Born and raised in Tucson, first-year School of Theatre, Film & Television student JJ Urquidez never expected his college journey to begin with a starring role in a feature film. After having nearly given up on acting in high school, JJ landed a breakout part in Choir Practice, a new crime thriller filmed in and around Tucson and the borderlands. Written and directed by Sally Shamrell, the film is currently in post-production ahead of a 2026 release. JJ brings to life the story of a migrant teen on the run from a violent cartel alongside fellow cast members Rodrigo Rojas (Ozark, Modern Family), Jon Proudstar (Reservation Dogs) and the legendary Danny Trejo (Breaking Bad, Con Air, Heat, the Spy Kids franchise).
As he learned to navigate a professional set, JJ found himself growing not only as an actor but as a student discovering his place in the craft. In this Q&A, he reflects on this leap into professional filmmaking, the lessons he’s carrying back into the classroom and what it means to chase his dream.
Congratulations on this incredible achievement, JJ! Firstly, could you walk us through your casting journey – from the initial audition to the moment you learned you’d be stepping into one of the film’s leading roles?
My friend Arthur Pedack, an incredibly talented filmmaker, was working on different sets as a PA and staying in touch with people in the local film community here. One day last year I came into my high school film class and he told me he’d been talking with Sally, the director, and that they were still looking for someone for a specific role. He said the moment she described the character, he thought of me.
At the time, I was honestly about ready to quit acting. I didn’t think auditioning would lead anywhere, and I didn’t want to waste anyone’s time. But after sitting with it for a bit, I decided to give acting one more shot. Arthur sent along my information, Sally reached out, and I sent in a self-tape. I filmed it in a tiny storage room at school during lunch, edited it quickly, and sent it off.
I didn’t think much of it until like a week or two later I got a call during my math class. I couldn’t pick up, but when I saw the text, I called back. That’s when they told me I’d gotten the role. I thought it was just going to be some small part, but they said it was one of the leads. I was in complete shock, even up till the first day of shooting I still couldn’t believe it.
Choir Practice follows a priest and his best friend, a policeman, who discover a migrant teen alone on a desert highway, and are swept up into a dangerous chase involving an international drug ring and a life-altering secret. How did you approach portraying a character caught in such a high-stakes, emotionally charged situation?
The first thing I did was read the script over and over, probably more than 50 times before we even started filming. I wanted to fully understand what my character was thinking and feeling in every moment, and how he views the people around him and the world he’s stuck in.
I also spent time looking at real stories from migrants who went through similar situations. Hearing their words and seeing how their experiences affected them helped me find an emotional connection and portray the character.
While you had performed in high-school theatre productions and student films before, this was your first professional set. What were some of your biggest takeaways from working with experienced actors and crew? Were there any on-set moments that changed how you think about acting or filmmaking?
At first, what hit me the most was how experienced everyone else was. I could sense some doubt about me, which I totally understood. Here I was, a kid with almost no professional experience, suddenly one of the leads in this film. That first week was really hard on me mentally. I wanted to prove myself, make everyone proud, and I put so much pressure on chasing perfection that I started to lose sight of who I was.
One day my lines were changed the night before, then again on set, and then again while I was in the makeup chair. I tried my best, but I kept messing it up. Eventually everything just piled up and I had to step away. I cried, I felt like I wasn’t good enough, like maybe everyone’s doubts were right all along. But I also knew the whole crew was counting on me, so I pushed myself to go back out.
When I walked back to set, everyone was genuinely worried about me. That moment changed everything. It made me realize they didn’t doubt me at all, they cared about me and believed in me. After that I felt supported, and it helped carry me through the rest of filming.
You’ve mentioned that back in high school, you used to come to campus to listen outside the doors of TFTV classes – and now you’re a member of those classes, pursuing a degree in Live and Screened Performance. What’s it been like to be part of the program, and how have your classes here helped you grow as an actor?
It’s surreal being in the same rooms I used to sit outside when I was in high school, just trying to catch pieces of what was being taught. Now that I’m actually part of the program, it feels a little nostalgic but also really exciting.
My classes are helping me sharpen my skills and learn new techniques. I’m also learning which classes I can take to improve more, like movement work, voice training, and breaking down a script beat by beat. They’re helping me understand characters on a deeper level – I’ve noticed myself growing more confident in how I approach scenes.
Also, the community here is a huge part of it. My classmates are all passionate, supportive, and incredibly talented, and watching them work makes me want to be better. All of my instructors are amazing too – patient, understanding, and always ready to help, especially when I had a health scare and ended up in the hospital earlier. Knowing they still believed in me made the transition back so much easier.
Tell us about your creative goals after graduation. What kinds of stories are you drawn to, and do you hope to continue to tell stories rooted in southern Arizona?
After graduation, I hope I’m still acting. Ideally in film or television, but I’m open to theatre and musicals too because I just love acting at the end of the day. I’m drawn to stories that are well crafted and characters that challenge me and push me out of my comfort zone.
I’d love to keep telling stories set in southern Arizona, because this place is my home and it has shaped who I am. But I’m also ready to go wherever the work takes me if the right opportunity comes along.