Biography
Louis Arcella was born in Colombia and is the eldest of six siblings. When he was five years old, his father Guillermo Arcella, who was half Colombian and half Italian, passed away. Following this, his mother Miriam Morales, a Colombian, moved the family to Bogotá and worked over 12 hours a day as a cook to support them. Due to these hardships and lacking encouragement to continue his education, Louis dropped out before finishing elementary school. He spent his childhood on the streets of Bogotá, enduring poverty and trying to earn money by shining shoes, selling candy, bubble gum, newspapers, and occasionally singing on buses. Despite these challenges, he remained a cheerful and outgoing child with a passion for singing and making people laugh, often earning the nickname "the loco" for his playful antics. He enjoyed creating and bringing characters to life.
His true calling emerged at age 14 when he was invited to be an extra in a film while playing with other teenagers on the street. This experience inspired him to pursue a serious career in acting. After gaining some experience in Colombian television, Louis realized that the best opportunity to achieve his dream was in the United States. Understanding the difficulty of obtaining a U.S. visa on a low income, he sought work as a crew member on a cruise ship. After leaving the ship, Louis arrived in New York City and stayed with relatives in Queens. He applied to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute but was initially denied due to his undocumented status.
After several years in the U.S., Louis earned his high school certification and a degree in production from The School of Television Arts in New York. In 2001, he was finally accepted to the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute, where he trained in Method acting under instructors Lola Cohen and Mauricio Bustamante for nearly two years. His breakthrough came in 2003 with a role in the film "The Door in the Floor," starring Jeff Bridges and Kim Basinger.
Louis’s performance as Manuel Chavez in the short film "Chavez" (2006) earned him the Best Actor award at the Mexico International Film Festival in 2007. His portrayal of Diego in "Uncertainty," alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lynn Collins, further established his career. He went on to play Ximeno in "Paraiso Travel" (2008), Morales in "The Family" with Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Tommy Lee Jones (2012), and Victor Rivera in "Our Brand Is Crisis" featuring Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton, directed by David Gordon Green (2015).
Louis also gained valuable experience in television series such as NBC’s "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (episode: "Boots on the Ground," 2010), "The Blacklist" (episode: "The Stewmaker," 2013), and ABC’s "Zero Hour" (2012). These roles allowed him to further develop his craft and take on larger parts.
Written by Elizabeth Nino
By: Elizabeth Nino
