Yes, everyone thought I was crazy when I moved to the U.S. after having had a very successful career in Mexico. It was like Adam Sandler turning his back on Hollywood and going to China to start all over.
There are two worlds here in the U.S., especially here in Los Angeles. All the Latinos have watched my shows for 30 years, but Americans haven't seen them. So I am living in this world where I am a huge star for part of the population and a nobody to the other part.
This country was founded by immigrants... I don't see Mr. Trump looking like an Apache, so all of us, we are immigrants.
Pantelion and Televisa can reach my core fan base better than anyone, and with the distribution expertise and brand recognition of Lionsgate, I know we can build on the crossover audience that we began to reach with 'Instructions.'
In Mexico and Latin America, everything is big: Bigger emotions, bigger reactions. Here in the U.S., everything is more natural, more grounded and down to earth.
When I started coming to the U.S., they were offering me only the typical stereotypical roles: the druggard, the criminal, the gang member, or in the best-case scenario, the gardener or the cook. I was fed up with all these roles that were always the same. And I promised I would try to change the image of Latinos in Hollywood.
'Instructions Not Included' is proving that there is a huge Latin market that needs a special project. They love seeing their own people; they want to see themselves onscreen. In my case, I know them pretty well. I know what they laugh at. I think it's going to open a lot of doors, this movie.
Drama is more universal. We all cry about the same stuff. But comedy is very specific: It depends on where you were born, how old you are, your social-economic status. It's very complicated to make people laugh.
My mom was a soap opera queen in Mexico and Latin America. I started acting because of her.
I have way more freedom in Los Angeles and in the U.S. But it's funny because when I have a meeting with producers or people from the industry, we go to a restaurant to meet someone, and nobody knows me. But all of the sudden, the entire kitchen comes out, and they start taking pictures with me, or at valet parking.
Who doesn't want to have a yacht? But I would prefer to invest my money in something else. But I love them. I just wouldn't buy one unless I had a lot, a lot of money.
