Faith, Fame and the Truth About Mental Health

Law of Attraction SECRETS

In this heartfelt episode of Law of Attraction Secrets, actor Ryan Guzman opens up about the hidden struggles behind Hollywood fame, discussi

Key takeaways

• Fame does not protect against inner pain or mental health struggles.
• Financial success in Hollywood often comes with significant cuts and delays, leading to modest earnings despite high-profile roles.

Main topics

• The reality behind Hollywood fame
• Fatherhood and co-parenting

Notable quotes

"Fame does not make you immune to pain."

"Take life at a moment at a time because that's all you have."

Conclusion

Ryan Guzman's journey reminds listeners that true fulfillment comes fro

Transcript preview

Speaker 2 (0:00) Okay, y'all, we just need to introduce this amazing actor. Obviously, you can see he's a star. You know him from hit TV show 9-1-1. He's been in Step Up Revolution, Step Up All In, and The Boy Next Door. I mean, so many things. He's been on 9-1-1 for 10 years. He's now going into directing on top of acting. He is a freaking movie star, people. And we are so excited to be sitting here with such an epic person with a career spanning action, drama, romance. Ryan is also passionate about mental health. faith, and fatherhood. You're a daddy? I Speaker 1 (0:31) am. Oh Speaker 2 (0:32) my God. I love it. Okay, we got so much to talk about today, you guys. Today, we're going to lean into all things with finding purpose beyond Hollywood. The truth about fame, faith, and mental health. And what Hollywood doesn't tell you, all those bits in between. Success, faith, and becoming the best. version of yourself. Welcome to the show, Ryan Guzman. Oh Speaker 1 (0:53) my God. Could I correct the last name real quick? It's Guzman or Guzman? Speaker 2 (0:58) Shit. Speaker 1 (0:59) No worries. Okay, we can do that again. Welcome to Speaker 2 (1:00) the show, Ryan Guzman. Thank Speaker 1 (1:03) you so much. Speaker 2 (1:04) Where's the surname from? Speaker 1 (1:05) Surname's from Mexico. And Speaker 2 (1:07) the fact you know what surname is says you're really a true actor because you speak, you obviously understand multiple dialects. Wait, you're Mexican? Speaker 1 (1:13) Yeah, Mexican-American. Whoa, what Speaker 2 (1:16) a beautiful look. You guys, I know the girls are loving this today. If y'all aren't watching and you're listening, go on YouTube right now and check out who we are speaking to. So it's Guzman. Speaker 1 (1:26) Wow. All right. Speaker 2 (1:27) Tell me about your amazing work. I mean, there's so much to talk about today. Speaker 1 (1:32) Oh, man. I don't even know where to start, to be honest. It's been a 17-year-long journey. Wow. Yeah. And it's something that I never even thought about doing when I was a kid. Speaker 1 (1:42) I'm kind of just living in gratitude every single day. Speaker 2 (1:44) So beautiful. Yeah. Speaker 1 (1:46) I Speaker 2 (1:46) love that. And how long have you been a daddy for? Speaker 1 (1:49) I've been a daddy for seven years. Really? Speaker 2 (1:51) I have a nine-year-old. You Speaker 1 (1:52) have a nine-year-old? Yeah. Speaker 2 (1:53) Then Speaker 1 (1:53) you know. It's like one of the biggest blessings you can get. Speaker 2 (1:55) Boy or girl? Speaker 1 (1:56) Boy and girl. Speaker 2 (1:57) Oh, you got two? Me too. I got Speaker 1 (1:59) two, yes. So you got Speaker 2 (1:59) twins? Speaker 1 (2:01) No, well, two years apart. Oh, Speaker 2 (2:03) nice. Yeah, so five and a Speaker 1 (2:04) seven-year-old. Speaker 2 (2:05) Oh, that's so cute. I have a two-year-old. And a nine-year-old. And a nine Speaker 1 (2:08) -year-old. That's beautiful. So the two-year-old is testing your energy levels. You have no idea. Yeah. Speaker 2 (2:11) Oh, my God. It's so real. My nine-year-old, I'm like, I forgot. You forget after all those years. I'm like, wait, what? Speaker 1 (2:17) Oh, my Speaker 2 (2:18) gosh. She is like learning to potty train right now. Speaker 1 (2:20) Oh, my gosh. Speaker 2 (2:21) Oh, my gosh. My mom's helping. Thank God. So great. Shout out to mom. Shout out to mom. Yeah. I love it. That's so beautiful. Are you, you're with the... Mama? Speaker 1 (2:30) No, no, no. Co-parent. No, it's so Speaker 2 (2:32) beautiful. Yeah, yeah. Co-parenting actually in today's world is very common. Speaker 1 (2:35) It is very common. You know, unfortunately it didn't work out. But I think at this point in time, it's the best scenario out of the worst scenario, I guess. Speaker 2 (2:43) 100%. And the kids get two Christmases sometimes. They sometimes get two birthdays. They get all the things. Like, I teach my kids that, like, you know, that's okay. You know? And we just do it. And, like... You just make the best of life. Absolutely. My kids have never, well, my baby doesn't really know. My son's never complained about it. So, you know, I think they won't remember when they're older. Speaker 1 (3:06) My kids have been great about sharing their feelings and then showcasing whatever it is that they're going through in their head. And their mom and I have been there every step of the way to try and work them through the process. So I think altogether, they still see us as like a family unit. I Speaker 2 (3:22) love it. Ryan, millions of people know you. from 911, but I'd love to start with who you are when the cameras stop rolling. Like, who is Ryan away from Hollywood? I Speaker 1 (3:34) would say if I had to define myself now, it would be a father first. Wow. And then a creative. And then just a student. I feel like I'm constantly in search of knowledge, search of what I don't know, in search of my weaknesses, and hopefully I can make them strengths. I'm just constantly curious, to be honest. Speaker 2 (3:54) It's beautiful. Yeah. Speaker 1 (3:56) How Speaker 2 (3:56) has Hollywood changed since you started