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opportunities that I’ve been given at a very early age. Like a little girl from Queens, New York, to be able to be in a James Cameron movie, and for that to catapult me into a full-blown career that continues to educate me. Had I planned this, it would have never happened. You know? It just happened. And I took every opportunity. I opened every door that felt unlocked to me and walked in. But then here I am, like ten years later reaping the benefits over and over again of films that were so successful that became franchises. And it’s time consuming. So it’s not that I don’t appreciate it, it’s just that I still want to grow as an artist. There’s still so much in me that I want to do. And then also, I’m a middle-aged woman. I’m 45. So we immediately start ticking this clock that nobody, sometimes society doesn’t even do that for ourselves, because we are incredible self- sabotagers. I just want to continue making art because if I don’t, I don’t know what else to do. So obviously Jacques was a dream. He happened. My agents and I had multiple conversations, like, ‘What do you want to do?’ I’m like, ‘I want to work in Spanish. I want to do things. I want to do that. I want to work with people like this. I feel like I plateaued and I was feeling sad for not doing anything about it. So I thought, you know, opportunities come. I do have a relationship with a man who’s an artist who literally is willing to just pick up and go wherever I need to go. Because wherever I go, my children come with me. And he has no problem with that. What is unbelievable is just the reception of ‘Emilia Perez’. I saw the synopsis and I was like, ‘Okay, like, really? Oh, y’all like, is Jaques crazy? Like, ‘I know, he’s crazy, but, like, he’s definitely crazy.’ So from that to here in the festival and people being deeply moved, I’m speechless. I just don’t know what to say because I love art so much. And when cinema is that f--king special and that fresh, it just moves you. And I’m not being a narcissist, trust me. Like when I’m not making art, I’m consuming it. I curate it in my life. That’s what we do. And Jacques is an artist that I consume a great deal.
You say you had a feeling as if you’d plateaued is there an element of that that’s outside of yourself ? You mean like perimenopause! [laughs]
That’s not the word, it was actually typecasting? And how you have navigated against that trend? For me personally, I lean into my team. I would love to say that I’m a one- woman shop. I’m not. Sometimes I can get in my own way, and then I have people that you trust and you make a pact and you sort of go, ‘You’re going to tell me the truth. I’m a big girl. I’m wearing my big girl pants so you can just like, give it to me because I will take it.’ For instance, when ‘Lioness’ came, I was like, self- sabotage. ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe it. ’ Taylor [Sheridan] is a client at LBI, which is the management group that represents me and Rick [Yorn] is like, ‘You’re doing it.’ And I’m like, ‘No, but I can’t. It’s TV.’ You have to follow good material wherever good material is. This time it’s in a series and it’s Taylor!’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, fine.’We barely speak English anymore. Then it’s all my insecurities. But all of a sudden, it’s like, ‘Do I love Taylor Sheridan’s material? I saw ‘Sicario’ like, I love his work. So I couldn’t pass on that opportunity. Again, when my agents were like, ‘Emilia Perez’. I was like, ‘But I don’t know. I’m not Mexican.’ ‘Who cares? Find a way to make it work, but just meet him.’
‘Emilia Perez’ is such a breakout role for trans actress Karla Sofia Gascon, what was it like working along side her? Karla is crazy. Working with Karla was a trip because Karla was three people. She went all in and Karla was living with these two characters – Manitas del Monte and Emilia - for two years because
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we had to push the film seven or eight months. And Karla is a devoted artist to her craft. Because Rita was sort of like, in my mind, I was like, ‘Oh, she’s the Jiminy Cricket to this Pinocchio.’ That’s it. Pinocchio wants to be a real boy like Karla/Manitas wanted to be a real woman - because she is. She is. She’s a woman. But then you have this Jiminy Cricket that sometimes is your ally, and other times is your sort of like, your conscience kind of going, ‘No, this is too dangerous.’ So we used it all. To see this star being born before all of our eyes is very emotional. She’s a pain in the ass! [laughs] Shooting with her was… women, why are we so wonderfully complex? But it was worth it because it all went into the work.
It’s incredible to hear one of the highest grossing actresses of all time having self doubt? You’re kidding me! One thing I’ve realised is that even though I’ve been a very extroverted person - that’s a character. I’m extremely shy. I am in the closet of my mind more than I am interacting with the world. And it is dark in there and so f--king isolating. So I’m tired of that. For the second half of my life, I want to go back to that fearlessness that we have when we were children. So what do I have to lose? Let me just take this leap.’ I felt reignited with ‘Emilia Perez’.
What is your hope for the next 20 yearsof your career? And where do you see the place for women behind-the-scenes and in front of the camera in that time? I think that women, are going to keep creating stories about us, for us and for the world – forever. But we need more female CEOs. We need more women sitting on boards because those are the gatekeepers. We need the keys that unlock those doors. And once those women are there, don’t just be happy then feel so lucky that you’re the only woman sitting at the table. Get three men to get up. Get their seats. And put three women in there. And when I say that, I’m not saying that our growth should be despite of men. I’m just saying if that if we have to make room, the ideal thing is bring a chair in and bring another woman. You know, we cut our own ears to bleed for our work. You need a believer that understands where to… a shaker and a maker, those seats have to be filled by more women. And for the men, the ones that are doing it right and making room for women - thank you, you’re so sexy. It’s so sexy when a man truly celebrates a woman, there’s nothing sexier. It doesn’t matter what he looks like. And for the ones that are not, please join. We’re tired of fighting. Let’s just grow together.
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