Nelson Grande
Co-founder and COO, Avenida
Nelson Grande is no stranger to the gravitational pull of the entertainment industry. Growing up in Highland Park where a typical Saturday included witnessing Tarantino shoot Reservoir Dogs or Gregory Nava shoot Mi Familia, one could argue that Grande’s rise from actor to entrepreneur was written in the stars. However, it wasn’t until Grande was 21 that he would take a leap of faith and pursue a career as an actor and never looked back. Grande has been in national commercials and has done guest spots on several TV shows including the critically acclaimed HBO show Eastbound and Down. Although he continues to thrive as an actor, he felt the familiar strain many actors of color experience in Hollywood. He found that the majority of the roles he was offered were rife with stereotypes and thick accents, a problem that many Latino actors face that’s why in 2016 he co-founded Avenida Productions.
