You may recognize Nico Santos from some of his iconic roles in Crazy Rich Asians, Superstore and even Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Usually comedic in his characters, and incredible at it, the 45-year-old shared with DECIDER his desire to explore more sci-fi, fantasy and drama pieces.
“It’s so cliche to be like, ‘I’m a comedic actor, but I want to do drama,’ but I do,” Santos said. “I look at Niecy Nash and Ray Romano. They’ve been able to have such a tremendous career in comedy, but been able to transition into playing, still funny people, but in a more dramatic depth. I wouldn’t mind exploring those types of characters as well.”
While there still may yet be different genres to conquer, the actor has come a long way since his days in the CBS basement, which is where he met writer and actress Katie O’Brien. This long-standing friendship is what brought Santos to the brand-new Tubi sitcom, The Z-Suite. When O’Brien’s own creation of the generational workplace comedy Tubi sought after was approved, she approached Santos about the role she wrote specifically for him: Doug Garcia.
Doug is the loyal companion to Monica Marks (Lauren Graham), CEO of a boutique ad agency. When the pair are kicked out of the company and replaced with young, hip Gen Zers, they plot to get back to the top.
In a phone interview with DECIDER, Santos explained the joys of working with friends, the honor of merging his own identity into characters and getting schooled by younger co-stars on what’s popular.
DECIDER: So first off, I talked to Katie O’Brien recently about your friendship with her that predates this show. What was your reaction to her writing this character for you, and how did that conversation go from your point of view?
NICO SANTOS: We’ve known each other for a very long time, and she really gets my humor. We kind of have the same sense of humor, just sort of really silly and absurd, and when she got this job, you know, she was telling me all about the premise and this character. And we’ve always wanted to work together since we met and since back when we were struggling artists in Los Angeles, like, stuck in a basement writing sketches.
When she sort of approached me with it, she was like, “It’s this thing for Tubi. I wrote it with you in mind. Let me know what you think.” And, I read the script, and I could not stop cackling in my living room, or kitchen, or wherever I read it. There were so many great one liners, and silly is my default. So, when I read it, I was just like, “God, this is perfect. I would love to play this, and I get to work with Katie, who I’ve known forever.” So, it was really sort of a win-win situation where I was like, “I have to find a way to be in this show.”
That’s so fun. It’s good to have friends in high places.
I know! And seriously, I mean, working with your friends is a dream, [laughs] and I only want to work with my friends from now on. There’s just a trust. You kind of are able to approach things and do things on set without that hesitation, or you’re able to have an honest conversation about it without people’s feelings getting hurt, or people’s ego getting hurt. So, it’s like a really, really fun way to collaborate in that way.
Yeah, for sure. Were there any notable moments working on set with her that stand out to you?
Honestly, just seeing her on set being a showrunner. She just eased into the role so quickly. The role looks really good on her. She is, you know, the boss bitch on set, everybody respects her, she handles things and it’s just so lovely to see, you know, when your friends are succeeding. It’s really incredible just to see them blossom into this thing that they’ve always dreamed of doing, and to see Katie handle business that way and everybody has total respect for her and thinks very highly of her. It just puts a smile on my face and then, yeah, we just get to have fun and be silly on set on top of that. It’s like a dream.
I totally agree. Seeing your loved one succeed is just this heartwarming feeling that cannot be replicated anywhere else.
I know! And especially when you have a long history with somebody and you’ve talked, crying over a latte you can’t afford like, “How am I going to pay my rent this month? What the fuck did we choose this life for?” Then, ten years later you’re like, “I’m a series regular of a show that she wrote.” It’s so cheesy, but it’s definitely a pinch me, surreal moment.
It was really cool to hear that Doug’s niche Christmas obsession also has cultural significance in the Philippines. With your recent work as Rene, the Filipino Mafia nurse in St. Denis Medical and of course, iconic Mateo in Superstore. What does it mean to you to have your identity and heritage infused into these roles?
It means the world to me because it’s not necessarily like I set out to be like, “I’m gonna be the face of representation for my community, whether it be Filipino or queer.” But, it was just using an easy, natural way to introduce my characters and their culture into the show. Like, I never felt like any of the roles, whether it’s Mateo, or Rene, or even Doug, I never felt it was like, “Tonight, on a special episode of blah blah blah.” It was never spoonfed to the people– it was sort of integrated very naturally.
I’m really proud of the work that I’ve done, and I’ve been really fortunate that these writers and showrunners were completely willing to be on board with that. I think had those shows been written in a different time, they’re going to be like, “Yes, you’re Filipino, but we wrote this character as Chinese, or Latino and you’re just gonna have to play that.”
Thank god the attitudes towards that, and the industry itself, has sort of shifted into wanting more representation. And, there was no hesitation on their part. I think it just just makes for better storytelling. I can’t imagine these roles if you had just cast a cis straight white guy in the roles that I’ve played. How many times have we seen that story? Put a queer Filipino in it, and you’re able to draw so much more perspectives that you’ve never seen before, but also perspectives of actors that are universal, that people can relate to anyway. So, why not just do it with flavor?
And then these characters are able to be so much more multidimensional.
Exactly.
Can I ask, did you keep Tiny Claus as a memento?
[Laughs] I did not keep Tiny Claus as a memento, and I should have! I didn’t think of that! I should have kept Tiny Claus as a memento. But, as a wrap gift for Katie and the cast, I bought– from Crate & Barrel– really cute tiny Santa Claus ornaments and gave one to each of them as a little something to remember me by. Yeah, that was my gift to them.
