1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: This is Latino USA, the Radio Journal of News and 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: Kurturre Latino USA. Latin Latino USA. I'm Maria in Nojosa. 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 1: We bring you stories that are underreported but that mattered 4 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: to you, overlooked by the rest of the media. And 5 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: while the country is struggling to deal with these, we 6 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,919 Speaker 1: listen to the stories of Black and Latino Studios United, 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: Latino Front, a cultural renaissance organizing at the forefront of 8 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: the movement. I'm Maria Inojosa, nose Bayan. 9 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:33,280 Speaker 2: If there's only like one or two or three of 10 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 2: us speaking out, then those three people are easier to target. 11 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 2: If it's hundreds thousands speaking out, then they can't target you. 12 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: Then that goes for every industry and everywhere on every topic. 13 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: From Vudro media and PRX, It's Latino USA. I'm Maria 14 00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 1: Inhosa Today. Mexican actress Melissa Barrera from sappy telenovelas to 15 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: horror films, Melissa Marera has been pretty consistently making a 16 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:18,279 Speaker 1: name for herself in Hollywood these years. The actress, born 17 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,319 Speaker 1: and raised in Monterey, Mexico, first made her mark in 18 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:27,919 Speaker 1: her home country, starring in telenovelas like Siempretuja a Capulco, 19 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 1: and tanto Amore. Her breakthrough in the US came with 20 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: the critically acclaimed series Vida, opening the door for other 21 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: major roles to follow in her career. She belted songs 22 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:56,440 Speaker 1: out as Vanessa in the film adaptation of lin Manuel 23 00:01:56,480 --> 00:02:01,000 Speaker 1: Miranda's Tony Award winning musical In the Heights I'm Coming 24 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 1: in Asy, and she took on one of the most 25 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,560 Speaker 1: iconic horror movie villains of all time, Ghostface, in Scream 26 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: five and six, helping revive the franchise and becoming a 27 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: new favorite Scream queen for a new generation of horror fans. 28 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 2: I'm right here, Come and get me with pleasure. 29 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: Most recently, Melissa has stood out not for her acting, 30 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:36,880 Speaker 1: but because of her activism and because she's been vocal 31 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: on social media about the war on Gaza. The story 32 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: she posted on Instagram ultimately cost her her role in 33 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: the next installment of Scream. 34 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 2: Et is confirmed. 35 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 3: Melissa was fired after causing intense backlash for social media 36 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,959 Speaker 3: posts accusing Israel of quote genocide and ethnic cleansing. 37 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: Spyglass, the studio behind the Scream franchise, alleged that Melissa's 38 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: comments were anti Semitic and crossed the line into hate speech. 39 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 1: But being dropped from Scream hasn't kept Melissa out of 40 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: the horror scene. She starts today in Abigail, where she 41 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:21,200 Speaker 1: plays a kidnapper who targets a young and deadly vampire ballerina. 42 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: The film is out now in theaters nationwide. In this 43 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: episode of Latino USA, Melissa and I talk about her 44 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: childhood in Mexico, what propelled her into acting, and how 45 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 1: she views her own diverse and growing career during what 46 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: she calls an age of self reflection. Here's my conversation 47 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:54,600 Speaker 1: with Melissa Brera. It's great to have you on Latino 48 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 1: usay miha, finally. 49 00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 2: Thank you. I was very excited from the moment you 50 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 2: told me, and I'm glad we're finally doing it. 51 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,840 Speaker 1: So Leverty that Melissa, your career has been this thing 52 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 1: to witness. Now you are an absolute Hollywood presence, and 53 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: I'm sure that a lot of people just you know 54 00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: who Melissa Brere is. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. And I 55 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:16,000 Speaker 1: want to take this moment to kind of go back 56 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: to the original Melissa La Melissa from Monterrey in Mexico, 57 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 1: because you know, you actually didn't move to the United 58 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: States until you were nineteen. You moved to New York 59 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: to study at NYU as an international student. Yep, can 60 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:36,640 Speaker 1: you take me back to Monterrey. What does Monterrey look 61 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: like and smell like? For let's say ten year old Melissa. 62 00:04:40,400 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 2: Oh wow, Monterrey has always felt to me like and 63 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 2: obviously I'm biased, but it was just such a beautiful 64 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:52,720 Speaker 2: place to grow up. And at ten years old, I 65 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:56,360 Speaker 2: was out on the streets playing with my neighbors all day, 66 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:01,279 Speaker 2: Like I remember, every summer would just be I wake up, 67 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,000 Speaker 2: I say by to my mom. I had like a 68 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 2: little like bambiyah with my neighborhood neighbors and they were 69 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: all boys. I was the only girl. I was a 70 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:13,679 Speaker 2: little tomboy. I love to like play in the dirt 71 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 2: and play sports, and I would just go out and 72 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 2: play and like and Los ter Renos they were like 73 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:21,359 Speaker 2: the Reno's baldios, which is, you know, like these places 74 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,480 Speaker 2: that haven't been built yet. So we would just explore 75 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:28,919 Speaker 2: and climb trees and like play pseudo baseball basketball with 76 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,840 Speaker 2: whatever we could find with like broomsticks, and draw with 77 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 2: chalk on the street and play beblech and like that. 78 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 1: Was it and wait, wait, waitblechick this. So I don't 79 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: know bebelechi. 