How did you come about to write and direct this film? written many screenplays on many different subject matters. Working with him was a like going to class. I'm looking for something else we can do together. The awe I have for John will always be there. In 'Moulin Rouge' he represented Toulouse Lautrec, in 'To Wong Foo' he represented Miss Chi-Chi Rodriguez. The overall outcome of the film derives from your imagination and your imagination alone.ĭo you think of John Leguizamo as representative of an certain US Hispanic group (ie, Puerto Rican) or more as generally appealing to all Empire John represented the guys I grew up with. It's your story and you can take it anywhere you like. It absolutely helps the process to be the writer. I've never worked on another writer's project. This is my first feature and I wrote the script. But I live in a wonderful world of cultures and I hope my films will always reflect that.ĭo you think that being both the writer and director for Empire helped the overall outcome of the film? How so, and how is it different from being a director and working with another writer? My cast will always include Latinos because that's who I am. There isn't a story that exists that Latinos along with every other culture can't tell. If I made a film with a 100% African American or Caucasian cast, the truth wouldn't be there either. Having said that, it also applies the other way. If I made a film with a 100% Latino cast, I wouldn't be true to myself and what my life is all about. Though I believe Cuaron is a wonderful filmmaker and will probably hit Harry Potter out of the ball park, as a writer I've written a wide spectrum of stories with Latinos in them. Arenas and Universal took notice - that in of itself may affect some opportunity.Īs a Hispanic writer / director, do you only get Latino type projects? Are you looking to 'cross over' into general market type projects, like Cuaron (Y tu Mama Tambien) with Harry Potter? Do you think this is an angle that Latin directors should take, or should they be more focused on the Hispanic now I'm being offered a cross section of projects.

I tried to shoot the best film I possibly could with the time and money I had. As of right now I don't know of too many Latino projects being developed at major studios. What do you think are some of the current opportunities for Hispanic directors, and how do you think this film affects those opportunities? don't believe with major studios the opportunities are there yet. The idea is to use language as interestingly as you can.

Casting director for empire