This role was basically made for you, but what quirks of your own did you bring to Doug and were there any improv moments?
There were a lot of improv moments. The great thing about working with Katie is both of us came to set kind of like, “Well, what do we need today?” If Katie was like, “Feel free to add on to it, or maybe take it to this direction,” I’m like, “Great, awesome.” And, if I was like, “Let me try this, let me try that.” She was like, “Perfect. Do whatever you want.”
In the first episode where we’re all pitching, sort of having a powwow with the Gen Z kids about what’s on trend right now– that was a pretty long scene. It took us a long time to film that scene rather, because we were just improvising the entire time, and Katie was like, “Keep going, and we’ll just pick and choose from whatever deranged thing you say.” [Laughs] So, that’s what I really enjoyed. And again, I’ve been very fortunate that a lot of the shows I’ve been [in] have been really open to the actors improvising as long as we’ve got the scripted take, because certain people want you to stick, like, word for word, syllable by syllable the way it’s written in the script. So I would say, like the thing that I sort of brought in is, like I said, it’s just being absurd and silly. I am absurd and silly to a fault. My husband’s like, “Okay, you can be serious for once,” and I’m like, “Wow can I?” [Laughs] So yeah, it’s just part of my preferred way of working.
I loved the Rent reference in that scene. Or it might have been the scene before that. When I was watching it, I was like, “I hope people know this.”
I know! I was surprised it cleared. I was like, “Oh my god, there’s no way this is gonna clear. They aren’t gonna pay for this.” But it cleared, so I was like, “Oh thank god.” That was sort of added in at the last minute, and had I known this is the direction we were going, we could’ve really built onto [it]. Yeah, I’m glad it cleared because it’s a really stupid, funny moment.
Do you have a favorite line or scene, at least from the three episodes that will be out this week?
I love that scene where I’m being Monica’s hype man, and she’s like, “Well, we started this company back in whatever,” and I’m like, “New Jersey!” and “Jon Hamm!” I love that moment. It’s again so deranged. How many episodes have you seen?
I’ve seen the first three.
Doug gets sillier and sillier. In every episode, there’s always a moment I’m just like, “Oh my god– [Laughs] I can’t believe Doug.” In later episodes you delve more into Doug’s obsession with Christmas, and there’s a couple moments that were just completely silly and you’re just like, “Is this person forreal?” He’s just so unhinged. Episode by episode Doug gets stranger and stranger in a very charming way.
Katie teased that your Christmas obsession wouldn’t be a one episode thing– it was going to continue. So, I was glad to see you came back in Episode 3. I’m excited to see what other ways it gets taken.
Oh my god girl, just wait. [Laughs]
[Laughs] What generational differences did you notice working on set with your fellow co-stars?
Obviously the lingo, or, like, them talking about music. I’m just so old, like, I just found who SZA was. They were like, “SZA! You know who SZA is,” and I was like, “I don’t know who that is.” Then they played some songs and [I’m] like, “Okay, I’ve heard that song.” But, you know, I really felt old.
But I would have to say the Gen Z kids, they’re not afraid to, sort of, ask for what they need, and when I started working, like ten years ago, I was very hesitant to ask for what I [needed]. I didn’t want to be seen as a diva. I didn’t want to be seen as a pain or difficult, even if it was just a small ask, you know? I was so afraid that everything was so delicate– things would fall apart if I wasn’t, like, 100% perfect the entire time. What I love about this younger generation is that if they need something, and it’s something that’s really pertinent for them to do their job, they’re not afraid of asking for it. I wish I had that sort of gumption when I first started.
I’m glad you know who SZA is now. That’s a little crazy, but forgivable.
I know, and you know what? It came at the perfect time because then we saw the halftime show and I was like, “I know who that is!”
I was going to say you were prepared! Have you seen her new movie?
I have not. Wait! The one with Keke Palmer?
Yep! With Keke Palmer.
I have not! I heard it was amazing.
You’ll have to add it to the watch list whenever you have a wee moment off. If you worked at Atelier, what’s something you’d love to work on a campaign for?
Ooh. I would love to work in any sort of…it doesn’t matter what the product is, but I would like to be in charge of really funny commercials. Because whenever I see a funny commercial it’s ingrained in my head, and I start quoting it, I say it all the time. Yeah, I would love to work on just silly commercials, but also maybe, like, high fashion, you know. Designer stuff? Yeah. Either like super silly, or…luxury.
In the latest episode, Elliot tracks Doug down at a Christmas store to ask for a pitch deck. Doug understands where he’s coming from, but simply says no to stay loyal to Monica. I think this scene is a really good example of how there’s no villain in this show. Monica and Doug aren’t out to get the Z team. Everyone just wants the recognition they deserve. It’s not exactly a battle of Gen Z versus Gen X, which I think a lot of people might mistake it for on a surface level. So with all of that said, how would you express the message of the show and what you want viewers to take away from it?
I think what’s great about the show is that it may seem it’s about the differences between these two generations, but ultimately it’s going to be about what sort of ties them together. You make a great point about how there is no villain, and, you know, everybody is flawed in this series. That’s what I love about these characters. It’s not really preachy, it’s like, “We’ve all got our own shit, and we’re all just trying to survive in this fast-paced, very competitive world.” We approach it in very different ways because we do come from different generations, but there’s no right or wrong way of doing it.
Things have shifted, and that’s what I like about it. You get to see everybody where they’re at and sort of go along on the journey. But, it’s never pointing out, “This is the right way, and that’s the wrong way.”
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
Claire Waheed is a recently graduated freelance writer currently based in Texas. She loves all things pop culture and new adventures.