80 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 2: You don't know bebelechi. What is it called? In English? 81 00:05:43,200 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 2: It's that thing where you jump, you jump with one 82 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:47,839 Speaker 2: foot and then two and then one and then two. 83 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 1: Oh, hopscotch, hopscotch. It's called bever lech bebeleche. So this 84 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:56,359 Speaker 1: sounds kind of idyllic. Although I am kind of stuck 85 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,039 Speaker 1: on the part that you were a tomboy and that 86 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:00,159 Speaker 1: everybody was cool with you being a tomboy, and that 87 00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: you were in those in those bydios, because I used 88 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,359 Speaker 1: to play in those badios and they're freaking scary places 89 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: to be playing. As a kid, it. 90 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 2: Wasn't scary at all. I grew up with a very 91 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 2: like tough, very masculine dad that always wanted a son 92 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:25,039 Speaker 2: and he got four daughters, and so I was just tough, 93 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 2: Like I think a part of me was, like I 94 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:29,840 Speaker 2: knew that he wanted a son, so I kind of 95 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 2: was as much of a son as I could be, 96 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 2: and I would like ride motorcycles with him, like I 97 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:38,479 Speaker 2: had a motorcycle, like I had a little Yamaha from 98 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 2: when I was four years old. You know, and I 99 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: would just and yeah. 100 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 1: A four year old on a yamaha yo. Yeah, So 101 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: where does the park come in where you're like, I 102 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: think I want to sing and dance because that's a 103 00:06:59,160 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: leaf there. 104 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 2: That part kind of awakened in me because of one 105 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 2: of my little Bandilla neighborhood boys. He got into this 106 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 2: TV show called Goligofama like Code Fame, and it was 107 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 2: basically like a American idol for children. What now the 108 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 2: voice kids is I guess, but like way back in 109 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 2: the day. And so he got on that show and 110 00:07:31,480 --> 00:07:34,040 Speaker 2: it was huge, like it was a huge thing in 111 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 2: all of Mexico, Like everybody was watching that show. It 112 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 2: was a little like star Maker for children. And I 113 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:44,280 Speaker 2: think seeing him and knowing him, I kind of was like, oh, 114 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 2: I want to do that too, And so I started 115 00:07:46,440 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 2: kind of having the dreams of being a pop star 116 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 2: and singing and being on TV. And I think that's 117 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 2: how it started. 118 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 1: And would you give shows to like your family or 119 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: to your friends? 120 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:01,239 Speaker 2: Oh no, no, no, no no. I was so shy. 121 00:08:01,400 --> 00:08:05,960 Speaker 2: I was incredibly shy. Like those were all like Sueno's wahiros. 122 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 2: There were just like unreachable dreams that I had. But 123 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:12,239 Speaker 2: that I didn't ever really know how I was gonna 124 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,280 Speaker 2: accomplish them because I was so shy. But eventually, like 125 00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 2: I would tell my mom, like can you take me 126 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 2: to this audition? And when I would tell her, it 127 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 2: would be like take me and my sisters, so we 128 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 2: would like all go an audition. And that's something that 129 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 2: I continued up until, like when I started falling in 130 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 2: love with musical theater in school. The first audition that 131 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,280 Speaker 2: I did in school, I convinced my whole basketball team 132 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,920 Speaker 2: to come in audition with me. I needed like safety 133 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:43,760 Speaker 2: in numbers, to feel like I could sing in front 134 00:08:43,800 --> 00:08:44,240 Speaker 2: of someone. 135 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: So can you tell me a little bit about your mom? 136 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 2: She is the most special person in my life, and 137 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:54,920 Speaker 2: she's an incredible woman. And I wouldn't be where I 138 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 2: am and I wouldn't be the person that I am 139 00:08:56,640 --> 00:09:00,719 Speaker 2: without her our whole lives. I just remember my mom 140 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:05,320 Speaker 2: working full time, our entire lives. She was basically like 141 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:08,960 Speaker 2: the primary breadwinner in my family. And she's one of 142 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:13,719 Speaker 2: the brightest, smartest women you'll ever meet. She even got 143 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 2: a medal from the president in college of like the 144 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 2: highest GPA in all of Mexico. She won what the medal. Yeah, 145 00:09:22,080 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 2: like that's my mom. 146 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay. 147 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 2: And so she's always worked really hard, and I've always 148 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 2: had that example of a woman that can do everything, 149 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 2: that can do it all, that can be like a 150 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:40,080 Speaker 2: full time mom and be present with her four daughters 151 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:43,199 Speaker 2: and support them in everything that they want to do 152 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 2: and also work full time. 153 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:46,679 Speaker 1: She wasn't cooking though. 