Cruz Control
An
Interview with one of the few openly Latino actors in Hollywood!
 Ask
someone today to name an actor in Hollywood who's openly QV,
and you might hear names like Ellen DeGeneres or Anne Heche.
But ask someone to name a Latino actor who's openly QV, and
you might get some confused looks as there seems to be none-except
for one man.
You might remember him in "My So Called Life," a controversial
show which aired on television for one season, but got cancelled.
He played the character, Ricky Vasquez, a Latino high school
student, who had problems, but managed to keep his head above
waters.
After the show got cancelled, the calls
and e-mails to put the show back on the air was so strong that
MTV decided to air the entire season as reruns. Afterwards, he
played a role in the Broadway musical "Rent," and is
currently working on a new film called, "SuperNova"
So without further ado, please welcome Wilson Cruz-one of the
few openly Latino actors in Hollywood.
How did you get to play the QV character
Ricky in "My So Called Life?"
I was doing community theater in college. I had done 30 auditions
that month. I had just turned 19. I knew who the character was
so I submitted (my headshot) for it, and they (casting directors)
called me in. That's how it works.
Was Ricky originally Latino? Actually, Ricky was half black and half-Latino...
half-Puerto Rican to be exact.
So you auditioned, and they said, "incredible!" No. I had to audition five separate times for
the role! Each time with different people.
Did you ever imagine the show would
have ever gotten the attention it did?
Yeah, we could tell that it was unique and that people would
recognize it for what it was. We also knew it wouldn't last because
it was on TV, and it was an honest portrayal of what youth life
can be. It didn't talk down to people-and that kind of show just
doesn't last. Once it was cancelled, we all knew it was dead
and moved on to other things because we had to.
Was playing Ricky a major step for you
both emotionally and professionally? Definitely.
It was the longest role I had ever played. I also was very aware
that it was the first role of a Latino QV youth on TV. It was
important that I gave an honest, true portrayal of what the life
of a queer youth was like. I took that responsibility very seriously.
Why did you care about taking the role
seriously? Well, growing up, I
was always looking for someone to look up to. I didn't have that
(role model) like most people before me. So I wanted to be that
for others like me, and I knew I could do that through TV. I
also know that my life is political.
Do you think you would have been ready
to play this 16-year old high school character had you really
been 16-and not 19 in college?
I think I definitely had some hindsight to draw from. Doing this
role was very cathartic. Not so much because of college but because
of the community theater I had done. I had more confidence in
my abilities, more than if I had been 16. The difference between
a good actor and a bad actor is not only having talent, but also
being able to nurture it through a lot of experiences and seeing
if you have "it." Luckily, I got a lot of experience
in community theater and in college-and continued to pursue it.
How did your family deal with you playing
a QV role? I didn't give them
an option. I came out in order to prepare them for the show.
I was independent and secure enough to handle whatever reaction
they would have. My mother was cool about it, but my father kicked
me out of the house for a while. But if anything, they were always,
at the very least, supportive of my acting.
That must have helped? Oh yeah, I attribute a lot of the qualities, confidence,
assertiveness, and so on to them. They clearly demonstrated that
throughout my life.
So the show was over, you must have
been thinking, "What next?"
Exactly! I didn't know what to do. I needed to find someone who
believed in me and would represent me. I did a few independent
films and some pilots for a year and a half. Very slow. Then
(the Broadway musical) "Rent" came along. I had heard
they were looking for someone, and it had everything to do with
being at the right place at the right time-and being prepared.
I had taken voice classes and dancing since I was a kid, so I
went into the rehearsals later that year. I got the part and
got to travel. The show opened in San Diego and ran for three
months, then three months in LA. During that time, a lot of people
saw my work. I also did an episode of "Ally McBeal"
and started a film with Angela Bassett called, "Super Nova,"
which comes out in September. Then I went back to do the "Rent"-until
now.
Why did you leave?
It was a huge drain on my life and as an actor, I was ready to
do other things. I think it's important to know when you're done
with something-to leave on your own terms. I left on a high note,
knowing what I did was successful.
So what are your plans now? Finish up "Super Nova," and look for
more work, but it could be a completely different ball game now
because I think I've generated more respect. So I don't know
what comes next. That's the exciting part.
Do you find that there is a place for
Latino actors like yourself in Hollywood?
LA is a very Latino city with a strong Latino influence. They
(Hollywood) are very aware of Mexicans, or even Nicaraguans,
which is great, but they don't know what to do with me-curly
hair, full lips, and dark skin. They don't know that this is
also what a Latino looks like-that we can also look like Sammy
Sosa. They want to put us in a box that makes us easy to deal
with, but we can be blond or we can be black. They don't get
that, so it's interesting. I'm like water, I slip through their
definitions. I'm Latino, QV, I've done a dramatic series, and
a play. So I try to keep them guessing.
What would you like to say to someone
who's just starting out in Hollywood? We
are capable of anything we put our minds to-despite what others
like to put in front of us. And the only thing that keeps us
from doing more is believing those limitations. If I can stand
for someone who can break those limitations and be an example
for others, then I'll keep doing just that.
-by Julio Dicent Taillepierre
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