Raphael Alejandro is an actor who is in Bunk’d, Jungle Cruise, and The Boss Baby: Family Business. Bunk’d will be on its fifth season. The Jungle Cruise will premiere on July 30th, and The Boss Baby: Family Business premiered on July 2nd. Raphael hails from Montreal, Quebec, and is the youngest of three siblings. He is also fluent in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. YEM was able to speak with Raphael about how closely he relates to his bunk’d character Matteo, What was it like to work alongside the casts of Jungle Cruise & Boss Baby, and what he learned from acting in Bunk’d.
Young Entertainment Mag: Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in acting?
Raphael Alejandro: My older sister, Dalila Bela, was the one that inspired me to start an acting career. She started acting at the age of 5, and I grew up looking at her preparing for auditions and having so much fun on set that when I was 4 years old, I wanted to try to do the same. And since I booked my first acting role, I fell in love with it and never looked back.
YEM: You play Matteo in Bunk’d, how closely do you relate to Matteo? How much of Raphael is in there?
Raphael: Matteo and I have many traits in common. We both love to learn, especially about Science, and we care for our family and friends. Loyalty and respect are characteristics that we both share as well. But one thing that Matteo and I don’t have in common is that I am adventurous and kind of a dare devil, and Matteo is not.
YEM: Bunk’d is based at a summer camp, do you have any experience camping or is this a first time experience for you?
Raphael: I’ve done picnics with my family at the park, but unfortunately I have never been at a summer camp. Being a camper at camp Kikiwaka is the closest experience that I have about summer camp, and it really made me think about going to one someday, and I hope that our fans feel the same way.
YEM: What was one thing you learned on the set of Bunk’d that you will take with you in life or in your career?
Raphael: That’s a very difficult question to answer because, over the course of the 3 Seasons, I have learned many lessons by being on the set of Bunk’d. I believe that the most important lesson that I learned is to always be myself, and accept and respect everyone for who they are.
YEM: What lessons do you hope others take away from your character Matteo?
Raphael: I think that others will learn from Matteo that they will always find people that will love them for who they are and that they should always be proud of themselves and of where they come from.
YEM: With the announcement of season 5 of Bunk’d, what can fans expect to see from your character moving forward?
Raphael:Matteo has changed a lot during the 3 Seasons of Bunk’d since he joined the show on Season 3. He started as an extremely cautious kid, afraid of everything and not knowing who he really was. Throughout the seasons, and especially on Season 5, the fans can expect to see Matteo becoming more assertive, and understanding his heritage and what he likes and dislikes.
YEM: What was it like when you found out you would be acting in Jungle Cruise & Boss Baby?
Raphael: It was AMAZING!!! A dream come true. I was so happy and excited. It was really surreal.
YEM: What was it like to work alongside the casts of Jungle Cruise & Boss Baby? Did you get to speak with them? Did they share any acting tips with you?
Raphael: On Jungle Cruise I worked beside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Emily Blunt and Paul Giammati. I loved every moment that I spent on set with them. Dwayne is very professional and very dedicated to his craft. Emily Blunt and Paul Giammati are amazing actors and artists. I learned a lot just by watching them on set.
On Boss Baby 2, I got to work with director Tom McGrath. It was such an extraordinary experience. We laughed so much and I had a lot fun recording with him.
YEM: How much of the “Jungle Cruise” ride is there in this film? What should fans of the Jungle Cruise ride know about the film?
Raphael: Since the movie is based on the ride, I think that there are some similarities that people will recognize from it, like the boat and the jungle animals. Fans of the ride should know that Jungle Cruise is an action pack movie that the whole family will enjoy and that it will be released on July 30th, 2021.
YEM: Was there anything specific you learned from acting in Bunk’d that you used while acting in films such as Boss Baby & Jungle Cruise?
Raphael: I think that what I learned from Bunk’d that I used while acting on Boss Baby, Jungle Cruise, and any other of my future projects is to have fun, be creative and enjoy every moment of it.
YEM: What’s one thing you can share with someone who wants to pursue a career in acting?
Raphael: My advice to someone who wants to pursue a career in acting is to always do your best, be yourself and follow your dreams, and do it because you love it, not for the fame.