154 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,520 Speaker 2: I mean, my mom doesn't cook, and that's why probably 155 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:50,160 Speaker 2: neither do I. 156 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 1: But I have three Mexican women who don't cook. I 157 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: love that. 158 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 2: With that. 159 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: We're okay with that, people, We're okay with it. 160 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I will drink wine with you while you prepare food. 161 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: Though. 162 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,400 Speaker 2: I am the best company, the best. 163 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:13,160 Speaker 1: So musical theater. What were the experiences that made you 164 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:17,640 Speaker 1: say I specifically want to do musical theater because people 165 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 1: may want to act, or they may want to be 166 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,959 Speaker 1: a pop star, but musical theater is a particular niche 167 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: kind of thing. Where was that where you were like, 168 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:26,080 Speaker 1: this is the thing. 169 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 2: I remember falling in love with musical theater as an 170 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 2: audience member. First. There was something very special about how 171 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 2: seeing a musical made me feel, and it was a 172 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 2: feeling that stayed with me for many days after I 173 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 2: had seen a show, and so I was like, what 174 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 2: is this feeling? And once I knew what it was 175 00:10:55,880 --> 00:11:02,200 Speaker 2: like the process of learning music, learning coreography and creating 176 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 2: this world, there's something very addictive about it. There's something 177 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:10,679 Speaker 2: very beautiful about this idea of this world where you 178 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,840 Speaker 2: just break out into song and dance and most of 179 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 2: the time there's a big group number at the end 180 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 2: where everyone is just smiling from ear to ear and 181 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 2: you leave the theater with a smile on your face 182 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 2: and wanting to talk about it and with the song 183 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 2: stuck in your head. I don't know. There was just 184 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 2: something like deeply magical about it and like spiritual about 185 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 2: the experience that made me want to not just experience 186 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 2: it for the rest of my life, but like be 187 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: one of the people that made others experience that feeling 188 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:55,040 Speaker 2: for the rest of my life. 189 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,440 Speaker 1: And I wonder if that thing, that passion that you 190 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: feel right is what translates for all of us who 191 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: watch you now right because your first breakthrough peace here 192 00:12:06,920 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 1: in the United States is on the series via. 193 00:12:09,160 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 2: Why Is It All So Complicated? 194 00:12:12,080 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: Wow? 195 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 2: Because you make it complicated. 196 00:12:14,360 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: Lynn, You're a full on agent of chaos. You played 197 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 1: a young woman her name is lynd Nandez. These are 198 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 1: sisters who go back to their East La neighborhood after 199 00:12:23,720 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: their mom dies. It's a really complex portrayal of Mexican 200 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:32,439 Speaker 1: identity in the United States, and it was especially interesting 201 00:12:32,559 --> 00:12:35,200 Speaker 1: for someone like you who had come from Mexican film 202 00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 1: and television, including the Lenuelas and reality And I'm wondering 203 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,679 Speaker 1: if you can talk about what that transition was like. 204 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:49,120 Speaker 2: It was probably the smoothest transition that anyone could have 205 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:53,560 Speaker 2: ever had moving from Mexico to the US. You know, 206 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 2: I always had dreams of making it in Hollywood. Like 207 00:12:56,960 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 2: I don't want to generalize, but like for most people, 208 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,040 Speaker 2: especially in like Mexico and Latin America, like Hollywood is 209 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 2: the big pond, the big exposure to the world. And 210 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 2: so I had seen sal Mahayak do it from Telenoelas 211 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 2: to Hollywood, and I was like, if she did it, 212 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 2: I can do it. And I had idealized what this 213 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 2: change was going to be and how like that was 214 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 2: going to feel. And when it finally happened for me, 215 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,440 Speaker 2: it didn't feel like a change at all. It felt 216 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 2: like a change of scenery and language. But other than that, 217 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,600 Speaker 2: it felt pretty much the same. And I think in 218 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 2: large part it was because obviously it was a smaller show, 219 00:13:37,960 --> 00:13:41,559 Speaker 2: and I was going in to work for a showrunner 220 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:46,160 Speaker 2: that was Mexican, for a director that was Mexican, and 221 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 2: for the majority of a crew that were some sort 222 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:53,320 Speaker 2: of Latino and a lot of them spoke Spanish. So 223 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 2: it was almost no change at all interesting and for 224 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 2: me because I was expecting it to feel so different 225 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 2: that I was like, Oh, this is what I've been wanting. 