Playing a kick-butt undercover U.S. Secret Service agent in the big-budget movie sequel Rush Hour 2 would be a daunting task for anyone, especially if you have to fight someone like martial arts princess Zhang Ziyi and make goo-goo eyes at master Jackie Chan.
But Latin actress Roselyn Sanchez, who plays Agent Isabella Molina, seems to be taking it all in stride.
The Puerto Rican beauty pageant winner has been steadily building a career since she moved to the U.S. three years ago.. Starting off in two Spanish musicals in New York, she landed a role on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns. Hollywood beckoned and she moved to Los Angeles, where she almost immediately snagged a lead role as dancer Lili Arguelo on the TV series Fame L.A..
In [TK year] she made the feature film Held Up with Jamie Foxx and Nia Long, but her big break came when she got cast as Agent Molina in Rush Hour 2. Next she’ll star with Cuba Gooding Jr. in Boat Trip, a romantic comedy due out next spring.
Hollywood.com talked to Ms. Sanchez about what it was like working on the film and how being a hot Latina has certainly opened up some doors.
The movie sure looked like it was fun to make.
Sanchez: We had an amazing time…we went to Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Los Angeles. It was a big, big production and was very overwhelming for me. But I loved it.
You get to be the sexy one in the film.
Sanchez: [laughs] Yeah, well, I guess I’ll be playing that for a little while, unfortunately.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
Sanchez: [laughing] What are you going to do? I mean, I’m a specific type that is doing very well right now
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Thank you, Jennifer Lopez!
Sanchez: Exactly. Thank you Jennifer, Ricky Martin–they opened the doors for all the girls who look like me. Maybe in three years it’ll be a different ethnicity, but for right now it’s a Latin thing. So, I’m doing well and very happy about it.
How did you get the part?
Sanchez: When I got the script, my people told me it was perfect for me. But I thought for sure they would go with a big name. I was so grateful when I got it. The auditioning process was long…it took about four months. But I only auditioned twice, which is not bad. It was nerve-wracking. I have a big problem auditioning. But I really wanted the part and I put a lot of effort into it. And when I left, I thought I had really delivered. And I guess I did.
Did you do any research to play an undercover U.S. Secret Service agent?
Sanchez: Not directly. I had a little problem because I didn’t believe I was a Secret Service agent, my behavior was not of a Secret Service agent. So, I tried to drop my voice and make it sound lower. I talked very slow for my speech to be clear. But I didn’t go out of my way to talk to any agents per se. I mean, if this were a drama with Robert De Niro, I’d be interviewing everyone. But I thought, this is a comedy. I just need to be believable.
The fight scene with actress Zhang Ziyi was cool. Doing martial art moves with Miss Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon herself…
Sanchez: It was great. She plays this evil person, but she is completely the opposite. She’s very professional, an amazing actress and incredibly young at heart. When I got the job, I hadn’t seen Crouching Tiger and everyone was telling me Ziyi was this great star and to go see the movie. So after about two weeks of filming Rush Hour 2, I finally went to see Crouching Tiger. I couldn’t believe my eyes. She was absolutely flawless, a star in the making. I went back to work and my whole attitude towards her changed. I had so much respect. [Ziyi] doesn’t speak English very well, but at the premiere [of the film], I was dressed in a sexy outfit and she came up to me and said, “You crazy, sexy, beautiful,” and I just cracked up.
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You must know a little where she is coming from, having recently moved to the U.S. yourself.
Sanchez: I’m getting so much better but three years ago, I was just like that. And I so much know how that feels. You know what you want to say, but you can’t quite do it. It’s hard, even for Jackie. He’s very bilingual and can carry on a full conversation but his accent is very thick. There were a couple of words that were a struggle for him and for me too.
Watching Chan do all his stuff must have been amazing. What does he do to prepare?
Sanchez: I just think he’s been doing it for so long, it’s become second nature for him. I never remember seeing him warming up or stretching. Maybe he did, but I didn’t see it. It was like, “Action!” and he’s doing his thing and it’s amazing.
So, think there will be a Rush Hour 3?
Sanchez: Oh, I hope so. I had a meeting with the head of New Line about the possibility of a Rush Hour 3. I signed for it already. But that doesn’t mean they’ll have me. I’m committed to them but they are not necessarily committed to me.
But you and Jackie kiss at the end. You two should get together. I mean, he never gets the girl!
Sanchez: [laughs] I know, I know. Chris [Tucker] was always saying, ‘I cannot believe he’s getting the girl. Next movie, I’m getting the girl.’ It would be amazing to me and I would do it in a heartbeat if they call me.
So your next film is Boat Trip with Cuba Gooding Jr.?
Sanchez: It’s an over-the-top comedy, where I play the only girl on a gay singles cruise. I’m the cruise director. Cuba plays a straight guy who takes the single cruise looking for women and discovers he’s on the wrong boat. Then he meets me, the Latina sexy thing, and we become the best of friends and of course he falls madly in love with me. But because I’ve been burned so many times, I don’t want to deal with men. He can’t tell me he’s straight if he wants to stay with me. So, he has to play gay the whole time. The movie is funny, funny, funny.
Anything else on your plate?
Sanchez: I would love to do a musical. When I did Fame L.A. for a year–all the singing, dancing and acting–I was in heaven. I cried so much when they cancelled the show. I mean, I loved going to work and I couldn’t wait to get on the set. I think they should do a remake of West Side Story. Jennifer Lopez has been talking about it for a long time and she really wants to do it. I’m also looking at something with Andy Garcia, who I would love, love to work with. So, I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
