In “Vida,” Starz’s latest show, we get a closer glimpse into the Eastside of Los Angeles, and all the characters that reside there.
The Knockturnal: How was the process of playing such staple characters?
Maria-Elena Laas: Cruz is a social worker born and raised on the Eastside of Los Angeles. She is basically the older more sophisticated version of Mari. She can actually instill change. There is a sense of leadership of course and that comes from loving and wanting to protect her community. Her comfort level in being who she is within that community is so awesome. That’s inspiring in general.
Ser Anzoategui: Well I think Eddy wouldn’t think of themselves as a leader, but they are. They are a community asset. Someone that everybody could trust, that whatever you need they will just do … This show is showing you that this kind of activism is brown, it is indigenous …
The Knockturnal: Tanya mentioned she saw you [Ser] in a show. What were your initial instincts about the show?
Anzoategui: When I first read that Tanya Saracho was writing and developing this show, I knew it was for real. Tanya is such a brilliant playwright, she is so good, so I knew that this was going to be her way into the next level. I knew of her work and I was a big fan of her writing and her as a personality that could unify people in Chicago. She ran this group [Alta] for Latinx creatives in Chicago, and I think that is something we need here in Los Angeles. I already knew about Tanya Saracho, one of my plays was selected by The Kilroys.
Laas: When I first read it, “I was like what in the world is this?” I have been in LA a long time now with limited opportunities. So I saw this and immediately wanted to be a part of it. The fact that it tackles so many things … and cut through all those cliches that Hollywood has fed us …
Anzoategui: A masculine-presenting main character, when does that happen?
Premieres May 6, 2018 at 8:30 pm ET/PT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0ttPSaqhF0