226 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,320 Speaker 2: It's exactly the same. Just now I'm like acting in 227 00:14:09,360 --> 00:14:11,559 Speaker 2: English and living in La Wow. 228 00:14:11,600 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 1: That's like a very unique experience milis ibcause most people, 229 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 1: as you know, it's really freaking tough. And I wonder 230 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: if that experience of kind of it feeling natural for 231 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:23,400 Speaker 1: you had to do with the way in which you 232 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: played the character Lynn. And I remember the moment where 233 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: I was like, Okay, I actually do love this show. 234 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 1: And it was a scene with your character, So your 235 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: character who was basically hanging out with all the white folks, 236 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 1: the rich white kids in I don't know what part 237 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: of rich La and they all get drunk and get 238 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: sick and they're puking, and you're just kind of watching 239 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:48,320 Speaker 1: this thing and then. 240 00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 2: Aurora Charlie threw up again. I feel so bad she 241 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 2: has to keep cleaning it up. 242 00:14:56,400 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 1: Oh, that's what she's here for, the Mexican maid who 243 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 1: was there at the party, cleaning, serving all of that. 244 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:06,760 Speaker 1: And at the end of the night you end up 245 00:15:07,000 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: on a bus with the Mexican maid, separated by a 246 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: bunch of seats, and it's like, this is what it's 247 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 1: like to be Mexican in la You might end up 248 00:15:18,120 --> 00:15:20,800 Speaker 1: in a very hoity toity party, but you're gonna end 249 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: up on the bus Gona Mexicana. That particular scene, I mean, 250 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 1: I can see it in my head and I'm wondering 251 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:29,280 Speaker 1: if it was an important scene for you to do 252 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: as an actor. 253 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 2: It was. That episode was very I forget the word 254 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 2: in English, but it was bertrist. The experience was something 255 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:46,440 Speaker 2: that I will always remember because it felt like, this 256 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,960 Speaker 2: is what we're trying to say with the show. Actually 257 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 2: we have all the other like showy things and it's entertainment, 258 00:15:53,760 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 2: but this is actually what we're trying to convey, is 259 00:15:56,640 --> 00:16:00,720 Speaker 2: this thing of no matter how far you climb in 260 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 2: this country, if you're not white, people will still see 261 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:09,400 Speaker 2: you as another and when you're an other, you're in 262 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 2: the same level as everyone else that comes from your 263 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 2: same community. That's what Lynn realizes at the end of 264 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 2: that episode, and she chooses to go back home, and 265 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,320 Speaker 2: in that bus she is with the maid played by 266 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 2: the beautiful Lauda Patala know who I adore, who did 267 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:26,680 Speaker 2: an incredible job. 268 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 1: And I mean Via in and of itself was a 269 00:16:29,560 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 1: very sex positive show for Latinas and Latinos. Well, how 270 00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 1: important is your you know I'm sex positive or do 271 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: you now with you have a little bit more experience, 272 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:42,720 Speaker 1: are you like that? I really overexposed. How do you 273 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: understand that particular part of your career. 274 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 2: I don't regret anything. I'm so happy I did it. 275 00:16:49,920 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 2: I think it was a period of growth in my 276 00:16:52,600 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 2: life and a period of acceptance and of understanding to 277 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:00,760 Speaker 2: not be ashamed of our bodies and not be ashamed 278 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 2: of women who like sex and who want to explore sexually. 279 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 2: I think that's a taboo subject, especially in the Latino community, 280 00:17:11,920 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 2: because we're so conservative, and even though there's a stereotype 281 00:17:16,760 --> 00:17:20,440 Speaker 2: of the sexy Latina, the vava voom like curvy, it's 282 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:25,400 Speaker 2: something completely different to see a character that's nude and 283 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 2: enjoying sex in a way that doesn't feel gratuitous. That 284 00:17:29,000 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 2: is fully part of the character development. So I'm very 285 00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 2: grateful that I did all that. I think in the moment, 286 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 2: I didn't know that I was capable of going there 287 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:43,640 Speaker 2: because I did grow up very Catholic and had told 288 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,520 Speaker 2: myself that I was never going to do nudity. Does 289 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,280 Speaker 2: that mean that now in every single movie that I do, 290 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:51,840 Speaker 2: I'm gonna be like, yeah, let's do nudity, because I 291 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:56,080 Speaker 2: already did it once. No, But if it feels warranted, 292 00:17:56,119 --> 00:17:59,199 Speaker 2: if it feels like it's justified for the story and 293 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 2: the character, and that it's gonna be shocked tastefully, yeah, 294 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 2: why not. I'm not ashamed of it anymore. 295 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:15,959 Speaker 1: Coming up on Latino USA, I continue my conversation with 296 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: Melissa Barrera. We're gonna talk about her foray into horror 297 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:23,360 Speaker 1: films and how she chooses to make an impact beyond 298 00:18:23,600 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 1: the big screen. Stay with us, Hey, we're back. We're 299 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: gonna continue now with my conversation with Mexican actress and 300 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:57,199 Speaker 1: horror queen Melissa Brera. We're gonna talk about that Instagram 301 00:18:57,240 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 1: post that cost her one of her biggest roles. Yet Hello, Samanda, 302 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:09,680 Speaker 1: who is this someone who knows your little family secret? 