I'm from Mexico, and I've heard some horror stories about cast members who can't stand each other. What we have on 'Jane' is a blessing. We do table reads for every single episode one day before it starts to shoot.
I don't know if I felt successful, but I did feel a difference in my career, or in how people perceive me, or how people reacted on the street right after I did the Mexican version of 'Ugly Betty.' That show was a complete success, thank God. It broke historical ratings records in Mexico and also the U.S.
I had opera training for three years, and I have three albums out. I also did a Broadway show. I'm an actor that sings, so it is in my blood. It is in my system.
I have friends of mine that are actors or singers, and they're the classic guys where, they're onstage, and they're like, 'Okay, the blonde in the third row, seat 24, bring her to my dressing room.' I've never, never taken advantage of that, I swear to God.
I love a good Steve Martin, Martin Short scene where they're being super physical - I don't mean to compare myself - but I relate to their type of comedy because they do crazy stuff but come at it in an honest way.
I love the stage - the fact that you only have one take to get it right, the interaction with the audience, and how every show is different even though you're doing the same thing.
I love to be a working actor, and I love to read scripts as they come in. If I find the script or character that is interesting, I want to transform myself into that character.
I love to read scripts. But I am very happy right now to say that I am a working actor. In this town of Los Angeles, the phrase 'I'm an actor' is overrated. So, I like to say, 'I'm a working actor.'
I usually decide if I'm going to do a movie based on if I like the script or not. I thought 'Pulling Strings' had every single element that a classic romantic comedy needs to be a success. It's very well written. The cast was amazing. It was a decision I made based on the power of the script.
I will tell you this much. God himself comes down with his ribs from Heaven, and he distributes them to the TGI Friday's. And that's how they get them.
I do love situational comedy, clowning, and slapstick; I approach that with a lot of respect. The goofier you are, it doesn't mean you're going to be funnier.
If you want to be an actor because you want to be recognized on the street and have people ask you for autographs, look for another career. If you want to be an actor because you love being on stage and want to capture a person's heart, go for it.
In Mexic,o the concept of a sitcom doesn't actually exist - even if you do a sitcom, technically speaking, because it airs from Monday to Friday, they put it in the telenovela category. But, of course, I am from Mexico and grew up with the telenovela culture.
The classic story of the Univision network is the mainstream pretends that the network doesn't exist, but then when it comes to sweeps or the ratings, they just have millions and millions more viewers than ABC, Fox, and CBS combined; it's that kind of a success story.
The fact that we are playing Latinos does not mean that you have to be shouting 'fiesta,' 'taco,' or talking in the same way most Latin characters do in American television.
The most important thing is to understand that this career is not about speed. It's about stamina. This is a marathon. It's not a 50-meter sprint. You have to persevere and understand it takes a lot of time. You have to know you're going to knock on 100 doors and 99 of them are going to close in your face.
The real mariachis in Mexico are singers like Agustin Lara and Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete - the Golden Era of Mexican Filmmaking. Mariachis sing very soft and very beautiful. That's old-school mariachi. They are caressing the songs.
The script that I fell in love with and adored was 'Jane the Virgin'... but every line in the pilot was essentially, 'Why did you keep my daughter a secret all of these years?' I didn't know any direction my character was going - was it going to be a dramatic character, a comedic character? - I didn't know.
When you do a good comedy show, you have to understand that if you don't have drama or sad moments, then the comedy turns into a clowning kind of situation.
You should never turn your back on the market that gave you notoriety and be who you are and give you the numbers it gives you in the United States. I can't deny that the success I've had in the United States or the success that 'Pulling Strings' was due to my work in Latin America.
