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Quotes
I'm really good at being sarcastic with guys. That's the best way to
hang out with them, because that's what guys like. They don't want the
quiet, prissy little things.
I thought it was my job to give all the boys their
first kiss.
I'm good at being sarcastic with guys. They don't
want the quiet, prissy little things.
I've got cousins galore. Mexicans just spread all
their seeds. And the women just pop them out.
Living in L.A., everyone likes to mold you and change
you. I don't care about fame, I don't care about being a celebrity. I
know that's part of the job, but I don't feed into anyone's idea of who
I should be.
Most nights I end up wearing a wife beater T-shirt
and boxers.
My theory is that if you look confident you can pull
off anything - even if you have no clue what you're doing.
There's no such thing as a perfect guy. I think it
would be strange if somebody was absolutely everything you always
wanted, because then there'd be no challenge. Also, you'd feel inferior.
I like Spongebob Squarepants. He's goofy, like me.
I just don't have a great feeling about what we're doing in Iraq. I
don't know why we're there. Didn't we just give the power back over
there? Why are we still there?
My father is Mexican and very dark; my mother is very fair. I used to
always get [script] breakdowns for things like Maria, the janitor's
daughter who hangs around with white kids. I was born in the United
States. I never thought about it until the industry made me think about
being a Latin girl. It seemed like such a bizarre thing.
My grandfather was the only Mexican at his college, the only Hispanic
person at work and the only one at the all-white country club. He tried
to forget his Mexican roots, because he never wanted his kids to be made
to feel different in America. He and my grandmother didn't speak Spanish
to their children. Now, as a third-generation American, I feel as if I
have finally cut loose.
Men are much bigger divas than women. When I used to do the action
scenes in Dark Angel, I would have to play it rough. If you hit an
actress accidentally, she would usually take it on the chin and say,
`Don't do that again.' But with the guys, they would put ice on it, take
a 20-minute break and ask for x-rays. It was unbelievable. I would tell
them, `Come on, man, get over it.' That's actors for you.
There is always an unspoken problem about casting Latina actresses. I
have heard Jennifer Lopez talk about how it was for her, always being up
for the role of the Latina chick.
What happens when the looks fade?. If I don't establish myself as
someone who can act a part rather than look the part, I will soon be
finished.
I love listening to Coldplay. But sometimes I listen to it too much and
it depresses me. I call it a 'reflective' mood.
One of the reasons why I chose not to be a devout Christian is because a
lot of people gave me a lot of grief for just being a woman and made me
feel ashamed for having a body because it tempted men.
The most important thing I have learned in life was that being a
teenager wasn't forever. I had a hard time being a teenager.
I don't hang out with the Hollywood cool people. I'm not out trying to
make friends with people because they're famous.
I have my own spiritual thing, but am not part of an organized religion.
I think religion is very special and individual to each person.
I don't need to be in the press or seen. Just because I'm not in
magazines or because I'm not in a movie doesn't mean I'm going away. It
just means I have some sense of integrity.
Living in L.A., everyone likes to mold you and change you. I don't care
about fame, I don't care about being a celebrity. I know that's part of
the job, but I don't feed into anyone's idea of who I should be.
I used to come to Beverly Hills for auditions as a kid and think,
"Why don't I live here? Why don't I drive that car?"
I wasn't given a whole lot in my life. I was on the bottom of the class
system. But I got wisdom. I never just did what people told me. I
questioned everything. When I look back, it is really no surprise that I
started working at 12.
From a very early age, I remember thinking that adults were always
acting like assholes. I couldn't understand why I had to respect them.
My pre-school teacher forced me to write right-handed when I was
left-handed. I didn't get why I had to change. Nobody could give me a
reason. I have had a big problem with authority ever since.
On being raised by young parents: We all grew up together. My parents
were so young. My dad hates it when I talk about our past, about not
having things, living with Grandma, wearing thrift-store clothes,
cutting coupons.
On learning Spanish: I have a great accent because I grew up hearing it
in the neighbourhood. But I have no idea what I'm saying.
I never really belonged anywhere. I wasn't white. I was shunned by the
Latin community for not being Latin enough. My grandfather was the only
one in our family to go to college. He made a choice not to speak
Spanish in the house. He didn't want his kids to be different.
It's not always so great to be objectified but I don't feel I have much
of a choice right now. I'm young in my career. I know I have to strike
when the iron is hot. I look forward to the day when I can do a small
movie and act and it's not about me wearing a bathing suit or chaps.
One of the reasons why I chose not to be a devout Christian is because a
lot of people gave me a lot of grief for just being a woman and made me
feel ashamed for having a body because it tempted men. I didn't
understand what that meant because I was like, 'God created this...'
That was a hard time in my life.
I just didn't like the damsel-in-distress thing. I could relate to young
girls wanting to see her take care of herself. And because I'm so good
at action, I talked the writer and producer and director into throwing
together a little fight sequence. It ended up taking three more weeks to
shoot it. But at least I'm not tied up and asleep until my knight in
shining armor comes and saves me. So I thought it was cool.
My whole life, when I was growing up, not one race has ever accepted me.
So I never felt connected or attached to any race specifically. I did
grow up in a Mexican-American culture, but my mom [who's of French and
Danish heritage] was there the whole time. I mean, I had a very American
upbringing, I feel American, and I don't speak Spanish. So, to say that
I'm a Latin actress, OK, but it's not fitting; it would be insincere. If
you're going to look genetically, I'm actually less Latin than Cameron
Diaz, whose father is from Cuba. But she's not getting called a Latin
actress because she's got blond hair and blue eyes.
The movies that I do are usually physically demanding in one way or
another. It's a good way to keep your health on track. Especially when
you've been on-set for 14 hours, it's nice to relieve that stress in
another way than having to rely on a big meal and wine.
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