Xavier de Guzman on ‘Take Two’ and Representation [Exclusive Interview]

Every good private detective worth their salt needs someone they can trust behind a screen and help when things get technical.

That’s exactly who Roberto “Berto” Vasquez is for Eddie Valetik (Eddie Cibrian) and Sam Swift (Rachel Bilson) on ABC’s Take Two.

Take Two is the latest ABC action/comedy from Castle showrunners Terri Miller and Andrew Marlowe. The series follows former actress Sam Swift (Bilson) fresh from rehab as she begins to follow former LAPD and current private investigator Eddie Valetik (Cibrian) for research for a role. She quickly discovers that she’s actually enjoying the investigating.

Xavier de Guzman plays Berto, Eddie’s friend, and resident tech expert, on the series.

I recently spoke with de Guzman about what this role on Take Two means to him, how his Muay Thai background overlaps with acting, and the importance of representation.

When asked about what he looks for in a role, de Guzman said that he considers all aspects.

“I embrace pretty much — give it to the best actor. There are a lot of roles out there that, for example, would call for a specific ethnicity. But when you read the script, there’s nothing that implies that ethnicity. So with that in mind, whenever I see that [it] gets the gear turning in my head, ‘why can’t I read for this role?’”

It’s also what drew him to the role of Berto, especially with what he gets to represent on television.

“I say the biggest thing that drew me to the role was [the] representation. I get to be another person of color on screen in a major role on a major network, and there’s not that many Filipinos that are doing that. It’s just one of those things that I get to be that guy now.”

We’re still learning more about Berto, but getting a bit more insight into his history and his dynamic with Eddie as the season continues.

“[Berto] is intelligent, he is not smooth with the ladies as much as he likes to think so. But he’s also very caring. I guess that is his strongest attribute. That he puts others first,” de Guzman explained.

While we got a hint of how Eddie and Berto’s relationship came to be earlier on in the series, de Guzman ruled out one way we’ll be learning more.

“There won’t be any flashbacks. So, there are a lot of implied moments in a lot of the dialogue and a lot of the scripts. But in terms of diving deep into what happened between Berto and Eddie, not in Season 1.”

Along with Berto’s relationship with Eddie, we also see him develop a rapport with Monica (Alice Lee), Sam’s assistant and Ph.D. student. The pair had a comedically awkward introduction, with Berto’s less than smooth interactions, but they are slowly starting to find a comfortable dynamic.

“As the season progresses, without giving too much away, the relationship — I wouldn’t say blossoms — but, it grows. It definitely grows. And it comes across on screen as well.”

That sense of comfort comes across in their most recent surveillance trip on Take Two Season 1 Episode 6, “The Devil You Know.” According to de Guzman, we’ll be treated to more of the pair out in the field doing their own part of the investigative work.

“We’re gonna be heading out on the road again as well,” he said. “Episode 6 was the first time we were on location […] together as a duo. It was a fun moment on set the fact that we didn’t have to be cooped up in the studio.”

While there’s more field work for Berto and Monica in store, there won’t necessarily be a big team up out there with Sam and Eddie.

“It’s an interesting way that Terri [Miller] and Andrew [Marlowe] wrote the show. It’s more so the dynamic between Berto and Monica in comparison to [the] duo of Eddie and Sam. So, it helps create two storylines and merge them into the investigation at the office,” de Guzman said.

Take Two viewers will be in for an intense ride into the end of the season, according to de Guzman who was able to tease a change in tone down the road for the remainder of the season.

“I guess not just for Berto but for all of the characters, as the season develops the storylines get more intense. I know ABC labels it as an action/comedy, but in the later part of the season it becomes an action/drama and in the last episode of the season, I even consider the label of a thriller. It gets wild,” he hinted.

“And what Deacon does later on in the season, whew, it’ll get you.”

The Take Two actor had a different path that led him to acting, with his history in competitive Muay Thai for Team Canada and with that background, de Guzman said that there’s some overlap when it comes to training for the sport and preparing for acting.

“When it comes to how I train for Muay Thai and how I trained for acting, if there’s one thing that I can say is the common factor is, I guess this goes for any other arts that you invest your time in, you kind of have to invest all of your time. You can’t half-ass it,” he explained.

“It’s a constant battle on staying on your A game. As soon as you decide to backslide, that’s when you’re in the ring and you get knocked out.”

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Be sure to catch Xavier de Guzman on Take Two, airing Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.

*Featured image credit: Noah Asanias

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