303 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:13,160 Speaker 1: I was so surprised girl, when all of a sudden 304 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: you're in the movie Scream. The reboot slash sequel in 305 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two introduced new latina and black leads. You 306 00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:27,639 Speaker 1: start along with Jenna Ortega, another Latina, who plays your sister, 307 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: and this was the first time that you were offered 308 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: a role without having two audition So bravo for that. Yeah. 309 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: By your second screen film, Scream six, your character Sam 310 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 1: Carpenter becomes a fan favorite because of her dark but 311 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 1: very sensitive demeanor. So take me to that moment where 312 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: you understand the significance of being part of this legacy feature, 313 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:54,640 Speaker 1: which is Scream. Take me back to that moment where 314 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 1: you're like, Okay, now this is happening in my life. 315 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 2: It was a crazy moment in my life because it 316 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 2: was Pandemic twenty twenty. I kind of fell into a 317 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 2: depression because I had so much momentum. I felt like 318 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 2: I was building momentum and In the Heights had been incredible, 319 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 2: and then after in the Heights, I had shot the 320 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:17,520 Speaker 2: third season of Vida, and I was like, this is 321 00:20:17,560 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 2: going to be awesome. The third season is going to 322 00:20:19,880 --> 00:20:21,720 Speaker 2: come out. Then In the Heights is going to come out, 323 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,240 Speaker 2: and like my life is going to change, and it's 324 00:20:24,320 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 2: finally like my big break. I've been working my entire 325 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 2: life for this moment. And then the pandemic hits. Everything stops, 326 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 2: the industry kind of dies, and I was like, what's 327 00:20:37,040 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 2: going to happen? Is In the Heights ever going to 328 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 2: come out? And so I was like, I don't know 329 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,719 Speaker 2: if I'm going to work again or when that'll happen. 330 00:20:44,560 --> 00:20:46,760 Speaker 2: And I was in Mexico when I get the call 331 00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:51,800 Speaker 2: about Scream, and I was like, Scream, they're making another one. 332 00:20:51,840 --> 00:20:54,800 Speaker 2: It had been ten to eleven years since the last one, 333 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,720 Speaker 2: So I was like what. I didn't even know if 334 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 2: it was a good thing or a thing to be 335 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 2: in Scream at that point, you know, I was like, 336 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:06,639 Speaker 2: has it been too long since the last one? Where 337 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:10,320 Speaker 2: it's not going to be good? And so I asked 338 00:21:10,320 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 2: for the script and I read it and it was great, 339 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:15,919 Speaker 2: and I fell in love with the character. And I 340 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:19,080 Speaker 2: remember hearing that they had like a pool of like 341 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:22,320 Speaker 2: five actresses that they were looking at for it, and 342 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 2: all different ethnicities, and I was the only Latina that 343 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 2: they were looking at, and I remember them telling me, 344 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:32,959 Speaker 2: you know, there's a sister, and so they're looking at 345 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 2: these two actresses for the sister as well. And my 346 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 2: thought was, like, I have to get this role because 347 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 2: if I don't get it, then that means that the 348 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 2: Latina actress that could potentially play the sister is also 349 00:21:46,600 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 2: not going to get it. 350 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:48,960 Speaker 1: I love the fact that you're taking us on the 351 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:49,679 Speaker 1: roller coaster. 352 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:52,600 Speaker 2: It became a thing of like, I need to get 353 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:56,240 Speaker 2: Sam so that I can bring in another Latini into 354 00:21:56,240 --> 00:21:58,560 Speaker 2: the franchise. And then there's two of us in a 355 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:02,280 Speaker 2: franchise where there has been none before. And that was 356 00:22:02,320 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 2: I think the first pressure that I felt. That's when 357 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 2: it dawned on me, like how big of a deal 358 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 2: it was that they were potentially looking for a lead 359 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 2: role that wasn't white in a franchise that had been 360 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:18,040 Speaker 2: so white. Really, and then you know, once I got it, 361 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:22,119 Speaker 2: I think I couldn't really understand how big of a 362 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 2: deal it was because I was just immediately mortified of 363 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:29,760 Speaker 2: like the pressure of oh my god, I'm joining this 364 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,320 Speaker 2: franchise that has a fandom that's so big and that 365 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:37,679 Speaker 2: has such a like an ownership of the material and 366 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 2: of the previous movies, and I was immediately horrified. 367 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: Let's talk about something that you're doing right now. We're 368 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: going to fast forward to the film, Abigail. You're joining 369 00:22:54,320 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 1: forces again with your former screen five and six directors. 370 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 2: I thank you, I miss you all. Be over soon, Joey, Yeah, 371 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 2: I'm sorry about What's gonna happen to you. I literally 372 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:14,359 Speaker 2: just watched it with some of the casts, and it's 373 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 2: such a fun watch. It's a scary movie. There's a 374 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:20,560 Speaker 2: lot of blood and gore in it, and there's a 375 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 2: vampire that is evil and trying to kill everybody, but 376 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:29,320 Speaker 2: it's actually like a very fun, weird combination of people, 377 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 2: a weird ensemble of people that feel like the bad 378 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 2: News bears just somehow teaming up to survive in this 379 00:23:38,240 --> 00:23:39,240 Speaker 2: crazy adventure. 