acting? I mean, you're young, but like, it's evolving constantly. Oh, my God. You began 17 years ago. Yeah, Speaker 1 (4:05) it's completely changed. I was in my 20s. Well, there's no more in room auditions, which is crazy to me. Speaker 2 (4:10) Really? No, Speaker 1 (4:11) it's all, you know, over the self tapes, Speaker 2 (4:14) self Speaker 1 (4:14) tapes, zoom calls. But I missed the room because you were able to work with somebody. You were also able to get. feedback and and then there was these nerves that you would get that i don't get anymore which um i recently actually i think last year i went on the first in-room audition i've done in years just because i wanted to go in the room not because i wanted the role yeah Speaker 2 (4:34) in Speaker 1 (4:35) fact i i was just like you know what i know i'm not right for the part but thank you guys for seeing me see you guys later Speaker 2 (4:40) you literally just wanted the feeling yeah that's brilliant because i bet at this point in your career you know being on such a great show you know, you probably get cold, like, calls, like, hey, he'd be great for this, or your agent would put you forward, and you probably don't even need to necessarily read, or... There's Speaker 1 (4:56) opportunities that definitely come from my show, but my show films for nine months out of the year, so... Speaker 2 (5:02) Really? Speaker 1 (5:02) Yeah, it's very hard to pick up things in between that three-month period. Speaker 2 (5:07) Right. So Speaker 1 (5:08) unless I'm off the show, the show is it for now. So Speaker 2 (5:11) you're off the show right now, so then you go back? Speaker 1 (5:13) Yeah, then I go back in two weeks. Speaker 2 (5:15) In two weeks, I caught you at the perfect time. You caught me at the Speaker 1 (5:17) perfect time. And Speaker 2 (5:18) where do you film? Speaker 1 (5:19) We film here in LA. Oh, that's so great. All over. Speaker 2 (5:22) Oh my God, I love it. Oh, it's a real LA show. Speaker 1 (5:25) I Speaker 2 (5:25) forget that. I'm like, we really are in Hollywood. Speaker 1 (5:28) Yeah, we are. We Speaker 2 (5:28) really are in Hollywood. I love it. What was the biggest misconception that you felt people have about being an actor? That Speaker 1 (5:36) as soon as you make it, you're rich and famous. Speaker 2 (5:38) You Speaker 1 (5:38) might have some of the fame, but you're definitely not rich. And I remember the first role that I had, which was in Step Up, and it was the main character. But after getting that, and it's a huge motion picture, $33 million behind it, but the marketing was insane. It was worldwide. And people come out of nowhere thinking that you're super rich. I had only gotten paid $60,000 for that. So $60,000 after taxes and after cuts for, you know, whatever agents and managers ends up being like $25,000. Speaker 2 (6:08) Right. Speaker 1 (6:08) So you find out who's there to support you and who's there for the money. Speaker 2 (6:13) Wow. I bet that's so real. That's so true. As soon as people see you, they assume like rich and famous, they put it together. Speaker 1 (6:20) But Speaker 2 (6:20) a lot of the time, like fame doesn't always, by the time the cuts are gone, attach to it. You're like, oh my God. You know, it's so true. And like, I see people and like you get to know them and you're like, that's so interesting because a lot of reality stars, you assume that because they're on these shows and then again, boom, they weren't. You know, later on, it starts to accumulate. Later on, like the next movie and then the next show and then the next thing. I feel like then it starts to build. Speaker 1 (6:44) It's Speaker 2 (6:45) one of those things. I want to talk first about really talking about Hollywood because we're here, right? We're literally in the heart of it. We are living our best lives. People dream of being in our positions where we are. Can you have strong faith and still thrive in Hollywood? Speaker 1 (7:05) You can, but it's going to test your faith because in Hollywood, there is everything. There's a multitude of everything that you can think of. And if you're strong in your faith and you're strong in your purpose, then most things you're going to have to turn down, which if you're an actor, you're a starving artist of any kind, you're probably not going to want to turn down. If you're hurting for money. you want to take that opportunity. And I'll be the first one to say that I'm no perfect individual. So when I was younger and my faith was... weak as can be. I had no faith at the end of the day. I took everything just for the check. But if you do have a strong faith, it could be very difficult. Speaker 2 (7:43) Wow, that's so interesting. I would have thought like the faith would get you through. Like I feel for me, having a strong faith is the reason I've gotten through so far. Speaker 1 (7:51) That's beautiful. Like Speaker 2 (7:52) I just, I believe in God so deeply and I go to church and I'm like, God's giving me this and like nothing is going to throw me off it. And I'm doing this for you, God. And I'm going to show you how great life can be because you've given me the opportunity to move to America. and be successful as an immigrant here Speaker 1 (8:06) and be Speaker 2 (8:07) somebody who has had opportunities which others only dream of. But I think if you can come to a different country and you can make it, honey, you are a fucking superstar. Speaker 1 (8:17) You're not wrong. You're not wrong. True, because Speaker 2 (8:19) you're going against the grain. You don't know the way they do it, but maybe that's advantageous. Speaker 1 (8:24) It is, yeah. Because Speaker 2 (8:25) you don't necessarily know it. But I like the fact that you're also from some... Were you born here? Speaker 1 (8:29) I was born in Texas, yeah. I love that Speaker 2 (8:31) you do the