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40 MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 71MOSTMAGAZINEMOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 71Exclusive Interview FROM ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING TO HOLLYWOOD%u2014WHAT WAS THE MOMENT YOU KNEW YOU HAD TO MAKE THE SWITCH? It wasn%u2019t one big epiphany; it was a series of small moments that built up. I got my engineering degree, spent a few years working as a loan officer, but realized I was spending more time thinking about becoming an actor than mortgages. I loved storytelling%u2014the way a great performance or movie could really move you. I knew I had to at least try. YOU STARTED AS A MODEL BEFORE BREAKING INTO ACTING. HOW DID THAT SHAPE YOUR APPROACH TO HOLLYWOOD?Modeling taught me how to be comfortable in front of a camera, but more importantly, it gave me thick skin. You hear a lot of %u201cno%u2019s%u201d in that world, just like in acting. But it also gave me discipline%u2014knowing how to take direction, how to present myself, and how to work well with clients so they would hire you again. All of that helped when I started booking acting roles. VICTOR TAN HAS BEEN ON QUITE THE JOURNEY IN S.W.A.T.. WHAT%u2019S BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART OF PLAYING HIM?Tan has grown so much since season one. He started as the new guy trying to prove himself, and now he%u2019s an integral part of the team. I love that we%u2019ve explored his personal struggles%u2014his relationship, his loyalty to 20-Squad, his backstory as a vice cop, and his relationship with his mom and brother. It%u2019s rewarding to play a character that%u2019s layered and evolving. S.W.A.T. WAS CANCELED TWICE BUT SAVED BY FAN DEMAND. WHAT%u2019S IT LIKE KNOWING THE AUDIENCE FOUGHT TO BRING THE SHOW BACK?Man, it%u2019s pretty humbling. You put in years of hard work, and when a show ends, you hope people enjoyed it. But to have fans literally fight for us%u2014twice? That%u2019s special. We don%u2019t take it for granted. It%u2019s motivated us to push ourselves even harder each episode because we know we%u2019re making this for people who genuinely love the show.If you wait until you feel %u2018ready,%u2019 you%u2019ll probably never do it. Just go for it%u2014take the risk, bet on yourself, and learn as you go.