I want to do all kinds of things. I want to do some comedy. I'd

In the words of Kevin Alejandro, “I want to do all kinds of things. I want to do some comedy. I’d love to do a romantic comedy, and I’d love to do some period pieces with classical text. I’d love somebody to cast me as Macbeth, but for a film. I just want to be all over the place.” These words are more than the aspirations of an actor; they are the cry of a restless soul that refuses to be confined, a spirit yearning for breadth, depth, and transformation. To long for many roles is to confess the desire to live many lives, to taste the fullness of human experience, and to grow beyond the limits of one’s present self.

The ancients understood this hunger. In Greece, the actor was called a hypokritēs, one who interprets. The great performers did not confine themselves to a single role, but wore many masks, shifting from comedy to tragedy, from the fool to the king, from the lover to the warrior. The very festival of Dionysus demanded this versatility, for life itself was not one-note but a symphony of tones—joy and sorrow, laughter and grief, nobility and downfall. Alejandro’s yearning to be “all over the place” is the modern echo of this ancient truth: that to embrace art fully, one must embrace all facets of the human soul.

To name Macbeth is to name one of the most formidable roles in all of theatre. Here is a man both heroic and damned, driven by ambition yet undone by his own hand. For an actor, to embody Macbeth is to plunge into the depths of human frailty, to taste both power and ruin. Alejandro’s desire to take on such a role reflects not vanity but courage—the willingness to enter into darkness so that others may see themselves reflected upon the screen. This is the calling of the artist: to risk one’s own soul in order to reveal the truth of the human condition.

And yet he also longs for romantic comedy, for the lightness of love and laughter. This, too, is wisdom, for the soul cannot live on shadows alone. Just as Shakespeare wrote A Midsummer Night’s Dream alongside Macbeth, so too must the actor dwell in both the tragic and the comic. For life itself swings between these poles. To love, to laugh, to stumble foolishly in pursuit of affection—these are no less profound than the tragic fall of kings, for they remind us of our humanity, of our shared vulnerability, of the sweetness that makes suffering bearable.

The mention of period pieces with classical text speaks to another ancient truth: that the stories of the past continue to shape the present. To immerse oneself in the language of ages gone by is to drink from the deep wells of culture and wisdom. It is to learn that though centuries change, the heart of humanity remains constant—its longings, its fears, its loves. By desiring to speak these texts anew, Alejandro reveals his wish to stand as a bridge between past and present, carrying ancient voices into modern ears.

The lesson for us is clear: do not confine yourself to one path, nor fear the breadth of your desires. Life is too vast to be lived in a single register. There is wisdom in seeking laughter and wisdom in seeking sorrow; wisdom in embracing the modern and wisdom in honoring the classical. To hunger for many experiences is not to be unfocused, but to be alive, for only through variety do we come to know the fullness of our own soul.

And what must you do? Be bold in your choices. Do not hesitate to step into roles that frighten you, nor neglect the joy of pursuits that seem light or playful. Seek your Macbeths—the challenges that test your strength—and also your romantic comedies, the joys that refresh your spirit. Explore history, honor tradition, yet also live in the present with vigor. In this way, like Alejandro, you will be “all over the place”—not scattered, but expansive, not restless, but abundant. For this is the way of those who truly live: to inhabit many worlds, yet remain whole.