Latino Actor Gabriel Sloyer Reveals Why 'Protector' Feels Like 'Taken' With a Mother - INTERVIEW

For audiences who have followed Gabriel Sloyer's career across television and film, the actor's newest role might come as a surprise.

The New York-born performer, known for appearances in projects like Griselda and The Better Sister, is stepping into a darker, more dangerous territory in the action thriller Protector. In the film, which opens this weekend, he plays the mysterious Chairman, a powerful antagonist whose actions set the stage for a relentless chase led by Milla Jovovich.

And for Sloyer, that alone was reason enough to say yes.

"When the person chasing you is Milla Jovovich, you don't think twice," the actor said in an interview with The Latin Times. "You say yes immediately. She's incredibly talented and I knew I would learn a lot working with her."

A shift in roles

For Sloyer, Protector represents a noticeable shift in his on-screen persona.

In recent years, the actor has often played characters navigating the orbit of powerful women. In the Netflix hit Griselda, he appeared opposite Sofía Vergara's infamous drug queenpin. In the thriller The Better Sister, he shared scenes with Jessica Biel.

But in Protector, the dynamic flips.

"In my recent projects I've been chasing powerful women," he joked. "Now someone is chasing me."

That "someone," of course, is Jovovich, the international action star best known for franchises like Resident Evil.

The film follows a mother who will stop at nothing to rescue her kidnapped daughter, launching a globe-spanning mission that quickly escalates into a violent confrontation with powerful enemies.

If the premise sounds familiar, Sloyer is happy with the comparison that many viewers have already made, as `people are describing it as Taken, but with a mother. "I think that's a fair comparison. I love those movies, and seeing a mom fight for her daughter shows the strength of women," he said.

Working with an action heavyweight

Behind the camera, the film also carries an impressive pedigree.

Protector is directed by Adrian Grünberg, the Mexican filmmaker whose career includes major action titles like Rambo: Last Blood as well as work on series such as Narcos and Luis Miguel.

For Sloyer, working with a director experienced in both Hollywood blockbusters and Latin American productions created a unique environment on set. "Adrián inspires confidence from the first day," the actor said. "You can feel his experience in movies like these."

That confidence helped shape the intense tone of the film, which blends emotional stakes with high-speed action.

A Latino actor navigating Hollywood

Although Sloyer's roles often cross genres and languages, he frequently credits his cultural background for shaping his artistic instincts.

Growing up, he said, Latin storytelling had a strong influence on him, particularly the melodramatic world of telenovelas. When asked how The Protector might sound if it were a classic Latin soap opera, the actor couldn't resist playing along.

"If it were a telenovela," he laughed, "I'd call it 'La madre que no perdona.'"

The joke highlights something that many Latino actors bring to international productions: a storytelling tradition built on emotion, family dynamics, and larger-than-life characters. Those same elements often translate surprisingly well into action films, where personal stakes drive the narrative as much as explosions or chase scenes.

Filming in the American Southwest

Much of The Protector was filmed in Las Cruces, New Mexico, a location that quickly left an impression on the actor. The desert landscapes of New Mexico provide a stark visual contrast to the urban settings typical of many thrillers, giving the film a distinctive look.

"I loved it," he said. "If you can't find me for the next interview, it's probably because I'm there eating green chile soup and playing solitaire."