Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicko Sabado.
Hi Nicko, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I moved to Los Angeles with no money — just a dream of becoming an actor. I didn’t have connections or a backup plan. I found a random roommate on Craigslist and moved to Venice, California, hoping I would figure it out.
To survive, I worked whatever jobs I could. I served tables (of course), bartended, worked in retail, coordinated events, and did background acting. I needed to pay rent, take acting classes, get headshots, and cover all the costs that come with chasing this career.
My days were long. I worked doubles, memorized lines on my breaks, and drove to auditions in between shifts. I rehearsed and read sides in LA traffic, using any free moment to prepare.
For a long time, nothing happened. No big callbacks. No bookings. Just rejection and bills.
Then things got worse. Problems with my roommate forced me to break my lease. I had to move around and couch surf while still working and auditioning. It was stressful and humbling, but I didn’t quit.
Eventually, I caught my first real break. I booked a role in a movie that paid well and made me eligible to join SAG-AFTRA. That moment changed everything.
After that, I signed with reputable agencies for print, commercial, and theatrical representation, and later signed with a manager. I started booking national commercials, along with co-star and guest star roles on major TV networks. My work took me to different states and even different countries.
Last year, I attended the Sundance Film Festival after a film I was part of was officially selected. It was a full-circle moment.
I also wrote a short film called *Franklin*, a passion project that I star in and produce. The pitch trailer has already won awards at several film festivals, and I’m currently raising funds to complete the project.
From couch surfing and rehearsing in traffic to joining SAG, building a team, and walking into Sundance — this is just the beginning of my journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I moved to LA, I had no money and no connections. I worked survival jobs. For example, serving, bartending, retail, event coordinating, and background acting — just to pay my bills. I went to auditions in between shifts and rehearsed my lines in traffic. For a long time, I didn’t book anything. There was a lot of rejection. At one point, I had to break my lease because of roommate issues and ended up couch surfing. For a short time, I even slept in my car while still trying to work and audition. That was one of the hardest periods of my life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m Nicko Sabado, an actor, writer, and producer based in Los Angeles. I work in TV, film, and commercials, and also create my own projects, like my short film Franklin. I’ve booked national commercials for brands like Aflac and McDonald’s, guest-starred on shows like Fantasy Island and Minx, and traveled for work across the U.S. and abroad. I’m also a board committee member of the SAG-AFTRA Asian Pacific American Media (APAM) committee, advocating for inclusive representation in media. I’m proud of the journey it took to get here. What sets me apart is my resilience and versatility, showing up with commitment and authenticity in every project I take on.
What’s next?
My future plans are to create my short film Franklin and submit it to film festivals. I want to see how it performs during the festival run once it gets accepted. I also hope to book a movie or TV show that will change my life, while continuing to grow as an actor. If Franklin does well, my goal is to expand it into a feature film and aim for major festivals like Sundance, Cannes, or TIFF. These are my big goals, and I’m excited to see where this journey takes me.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickosabado/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sabadonicko/
