Orestes Matacena's career as an actor spans decades, with notable collaborations with high-profile directors on films, television, and commercials. His early start in the film industry began at the age of six, when he acted in "The Life of Billy the Kid," a project shot at the Mercedes Sugar Mill in Matanzas, Cuba, where he resided with his parents.
As a film actor, Orestes has played antagonist roles in various Hollywood studio films, such as "The Mask" (1994) starring Jim Carrey and "Diggstown" (1992) featuring James Woods and Louis Gossett Jr. He has also worked in 37 commercials, nine of which were directed by Marcus Nispel, whose body of work is part of the New York Museum of Modern Art's Permanent Collection.
Orestes is known for his perseverance and creative vision, having raised capital to produce and direct his own feature film, "Tainted" (1987). He decided to finance his projects himself, allowing him to focus on sharpening his artistic vision.
As a filmmaker, Orestes has written, directed, produced, and edited many of his projects, including "In Plain View" (2008),"Sexgunsmoney@20" (2002),"Cuba Libre" (1999),"Fatal Encounter" (1981),and "Theater in the Parks." His body of work encompasses a variety of styles, including thrillers, dramas, comedies, horror, and action-adventures.
Orestes was born in Cuba to Italian immigrants and grew up on a sugar mill plantation, surrounded by animals and horses. He describes himself as a "third-world country boy," but his business partner, Orna Rachovitsky, sees him as a "hillbilly in an Armani suit."
As a teenager, Orestes was part of the resistance fighting to overthrow the Cuban tyrant Fidel Castro and his communist regime. He escaped from Cuba on an airplane to Mexico, then immigrated to the United States, where he became an American citizen.
After settling in Titusville, Florida, Orestes worked as a dishwasher, short-order cook, and car salesman, eventually founding his own playhouse, "Theater 66," in Miami. Two years later, he moved to New York, where he co-founded "The New York Theater of the Americas" with Miguel Ponce, producing over thirty original plays.
Orestes has also worked as an actor in various New York theater companies, including "Cafe LaMamma," "Stage 73," "Dume," "The Henry Street Playhouse," "INTAR," and "The Astor Place Theater." In 1975, he founded the "New York Cuban Cultural Center" with Ruben Rabasa, Ivan Acosta, and Clara Hernandez, which has continued to produce plays, recitals, poetry nights, art exhibitions, and political debates about the Cuban situation.
