Feature photo credit: Cedric Terrell
With his new series, ‘Sneakerheads,’ out on Netflix, creating a short film phone app, operating his own businesses, becoming an award nominated writer, and directing short films, it really does seem like Allen Maldonado is everywhere. Luckily, Nerd Alert News was able to catch up with him and discuss some of the projects he has been working on.
‘Sneakerheads,’ a Netflix Original series released on September 25, 2020, stars Maldonado alongside Andrew Bachelor—or King Bach as Allen refers to him. In the initial season, the two “begin an epic journey to find some “Grails.” A.K.A shoes that are impossible to find.” As you can imagine, this quest leads itself to an adventure filled with “comedy, shoes, friendship, and even more shoes.”
In addition, Allen is also scheduled to star opposite Stephen Amell as professional wrestler, Rooster, in the upcoming STARZ series, “Heels.” Maldonado says he is excited to “team back up with the great Mike O’Malley who is showrunning this incredible series.” While the series about a small town wrestling league does not have a release date set, members of the cast have begun training for the new roles and production has started putting a team together to begin filming in the Atlanta area.
You can also find him starring alongside Cedric the Entertainer, Tracy Morgan, and Tiffany Haddish—just to name a few—in ‘The Last OG’ where he portrays Cousin Bobby, showing Morgan’s character what the “new” Brooklyn looks like.
“I’ve had the honor to work with incredible actors from Sir Ben Kingsley, Jennifer Aniston, Gerald Butler, Joseph Gordon Levitt, and even James Caan! The list goes on.” It is no surprise that when asked about who was the most memorable, working with the legendary Denzel Washington on The Equalizer is “at the top of [that] list.” One name he hopes to add to that list in the future is Leonardo DiCaprio.
‘The Last OG’ is also the latest in several shows, including ‘Survivor’s Remorse’ from executive producer Lebron James, where Maldonado has stepped out from in front of the camera and into the writer’s room. When asked about how the writers role has affected his perspective as an actor, Maldonado said that understanding the writing “allows me to further dissect the script in a deeper way…[and] allows me to gain more information needed to bring a character to life.”
In addition to writing, directing, and acting on the screen, Allen Maldonado owns and operates several businesses such as Get It Done Records, a clothing line called Vineyards Finest, and Only Son Productions, whose primary focus is creating “high quality film and television programs” to entertain audiences around the world. He also created Demo Nerds Acting and Film for Kids which uses acting and the arts to help kids learn to express themselves in positive ways and to build their self esteem and confidence.
In 2017, he went digital with the creation of Everybody Digital, a short film phone app that gives short-form media creators a way to connect with consumers. “I love short films. I think they should be highlighted and treasured from past films to present, and the goal is to help keep these films alive,” adds Maldonado. One extension of the app is the Everybody Digital Film Festival that gives filmmakers a big screen to share their work with audiences.
“I appreciate the opportunity to do what I love and take care of myself doing so. I just focus
on continuing to do my part to maintain that lifestyle,” says Maldonado. One of the ways he does that is by maintaining his physical health, and helping others to do the same through Knees Out Coalition. This running crew encourages focusing on not only the
physical growth that one gets from long distance running, but also the growth of their mental and spiritual health.
With so many irons in the fire, it is no wonder he has gained the reputation of being everywhere. So what’s the secret? “No sleep. Lol doing what I love helps,” he says.
Maldonado admits, while finding a silver lining during the pandemic is difficult, the changes to everyday life these last few months have been good for him in the long run. “I’m so used to having my business life overshadow my personal life. It allowed me to focus on me for a second and I learned a lot from it.”
Thank you, Allen Maldonado, for taking the time to talk with Nerd Alert News. Congratulations on your new success with ‘Sneakerheads,’ and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for you.
Written By: Melissa Fudge
