- It seems Hollywood
is beginning to become more inclusive
on screen.
How do you feel like you're making an impact
for this to happen,
and what other barriers
are you hoping will break in Hollywood
to ensure Latinx actors are included,
and have their stories told?
- I think that's a great question.
- It's an amazing question,
because we have this opportunity
to acknowledge Alex,
that I am every Latin person
in this movie for Chadwick, for that legacy.
Because, when coming out at the first "Black Panther" movie,
I feel represented,
and it's not necessarily my culture, you know?
But I feel representation on me in that movie.
And now "Black Panther" is the perfect movie
for include the Latin American world.
And I thank Chadwick
and all these powerful women
in the movie,
I learn I can be a superhero in my own story,
not just as actress,
as person, as woman
I can be a superhero,
I can change my own story,
I can change the narratives,
I can change my abilities,
for take these opportunities,
and open more doors, and doors, and doors.
So, Victoria Alonso told me some day,
"Hey, you believe, you deserve to be here,
and you need to believe that."
And yeah, it's true,
I need believe I deserve,
and I work a lot for being here.
And it's an amazing time
for open these doors for the Latin American community.
- Well, here, when I first got started
in this industry,
I would here like reasons why
you don't see
certain types of films,
or certain characters
when it comes to diverse representation,
or films, you know, made by certain filmmakers.
There were so many kind of like rules
that certain types of films don't travel,
or people struggle with certain accents,
or certain types of casting.
I think that any time that we can make projects
that work as pieces of art,
but also work as pieces of commerce,
'cause that's the language that these companies speak.
You know, they in it,
they're in the business to make a profit, you know.
Anytime that we can do that
while telling stories
about characters with the backgrounds
that you just mentioned,
it can't help but to move the needle,
you know?
And prove that all of those sayings
and thought processes,
are not just outdated
but were false all along.
I hope that the film works for people, as a film,
what the characters look like,
what their heritage
based off on an aside, you know?
- Yeah.
- But, if the film can work as a film,
and work as a piece of business,
and do the things that you were just talking about
like that would be amazing, as well.
- I think that's something very powerful with this movie,
and that's something I also wanted to portray
with the music.
For the Tlālōcāns, and for Namor, you know,
I went to start recording the music in Mexico.
Their whole kingdom,
and this character was inspired by Mayan culture.
Trying to imagine what Mayan music
would've sounded like, you know?
And, unfortunately,
Mayan music
was forcibly erased.
There are music archeologists,
and music experts in Mexico,
that I went to work with,
that are focusing on how these sounds...
How it could have sounded like,
they have the instruments.
And so, I spent a time in Mexico
recording with these incredible instrumentalists.
And at nighttime I was recording
with contemporary Mexican artists,
to tell their perspective of the story.
I also wanted to work with Mexican artists
that could also rap in Mayan.
There's only about 1 million people
left in the world speaking Mayan.
- Mm.
- So, I went on a Google search, typed in "Mayan rappers",
and I found a little small rap community in Yucatan.
Flew out to the jungle and met up with them,
made a beat out of some of the Mayan inspired music
I recorded Mexico City,
and they came over to the Airbnb I had,
and we put up a studio in there,
and recorded a song, you know,
with these Mayan rappers.
And, I don't think there's more
than like maybe 10 Mayan rappers in the world,
or something.
And now they have a song in "Black Panther".
- When I was watched the movie for the first time
to me was like,
"I'm Mexican, I'm Latin American,
and my face is representing
a lot of women around the world."
Because I don't have these dreams
about the movies,
because I don't believe I could be a superhero,
and "Black Panther" bring me the opportunity
to believe that,
and change my own story.
And I hope
Latin people around the world,
not just in Mexico,
could feel their representation in the movie,
and could feel a little bit about our culture,
you know, because I feel that,
it's like, "Oh my God, I feel represented
as woman, as Mexican, and as Latin."
And I just wanna change my own story.
I just want have new opportunities
in this country,
I just have new narratives
in the movies,
for people like me.