Love, Victor: 10 Things To Know About Michael Cimino

When Love, Victor was first announced fans were ecstatic. The new series promised them the chance to return to Creekwood High School once more, this time with a brand new group of teenagers to fall in love with. Love, Victor had a bit of a rocky start though, especially, when Disney+ decided the series didn’t fit their demographic. Rather than scrapping the series all together though, Love, Victor was moved to Hulu and fans could breathe a sigh of relief.

It can be nerve-racking writing and starring in a spin-off series when the source material is cherished by so many people. In addition to not being based on a Becky Albertalli’s novel like the Love, Simon film was, the series needed to find a new leading actor who could compare to Nick Robinson’s portrayal of Simon Spier in the film. Michael Cimino won the role of Victor Salazar and, after seeing his performance, fans were definitely impressed. Cimino is relatively new to the screen though, which means there’s plenty of things many viewers might not know about him.

10 Positive Latinx Representation Is Important To Him

It’s no secret that Hollywood has been struggling to represent the Latinx community in a positive light. Michael Cimino knows this, which is why he was so moved by the Love, Victor script, and knew he wanted to be a part of the series.

When Indiewire asked Cimino what Latinx stereotype he would like to see Hollywood abandon, he answered “the hot-headed Latino man.” He went on to say that while the Latinx community is passionate and can get heated, there is a time and place for that sort of behavior and it should not be the default for Latinx characters.

9 He Was Bullied In School

While it’s hard to believe anyone could mistreat Michael Cimino, it is unfortunately true. Cimino recently opened up about his own experiences with racism growing up at a Latino kid in an all-white school. He recalls his peers in elementary school thinking that he ate bugs because “he’s brown.” Unfortunately, Cimino also experienced more physical forms of racism and remembers being thrown to the floor and kicked throughout his childhood.

While no person should have to face racism or bullying in the world, Cimino knows that his past helped him become the strong, compassionate young man he is today.

8 He’s A Scorpio

Michael Cimino was born on November 10, 1999, in Las Vegas, which means his sun sign is the Scorpio. For those who don’t know a lot about the zodiac signs, Scorpios are extremely intense and intuitive. People who fall under the sign are often determined, imaginative, and they’re also emotional.

Cimino certainly lives up to several of the Scorpio traits. After all, it is extremely hard to pursue an acting career if you’re not determined, imaginative, and in tune with your emotions.

7 He’s Seen Love, Simon Several Times

It can be extremely nerve-wracking to step into an already established world, especially when that world is beloved and cherished by fans. Michael Cimino knew he had to nail his portal of Victor Salazar to uphold the Love, Simon name. In order to channel Victor and the experiences he was going to face at Creekwood High, Michael turned to the Love, Simon film for research.

Cimino says he watched Love, Simon approximately 16 times while getting ready to shoot the series. In fact, he was a fan of the film even before Love, Victor was a thing. He told MTV that he remembers watching the film in theaters with friends and walking out saying “I cannot wait to be in a project like that.”

6 He’s A Musician

In addition to being an amazing and passionate actor, Michael Cimino is also passionate about music. He is a talented singer who also plays guitar and piano when he’s not busy on set. Cimino often shares videos of himself singing and playing various instruments on his Instagram and Twitter accounts.

While he doesn’t have a full-length album under his belt, Cimino’s singing talents are featured on the Annabelle Comes Home soundtrack’s “Everything I Own” song.

5 Love, Victor Wasn’t His First Role

Speaking of Michael Cimino’s acting talents, Love, Victor isn’t the only thing this young actor has starred in. Before landing his breakout role as Victor Salazar, he starred as Bob Palmeri in the Conjuring franchise’s Annabelle Comes Home.

In addition, Michael starred in CBS’s series Training Day and the made-for-TV movie No Child Left Behind. And he also dabbled in commercial acting appearing in a commercial for Geico Insurance.

4 The Series Helped Him Find His Political Voice

Michael Cimino may be young but one is never too young to become an activist and speak out on issues that are important to them. While Cimino knew this, he credits his costars for helping him realize all the good he could do with the platform he was about to be given.

Cimino told MTV that it was Ana Ortiz, who plays his mom on the series, who reminded him that his voice matters when he was considering not voting.

3 His Cousin Inspired His Portrayal Of Victor

Unlike his character Victor Salazar, Michael Cimino does not identify as gay. While the debate about whether or not straight actors should portray LGBTQ characters rages on, Cimino has set the record straight on what and who inspired him to take the role.

Cimino told MTV that his cousin is gay and he’s the one who helped him understand what coming-out can be like in the real world. Cimino channeled his cousin’s experience when acting as Victor and it definitely paid off. In fact, Cimino said that he and his cousin watched the trailer together and that his cousin cried because he was so moved by the series.

2 Bruno Mars Is His Dream Dinner Date

While fans of Love, Victor are busy falling in love and “stanning” Michael Cimino, he has his own celebrity idols. In fact, the actor recently opened up about his dream dinner date. In a rapid-fire question video, he filmed for Hulu alongside his co-star George Sear, Cimino revealed that he would love to have dinner with Bruno Mars.

Cimino could bring anyone back from the dead, but he decided he didn’t have to, all he needed was Bruno Mars. He also said he “wished he could dance like Bruno Mars.”

1 Family Is Important To Him

One thing Michael Cimino and his character Victor have in common is that they both value family. The actor credits his closeness to his family to Puerto Rican heritage and the Latinx community as a whole.

Not only did Cimino turn to his cousin for support and inspiration when it came time to portray Victor, but he also couldn’t have landed the role without the support of his parents. Even though he’s moved to Los Angeles, Cimino continues to stay close to his family and often shares pictures of them on his social media accounts.

About The Author

Danielle Bruncati
(299 Articles Published)

Danielle Bruncati was born and raised in Southern California and has been a story-teller for as long as she can remember. She is currently a freelance writer for ScreenRant and is also pursuing a Master’s Degree in Television Writing and Producing from a top 10 film school. When she’s not writing, Danielle can be found binging the latest sitcom or teen tv series with her dog by her side or walking around Disneyland with a Mickey-shaped snack in hand.

More From Danielle Bruncati