Alec Whaite
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
A classically trained actor of British, Spanish, and Venezuelan descent, Alec Whaite was raised in Venezuela and has lived in London, Madrid, and Los Angeles throughout his life. His father's profession as a commercial airline pilot was the reason Alec spent so much time traveling from a very early age during his childhood, making him fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, and French.
He attended high school in Venezuela, where he performed in school plays and from which he graduated with honors. Always an admirer of English theatre actors, Alec shifted continents and moved to the United Kingdom where he gained admittance to the renowned United World College of the Atlantic in Wales. Upon graduation, he obtained the International Baccalaureate Diploma with majors in Theatre, Literature & Economics.
As his passion for acting, films and theatre grew stronger, Alec, had the opportunity to be part of Le Sang des Templiers (2011) after he asked one of the producer's if he could audition for any of the supporting roles in the film. He got a small supporting role in one of the film's most important scenes where he met actors Paul Giamatti and Brian Cox.
Shortly after and following Brian Cox's advice, Alec applied to several important drama schools in England. He began his training in London at the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, where the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Judi Dench have left their marks. He is the first Venezuelan citizen to have gained admittance to this rigorous school.
In 2011, a young Alec had the chance to audition for what would eventually become his first notable appearance in a feature film. Chosen to play one of the leading roles alongside Goya Award- winning actress Carme Elias, the film La distancia más larga (2013) (The Longest Distance), directed by Claudia Pinto, started its record breaking international film festival circuit premiering at the 2013 Montreal World Film Festival and winning the Glaube Rocha Award for Best Latin American Film of the Year.
From there, the film traveled to more than 90 festivals, winning some major coveted international awards, including Best First Film at the Platino Awards and a Best Iberoamerican Film nomination at the Goya Academy Awards in Spain. Other major international awards include: the Audience Award to Best Movie of the Year & Pablo Neruda Award at the Iberoamerican Film Festival of Huelva, Reel Women Direct Award to the Best Female Director at the Cleveland International Film Festival, Audience Award to the Best Ibero-American Fiction Film of the Year at the International Film Festival Panamá (IFF Panamá), Special Jury Award at the Trieste International Film Festival (Italy) and the Audience Award to the Best Film of the Year at the Helsinki Latin American Film Festival.
La distancia más larga (2013) premiered three times in Venezuela due to audiences demand and it was in cinemas for over a year in total, breaking national box office records. The Longest DIstance has been praised critically and commercially worldwide and it found its permanent home on Amazon Prime. It was included as part of Sven Methling's Taste of Cinema's List of the 15 Best Latin American Films of the 21st Century alongside other films like: "The Secret in Their Eyes", "Motorcycle Diaries" and "City of God":
Alec played the role of Kayemó, a ne'er do well with a heart of gold, born and raised in the Amazon with a dark past, who tries to redeem himself on his way back home. Alec has been steadily working ever since and now resides in between Los Angeles and Madrid, where he has relished the opportunity to further his career both on stage and in film.
He attended high school in Venezuela, where he performed in school plays and from which he graduated with honors. Always an admirer of English theatre actors, Alec shifted continents and moved to the United Kingdom where he gained admittance to the renowned United World College of the Atlantic in Wales. Upon graduation, he obtained the International Baccalaureate Diploma with majors in Theatre, Literature & Economics.
As his passion for acting, films and theatre grew stronger, Alec, had the opportunity to be part of Le Sang des Templiers (2011) after he asked one of the producer's if he could audition for any of the supporting roles in the film. He got a small supporting role in one of the film's most important scenes where he met actors Paul Giamatti and Brian Cox.
Shortly after and following Brian Cox's advice, Alec applied to several important drama schools in England. He began his training in London at the prestigious Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, where the likes of Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Judi Dench have left their marks. He is the first Venezuelan citizen to have gained admittance to this rigorous school.
In 2011, a young Alec had the chance to audition for what would eventually become his first notable appearance in a feature film. Chosen to play one of the leading roles alongside Goya Award- winning actress Carme Elias, the film La distancia más larga (2013) (The Longest Distance), directed by Claudia Pinto, started its record breaking international film festival circuit premiering at the 2013 Montreal World Film Festival and winning the Glaube Rocha Award for Best Latin American Film of the Year.
From there, the film traveled to more than 90 festivals, winning some major coveted international awards, including Best First Film at the Platino Awards and a Best Iberoamerican Film nomination at the Goya Academy Awards in Spain. Other major international awards include: the Audience Award to Best Movie of the Year & Pablo Neruda Award at the Iberoamerican Film Festival of Huelva, Reel Women Direct Award to the Best Female Director at the Cleveland International Film Festival, Audience Award to the Best Ibero-American Fiction Film of the Year at the International Film Festival Panamá (IFF Panamá), Special Jury Award at the Trieste International Film Festival (Italy) and the Audience Award to the Best Film of the Year at the Helsinki Latin American Film Festival.
La distancia más larga (2013) premiered three times in Venezuela due to audiences demand and it was in cinemas for over a year in total, breaking national box office records. The Longest DIstance has been praised critically and commercially worldwide and it found its permanent home on Amazon Prime. It was included as part of Sven Methling's Taste of Cinema's List of the 15 Best Latin American Films of the 21st Century alongside other films like: "The Secret in Their Eyes", "Motorcycle Diaries" and "City of God":
Alec played the role of Kayemó, a ne'er do well with a heart of gold, born and raised in the Amazon with a dark past, who tries to redeem himself on his way back home. Alec has been steadily working ever since and now resides in between Los Angeles and Madrid, where he has relished the opportunity to further his career both on stage and in film.
