From Elmhurst to Springfield: Latino Artist Fulfills Childhood Dream on The Simpsons

The words fear and intimidation are not words that you would immediately associate with Orlando Baeza upon meeting him. He is an imposing figure, at 6'3 and weighing somewhere in the neighborhood of 245 pounds, and he has an ex-tremely jovial personality. However, Baeza, one of the lead artists for the Emmy award-winning series 'The Simpsons', would be the first to candidly admit that there is indeed a strong connection between himself and these words based on his rise as an artist. Moreover, he strongly believes that it was fear and intimidation that drove him to take drastic action after a near fatal incident.

In this exclusive interview with the 14-year veteran, Baeza discusses his introduction to art as a child; how being intimidated and afraid of success and the unknown nearly crippled him; and the excruciatingly painful decision he made to risk it all in order to obtain a better life for his family.

G-man: What is your nationality, and did your parents stress the importance of achievement and Latino culture in the home?

OB: I'm originally from Cuba. My family came to the United States in 1965. My parents were very supportive of my talent and pushed me to achieve all my goals. They also made sure I had a strong sense of Cuban culture and tradition, which is something I impart to my kids.

G-man: Where did you spend your childhood, and was it difficult growing up there?

OB: I grew up in an area called East Elmhurst, New York. It's in the borough of Queens. I didn't find it difficult growing up there at all. Actually, it was great. Everybody in my neighborhood, and in others from what I could tell, got along just fine. It wasn't until after I got married that I left Elmhurst and moved to the Bronx. To tell you the truth, I really loved growing up in New York. It was a great opportunity because the diversity of the city really helped to nurture my artistic talents and imagination. I suspect there are many people in New York pursuing careers in the creative arts who would agree. I don't know what it is, but there's just something special about New York City that fuels your creative passion.