Algenis Perez Soto
Encyclopedia
Algenis Perez Soto is a young Dominican
actor. He was discovered playing a casual game of baseball with friends in the Dominican Republic
and chosen to star in his first acting role ever, Sugar
, a movie about a baseball player’s struggle to rise from amateur playing to the major leagues, and to lift himself and his family from poverty to plenty.
.
The film’s directors Anna Boden
and Ryan Fleck
, discovered Soto playing baseball with friends, and interviewed him for the role. He was one of about 500 actors interviewed for the role.
Soto graduated from high school and has taken computer classes. He played amateur baseball for three years in the hopes of being discovered, usually playing shortstop or second base. However, when his baseball dream wasn’t realized, he went to work as front desk clerk at a hotel in San Pedro. If the movie opportunity had not come along, it’s likely that he would have remained undiscovered on the island.
Soto speaks Dominican Spanish
and knew little English until he prepared for and starred in the film, which was shot in the Dominican Republic
, New York City, Arizona and Iowa. Ironically, he had dreamed of visiting the US to play baseball, but could have never imagined that he would do so as an actor whose character is playing baseball.
While he promotes the film which opened April 3, 2009, Soto is living with his girlfriend in Salem, Massachusetts
.’’ He recognizes that his life has taken a different and brighter path in the past two years. “I think I have more opportunity here," he said, his eyes eager and earnest. "I've been like a different person now. Hopefully, this opens more doors."
During the baseball season, for fun, he is planning to play in an adult amateur baseball league in the Boston area.
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
actor. He was discovered playing a casual game of baseball with friends in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
and chosen to star in his first acting role ever, Sugar
Sugar (2008 film)
Sugar is a 2008 sports drama film directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck. It follows the story of Miguel Santos, a. k. a. Sugar , a Dominican pitcher from San Pedro de Macorís, struggling to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty...
, a movie about a baseball player’s struggle to rise from amateur playing to the major leagues, and to lift himself and his family from poverty to plenty.
Career
Like the movie in which he plays Miguel “Sugar” Santos, in real life, professional baseball was Soto’s dream. He grew up in Quisqueya, a suburb of San Pedro de MacorisSan Pedro de Macorís
San Pedro de Macorís is a municipality and the capital of the San Pedro de Macorís province in the Dominican Republic.-Demographics:...
.
The film’s directors Anna Boden
Anna Boden
Anna Boden is an American film director, cinematographer, editor, and screenwriter best known as the co-writer of the 2006 film Half Nelson. She is known for her collaborations with fellow filmmaker Ryan Fleck.- Life and career :...
and Ryan Fleck
Ryan Fleck
Ryan K. Fleck is an American film director, cinematographer, editor, and screenwriter best known for directing and writing the 2006 film Half Nelson and the 2008 film Sugar. He is known for his collaborations with fellow filmmaker Anna Boden.-Life and career:Fleck was born in Berkeley, California...
, discovered Soto playing baseball with friends, and interviewed him for the role. He was one of about 500 actors interviewed for the role.
Soto graduated from high school and has taken computer classes. He played amateur baseball for three years in the hopes of being discovered, usually playing shortstop or second base. However, when his baseball dream wasn’t realized, he went to work as front desk clerk at a hotel in San Pedro. If the movie opportunity had not come along, it’s likely that he would have remained undiscovered on the island.
Soto speaks Dominican Spanish
Dominican Spanish
Dominican Spanish is Spanish as spoken in the Dominican Republic, a Caribbean country, and throughout the Dominican diaspora, which is found mostly in the United States, chiefly in New York City, Boston, and Miami....
and knew little English until he prepared for and starred in the film, which was shot in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, New York City, Arizona and Iowa. Ironically, he had dreamed of visiting the US to play baseball, but could have never imagined that he would do so as an actor whose character is playing baseball.
While he promotes the film which opened April 3, 2009, Soto is living with his girlfriend in Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
.’’ He recognizes that his life has taken a different and brighter path in the past two years. “I think I have more opportunity here," he said, his eyes eager and earnest. "I've been like a different person now. Hopefully, this opens more doors."
During the baseball season, for fun, he is planning to play in an adult amateur baseball league in the Boston area.