Danny Trejo's 'Nocturno' Brings Tales from the Shadows to Podcasting
Halloween and Dia de los Muertos may be behind us, but love for horror, folklore and mythical story-telling is a year-round passion for many. Like Danny Trejo, whose latest endeavor invites podcast fans into a frightful world of mystery and mayhem with a Latin cultural twist. iHeartMedia's My Cultura Network debuted Nocturno: Tales from the Shadows on Oct. 22 and new episodes roll out every Tuesday. For Trejo, who is one of the Latino community's most beloved actors, the scripted anthology audio-series produced by Sonoro Global Media, is a nostalgic and personal project that recalls a childhood fascination with the unknown. "I honestly believe that for a lot of us [Latinos], it started from our abuelitas," he tells Los Angeles. "You know, if you go out, they always let you know there's bad things out there. You don't have to believe in monsters. There's cars speeding and there's drunks... and of course there were stories like La Llorona— that one got us good." La Llorona's tale of a vengeful woman who haunts watery regions and weeps for her children might be covered in a future episode, but so far there have been a few lesser known but equally chilling stories. The debut show was about La Lechuza, about an abandoned hotel rumored to be haunted on the Texas-Mexico border; and the follow-up titled Nighttime Harvest: A Tale of Pishtaco, is about a young Peruvian woman in New York "whose American Dream is cut short when a monster disguised as an American man comes into her life— and her fat." In Peru, a "pishtaco" is an evil creature known for feasting on bodies, but the legend has a deeper meaning concerning the commodification of Indigenous people in Latin America.
Of course, Trejo is known for another kind of "taco." His restaurants are favorites here in his hometown of Los Angeles. So much so, that national chain Del Taco recently announced a partnership with him on a new Al Pastor (roasted pork) menu. Marinated with traditional spices like chipotle and sweet pineapple, the Del Taco x Trejo's Tacos collab comes in street taco form as well loaded fries, burritos and quesadillas. "What we did was, was said, 'hey, if you use our recipe, we can't change it, you know?" says Trejo, of his brand, which just opened a location in London this past Spring and is planning a new one in downtown L.A. next year. "So it's the way we do it. I even ate one at a Del Taco. It's good." The podcast and the food business (which also includes donuts ) —and a new foray into music — are still side hustles to Trejo's acting; and he's busier than ever, starring in films and TV shows. He says he's particularly excited about an upcoming short film from his son, Gilbert Trejo (photographer and filmmaker who's worked with Amyl and the Sniffers, Starcrawler and X). Trejo stars in his new film called From A Son, which he says will premiere at the next Cannes Film Festival. "It's about a son who overdoses, and his dad goes looking for him," he explains. "It's an amazing story and it's probably a story that happens everyday in America, but people don't [share] it." Before that comes out you can see Trejo in the current releases Seven Cemeteries (pictured above) and the animated film Gracie & Pedro: Pets to the Rescue . He says he's also currently working on Mysteries Unearthed, a new show for the History Channel's "Un" series and Tales of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (he plays a character named "Mustang Sally"). He'll also return to his recurring role on the Disney+ cartoon Big City Greens. See his social media for updates.
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Notably, a lot his latest work is as a voice actor. Though his tough guy mug and famous torso tattoos have always made him a perfect casting for gangsters and antiheroes (such as his iconic turn in Robert Rodriguez's Machete and his early roles in Allison Anders film about Echo Park gangs called Mi Vida Loca and Quentin Tarantino's From Dusk Til Dawn). His deep and gritty tone has always been a big part his appeal. In Nocturno his ominous speaking style makes for the perfect narration as the dark tales unravel. And Trejo thinks Latino listeners will especially connect with the podcast beyond his cool creepy readings. He emphasizes the practical life lessons and morals at the end of many of the upcoming tales. "It's really about respecting the past and the stories we heard growing up from our families," he says of Nocturno. "You know, if you're not good, bad will come." The beloved Angeleno, whose inspirational personal story is recounted in his memoir Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood, knows what he's talking about. He's a true success story for Latinos and for anyone seeking to overcome obstacles in life, an idea that also gets a nod in the pod. "I hope people listen and learn to be more careful when they're out there, and be good to each other.... Everything good that has ever happened to me has happened as a direct result of helping someone else." A new episode of Nocturno, titled "Cerro de Oro: A Tale of Xibalba" was just released today, Nov. 5. Listen on Apple Podcasts or where ever you download podcasts.
