Actor, athlete, and author Luis Da Silva Jr. has experienced success in nearly every field he’s stepped into. From unforgettable performances in dozens of films starring Hollywood’s elite, including John Travolta, Jodie Foster, Woody Harrelson, Kate Winslet, Casey Affleck, Adrien Brody, Sam Rockwell, and Brie Larson, to being the youngest non-professional athlete ever endorsed by Nike, being pictured on the cover of Time magazine, holding a Guinness World Record, starring in assorted NBA video games, and authoring a series of children’s books, you could say this New Jersey native has the Midas touch.
Originally from Elizabeth, New Jersey, Luis grew up playing baseball and practicing Aikido, a form of martial arts. It wasn’t until he turned 13 that he discovered his passion for basketball. At 18, Luis’ life changed forever when he walked into an open audition for a Nike commercial. He was immediately signed to represent their Freestyle ad campaign, which, at the time, was one of the most widely recognized Nike commercials. The commercial led to an endorsement deal, making Luis the youngest and first non-professional athlete to sign with Nike.
A Guinness World Record holder in various basketball-handling categories, Luis has been featured on the cover of Time magazine and in The Wall Street Journal, and has starred in several NBA-themed video games, including L.A. Rush and others produced by Midway Games.
Over the years, Luis has had the opportunity to perform with Alicia Keys, Will Smith and Sean Combs in NBA halftime shows. When he was 26, Luis became the youngest athlete inducted into the Hall of Fame in his hometown.
In August 2007, Da Silva fulfilled a childhood dream when he was invited to participate in a Harlem Globetrotters mini-camp in Houston, TX and two days into the camp was offered a contract to join the legendary team.
In 2008, the Maryland Nighthawks announced that they selected Da Silva with the 14th overall pick as part of their official “Travel Team” of the PBL that year, and they toured China and other Asian countries during that season.
Patrick Cassidy for Dime (now with New Balance) quoted “He’s literally the Michael Jordan of his professional. Mark Parker, Nike CEO, said “Luis was the centerpiece of freestyle”.
Luis and Nike Freestyle are in the new African American Museum (exhibit) Smithsonian in Washington DC.
After years of success in the sports world, Luis tried his hand at acting. He’s known for his role in Fast Five, playing Diogo, a Brazilian racecar champion. Additional films include The Brave One, Pride and Glory, 21 Jump Street, American Heist, Mr. Right., and Gotti. His television credits include Girls, Person of Interest, Graceland, Body of Proof, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and Power. Similar to his career in sports, Luis is poised to take Hollywood by storm.
In 2016, Luis starred in film, ‘Triple 9’, where he can be seen acting opposite Casey Affleck, Kate Winslet, Norman Reedus, Aaron Paul, and Woody Harrelson.
Being a working actor has humbled Luis a lot. Typically, egos or self-stats don’t matter in casting, because there are so many elements to consider. Look, energy, personality and producers have to decide if you would work well with the other cast members. So many chiefs need to be sold on one’s talent before even booking. Because of this, Luis determines what is needed for his character and what the scene is calling for, and then keeps it organic so he can adapt at the very second and allow his subconscious thoughts to take action.
“You get denied far more than you actually book,” says Luis. “And this goes out for anyone. I have had some very close megastars in this business. Even Hollywood’s best want changes, or things don’t always go their way. It’s the name of the business.”
Luis is gearing up for a ton of film releases within the next year. He has been a part of John Travolta’s last six films, and is anxiously awaiting the premieres of Moose, Speed Kills, Trading Paint, and Poison Rose. These are all films starring John Travolta as well.
When he’s not in front of the camera or dribbling down court, Luis enjoys being a father to his daughter, Zoe-Aiko. His role as Dad has opened the door to the literary field—he’s now also writing children’s books from his home. His titles include A Boy Named Boo and Zoe and Toby and the Alphabet Adventures. Both are available via online retailers.
A Boy Named Boo is a book loosely based on true events on a child who was overweight and had a low self-esteem. Boy had no ambition or desire to do anything or to be social with fellow students. Shortly that changed when he found a passion for the game of basketball. He used basketball to help inspire himself and motivate him to change his bad eating habits and low self-esteem. The book takes you on a journey on how this child overcame adversity and challenges one day at a time. A special children’s book that touches on issues in our society and schools throughout our nation.
