Annabel | steam

Brazillian Roots, Scottish Born and Raised, but London Made

By Annabel Wigginton

Victor Hugo knows what it’s like to hit rock bottom.

In the last two years, he has been fired from not one, not two, but five jobs.

At one point, his girlfriend had just left him, he could barely afford to pay his rent, he was missing his family back in rural Scotland and was existing on free packets of cinnamon biscuits left over from a catering event.

The 22-year-old aspiring actor and model, who came to London in 2014 to make a name for himself, said “I didn’t realise how tough it would be, I was constantly being told I wasn’t right for the agencies and I also got fired from so many jobs, as I was always bunking off early to go to a last-minute casting”.

Victor knew from the age of 14 that he wanted to perform in some way, but for years he kept the desire to himself.

“I went along with what everyone else was doing, but then, literally weeks before my last A- Level exams, I couldn’t take it any longer and dropped out of school”.

His family and friends were shocked, with his mother, Edna Forbes, “urging him to finish his exams and think more rationally”!

“I had been scouted for a couple of fashion shows in Aberdeen and this had given me confidence that I could perhaps work in the modelling industry, whilst also pursuing my acting dreams. With a friend in London offering me her couch to sleep on, I saw it as a sign and packed my bags”. At this point, Victor was just 18.

Once in London, he auditioned at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Over spilling with nerves, he was told that first he needed to gain more life experience and try to gain confidence through working in similar industries. Gutted, but still determined, he put all his energy into getting signed by modelling agencies, as well as working any part time job he could find to pay his rent.

“I didn’t realise how tough it would be, I was constantly being told I wasn’t right for the agencies and I also got fired from so many jobs, as I was always bunking off early to go to a last-minute casting”.

Within just two years Victor has been fired from Abercrombie & Fitch, Jack Wills, Apple and two frozen yoghurt shops! Luckily though, he wasn’t just in the firing line, but in the model agency signing line.

“My first life and career changing booking came late last year when I was chosen to be the face of the Star Wars themed Gillette shaving campaign”.

This was a two-day job at Pinewood studios, where films such as James Bond and Star Wars were set.

“It was more like we were filming a movie scene; with blue screens, air machines and me, wielding a machine gun (fake obviously) running across the set with motorised cameras shooting me! It was such a crazy, exhausting and amazing couple of days….despite having to foam up and shave my face a ridiculous amount of times to get the ‘perfect shot’”.

You can check it out here:

Despite the scale of that job, both in terms of its circulation and its pay packet, Victor stays humble and remembers the bad times, making him feel blessed every day to be where he is now.

“This one time I was part of the waiting staff at an event and they offered leftover boxes of cinnamon biscuits. I was so skint I lived off them for two weeks. At this point my girlfriend had just cheated on and left me, I was working jobs I hated, I missed my family terribly and could barely pay my rent. It was depressing to say the least…”.

From low times, he has certainly experienced high times too. Only recently he was flown to Bali for ten days to shoot a Coca-Cola advert, which will be coming out in June 2017.

“It was insane. We were climbing through jungles, jumping of cliffs and driving around in vintage jeeps! I was constantly pinching myself…and constantly drinking Coke”. Better than cinnamon biscuits, ey?!

As for the acting side, his agent has promised to do all he can to get him an audition for the next series of Game of Thrones, Victors ultimate dream role.

“You may laugh, but that has been the one job that’s always at the front of my mind. I’m obsessed with the programme and want to be in it so, so bad. Argh!”

“Set yourself goals, motivate yourself every day and don’t let any knock backs stop you following what your heart wants”. Victors final words of wisdom and something that can be applied to anyone. Unless you’re one of the lucky ones with it handed to you on a plate – which, apart from his looks perhaps, Victor certainly was not.