Eiza Gonzalez it is in a sweet moment. At 31, he doesn’t stop working. This week was presented as the image of the new Louis Vuitton perfume in a campaign that offers a lot to talk about and, at the same time, we see it in the premiere of the week, Godzilla Vs. Kong, which hopes to become the highest grossing film in cinemas in more than a year.
The Mexican actress assisted us from Los Angeles to talk about the blockbuster in which she acts with Demián Bichir, the industry’s tendency to start Latin actresses and how she works at Holywood and in English.
Question: Godzilla Vs. Kong was filmed before the pandemic. Does it feel like something far away?
Eiza Gonzalez: I think I filmed in 2018. I don’t even know … When you make these types of movies you know that it will take a while because of the animation and the whole technology. But now it feels a little sad that the premiere takes place in a pandemic and we can’t share with the fans in person, to be able to go to Asia, to do the promotions the way we do … Because that energy is contagious. But I am very pleased with the result. The movie is a lot of fun. People will have fun, which I think is what we need now.
Q: Godzilla and King Kong have lived a lifetime. Why do you think it continues to be there generation after generation?
E.G: We will always identify with monster movies, because they allow us to fantasize about “what would happen” if we lived in a world with other titans. It goes back a little bit to what would have happened if we lived with the dinosaurs, which would have control. And it is also a connection with nature. Human beings are curious if nature has had more physical strength – than it has – to impose itself on us.
Q: Your character is Maya, the daughter of Demián Bichir. You’re a little “bad”, you’re the villain of the movie …
E.G: Demián and I talked about it. I don’t think we look at any character as a villain or a hero, because when you see him that way you can fall into the stereotype. I think our characters’ agenda is sincere. They fervently believe that technology will save humanity. But Demián’s character is also very greedy. He’s a crazy genius who wants to be in control. Instead, she has a history of justification, of showing her father that she can do what he asks.
Q: You look very comfortable making action movies and character shots.
E.G: I’m trying to do a little of everything. I like dynamic characters. Play with fantasy. It also has to do with the industry, because if you start in a way, it always sees you that way. I’m slowly doing other kinds of projects, like “Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you” (“I care a lot” on Netflix). But I like movies like this. For me, the magic of cinema has always been represented by those big and explosive movies. And I’ve never had the chance to see Latin women making such characters, because they were made exclusively for white women. Now, when opportunities open up, it is very difficult for me to miss the opportunity to represent a Latin woman internationally in a different way that helps us get out of a stereotype or cliché. I have an affinity with those characters. Maya has nothing to do with where she is from or where she comes from. She is a woman with conviction, clear, educated, intelligent … She represents contemporary women. But, of course, I like to diversify and look for other projects that allow me to make my way in other types of characters. Because someone like Demián Bichir is allowed a lot, but sometimes it is more difficult as a woman.
Q: Were you afraid of not being a pigeon?
E.G: Latinos are always pigeons. The period is over. And I think Latin women are even more pigeons. Men are given much more permission. But also Matthew McConaughey started in romantic comedies and it took a lot of work to be taken seriously. This happens in all races in one way or another. Personally, I like action movies, I like these types of projects. What guides me is the direction, the script, the character … that inspires me. A constant factor in my characters is that I am not necessarily the stereotype of a Latin woman.
Q: You work a lot in English. Do you already feel like your world?
E.G: Nerd. English will always be my second language and, although it may not seem like it, I have a hard time. It is somewhat complex. I am born in Spanish and I have to adapt it to English. It also has to do with culture, because how a Latin woman would react is very different from how an American woman would do. Sometimes directors expect me to behave more like an American actress, yet I forget that I am still Mexican, from a different culture. Sometimes it’s hard to know which is the best option, but I like it. I am constantly learning and growing.
· Read more: Eiza González had several scenes in “Godzilla vs Kong”, but they eliminated them