From Salvadoran childhood to surrealist stardom: the rise of Julio Torres
In short: Born in San Salvador during the final years of a civil war, Julio Torres transformed a childhood of elaborate toy stories into a career defined by the otherworldly. Today, the writer and comedian is a Peabody Award winner known for his surrealist, melancholic comedic vision.
Julio Torres' rise to comedy fame started in El Salvador, having spent his childhood in a flat situated above his mother's boutique. Despite spending time hiding under a dining table during the Salvadoran Civil War, Torres describes his upbringing as idyllic. His early creative impulses were fueled by building intricate narratives for Barbies and miniature toy cars, a penchant for storytelling that would later define his professional output.
After moving to Manhattan in 2009 to study English literature and playwriting at The New School, Torres began a trajectory through late-night television. He worked on The Chris Gethard Show before joining the writing staff of Saturday Night Live from 2016 to 2019. During his tenure at SNL, he contributed to notable sketches such as "Papyrus" and "Wells for Boys," earning four Emmy nominations as part of the writing team.
Torres has become a significant voice in prestige television, co-creating the Peabody Award-winning HBO series Los Espookys alongside Ana Fabrega and Fred Armisen. He followed this with another Peabody-winning series, Fantasmas. His directorial debut, the surrealist comedy Problemista, was released by A24 in March 2024. Critics often highlight a distinct style in his work, characterized by a sense of the fantastical and a subtle, melancholy undercurrent.
While his work often touches on identity, Torres is careful about representation. In June 2020, he stated that he does not aim to speak for immigrants, Salvadorans, or gay people, preferring to focus on sharing his own internal experiences rather than using identity as a calling card.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Julio Torres
- Also: Wikidata — Julio Torres · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Julio Torres · CC0
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