Macho actor goes public as advocate for children * Battling violence is River's new role
By Marcia Welch
April/May, 2000

The roles get even more intriguing for Victor Rivers. The Florida State graduate and successful actor has gone from college offensive guard to Miami Dolphin to actor in "Fled," "The Mask of Zorro," "Amistad" and "Havana." After a 15-year career, one of his latest roles could be the most challenging.

Rivers, abused as a child, has taken up the cause of fighting domestic violence. He is the national spokesperson for the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV).

"We come into this world with the No. 1 requirement that we be loved and nurtured and taught how to create relationships and attain positive life skills," Rivers said. "Abuse is counter to that ... you learn in the dark, in the shadow of hurt and low self-esteem."

Rivers often recounts his own story. He was a 12-year-old Cuban immigrant abused by his father, and he eventually went to police to reveal his scarred body and the violence that his brothers, sisters and mother had also endured. The turbulence at home nearly led him to gangs, but with the help of coaches and friends. Rivers landed in athletics and eventually at Florida State.

"They took me to an athletic boosters' meeting, explained that I was heading for trouble and asked if anyone would help," Rivers recalled. Boosters and volunteers answered the call, helping to set a steady course for Rivers, the young man.

As spokesman, Rivers is a star-advocate for the NNEDV, which represents shelters and advocacy groups throughout the United States. (Another FSU graduate, Lynn Rosenthal, recently became NNEDV's executive director.)

Rivers willingly sacrificed his privacy. "In most cases, when kids are being abused,so are mothers ... if we want toprotect kids we have to protect their moms," Rivers said. "My mother encouraged me to speak, saying that if our story can save one life ... any loss to our privacy will be worth it."

Rivers says his developing relationship with his own son played a large part in his decision to speak against domestic violence.

"The daily joys of loving, nurturing and teaching my son strengthened me to the point that I decided to use my visibility as an actor to bring greater attention to this pervasive social problem," Rivers said.

Battling domestic violence is the latest challenge, but it is far from Rivers' first. He spent four years at FSU earning a degree in criminology and playing football. He credits his criminology degree with helping him understand the intricacies of the characters he's portrayed. And he recalls the influence and inspiration given to him by his coaches.

"Bobby Bowden had and continues to have a huge influence on me because he inspired me not only to be a good player, but a good person," Rivers said.
After college, he played with the Miami Dolphins for two years. Then he went to Los Angeles to try his hand at acting.

"The moment I got into a play and found myself on stage, I knew I was at home," Rivers said.

He has appeared in 23 films since 1984, when he made his feature film debut in "Fear City." He's appeared as Zorro's brother in "The Mask of Zorro" and as a sidekick to Eddie Murphy in the "The Distinguished Gentleman." Rivers is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Magic Mike in the cult favorite "Blood In/Blood Out."

Magic Mike was a prison warlord, and apparently Rivers was convincing to the regular inhabitants of San Quentin prison, where the movie was filmed.

"All of the inmates I met there assumed I was the real deal—that I had been in prison before," Rivers said. "Every day when we left the prison and heard the clanging doors of the cells locking behind us, I was shattered by the loss and waste of human potential."