Eva Longoria made a surprise visit in Chicago on June 13 at Regal Webster Place 11 for the screening of her new movie “Devious Maids.” Ana Ortiz who plays Marisol in the new Lifetime Tv show also made an appearance and answered questions from the audience. Fans were thrilled to meet both actresses in person.
Actress/screenwriter Greta Gerwig is ready to grow up. Not that she hasn’t had the time of her life playing Generation Y-inspired roles like the discontent title character in 2007’s mumblecore film “Hannah Takes the Stairs” or afflicted college clique leader Violet Wister in 2011’s “Damsels in Distress.” The reason is fairly simple. Unlike actor Michael Cera, she can’t stay 20-something forever.
“Frances Ha” is currently playing in Chicago theaters.
Do you think the film and TV industry understands the challenges of your generation more with some of the work you are doing and the breakout of other projects like HBO’s “Girls” over the last few years?
I think we’re very lucky right now to have lots of examples of amazing women who are writing their own material. For me, it’s incredibly inspirational and also makes me feel I have a community of people that push me. I love their work and I’m competitive.
Actress/screenwriter Greta Gerwig is ready to grow up. Not that she hasn’t had the time of her life playing Generation Y-inspired roles like the discontent title character in 2007’s mumblecore film “Hannah Takes the Stairs” or afflicted college clique leader Violet Wister in 2011’s “Damsels in Distress.” The reason is fairly simple. Unlike actor Michael Cera, she can’t stay 20-something forever.
“Frances Ha” is currently playing in Chicago theaters.
EXTRA: With “Frances Ha” being the second film you’ve done with Noah Baumbach, can we now consider you his source for artistic inspiration? Are you OK with the term muse?
Greta Gerwig: Well, I’m OK with the term muse as long as you acknowledge the muse wrote the script, too. (Laughs) I’m totally fine with the term, but I also feel like I’m very much a co-creator. I feel like I’m the loudest muse that the world has ever seen.
Do you think the film and TV industry understands the challenges of your generation more with some of the work you are doing and the breakout of other projects like HBO’s “Girls” over the last few years?
I think we’re very lucky right now to have lots of examples of amazing women who are writing their own material. For me, it’s incredibly inspirational and also makes me feel I have a community of people that push me. I love their work and I’m competitive.
Do you think you have to write your own material because strong female characters just aren’t being created by anyone outside of the community you mentioned?
I don’t write so I can act. I write because I like to write. But I think we’re at a moment where women don’t have a lot of great parts, particularly in films. I think there’s a lot more interesting work for women on television right now. I love television and I watch it and I think it’s great, but, for me, my biggest love is movies and cinema. I feel women are terribly underrepresented in this media. n
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Christina Aguilera is headlining this season’s finale of The Voice. She will take the stage for a duet performance with Pitbull. The duo won’t be the only Latinos showing off their vocal talents. Crooner Bruno Mars will also perform his newest single from his album Unorthodox Jukebox. Another mega-star taking the stage is Grammy award winning Nelly. And last, but certainly not least is Cher. It will be her first live television performance in more than a decade.
EXTRA: Would it be an understatement to say you’re keeping pretty busy this year?
Yeah, American comedy is a completely different language. It has a different pace. I had to learn the concept. They had to teach me all these rules I didn’t know. It seems like it’s working out, but it’s hard. Drama actors usually try to run away from comedy.
What makes you laugh? Is there a specific comedian you like?
What was your experience like working with Bryan Ramirez on the set of “Mission Park?”
What attracted you to the movie?
It reminded me a lot of the movies “Casino” and “Scarface.” My character (Gina) reminds me of the characters Sharon Stone and Michelle Pfeiffer play in those movies. She’s lost and then she finds the money and the drugs. I’m very grateful to have done it.
EXTRA: What was the inspiration behind a story like “Mosquita y Mari?” Why did you want to portray this relationship in the film?
Aurora Guerrero: Originally, when I started writing this I didn’t know it was going to be my first feature. I was in film school and in a class that was very loose in structure. We didn’t have to write screenplays. We just had to write from a place familiar to us in our lives. I started to write about my experiences with this young woman growing up. I found myself almost connected and obsessed with writing about this. It largely had to do with the fact that I had never talked about it. I had this suppressed major experience of falling in love the first time but I had never given it a proper place in my life until I started writing about it.
Was writing the screenplay liberating for you?
Yes, because I felt l was breaking this huge silence. I was already identifying as queer by the time I was in film school, but I had never gone back and looked at where that started to happen in my life. It was through this friendship/first love that I really started to come into that identity without putting any labels to it. It was refreshing for me in many ways because I felt it was haunting me. I felt a lot of people would be able to identify with that feeling regardless of gender.
What were you looking for when you started casting for the lead roles?
I was looking for two young women who identify with the community and being Chicana, bilingual and bicultural and had a natural ability. Those were the elements I was looking for. I was adamant about it. I couldn’t compromise that. These two characters carry this film on their backs. Both Fenessa and Venecia came to me through a traditional casting call. When I brought them together they definitely had a really beautiful connection from the very beginning. I fell in love with them right away.
