Can you tell us about your newest movie Hours?
I play the wife to Paul [Walker]. It’s a story about a father doing whatever he can to try and help his child survive. And this is all happening during Hurricane Katrina, where you’re completely alone and completely desperate. Those conditions and what happened during that time, those tragedies did exist. We really try to capture that truth. No special effects. We’re just making a very beautiful movie.
What attracted you to the role or project specifically?
It’s great to be a part of these action movies and comedies where you have to be very specific character type, but with this movie it was all about acting – just tapping into this character. I come from telanovelas, so I’m all about the drama, but it was great being picked for this project that really showcases what I can do on a different level.
Would you ever go back to doing a telenovela?
I’m loving the here and now. I really want to keep on opening doors for myself, and others who want to come in. This is not easy. This is something that took a lot of work and a lot of rejection and just trying to break the mold for Latinas. And you know if we have one Latina in Hollywood that’s a blessing. But if we have even more, that’s the way it should be. I think I’m representing a new generation of Latinos – bilingual, bicultural people. Those who identify with both cultures equally. Who have rice and beans but love their cheeseburgers [laughs]. I am that. I want to keep doing this and breaking into film as much as I can. But I don’t ever want to leave my audience. I would love to do film in Spanish.
What words of wisdom or advice has your father, El Puma, given you?
It’s a Spanish term, tener piel de elefante, which is to have elephant skin. To not let anything get to you. Whether it be good or bad, don’t let the good things take you too high and the lows take you too low.
Transitioning to style and fashion, what person would you consider your style icon?
I really like, the risk takers. I like people who make those different choices on the carpet. I really like Charlize Theron. I think she’s elegant and edgy, as well. I love Zoe Saldana. I love her. She’s really a risk taker, and I feel like that’s great for us, for Latinas, because it’s not the typical, ‘oh we’re sexy we’re going to sell the sexy,’ it’s ‘I’m edgy, I’m cool, I’m in the fashion game.’ It’s breaking the stereotypes.
How would you describe your style?
I’m a bit of everything, it’s all about my mood really.
What about guys? What type of guy are you drawn to style-wise?
Listen, I like a guy that’s put together, a guy that takes care of himself, a guy that takes those little risks in fashion by rolling up his jeans and wearing what makes him feel good. I like those kind of guys that blazers and hoodies and t-shirts and make it cool you know? I think the most important thing is for a guy is to put in effort. It translates.
And now you get to say what you like when it comes to their grooming, too.
This Gillette ‘What Women Want’ campaign is a really special campaign. We’re really trying to open up the dialogue between men and women. It may be taboo for men to talk about this, but that’s what we’re trying to say – it’s not! We, as women, talk about hair and nails, shaving, waxing, every single day [laughs]. Men should be having this conversation, too. Because you and I both know that we don’t like to see anything messy all over here [points to torso], am I right? In the chest, on the back… we don’t like to see it. If there’s a good body in front of us and it’s hidden by hair, what’s the point of having it?
Speaking of grooming, what would you consider your number one beauty tip?
You can put on so much makeup and you can do so many things with your hair and you can do your nails so many times, but if you’re not happy and feeling good about who you are, then it’s not going to matter. You have to feel good and be at peace and nurture yourself from within. That’s my number one tip.
What’s your beauty routine like?
Here are my must-dos: moisturize, exfoliate, hydrate. Water is super-important and we forget to drink enough of it! I’m a big believer in juicing. And of course, exercise. No matter how much you hate it, because I hate it too. If anyone tells me that they like exercising I will literally just call them a liar straight up because I hate it more than anything!
I play the wife to Paul [Walker]. It’s a story about a father doing whatever he can to try and help his child survive. And this is all happening during Hurricane Katrina, where you’re completely alone and completely desperate. Those conditions and what happened during that time, those tragedies did exist. We really try to capture that truth. No special effects. We’re just making a very beautiful movie.
What attracted you to the role or project specifically?
It’s great to be a part of these action movies and comedies where you have to be very specific character type, but with this movie it was all about acting – just tapping into this character. I come from telanovelas, so I’m all about the drama, but it was great being picked for this project that really showcases what I can do on a different level.
Would you ever go back to doing a telenovela?
I’m loving the here and now. I really want to keep on opening doors for myself, and others who want to come in. This is not easy. This is something that took a lot of work and a lot of rejection and just trying to break the mold for Latinas. And you know if we have one Latina in Hollywood that’s a blessing. But if we have even more, that’s the way it should be. I think I’m representing a new generation of Latinos – bilingual, bicultural people. Those who identify with both cultures equally. Who have rice and beans but love their cheeseburgers [laughs]. I am that. I want to keep doing this and breaking into film as much as I can. But I don’t ever want to leave my audience. I would love to do film in Spanish.
What words of wisdom or advice has your father, El Puma, given you?
It’s a Spanish term, tener piel de elefante, which is to have elephant skin. To not let anything get to you. Whether it be good or bad, don’t let the good things take you too high and the lows take you too low.
Transitioning to style and fashion, what person would you consider your style icon?
I really like, the risk takers. I like people who make those different choices on the carpet. I really like Charlize Theron. I think she’s elegant and edgy, as well. I love Zoe Saldana. I love her. She’s really a risk taker, and I feel like that’s great for us, for Latinas, because it’s not the typical, ‘oh we’re sexy we’re going to sell the sexy,’ it’s ‘I’m edgy, I’m cool, I’m in the fashion game.’ It’s breaking the stereotypes.
How would you describe your style?
I’m a bit of everything, it’s all about my mood really.
What about guys? What type of guy are you drawn to style-wise?
Listen, I like a guy that’s put together, a guy that takes care of himself, a guy that takes those little risks in fashion by rolling up his jeans and wearing what makes him feel good. I like those kind of guys that blazers and hoodies and t-shirts and make it cool you know? I think the most important thing is for a guy is to put in effort. It translates.
And now you get to say what you like when it comes to their grooming, too.
This Gillette ‘What Women Want’ campaign is a really special campaign. We’re really trying to open up the dialogue between men and women. It may be taboo for men to talk about this, but that’s what we’re trying to say – it’s not! We, as women, talk about hair and nails, shaving, waxing, every single day [laughs]. Men should be having this conversation, too. Because you and I both know that we don’t like to see anything messy all over here [points to torso], am I right? In the chest, on the back… we don’t like to see it. If there’s a good body in front of us and it’s hidden by hair, what’s the point of having it?
Speaking of grooming, what would you consider your number one beauty tip?
You can put on so much makeup and you can do so many things with your hair and you can do your nails so many times, but if you’re not happy and feeling good about who you are, then it’s not going to matter. You have to feel good and be at peace and nurture yourself from within. That’s my number one tip.
What’s your beauty routine like?
Here are my must-dos: moisturize, exfoliate, hydrate. Water is super-important and we forget to drink enough of it! I’m a big believer in juicing. And of course, exercise. No matter how much you hate it, because I hate it too. If anyone tells me that they like exercising I will literally just call them a liar straight up because I hate it more than anything!
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