66
HISPANIC NETWORK MAGAZINE www.hnmagazine.com
COVER STORY
Make Room for
Rosie
Story by Sarah Mosqueda Interview by Tawanah Reeves-Ligon
W
ith her distinct accent and trademark personality, Rosie Perez has made a career of taking up space. But the Puerto Rican- American actor, choreographer and activist said she wants to see the media industry make more room for Latinx in entertainment. It has gotten better, but I think it has only gotten a little bit better, Perez said in a recent phone interview with Hispanic Network Magazine , There are still very few Latino or Latina names. There are still very few just regular stories about us. There are still very few writers and directors. It has gotten better, but we still need so much more, and we still need to go much, much further. Brooklyn-born Perez began her career at the age of 19, when she appeared as a dancer on Soul Train . As a student at Los Angeles City College, she went to dance clubs to relieve stress, and her moves got the attention of a Soul Train talent scout. She went on to choreograph music videos for Janet Jackson, Bobby Brown, Diana Ross and LL Cool J. Perez also served as choreographer for the Fly Girls, a dance group featured on the Fox sketch comedy show, In Living Color. Although she wasnt a pro- fessional dancer, she also caught the attention of director Spike Lee at a dance club called Funky Reggae. Lee hired Perez for her first major movie role, starring opposite of him, in Do the Right Thing . Perez notes that finding and supporting black and brown talent is one of the simplest ways individuals in those communities can make space for each other. Find them and support them, it is as simple as that, said Perez, And look for the ones that have the talent and the ability [who maybe] dont understand they do. Look at what Spike Lee did for me. And we are still friends to this day. He is a great support. Perezs role in the ever relevant Do the Right Thing launched a movie career that has included a major role in the comedy White Men Cant Jump with Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson and an Oscar-nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 1993's Fearless . In 2020, she took on the role of Gotham City Police detective, Renee Montoya, in DC Films Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn.) In 2021 , she appeared in the family comedy, Clifford the Big Red Dog . Perez has also used her platform for activism. Perezs mother passed away from AIDS in 1999, and she has dedicated efforts to eradicating the disease since. In 2010, then President Barack Obama appointed her to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS (PACHA). Approximately 36 million are living with AIDS and the numbers in the black and brown community are still high, and there is still not a cure, Perez noted. Perez has also been an advocate for Puerto Rico, delivering hurricane aid and using her voice to speak out about the islands needs.
KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES FOR HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION
I think that its all about being in the room where initial decisions are made. If we are not in those rooms, progress is still going to continue at a snails pace. And the room I am talking about is filled with studio executives. I am talking about production companies. I am talking about the writers guild Any room that will constitute a green light for a project to be made
Previous Page