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Gustavo Apale Chavez, 43, was born in Boyle Heights, California, on January 28, 1975. His parents migrated illegally from Mexico to the U.S. to achieve the 'American Dream' and give their newborn a better life. Six-month-old baby Gustavo was sucking on his thumb when his mother, Hermina, was arrested and detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Services while working at a sweatshop in Los Angeles. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, Hermina, crossed the Mexican/American border to reunite with her son.
At seven, Gustavo became enthralled with violent movies and television programs involving crime. These films negatively impacted his life, and he began re-enacting the characters in the film. He began bullying kids around campus and confiscating their personal belongings. Gustavo defied authority and was eventually banned from specific schools within Los Angeles Unified School District, causing his parents to relocate. They ended up in one of the oldest neighborhoods in the northern San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles - Pacoima, California.
Gustavo experimented with gangs and found himself behind bars more than he would like to remember. In 1996, Cynthia Chavez was born and helped change Gustavo's journey in life. "She was born right after I got out of Supermax (a term used to describe a "control-unit" prison) and I remember the homeboy, Duke, rest-in-peace, calling me to go out, but I declined. I wanted to spend time with Cynthia; she meant the world to me. That night, Duke was shot and killed along with his brother, who survived. If it wasn't for Cynthia, [expletive], I may have wound up in a hearse."
In 1999, Gustavo auditioned for No Mothers Crying, No Babies Dying, a documentary and television film, and landed the role of a convicted killer. He worked alongside Danny Trejo, Lupe Ontiveros, Mike Moroff, Eva Longoria and Noel G. Later that year Gustavo was convicted of grand theft auto and served a four year prison term. He paroled and found a job at a car dealership. He became a car salesman and boosted his income. In 2005, his domestic partner gave birth to his first son, Anthony Chavez, and motivated him to make even more money. Gustavo began using drugs and made a phone call to Narcotic Anonymous and asked for help. Luckily he got clean and sober and was present to witness the birth of Angelic Chavez, his second daughter, in 2007.
Gustavo was driving down the street in a low-rider vehicle, when a casting agent spotted him, and immediately offered him a role in Straight Outta Compton, a biographical drama film depicting the rise and fall of the gangster rap group N.W.A and its members Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and Dr. Dre. Since then he has been auditioning for upcoming movies.
