His grandmother was told by a fortune teller that one of her descendants would be successful in New York City which his mother believed to be Torres.

[2] He grew up during the last years of the Salvadoran Civil War and remembers hiding under the dining table with his mother; however, he describes his childhood as idyllic.

He had few friends in his youth and spent his time creating elaborate stories for Barbies and miniature toy cars.

[2] Torres attended a private high school in San Salvador after he and his sister received scholarships.

[2][3] Torres worked as a writer on The Chris Gethard Show before he was hired to write for Saturday Night Live.

[9][10][11] After pitching a Spanish-language comedy to HBO, the comedian Fred Armisen brought Torres and Ana Fabrega on to co-write the series.

It was directed by his frequent collaborator Dave McCary and produced by Fred Armisen and Lorne Michaels.

[15] Torres wrote and directed the film, a surrealist comedy, in which he portrays Alejandro, a Salvadoran creative struggling to succeed in New York City before his work visa expires, alongside Tilda Swinton.