Miguel Torres Umba

Biography:

Actor, director, and movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba is renowned for his skill in developing and executing physically challenging and dynamic characters. In the recently released Paramount movie Primate, he portrays Ben. “Miguel’s acting is really pretty great … and makes Ben feel like a legitimate menace” – Fangoria. “Ben is practical, wonderfully constructed by Millennium FX, and acted by movement specialist Miguel Torres Umba. The film’s greatest asset is the chimp’s metamorphosis from adorable companion to terrible monster.

Miguel, who was born in Colombia, trained as an actor in Bogotá before focusing on physical theater and corporeal mime in the United Kingdom. He is also well-known for his extended partnership with Gecko Theatre, where he has acted in films like Institute (Gecko/BBC), The Wedding (UK Tour), and the National Theatre co-production KIN. At the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Miguel’s one-man show Stardust won praise from critics. The Guardian wrote, “Using a mix of animation, movement, and monologue, the storytelling is beyond impressive.” Miguel is a prominent player in immersive theater in addition to his acting career.

He served as performance director for Glastonbury’s Terminal 1 and creative director for Rematch Live’s Rumble in the Jungle. He worked with Secret Cinema for more than 12 years, progressing from performer to creative director while working on classic films like Star Wars, Back to the Future, and Moulin Rouge. Miguel’s creative approach as a director and practitioner is based on playfulness, inclusivity, and a strong dedication to investigating sociopolitical themes. Latinx Youth Theatre, a platform that enables young Latin Americans in London to celebrate their cultural identity via the performing arts, is one of the projects he has produced through his firm, Umba Arts.