380 00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:43,639 Speaker 1: So tell me about your character Joey and why why 381 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: playing Joey you connected so deeply with you in this film. 382 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 2: Joey is a woman that has taken a lot of 383 00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:57,320 Speaker 2: wrong turns in life and is trying to write them. 384 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:00,719 Speaker 2: She is trying to get out of this hole that 385 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:04,920 Speaker 2: she dug for herself. And what I love about this 386 00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:08,120 Speaker 2: movie is that it sets you up with these characters 387 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 2: that are all very questionable people. I just love complicated 388 00:24:14,119 --> 00:24:17,320 Speaker 2: and questionable characters, so I think they're a lot more 389 00:24:17,359 --> 00:24:22,400 Speaker 2: interesting to play than like a straightforward goody two shoes Ingenoux. 390 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:26,000 Speaker 2: There's a lot of chasing and running around and action 391 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:28,960 Speaker 2: sequences and lots of blood, so I get to be 392 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:31,199 Speaker 2: like covered in blood, which has become one of my 393 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 2: favorite things. 394 00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: So yeah, all right, So you have another new film, 395 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: You're Monster. It's a romantic comedy. You've done comedy in Mexico, 396 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 1: not so much in the US. So are you feeling 397 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 1: a little bit more horror? Are you feeling more comedic 398 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: these days? Is there one that you can love the 399 00:24:53,160 --> 00:24:54,320 Speaker 1: most as an actor? 400 00:24:55,040 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 2: I've learned that it's less to do with the genre 401 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:01,439 Speaker 2: and more to do with how much you connect with 402 00:25:01,520 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 2: the character, because you're gonna have fun regardless. Your Monster 403 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:08,959 Speaker 2: was probably one of the most fun I've had on 404 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,720 Speaker 2: a set. It was such an incredible experience, and it 405 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,000 Speaker 2: shows me in a type of role that I don't 406 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,879 Speaker 2: think anyone has ever seen me in before. I usually 407 00:25:17,920 --> 00:25:22,520 Speaker 2: play like very strong women, like bold characters, and this 408 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 2: character is not that, at least at the beginning of 409 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 2: the movie. I've been telling people that it's like, if 410 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:31,680 Speaker 2: I ask for the perfect movie for me that includes 411 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 2: all the things that I love rom coms, horror, and 412 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:38,679 Speaker 2: musical theater, they would have come up with Your Monster. 413 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:41,679 Speaker 2: So like, I don't know how that happened, how that 414 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: script landed on my email, but I'm so grateful that 415 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:46,919 Speaker 2: I got the opportunity to do that. 416 00:25:57,359 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: There are a lot of people, Melissa, who have become 417 00:26:01,520 --> 00:26:04,000 Speaker 1: new fans of yours, and it may have to do 418 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,120 Speaker 1: with your acting, it may have to do with your 419 00:26:07,160 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 1: horror and comedic skills. But there's also another thing which 420 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: you've become enamored for, and that is because of your activism, 421 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 1: because of a post on Instagram where you are talking 422 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: about genocide. You are talking about the thirty thousand Palestinians 423 00:26:24,480 --> 00:26:29,160 Speaker 1: that have been killed in Gaza since October. And there 424 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:37,680 Speaker 1: are many scholars, historians, political scientists, philosophers, including many Israelis 425 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:41,439 Speaker 1: and many Jewish people, and human rights organizations that have 426 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,359 Speaker 1: flat out called what is happening now in Gaza a genocide. 427 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:52,880 Speaker 1: And this it costs you work. You are fired from 428 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: your Scream franchise. I mean, this is your job it's 429 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 1: not just something that you love, it's your work. You 430 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 1: didn't back down. You were just like, Yeah, this is 431 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:06,159 Speaker 1: who I am, this is what I stand for. And 432 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:09,119 Speaker 1: I'm wondering why is it important for you, not just 433 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,199 Speaker 1: as an actor in Hollywood and as an artist, but 434 00:27:12,359 --> 00:27:14,919 Speaker 1: as a human being. Why was it important for you 435 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,639 Speaker 1: to say this is what I'm feeling in this particular moment. 436 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:21,800 Speaker 1: E but Okaanne no mac gayo, I'm not going to 437 00:27:21,840 --> 00:27:22,400 Speaker 1: be quiet. 438 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:28,280 Speaker 2: I think I find myself. I found myself. I still 439 00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 2: am at a point in my life where I am 440 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 2: reflecting a lot on like why I am here, why 441 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 2: I got put on this earth, and what I want 442 00:27:41,320 --> 00:27:45,879 Speaker 2: to do to give my life true meaning and to 443 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:50,600 Speaker 2: feel like I came to help to make the world 444 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 2: a better place. I don't know if that sounds too 445 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:58,160 Speaker 2: like wishy washy or like dreamy, but that's what I 446 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 2: feel at this point in my life. And I don't 447 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 2: know if it's because I'm thirty three years old. I've 448 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 2: heard thirty three as an age of a lot of 449 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:09,560 Speaker 2: reflection energetically for a lot of people, but that's what 450 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,760 Speaker 2: I've been feeling, and so I found myself in this 451 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:17,160 Speaker 2: place of learning in this place of looking at the world, 452 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:20,760 Speaker 2: also because I had a lot of time to do 453 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 2: that because we were on a strike and so I 454 00:28:23,720 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 