Jacob Gutierrez Steps Into His Moment

The actor takes on his most substantial role to date in ‘Big Mistakes’, reflecting on patience, emotional truth and the kind of growth that happens long before the spotlight arrives

There is a quiet assurance to the way Jacob Gutierrez speaks about timing. In an industry obsessed with overnight breakthroughs, the actor has built his path differently — through steady work, emotional discipline and a deeper understanding of himself beyond the screen. Now, with ‘Big Mistakes’, he steps into his most significant role so far, playing Tareq, a character defined by tenderness, secrecy and moral conflict. As more audiences begin to discover him in a bigger way, Gutierrez remains grounded in the values that brought him here: patience, presence and a genuine love for storytelling.

XMAG: ‘Big Mistakes’ feels like your most substantial role on screen so far. When this project came your way, did it feel like a breakthrough moment, or more like the natural result of years of preparation behind the scenes?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: In ways, it was both. No question it’s my biggest role to date, but the behind-the-scenes preparation has been there. “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” I learned that bit of philosophy years ago and have never forgotten it. What is perhaps more paramount was that I had let go of the desire for a “breakthrough”. I released it. Maybe that’s why it came back my way.

XMAG: You’ve spent years building your career through smaller parts, learning the rhythm of sets and the demands of the industry. How have those earlier experiences prepared you for stepping into a role with this kind of presence and emotional weight?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: Absolutely, everything builds in the exact timing it is supposed to, but I attribute it to more than just the demands of the industry. I believe we are meant to learn things about ourselves and our place in this crazy world before being handed roles or opportunities. Those “school of life” learnings are what prepared me to authentically remain present in the emotional weight. I know we’re all actors, but some things are hard to fake if you don’t have an honest understanding.

XMAG: Tareq is kind, patient and quietly self-assured, but he’s also caught between love, secrecy and a real moral conflict. What was the most interesting part of inhabiting someone who carries so much tenderness alongside that tension?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: I find I continually reflect on real life. Tenderness or tension doesn’t exist in a vacuum; they always coexist. To play someone caught between love and a moral conflict just feels real. Not that that is my personal or current experience, but life always presents dichotomies, and we are tasked with making sense and meaning out of them.

XMAG: So much of your work in the series is opposite Dan Levy. What was it like developing that on-screen relationship with him, especially in a story where intimacy has to coexist with concealment?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: Honestly, the on-screen relationship and chemistry were easy, and we felt it from the chemistry read on. But also, Dan is just the best. He cultivated a set and working environment built on respect and kindness and good, good people. People who love what they do. I think that framework successfully set us up to step into these characters, despite their flaws, and create that intimacy that reads so authentically. The concealment was just part of the given circumstances, which each of our characters had to navigate as the season progressed.

XMAG: This role arrives at a moment when more people will be discovering you in a bigger way. What expectations, if any, are you allowing yourself to have for what this chapter could open up next?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: The only expectation is not to expect anything! Haha. I feel like if I expect that things will take off, I could be sadly disappointed. This business can be fickle, and it’s hard to depend on. So, I just don’t. I think it would be mighty presumptuous to do so. Also, that kind of hubris is a hard “no for me, dawg”. I am wholly realistic that there is a wealth of possibilities at my fingertips now, and to that, I say bring it on. The idea of possibility is exciting, but that’s with anything in life. It’s that twinge of hope or spark of possibility that keeps artists going in droughts — those questions of “what if?” and “what else?” I have a wealth of gratitude for where I am and what has brought me here.

XMAG: Actors often develop rituals that help them ground themselves before a new project begins. Do you have any personal routine, superstition or pre-shoot ritual that helps you step into the work?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: If the schedule allows it, I go to the gym in the morning before going to set. I did that even while shooting ‘Big Mistakes’, and it just sets my body right. If there are any nerves, it shakes them out. A workout grounds me in my body, regulates my nervous system and activates me holistically. Before production begins, obviously, I spend time with the script, and I typically have a quick chat with my coach to keep me grounded, talk through any questions I may have with my character or script, etc., but aside from that, it’s a matter of finding those real moments on set and letting them breathe while the cameras are rolling.

“For the first time in life, I genuinely feel like I am flowing in that harmony and understanding state.”

Jacob Gutierrez

XMAG: Tareq is involved in queer rights activism within the story, which gives him a strong sense of purpose beyond the romance. In your own life, is there a social cause or form of advocacy that feels especially close to your heart?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: I believe for many LGBTQ persons, there is a thread of activism at the core. It is a heteronormative world, and for many young queer people, stepping into their truth is contested, either on a micro level or a macro level. As I’ve more authentically stepped into myself, I have found myself more vocal about advocacy for the marginalised. What’s even more wild is how the need for advocacy gets exacerbated by the sociopolitical climate. I am currently in graduate school for clinical psychology, where I have completed research studies on transgender geriatric individuals and autistic populations, both of which are marginalised, especially now, making that advocacy even more important.

XMAG: As someone who has worked steadily towards a moment like this, what have these years taught you about patience, resilience and trusting your own timing in such an unpredictable profession?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: Well, it’s taught me exactly that. Patience. Resilience. Trust the process. You can’t count on anything in this business. And I say it all the time. Any young actor or artist moves to the city thinking, “I’m ready now for my breakout moment,” but I’ve grown to understand that maybe we are meant to endure and learn far more than we even realise before that moment aligns, and for that, I am grateful. It has taught me grit and the importance of continually investing in myself, even outside of the industry, like my current clinical psychology degree.

And not to be a psychologist, but Abraham Maslow’s “Hierarchy of Needs” outlines human needs, from the most basic at the bottom of the hierarchy to the ultimate “need for self-actualisation” at the top, when individuals reach a state of harmony and understanding because they are engaged in achieving their full potential. And for the first time in life, I genuinely feel like I am flowing in that harmony and understanding state. It took me a while, but I’m there. Talk about possibility!

XMAG: After a project like ‘Big Mistakes’, which introduces you to audiences in a much bigger way, what kinds of roles are you most hungry to explore next — something darker, more romantic, more physical, more unexpected?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: Oh yeah, many. No different than tenderness or tension not existing in a vacuum, I think everyone possesses a “dark side” that balances out the light. I’d be curious to explore that in time, even if subtly. I could step into a romantic love story tomorrow, but the realist in me recognises that even on that journey, there is some darkness or humour to explore. And then, of course, growing up watching Harrison Ford star in ‘Indiana Jones’, I would give anything to hop on a franchise like that, and I think I’d look good in the hat. 😉

XMAG: Looking beyond this series, what would you like your career to be shaped by: the characters you play, the stories you tell, the communities you represent, or perhaps the impact you can have through the work?

JACOB GUTIERREZ: I have always been a storyteller. That is at my core. Stories can be told in so many ways, but ultimately, what is their effect on others? Does the viewer walk away having gained anything? Even as simple as, “Did they laugh and forget their stress for a moment?” Did they relate to these characters in some way that made them think about their situation differently? I don’t mean to sound too flowery, but I think that’s the point of stories. We all see parts of ourselves in the characters we play or those we see on screen. It is both a great privilege and responsibility to tell stories on a large or small scale. What a treat to explore that for a living.