Exclusive: Carmen Carrera Talks Big Screen Debut In ‘Ricki and the Flash’

Carmen Carrera is an American reality television personality, model, burlesque performer, and actress, known for appearing on the third season of the Logo reality television series “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” as well as its spin-off series “RuPaul’s Drag U.” She makes her big screen debut in “Ricki and the Flash” out today. 

Tell us about your character in the film.

Carrera: I play a lead hairstylist/ salon owner in the Midwest and my part is pretty short but, it’s pretty awesome because I get to act with the lead characters and I kind of get to kind of have my little moment to shine.

Have you been to the Midwest?

Carrera: I’ve been to the Midwest on tour. I used to do like a striptease burlesque show and I used to travel all over the United States so I’ve been to the Midwest. They aren’t as conservative as some people believe them to be, but I think that for this movie, in this setting, at this time period, they were a bit more conservative. You’ll see like, the difference between Ricki’s life and her home life where her kids grew up and it’s pretty awesome.

I got to do Mamie’s hair. Yea she comes in and she’s going through stuff and her mom brings her in to kind of give her a beauty day and I get to take care of her.

What was one of your favorite scenes you were in in the film?

Carrera: My favorite scene is the ending scene, but I’m not going to tell you what it is.

Are you looking forward to seeing it tonight?

Carrera: I am. I’m looking forward to seeing my face on the big screen. I really do. I don’t know if that sounds self-centered or whatever.

Is this your first film?

Carrera: This is my first film. This is my first time, yea. So it’s like a big little moment for me.

How did you get involved?

Carrera: I don’t know, I got lucky. I went to a casting and they were like we like her. So I was like thank you.

What was it like working with Jonathan?

Carrera: Jonathan is amazing. Jonathan made me feel so comfortable cause he was actually at the casting and I was freaking out because my agent was like ok, you’re going to go to the casting, no worries, I’ll call you when you get in front of the building and give you the details. I was like ok, what’s the details? Well listen ok, the directors going to be there and like no pressure, but if you ruin this or if you mess this up, you’re not going to get the part. I was like oh my God. I was like do they know that I’m not like a huge actress, and [he] was like yea, yea, yea, just go. I was like ok fine.

So are you a stylist, too?

Carrera: No, I’m actually a model and a TV personality. So now that I’m doing acting I’m kind of getting my feet wet and I’m really enjoying it because I get to step outside of myself and I get to be somebody that we create. You know, which is kind of going back to what I used to do when I used to do when I did my striptease show, is I used to create the character. So now with acting I’m like this is so easy and this makes so much sense for me, so I don’t have to put so much pressure on myself with reality television or with modeling because you’re still representing yourself. So with Jonathan I was like, alright, I’m just going to go in there and hope that he doesn’t judge me. I had a long day and I went in and I did the thing and he was laughing and he was just like he loved me, and he hugged me, and we took a selfie, and then I got the call and now I’m here.