Mace Coronel

The Door Slam on the Kids' Factory

Mace Coronel left the Nickelodeon set in 2017, before the end of the fourth season of Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn. It was an agreed but abrupt exit. The actor was looking for projects with a different tone, and the kids' TV machine no longer fit his personal growth.

He had spent three years playing Dicky Harper.

That role brought him massive global exposure. But the risk of being typecast as a forever-young sitcom kid was real. In 2017, Mace Coronel abruptly walked off the set to build an identity of his own, far from the spoon-fed scripts aimed at preteen audiences.

There were no big press releases or tearful goodbyes on social media. The actor simply disappeared from the network's regular lineup to focus on his technical training. For him, acting was never a popularity contest but a craft that required silence.

The Journey Beyond the Spotlight

Between 2018 and 2021, the actor focused on short films and independent projects. He worked on Pocket and Money Shot to explore roles far from canned laughter. These projects allowed him to experiment with photography and directing (two of his great interests off screen).

And the gamble paid off.

During that time, he avoided big studio productions. He wanted to prove that his acting range went beyond physical gags. So he dedicated himself to studying film and understanding how the industry works from the other side of the camera, while turning down offers that repeated the formula of his past on television.

In 2019 he took part in the pilot of Wireless for the Quibi platform. Although the streaming service failed a few months later, the experience helped him connect with darker, more experimental storytelling. But his big chance to return to the mainstream circuit would come with a project loaded with nostalgia.

The Return to Multi-Camera Sitcoms

In 2022, Netflix announced that Coronel would play Jay Kelso in That '90s Show. The character is the son of the original series' leads and carried considerable media pressure. The premiere on 2023 confirmed that the actor kept the comedic pace the format required.

But his interest isn't limited to acting in front of the camera.

In 2024, the actor managed to step out of the shadow of Ashton Kutcher, bringing a calmer, more modern energy to the series. His performance avoided a cheap imitation of his character's father in the show. Critics praised his ability to carry the weight of a franchise so beloved by older audiences.

In 2024 he took part in the second season of the series, keeping his status as one of the young faces with the most promise on the platform. Production on the third installment was scheduled for late that same annual cycle under the supervision of Gregg Mettler. Filming of the new episodes in 2024 took place at the Sunset Bronson Studios in Hollywood.