2: wasn't shooting, and I had time to do research and 455 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 2: to read and to listen to experts, and so it 456 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:35,479 Speaker 2: became very clear to me that there was a lot 457 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 2: of injustice happening, and if I have a platform and 458 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 2: I don't use it to call it out and to 459 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 2: help spread some kind of seeds of waking up to 460 00:28:52,040 --> 00:28:55,440 Speaker 2: seeing certain truths that have been hidden from us, because 461 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:57,480 Speaker 2: I know that I had to search for them. So 462 00:28:57,560 --> 00:28:59,120 Speaker 2: that means that if I didn't know that, there's a 463 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:00,800 Speaker 2: lot of people out there that I didn't know or 464 00:29:00,800 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 2: that don't know. And so I was like, I just 465 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:05,840 Speaker 2: got to use my platform to speak out on it. 466 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:09,480 Speaker 2: I knew that it was dangerous. I knew that there 467 00:29:09,560 --> 00:29:12,080 Speaker 2: was going to be consequences because I'm not an idiot. 468 00:29:12,320 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 2: Because I could see that no one was saying anything 469 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 2: about it. I could tell that there was something like 470 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:22,360 Speaker 2: that people were scared to talk about it. Almost no 471 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 2: one in the industry was saying anything, and I was like, 472 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:31,479 Speaker 2: this is weird and this is not right, and I 473 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:34,480 Speaker 2: just don't want to be a part of that, of 474 00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:38,800 Speaker 2: that silence and that chosen ignorance and that pretending like 475 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:44,240 Speaker 2: nothing is happening. And I also like want to clarify 476 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:49,160 Speaker 2: that I technically wasn't fired because I hadn't signed my 477 00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 2: contract because of the strike. So my contract was done, 478 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:56,959 Speaker 2: but I hadn't signed it because I couldn't because we 479 00:29:56,960 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 2: were on strike. So technically they didn't fire me. They 480 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 2: just dropped me. They were just like, oh bye, and yeah, 481 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:09,720 Speaker 2: I think it's I think definitely, I believe in collective safety. 482 00:30:09,800 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 2: So I believe that if we all just thought as 483 00:30:15,440 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 2: a collective instead of as individuals, we would look out 484 00:30:20,120 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 2: for each other more. If there's only like one or 485 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 2: two or three of us speaking out, then those three 486 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:31,480 Speaker 2: people are easier to target. If it's hundreds thousands speaking out, 487 00:30:31,640 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 2: then they can't target you. Then that goes for every industry, everywhere, 488 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 2: on every topic. So that's something that I wish that 489 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:46,800 Speaker 2: people in positions of power with big platforms understood more 490 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 2: and believed more in collective safety. 491 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: As you know, starring roles for latinas and latinos so 492 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 1: so small. So just your thoughts on representation in Hollywood, now, 493 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:10,800 Speaker 1: are you feeling like the glass is definitely half empty 494 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:15,800 Speaker 1: or is it half full today? 495 00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:19,040 Speaker 2: I don't know about any glass, you know, Like I 496 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 2: don't want to think about it as like either good 497 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:26,280 Speaker 2: or bad. I know that there have been steps in 498 00:31:26,320 --> 00:31:31,640 Speaker 2: the direction of more representation made, but it's not nearly enough. 499 00:31:32,640 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 2: We haven't been able to crack the code of why 500 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:42,000 Speaker 2: when we get our stuff made, it doesn't feel like 501 00:31:42,120 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 2: it's being supported in mainstream, and so then it ends 502 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,760 Speaker 2: up being canceled or it ends up flopping, and then 503 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:53,320 Speaker 2: therefore that becomes a precedent of like, things with latinos 504 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 2: don't really work, so let's not do these things that 505 00:31:57,120 --> 00:32:00,440 Speaker 2: we were planning on doing. Let's cancel those projects. There's 506 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 2: a part of me the things that we have to 507 00:32:03,040 --> 00:32:08,479 Speaker 2: stop talking about it so that it just becomes an 508 00:32:08,600 --> 00:32:11,520 Speaker 2: unspoken thing, which is kind of what happened with Scream. 509 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:16,760 Speaker 2: They didn't cast me, and people were like the Mexican 510 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:20,880 Speaker 2: lead of Scream, like that didn't happen, and so it 511 00:32:20,920 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 2: didn't become a huge thing. But it was representation, and 512 00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 2: Jenna and I were there, and so we're Jasmine and 513 00:32:27,600 --> 00:32:32,760 Speaker 2: Mason representing as black people in a franchise that for 514 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,479 Speaker 2: the first time had like four leads that were all 515 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:39,560 Speaker 2: people of color, which was awesome, but it wasn't the 516 00:32:39,560 --> 00:32:43,120 Speaker 2: headline of any scream things. Sometimes I think that that's 517 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,080 Speaker 2: what our community needs. But then there's also a part 518 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 2: of me that says, like it's important to keep calling 519 00:32:48,120 --> 00:32:50,720 Speaker 2: them out for the lack of representation. So we got 520 00:32:50,760 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 2: to keep saying, like all these studies that come out 521 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:56,920 Speaker 2: of like the percentage of actual leads of color in 522 00:32:56,960 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 2: the movies of the year and all of that, and 523 00:32:58,800 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 2: like it's always very depressed information. So I appreciate the 524 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:04,920 Speaker 2: people that are doing those studies, But there's a part 525 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:07,960 Speaker 2: of me as a Mexican that kind of knows the 526 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:10,400 Speaker 2: Mexican psyche and like