La Guia

By Lucila Olivera
December 2000

"I am crazy by nature " The actor of the Usual Suspects is one of the Latin figures of Hollywood. For his work in Traffic, he was awarded by the New York critics.

Do you think that Javier Rodriguez, the police officer that you play in Traffic is the best interpretation of his kind?

I don't know, I'm not a good judge of what I do. I don't even know if I am an artist. I believe that it is a grand title. Perhaps it must die first so that they recognize me like so. In the film, the scene that affected me to do it does not even involve me.

Which is?

The one that Michael Douglas, who plays a judge of the Supreme Court of Justice that fights against the drug trafficking, goes to a group of aid for addicts for his daughter and says that he is there for listening. Don Cheadle also made work wonderful.

Did you have contact with the Mexican police?

Yes, I was in Mexico and Tijuana and spoke to many people. I learned that the police department does not provide them with arms, each one buys their own ones. That demonstrates the difficult thing that it is to carry out that work and to try to make a living.

To a large extent of the film you speak in Spanish.

Yes, because I was born in Puerto Rico and when I turned 12 years we were transferred with my family to Pennsylvania (the United States). But at 19 I did my first performance. It is not that I always dreamed about performing. I liked the rock & roll and thought about playing some. The first time which I took performance classes, I realized that is what I wanted to do. But I never thought about arriving in Hollywood.

Still it proceeded like that?

I only want to act. In Hollywood almost all of it happens through the film, managers and the publicity.

When trying to succeed in film, what happens with being Puerto Rican?

They in the beginning they wanted to change my name. No longer.

Your parents are lawyers. What have you learned from them?

They, somehow, are actors. It changed when I went to the school. My conduct was not very good and Pennsylvania was like being in the field. The maximum era to be crazy... I dreamed about going to the city and seeing the Stones. I went to Philadelphia to see them and to see The Who. It was incredible: the whole train was full of Stones fans!

Traffic accounts several histories related to drugs. What is your position on them?

Although they accused me of being a drug addict, to be honest, I never use drugs. I am crazy, but by nature. When I was small it was sport, played basketball. I made mistakes but it was inoffensive. When I worked on Fear and Loathing I played a lawyer drug addict. And although you see me with the red eyes, I assure you that nobody consumed anything.

Recently you were in The Way the Gun is it pro-violence?

There is much violence but that leaves the impression that it is not something good. Snatch another one of my last works, yes could be violent but is lighter.

Salma Hayek wanted you in Frida and you did not accept. Why?

To interpret Diego Rivera I would have to gain weight, and I do not want to: I already did it for Fear... Anyways, it was very rewarding that she thought about me.

Top

Top

Top