Page 2
Catalina, some of the film choices you’ve made are controversial or politically charged. Do you seek out projects like that or is it just the type of scripts that come your way?
Catalina Sandino Moreno: “I feel responsible and after I saw Maria Full of Grace, I saw people’s reactions to the film and they didn’t know anything about drugs. They just were saying, ‘Okay, that’s how heroin comes into this country because somebody ate it and s**t it.’ They just couldn’t believe it, yet it’s something that’s happening in Columbia every single day. I just felt that part of my job is movies with a message.”
Did you ever want to lighten it up with a romantic comedy or by playing the love interest?
Catalina Sandino Moreno: “I did a movie with Ethan Hawke directing it. It was just a nice, cute love story but it was real. I don’t like love stories because you fall in love, you break up, and then you’re in love again. Which is more real life? But I thought this script was fun and working with Ethan was good. My mother was Sonia Braga, which made everything more fun. I try to see what I’m looking for but right now, you do a movie, you do it fairly soon. When you see this kind of movie, they’re reacting to the movie and they go home and think about the movie. This movie is very visual so I think people will stop and think. It’s so rewarding to do a good job.”
Wilmer, did you have to fight hard to get on this movie because you’re not known as a dramatic actor yet?
Wilmer Valderrama: “Nobody has ever seen me do anything dramatic yet, and I really tried my hardest to convince everyone. It’s been for a couple of years that I’m re-educating the industry a little better of who I am as a performer and what I can pull off. Richard was amazing to give me a shot at doing something this dramatic. And then I did my best to bring it home.”
On a different note, you’ve got CHiPs coming up. How’s that going?
Wilmer Valderrama: “CHiPs is going good. I’ve been really busy so we haven’t been able to figure out when we’re going to get into that (a loud engine roaring outside interrupts his answer). I’m sorry, they’re parking my motorcycle (laughing). We’re in pre-production right now and the script is super solid. It’s fantastic. It’s the answer to every attempt that was done before. It will be sometime next year. I think I have to do one or two projects before I get to this, but it’s definitely happening.”
Are you going to play it like Erik Estrada or do something totally new?
Wilmer Valderrama: “First, I have to honor the general persona and the generalized iconic character that he built, but I’m excited to bring my own colors to the character. Obviously not take him too seriously but at the same time, have fun with him.”
