Elvis Nolasco: From Breakdancing in New York to the Screen with Oscar Winners

Elvis Nolasco’s journey to the screen began on the streets of New York in the 1980s, not with a script, but with breakdancing. A proud Dominican-American, Nolasco credits his early love of dance to his family, recalling the joy of watching them move to music at gatherings. That joy quickly turned into passion, leading him to master the art of breakdancing. At the time, he didn’t realize this talent would be the foundation of his first stage performance in a production called Bobo’s. “I didn’t know that learning breakdancing would be the first thing I used on stage,” he reflects.

Despite his growing interest in the arts, not everyone in his family was convinced. His mother, in particular, urged him to take a more traditional route. “She would always advise me to get a job,” Nolasco says, recalling her uncertainty about his path. But in 1994, everything changed. He played her a VHS copy of the film I Like It Like That, in which he had a role. That moment of recognition marked a turning point. “She finally understood what I was doing,” he says with a smile.

Now, decades later, Nolasco remains a dedicated actor with a growing body of work. He is currently filming the fourth season of Godfather of Harlem, the acclaimed MGM+ series starring himself alongside Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker. “It’s a wonderful feeling to be a part of this,” Nolasco says. “Working with this amazing cast is a blessing as well.”

One moment that particularly moved him was realizing the caliber of talent he was working with. “It hit me, oh wow, I get to work with two Oscar winners in Forrest Whitaker and Whoopi Goldberg,” he recalls. “That was emotional.”

But Nolasco’s pride goes beyond personal success. He is a passionate advocate for Afro-Latino visibility in entertainment. “We need to see our stories being told,” he says. “We don’t see this community on a television or movie basis that focuses on what it means to be that.”

Elvis Nolasco’s story is not only one of talent and perseverance, but also of cultural pride and representation a reminder that the stage can be a powerful place to break barriers, just like he broke into entertainment: one move at a time.