and 80’s. From then on, I just let go and had so much fun on set.

NYFA Alumni Network: What did you learn at NYFA that you applied directly to this role and others?

O.P: My whole process is a mix of absolutely everything I learned at NYFA. Building a bio for my character, finding the arc, understanding the “why”, creating the character's physicality, everything is a result from all the different techniques I learned there, to be free when living truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

NYFA Alumni Network: Is there anything else you're currently working on?

O.P: I have a couple of projects lined up that I am so excited to start and share with everyone. Acting in Griselda definitely opened a lot of doors for me.

NYFA congratulates Orlando on all his success! 

Photos from the world premiere of Griselda: