The newest STARZ show, “Vida,” is full of drama, romance, heart, and most importantly, family.
When sisters Emma and Lyn are unexpectedly called home, they are forced to confront their pasts as well as a shocking truth.
Carlos Miranda and Chelsea Rendon portray playful siblings at the heart of the Eastside of Los Angles. They sat down to chat about their characters and filming this red-hot series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0ttPSaqhF0
The Knockturnal: You guys play super intricate characters, did you see a lot of differences and similarities between you and the people you played?
Chelsea Rendon: Oh yeah, for sure! I’m Mari (Rendon’s character) besides the activism – I had to learn that part – but I grew up in the area. I’m in your face, blunt, and I fight for what I believe in. Whether it is the school drama deparment or activism, for me it was getting to go to set and playing yourself. It is on a different level, for example she wears blue lipstick. That is something I hadn’t done before, but now I do! It’s great!
Carlos Miranda: For me-
Rendon: He’s a little softy!
Miranda: Women are my weakness. No, but in many ways, I relate to that love that you can’t let go of. And I am a parent of two, so him having a child on the way and wanting to do the right thing, I relate to that too. All these things I have experienced in some way shape or form in my own life.
The Knockturnal: Chelsea, since you are from Los Angeles, how was it filming something so close to home?
Rendon: It was amazing! It took me 10 minutes to get to set which never happens! It was beautiful, because you see and hear a lot of stories from East Los Angeles, but they are always the same. This is a fresh view for the world. We want you to see that East Los Angeles is not just this one thing, it is many things. We want to show it in a new light. It’s a dream come true show and character for me. She is so bad ass and she’s like (insert battle cry here).
The Knockturnal: How was building chemistry with Melissa Barrera (who plays Lyn)?
Rendon: They had chemistry from the jump.
Miranda: Thank you! The chemistry is written. We just have to bring it. Melissa is a pro and she’s beautiful and talented. We were just saying the lines and being there.
The Knockturnal: How were your first reactions to the script?
Miranda: I was thinking about the nudity. I was like, “wow, right out the gate?”
Rendon: Even from Mari’s character description, I was so excited. I was like, “This is what I want.” My reps didn’t actually submit me for the show because of the nudity. My best friend actually showed it to me and said I had to go out for it. I sent it to my reps and they said I could self tape but pointed out the full nudity. When I read the script, I was okay with the nudity.
Miranda: It was refreshing. It was a slice of life, such an honest portrayal of people.
Rendon: And Tanya’s [Saracho] is amazing.
The Knockturnal: What was your favorite scene to shoot?
Rendon: For me it is in episode 5, and it is with Emma (played by Mishel Prada).
Miranda: Mine is in the third episode where Melissa and I are overlooking Los Angeles. It is a beautiful shot, shout out to our DP Carmen. She got so many beautiful shots of East Los Angeles. You got to watch.
Vida premieres only on STARZ on May 6th, 2018 at 8:30PM ET/PT
