Film Courage: 5 things an actor should not do during an audition?
Aimee Garcia, Actress: Ai yai yai…I think everything is on the table.
George Lopez, Actor/Comedian: Tell them how funny the material is or how well it’s written.
That’s insulting because “You know?
This is really funny.”
Well…how did you think it was going to be?
So that’s one I would say.
Aimee: Oops.
George: Don’t ask them to validate your parking.
Don’t say “Usually when they put me on tape, I’m not wearing anything.”
Film Courage: Okay?
Unless you’re in The Valley.
George: You guys got two?
Raúl Castillo, Actor: You’ve got one?
I’ve got one.
Aimee: Alright, go for it.
Raúl: I think one thing you shouldn’t do is you shouldn’t shake hands with anyone.
You shouldn’t presume that someone is going to greet you openly.
Aimee: Wow…well I have failed all of these.
I’m like “This is so funny!”
And I give them a hug…so fail, fail.
George: Fail, fail, fail.
Go ahead, there’s one left.
Aimee: Let’s see…for me it’s just don’t overthink.
Just go.
I just say “Hey this is my gift to you, have fun.”
Instead of like “Is this what you want?”
I never think that.
I think “Hi, this is my gift.”
Microphone drop and…
George: Okay, so that’s why you don’t work more.
George Lopez.
Film Courage: Okay so once you get the [acting] job, what are five things an actor does on
set that are huge mistakes?
Aimee: Direct another actor.
Raúl: They were trying to direct me left and right.
George: Oh no…listen…no way.
I think sit in somebody’s chair.
Aimee: Really?
George: Yes, if you sit an executive director’s chair as an actor.
Just go to catering and shut up.
Aimee: What bothers me is you have a 200-person crew, people wake up at 4:00 in the morning,
they are spending 17 hours a day and I really don’t like when people aren’t prepared.
That’s my big thing.
To me acting is like tennis.
You can’t out act somebody.
You throw them the ball.
Depending on how they hit the ball to you is how you hit it back.
To me it’s just be really prepared.
I think even if that means whatever like not knowing the lines at all but you kind of know
what the scene is about.
Whatever…you know the lines inside out.
Whatever it is.
I just feel it’s really disrespectful if people are figuring it out there while everyone
is waiting.
Right?
I think that’s like the worst thing.
Raúl: I think that’s right on.
George: Leave before someone is coverage, like you go somewhere and you’re not there
for the other actor.
You have to go to dinner or something.
Aimee: They’ll be like “Act with this piece of tape.”
George: Or talk loud about something that nobody cares about which would be their own
life.
Film Courage: For this film did Ben Hernandez Bray [co-writer/director of EL CHICANO movie]
and Joe Carnahan [co-writer] allow all of you to improv with dialogue?
Or were they very strict with sticking to the script?
Raúl: I think we kept to the script.
There’s a lot of information in there, a lot of important, pertinent information and
I think it was good to stick to it.
I mean there were moments when we got to play and have some fun but the script I think is
so well written we played within the script and we were good.
George: I think adlibbing is only good in comedies.
I don’t think it’s good in dramatic because it’s not going to make it more sadder or
dramatic.
“Wow!
He’s really gone.”
He’s already gone.
Am I right?
Raúl: Yes.
Aimee: The only improv I did was just add Spanish which Ben was completely cool with.
I said “Look they are having this really intimate conversation and they’ve been together
forever and I just feel like she would speak Spanish to him.”
And he was like “Please!”
So there’s a couple things that I said in that scene that I just spoke Spanish to him
but other than that yes, it’s so well-written you don’t have to mess with it.
George: Was there chemistry between you two because I don’t see it in the movie but
was it when you guys were filming?
Aimee: Ahhhh….Raúl!
George: Was there or not?
Aimee: Is there such thing as too much chemistry George?
George: Was there a thing as too much?
Film Courage: That’s the 6th thing you don’t do on set.
George: Well you guys got along, it was very sweet your relationship.
Raúl: Yes, it was important and Ben and Joe had us meet well before we even went off to
shoot the movie and I think that added to the chemistry.
I think he gave us a little bit of history before we walked on set and in that way.
I think that was important that we spent time before we landed in Calgary.
Aimee: When we met Joe for the first time Joe’s like “You guys have known each other
forever.”
And he said “Ben, how long have they known each other?”
And we’re like “We’ve just met an hour ago.”
And Joe couldn’t believe it.
Remember we went out for Tequila?
Raúl: I picked you up.
Aimee: And by the time the car ride ended we just…I don’t know?
I felt like I’d known you for a long time?
Film Courage: Last story…anything that happened on set where it seemed like it was going to
be a disaster and then at the last minute something happened and it pulled it all together?
Aimee: How much time do you have?
No I’m kidding!
I’m kidding.
Raúl: I mean it’s independent filmmaking so there’s all kinds of little disasters
but it’s how well people deal with them and that’s kind of all part of filmmaking
at least in television you develop a rhythm to shooting and an in television it’s over
and and by the time you start developing something there’s this kind of rhythm but you can
really tell the character of the crew and how they handle all of those little accidents
and I think the crew and everyone gelled really well and dealt with adversity in the best
way you could ask for.
George: We have a scene (Raúl and I) in the ambulance and it’s very tight so Raúl is
laying down and I’m over there and the paramedic is…I mean he really was acting “You’re
going to be alright!”
He’s getting in front of the camera “Hang on!”
And Ben is like “Hey that dude, this dude needs to bring it down a little bit.”
So I think he just ended up not talking and putting an IV in.
Aimee: George that was his dream as an actor.
George: “Just take it easy.”
Hey man this guy is too loud for this little area.
He’s ordering a nurse around, there’s no nurse in there.
“I need some saline, stat.”
We’re the only ones in there.
So I think (there’s another) you can do too much because it’s the one thing he holds
it up “I think this is going to work.”
The thing comes up in the air.
Aimee: I will say George being a stand-up comedian he is unrecognizable in this film.
His dramatic work as is piercing and grounded and connected and I’m so proud…I just
want to say that.
I’m very excited.
George: You got me to read the script five months…she was telling me how great the
movie was and I’m golfing.
I don’t have time so it was going to go away and she said really like I’m telling
you, don’t miss this opportunity.
And I’m glad that I partially read it.
Raúl: You read just your parts?
George: I’m dyslexic man…just give me an “exactlapedia Britannica” to look at.
Exactlapedia…that’s what I call it.
Aimee: Thank you.
I know we’re gabbers.
George: Exactlapedia…
Aimee: Thank you.