At 15 years old, Miguel Gabriel is already winning hearts with his remarkable talent, contagious energy, and charisma. Known for voicing the lead character in “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” Miguel now shines in his latest project, “Camera,” where he shares the screen with renowned actor Beau Bridges. In the film, he plays Oscar Kennedy, a 9-year-old mute who, after moving to a fishing town with his widowed mother, discovers the transformative power of photography.
“Camera” is a touching story of loss, hope, and healing, and Miguel’s performance has already received widespread acclaim. The film premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and was selected for screening at the Beverly Hills Film Festival, in addition to winning Best Family Film at the Julien Dubuque International Film Festival. Miguel Gabriel’s performance promises to mark him as one of the most promising young talents in cinema.
How was the experience of voicing the little boy in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and how did it influence your approach to future roles?
My experience working on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was great! It’s an honor to be in a movie with big names and stars. It influenced my approach to future roles to show that you can have range, meaning that you can play different roles, use different acting techniques specifically for your role, and always have a positive attitude on set.
In Camera, you play Oscar Kennedy, a mute boy. How did you prepare for this challenging role?
I prepared for the role of Oscar by understanding the character, reading the script, and using some of my own experience. For example, when I was very little, I had a speech impediment where I couldn’t speak my words clearly, and theater helped me to overcome it, so I used that to hone in on Oscar’s character fully. However, I also had some help to make sure I could do this challenging role, and my acting coach Aubrey Miller helped me make sure my acting for this role was good.
What did you enjoy most about working alongside Beau Bridges in Camera?
What I enjoyed the most when working with Beau Bridges was having fun together on set. We made each other laugh and smile, which really helped to ensure the relationship between Oscar and Eric was pure and authentic. I also learned a lot of great acting lessons from Beau, like how less is more and making sure your performance is natural.
Camera has won several awards and critical acclaim. How did you feel about the film’s success at the festivals?
I was so happy and surprised because I didn’t expect that my first feature film would get to win so many awards. But I’m glad it did cause it was a team effort to bring this movie to life for all audiences.
What were the biggest challenges you faced during the filming of Camera?
My biggest challenges were the crying scenes. I chose to cry organically, which requires more effort and preparation to motivate myself to cry and be emotional.
Besides acting, you are also a dancer and singer. How do you balance all these skills, and which one do you find the most challenging?
I balance the skills of acting, dancing, and singing by schedule, routine, and the amount of time and effort I put into them. I always tell myself that what I’m doing will be fun with a good attitude and mindset. All three of them are challenging, but once you do them repeatedly and find ways to solve the problem, that’s what makes them hard in the first place. It’s overall fun for me to have those skills and be able to do them.
What did you learn from your work on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish that you brought to your subsequent projects?
What I learned from working on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was listening to the filmmakers, understanding the role, and giving it your all. I also brought that onto my other projects, such as Camera.
Follow Miguel Gabriel on Instagram