Brookfield, Ill.— With more than 2,000 animals to see throughout the year, Brookfield Zoo is an amazing and adventurous destination. And this June, guests can add some spice to their visit during the zoo’s ¡Viva la Fiesta! celebration. The fun-filled six-day event, which is geared for guests of all ages and backgrounds, will take place on Saturdays and Sundays, June 1-2, 8-9, and 15-16, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Each weekend, the zoo’s West Mall will be the exclusive venue to enjoy festivities that will feature authentic food; local and international bands and dancers; Hispanic artists and artisans, who will display and sell their eclectic works; and animal Zoo Chats highlighting critters from Mexico and Central and South America.
A delectable aroma of cuisine is sure to entice guests to indulge their taste buds with foods and refreshments from “south of the border.” Menu items available for purchase will include Peruvian salchi tacos, Argentinean beef empanadas, Cuban ropa vieja, tostadas, chimichangas, churros, bunuelos, flan/rice pudding, and several different flavors of paletas. To drink, guests can sample coco water, pineapple and mango juices, Manzanita Sol Apple, and a selection of Mexican beers.
To really experience the festive atmosphere, guests can purchase a VIP package that includes admission to the zoo, parking, access to the VIP pavilion, reserved seating directly in front of the concert stage, and access to the all-you-can-eat Latin-inspired buffet, which will be open from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The buffet will feature ropa vieja (shredded beef cooked in tomato sauce and red peppers), chicken fajitas, Spanish tortillas, tostones (green plantains, fried and seasoned), guava cream cheese-filled empanadas, and Cuban black beans. Additionally, VIP guests will receive two beverage coupons. The cost for a VIP ticket is $45 for adults ($35 for zoo members) and $30 for children ages 3-11 ($20 for zoo members). Receive a $5 discount for the VIP ticket if purchased by May 31. A total of 50 VIP tickets will be available per day. To register, go to www.CZS.org/Viva and click on VIP Pavilion.
Each weekend during ¡Viva la Fiesta, the zoo’s West Mall will be filled with live music from a talented lineup of artists, including:
Saturday, June 1
Sunday, June 2
Saturday, June 8
Sunday, June 9
Saturday, June 15
Sunday, June 16
Concerts are free with regular zoo admission. However, guests who want a guaranteed upfront seat can purchase reserved lawn tickets in a private sectioned-off area for $5 (limited to 250 guests).
Also joining in the celebration will be DJs Alex Perez on June 1, 8, 9, and 15; Dwight Burr on June 2; and Xtreme on June 16, who will be entertaining guests with upbeat Latin-themed music prior to each day’s live performances. Additionally, Mexico Tourism Board will have representatives at the festivities on June 8 and 9 highlighting tourism attractions.
¡Viva la Fiesta! is sponsored by American Airlines and Mexico Tourism Board. For further information about the festival, visit www.CZS.org/Viva or call (708) 688-8000. Brookfield Zoo’s Zooper Fun Pass is $31.95 for adults and $23.95 for children 3-11 and seniors 65 and over. The pass offers unlimited general admission throughout 2013, as well as one-time admission to each of the zoo’s seven paid attractions, which may be used all at once or on separate leisurely visits during the year. General zoo admission may also be purchased and is $15 for adults and $10.50 for children three to 11 and seniors 65 and over. Children 2 and under are free. Parking is $10.
The Chicago Zoological Society inspires conservation leadership by connecting people with wildlife and nature. The Chicago Zoological Society is a private nonprofit organization that operates Brookfield Zoo on land owned by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. The Society is known throughout the world for Brookfield Zoo’s innovative, naturalistic, multispecies exhibits and for its international role in animal population management and wildlife conservation. For further information, visit www.CZS.org.
EXTRA’s editor Nikoleta Morales talks with Robert Alaniz about his new movie “You Don’t Say!” and the prejudice that Latinos experience in the US.
EXTRA: How does it feel to be on the other side of the camera as a producer?
Olga Segura: It was a lot of fun. I really got involved in this film during post-production. I think that’s where you really finalize a movie. I went through the process with [director] Francesca Gregorini, who is a very good friend of mine. She is very talented.
Along with your friendship with Francesca, what else was it about the film that made you want to be a part of it?
The story is amazing. It’s a rollercoaster of feelings. There is a lot of comedy and suspense. A lot of unsuspected things happen. The cast is amazing. It’s a very original story.
As an actress, you are very new to the film industry. Your first movie, “Cellmates” with Tom Sizemore (“Saving Private Ryan”), was in 2011 and you’ve completed four others since then.
Have you made the move to Hollywood from your hometown of Mexico City yet to pursue more opportunities?
Yes, after “Cellmates” I took that opportunity. I wanted to move to Hollywood so I could start working on more projects and make it as an actress. I was nobody in Mexico, so I thought I might as well try it in the U.S. I think I’ve made a good decision. Who knows what would’ve happened if I stayed in Mexico. Right now I’m pretty happy.
Now that you are in the U.S., do you think you will do any projects in Mexico?
Yes, I think I will do even more in Mexico. I want to bring more production companies to Mexico. We have amazing actors and producers and directors. We are very talented. I think [producers] need to consider shooting in Mexico more often.
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