She references how so many actors and actresses have played different roles. For example, Jennifer Lopez who is Puerto Rican played Selena who was Mexican American. Mario Moreno who played Cantinflas was actually a Spaniard and she who is Puerto Rican played Celia who was Cuban.
“When I was first tapped to play Celia Cruz, in the beginning there was much said about the fact that I wasn’t Cuban. Since then, I’ve had many Cubans approach me and congratulate me for the role. The fact that I was more or less dark than she was, was never issue. The key was I tried to get as close to the essence of Celia, even though we weren’t the same.”
When she played the role they also darkened her skin even though their coloring was similar. They also plucked her brows and asked her to gain weight, created a gap between her teeth with orthodontics, they broadened her nose and even changed the shape of her lips.
“Each of my roles has prepared me for the next, and I don’t feel any of them have been denigrating toward my race,” she said. They are all characters that represent her with dignity and she’s been able to carry her essence, wear her Afro with pride.
