The life of legendary Hollywood actor and internationally renowned artist Pepe Serna is revealed in Pepe Serna: Life Is Art, a one-hour documentary film directed by Luis Reyes premiering on digital platforms February 21, 2024. Told by Serna himself, the documentary follows his lengthy acting career and artistic life and provides viewers with a rare opportunity to discover previously unseen and unknown sides of the actor’s journey.
With over 100 film and television credits, Serna is most recognized for his iconic role opposite Al Pacino in the classic film Scarface as Ángel Fernández, whose grisly demise is one of the most memorable in cinema history. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1944, Serna built a career from the ground up and appeared in films such as Car Wash with Richard Pryor, Postcards from the Edge with Meryl Streep, The Jerk with Steve Martin, and Academy Award-winning director Alexander Payne’s Downsizing with Matt Damon.
Eva Longoria and Edward James Olmos, both longtime friends of Serna, provide personal insight and perspective on his versatility and longevity as an actor and artist alongside Cheech Marin, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Luis Valdez and many others.
Throughout his journey, he has inspired countless Latino artists to follow in his footsteps by delivering powerful performances for filmmakers such as Brian De Palma, Clint Eastwood, John Schlesinger, Dalton Trumbo, Roger Corman, Henry Hathaway, William Friedkin and Dick Donner.
Serna’s career is a testament to how far Latinos have come in Hollywood. He has indisputably claimed a reputable place in one of the world’s most competitive industries for his story-telling abilities and unique drive to empower not just Latinos but also other underserved communities.
His recent memoir “Life is Art” recounts his motivational story from humble beginnings and offers life-changing lessons to overcoming adversity. “Life is Art” is available now for purchase here.
In addition to Hollywood success, Pepe is a visual artist whose paintings have been exhibited in galleries around the world. He also conducts motivational and improvisational workshops in high schools nationwide.
The documentary received awards in 2022 including Best Documentary at the Official Latino Film and Arts Festival, and the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival, Audience Award at the San Diego Latino Film Festival, and Festival Prize at the South Texas International Film Festival.
Most recently, Serna can be seen in Eva Longoria’s feature directorial debut Flamin’ Hot and on Amazon’s TV series “With Love.”
Pepe Serna: Life Is Art will be available for streaming on Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, and Vudu on February 21, 2024.