La Cultura Cura

San Antonio native Jesse Borrego continues to find success in Hollywood but he’ll never leave behind the city that shaped him

By Jennifer Herrera; Photo By Vincent Gonzalez

The minute Jesse Borrego finishes filming a project in Hollywood, he heads to the airport so he can return home to San Antonio.

The San Antonio native has led an illustrious career, making his debut in the 1980s on the musical television series Fame, which showcased his talents as a “triple-threat,” or singer, dancer and actor. He went on to grace the stage and the big screen in films like Blood In, Blood Out and on television with Fear the Walking Dead.

Borrego’s latest film, Phoenix, Oregon, will make its Texas premiere this month at the Guadalupe Cultural Art Center’s 41st CineFestival, July 11-14. Phoenix, Oregon is a comedy of “midlife reinvention” that follows two friends as they open a bowling alley/pizzeria in their hometown. “This was an opportunity to be able to exemplify who we are as a Latino culture in American cinema,” Borrego says. “That’s what I like about the Latino culture in this film. It’s so prevalent, but not in a patronizing way—it’s just part of the narrative.”

Borrego says his “South Texas-Tejano-South Side” roots set him apart from others in the industry, and it’s why he sticks close to home when he can. It allows him to stay true to himself and to be a part of the development of the cultura taking place in San Antonio right now. Debuting his latest film for what he calls his “core audience” is a thrill, he says.

“I grew up in the Chicano barrios of the South Side and the West Side, specifically (around) The Guadalupe, looking at all these Chicano artists,” says Borrego, now 56. Conjunto, which he calls “the music of San Antonio,” was the soundtrack to his childhood. His father, Jesse Borrego Sr., would sing at home and took him and his brother along when he performed at gatherings. Watching his dad and listening to his grandmother is what led Borrego to become a performer in his own right. “I felt that was what I wanted—to be an artist, proud of who he was,” he says.

A Harlandale High School graduate, Borrego studied theater and dance at the University of the Incarnate Word and then pursued theater at the California Institute of the Arts. It was there, in 1984, that he learned about an open audition for Fame. Borrego was cast in the role of Jesse Velasquez and says even when not in a scene, he spent as much time on set as he could to soak in all of the nuances involved with filming.

In each role he’s played since then, Borrego says he’s worked to represent Latinos without playing stereotypes. “I can honestly say that I’ve been able to stay consistent not only in my vision, but being true to my Latino culture, my indigenous culture,” Borrego says.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and its CineFestival are especially significant for Borrego. He recalls his grandmother telling him stories of watching movies at the theater while pregnant with Borrego’s mother. After Borrego picked up conjunto music, one of the first concerts he ever performed with his father was on stage at the Guadalupe in 1988, and Borrego has since participated in live theater at the nonprofit.

CineFestival, which is the nation’s first and now longest running Latino film festival, has often screened Borrego’s projects, and likewise, it has relied on him to help promote the festival and provide connections to the film industry. “I often refer to Jesse as the patron saint of CineFestival,” says Manuel Solis, CineFestival programmer, explaining that Borrego has hosted events, moderated Q&As with filmmakers and more. “When celebrities like Benjamin Bratt and Esai Morales have attended past festivals, it was Jesse who extended invitations on CineFestival’s behalf.”

They’re not the only local organization to recognize Borrego’s work. The San Antonio Film Festival also frequently showcases his projects and in 2018 honored him with a Legacy Award. Phoenix, Oregon will also play at the San Antonio Film Festival, July 30-Aug. 4.

Whether through film festivals, or his own endeavors, Borrego says that he wants his career to serve as an example for his younger fans.

In 2009, he and his brother, James Borrego, founded Cine Studio San Antonio, which works alongside local high school film programs to help students gain the necessary skills to pursue a career in the arts. Borrego says he stresses to teens that if they’re serious about breaking into the entertainment industry, they’ll have to hone their craft and take education seriously. There’s no reason, he tells them, that they shouldn’t be able to obtain a career just like he did. It will be through building up talent locally that San Antonio’s local film industry will grow, he says. “It’s not about bringing Hollywood to San Antonio, it’s about getting the San Antonio filmmaking talent up to the level of Hollywood,” Borrego says.

Borrego says through work with Cine Studio San Antonio, he’s also realized that there’s a younger generation watching some of his older films. Knowing that, he puts twists on a famous line from Blood In, Blood Out whenever he’s chatting with students to offer some extra encouragement. He’ll say, “vatos locos forever” or “vatos locos go to college.”

Borrego emphasizes that culture is an advantage and something to honor in their work. He points to the phrase “la cultura cura,” or the culture cures, and says that’s why he’s kept such close ties to his community throughout his more than 35 years in the entertainment business. “You have to cultivate,” Borrego says. “Cultura it always meant to me the artistry, but it also means to grow and evolve as a people.”