Royce Morales, a 17-year-old Cuban, became the center of attention on social media this Friday after posting an Instagram reel in which he confidently expresses his ambition to reach Hollywood and establish his own film company.
"Hello, my name is Royce Morales, I am 17 years old, I am Cuban, and my dream is to become one of the best actors in Hollywood and to have my own film company so that I can make my own movies," says the young man at the beginning of the two-minute and 29-second video.
The trigger for the message was a question posed to him during a school talk: what would he do if his dream didn’t work out?
Royce admits that he didn't know how to respond, not because he lacked words, but because that scenario simply doesn't exist in his mind.
"I don't know what to say, I don't even want to answer that question, because the very thought, even just a little, that it might not work out, I can't see it; I just can't envision a scenario in which I don't achieve my dream," she states with a conviction that has proven contagious for thousands of users.
Royce makes it clear that his motivation goes beyond money: "I love what I'm doing, I love it. Not even so much for the money, which is just a place where you get paid because it’s Hollywood, but I love what I do," he points out, describing the feeling of seeing a finished film on the big screen as one of the best experiences he can have.
The message of the reel is aimed at those who feel such an intense calling that they cannot envision any other life possible, and at those who have faced criticism for not having a "plan B."
"I believe there are people who feel so strongly, but so, so strongly, about what they want to do that they can't envision doing anything else," he says, before making his final call: "If you are that kind of person, just go all out for your dream and that's it, work, work, and work."
"That feeling is what I want to convey to everyone who sees my content, my film, what I do, to motivate them that it is possible, my brother, nothing is impossible," concludes Royce, with the same energy with which he started the video.
The case of Royce is part of a reality that shakes the Cuban artistic community: dozens of actors, musicians, and creators have left the island in recent years due to a lack of opportunities. Many have had to reinvent themselves in areas that are not their true passion in order to get by.
The Cuban actress Melanie Tejeda revealed in October 2026 that out of her 43 classmates in dramatic arts, only five remained in Cuba; the rest had emigrated to Miami, Madrid, or other destinations.
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