Text Luan Vidal Photography Manny Roman
In his Cartola debut, Johnny Castro (One Management), model and actor originally from Costa Rica, talks with the magazine about his modeling career, and how she orbits around two other passions: Acting and Ballroom.
Ballroom culture and the fashion world have always been intertwined. After all, one of the pillars of ballroom is to imitate the poses of models in magazines like Vogue, since its Black Queer creators were unable to occupy these spaces in magazines they took all this energy to the dance floor and lived this fantasy.
Over the past four decades, the NY-born movement has transcended underground circles to become a defining force in global pop culture, echoing through Madonna’s Vogue, Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE, the seminal documentary Paris is Burning, and contemporary series like Legendary and POSE, influencing culture and fashion around the world, empowering LGBTQIA+ youth and inspiring a much more confident generation. It’s within this vibrant cultural backdrop that Johnny Castro’s story unfolds.
After starring in the first soap opera of Costa Rica “La Maria” as the villain “Roger”, Castro moved to New York to pursue the career, and since then, appeared in campaigns for brands such as Tiffany & Co, Ralph Lauren, L’oreal, e Louboutin, which he will be getting in details about on the interview. Johnny brings an unique and authentic vision for his work as he collides the 3 main areas from his life, that vision got him to appear on publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Schön Magazine.
As a latino queer man, Johnny found in ballroom, a home, after meeting the overall father of the house of Xtravaganza, José Xtravaganza while filming the third season from the acclaimed Ryan Murphy series “POSE”, since then he walked in ballrooms all around the world, mostly on face categories.
In this photoshoot, Johnny is captured by the lenses of the talented Manny Roman, in Miami Beach with a styling that captures the essence of the summer, read the interview below:
CartolaMAG – How did you start your modeling career?
Johnny – I started very young at age 10 when my mom took me to a casting for a tv commercial and I ended up booking it. At 17, I was signed to my first modeling agency and I was part of their campaign searching for contestants for the Elite Model Look contest in Costa Rica.
CartolaMAG – At which moment the paths between your model career and your acting career cross?
Johnny – While acting was something I always wanted to pursue, my first big acting opportunity came in 2015 when I was cast as the villain in “La Maria,” the first telenovela ever produced in Costa Rica. I moved to New York soon after filming La Maria, where I have continued acting in movies and TV series.
CartolaMAG – Speaking of another important aspect of your personality, how did your work as a model transfers to the ballroom floor?
Johnny – Ballroom changed my life by giving me a chosen family, the legendary House of Xtravaganza. I met them on set while filming the third season of the television series “Pose.”
I was first introduced to the overall Father of the house, the Icon José Xtravaganza, and then he introduced me to the overall Mother, Icon Gisele Xtravaganza. They both saw something in me and I knew I wanted to be a part of their family. I love that ballroom celebrates us Latino and black queer folks and gives us a legacy to live up to.
I joined the House of Xtravaganza in 2021, and since then I’ve competed (or “walked”) in my category, Face, in balls in New York, Paris, Amsterdam and Argentina.
CartolaMAG – Do you have some kind of backstage story with any brand or project that you can share with Cartola?
Johnny – Once I was booked for a photo shoot for a mystery client. Imagine my surprise when I showed up and I learned I would be modeling for Christian Louboutin. I gagged! Since I was the only model on set, I got to wear their entire new collection, and the campaign was published in Schön Magazine.
CartolaMAG – And to wrap it up, how did the invitation for the photoshoot happen, and how was the experience working with Manny Roman?
Johnny – I’ve been following Manny on social media for a long time, and I finally got to meet him this year to shoot for Cartola. I loved working with him because shooting with a photographer who has the vision and expertise like Manny makes it easy to bring the moodboard to life! We started shooting during sunrise at Miami Beach and by 9 am we were wrapping up on the rooftop of the Greystone Hotel. These images really captured my essence and personality, while telling a beautiful story through Manny’s eyes.
Wardrobe – White Trousers and Hat are by Willy Chavarria / Underwear – VERSACE / Grooming – Body and Hair product by Moroccanoil / Location – Rooftop Terrace Suite, in Miami Beach.