what we're attracted to and what 527 00:33:10,440 --> 00:33:13,160 Speaker 2: we reject. That feels like we just kind of have 528 00:33:13,280 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 2: to stop making a big deal out of it when 529 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:17,680 Speaker 2: it happens and just do it and just do it. 530 00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: And what it's saying to me is that you're not 531 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 1: letting up. You know that it's all about the work. 532 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: You are a Mexican like me, which means we never 533 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: say no to work. You know you got a job, 534 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:32,920 Speaker 1: sure we'll take that job, which leads me to my 535 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,080 Speaker 1: final question for you, so come with this desk with 536 00:33:36,160 --> 00:33:39,200 Speaker 1: Doane though. How are you practicing some self care these days? 537 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:42,560 Speaker 2: Well, first of all, you'll be happy to know that 538 00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 2: my husband just moved to Austin officially, So now we're 539 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:51,200 Speaker 2: together for the first time, and for the first time 540 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 2: in like I don't know, like seven years that we 541 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 2: haven't lived together. So yeah, it's very exciting. He just 542 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 2: moved to Austin. He's starting his butcher business here. 543 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 1: You heard right, he's a butcher and a singer. 544 00:34:03,200 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 2: He's a butcher and a singer. Yeah, And so he's 545 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:08,719 Speaker 2: starting his business here and now we're together, which is 546 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:11,080 Speaker 2: really nice. It's really nice to like go to bed 547 00:34:11,280 --> 00:34:13,319 Speaker 2: with him and wake up with him every day. It 548 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:15,880 Speaker 2: feels like a real marriage. It feels like, you know, like, 549 00:34:16,280 --> 00:34:19,040 Speaker 2: oh wow, I've been actually married for five years, but 550 00:34:19,600 --> 00:34:22,479 Speaker 2: for the first time, we're like living like a married couple, 551 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:23,319 Speaker 2: which is really nice. 552 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:24,320 Speaker 1: Oh. 553 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:27,600 Speaker 2: That's a big part of like what keeps me grounded insane, 554 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,840 Speaker 2: him just having him to talk to, to on load with, 555 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:35,680 Speaker 2: to event with. He's my biggest cheerleader and so he's 556 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:39,320 Speaker 2: always like giving me pep talks and making me feel 557 00:34:39,400 --> 00:34:44,360 Speaker 2: better and and I've been doing therapy. Obviously it's so important. 558 00:34:44,600 --> 00:34:48,840 Speaker 2: I feel like as a Latina woman, investing in yourself 559 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:52,120 Speaker 2: is kind of like a no no. You feel guilty 560 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 2: when you spend on yourself, or when you're investing in yourself, 561 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:58,160 Speaker 2: you kind of is like safe, safe, safe, spend on others, 562 00:34:58,920 --> 00:35:02,160 Speaker 2: but never on you. So I've decided that this year 563 00:35:02,360 --> 00:35:04,280 Speaker 2: was going to be the year to invest in myself, 564 00:35:04,719 --> 00:35:09,239 Speaker 2: and so I've been doing a lot of like cryotherapy 565 00:35:09,719 --> 00:35:13,279 Speaker 2: and a lot of training. I know that you train 566 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:16,560 Speaker 2: a lot to being active in my body and physical 567 00:35:16,719 --> 00:35:20,480 Speaker 2: really helps me every day. And just being connected to 568 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,920 Speaker 2: my family. It's in like the darkest moments when you 569 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:29,080 Speaker 2: realize who's there for you and who isn't because you 570 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:31,399 Speaker 2: always know that your family is your family, but when 571 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:35,319 Speaker 2: they really show up for you in unexpected ways just 572 00:35:35,360 --> 00:35:38,480 Speaker 2: put everything in perspective and I just kind of realized, 573 00:35:38,560 --> 00:35:42,000 Speaker 2: like I really just had to spend more time taking 574 00:35:42,040 --> 00:35:43,400 Speaker 2: care of those relationships. 575 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:47,600 Speaker 1: I love that with Mucha's Felisi that is for everything, 576 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:50,759 Speaker 1: and continue on the work, and we really appreciate it. 577 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: And you do have a voice and people listen. 578 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:55,200 Speaker 2: Thank you so much. This was so nice. I really 579 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:58,000 Speaker 2: really appreciate it and it was so nice in your 580 00:35:58,040 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 2: face again. 581 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:17,680 Speaker 1: Which is good, I said Mita Aati. This episode was 582 00:36:17,719 --> 00:36:21,520 Speaker 1: produced by nor Saudi and edited by Andrea Lopez Grussado. 583 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:26,800 Speaker 1: It was mixed by Julia Caruso. The Latino USA team 584 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:32,240 Speaker 1: also includes Victoria Strada, Renaldo Leanos, Junior, Lori mar Marquez, 585 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:37,080 Speaker 1: Marta Martinez, Mike Sargent, and Nancy Trujillo. Benny Lee Ramirez 586 00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:40,719 Speaker 1: is our co executive producer. Our director of engineering is 587 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:45,239 Speaker 1: Stephanie Lebau. Our marketing manager is Luis Juna. Our theme 588 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:48,880 Speaker 1: music was composed by Sena Ruinos. I'm your host and 589 00:36:48,920 --> 00:36:52,600 Speaker 1: executive producer Marieno Posa. Join us again on our next episode. 590 00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:55,160 Speaker 1: In the meantime, look for us on all of your 591 00:36:55,200 --> 00:37:01,640 Speaker 1: social media, including TikTok, Instagram, x and YouTube. Jao. 592 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:08,880 Speaker 3: Latino USA is made possible in part by the Ford Foundation, 593 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:13,480 Speaker 3: working with visionaries on the front lines of social change worldwide, 594 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:18,320 Speaker 3: the John D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the 595 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:19,280 Speaker 3: TAU Foundation. 596 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:27,040 Speaker 2: Is that your daughter, No, it looks like your daughter. 597 00:37:27,760 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 1: It's Claudia Scheinbaum. 598 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:34,920 Speaker 2: Oh my god, Maria, it's a doll. Oh my god. 599 00:37:35,080 --> 00:37:39,200 Speaker 1: It's a doll. I just interviewed her and so oh good. 600 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:42,319 Speaker 1: We're doing a one hour documentary. You know, we like 601 00:37:42,360 --> 00:37:46,120 Speaker 1: to do politics. Melissa