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Freddy Rodriguez Comes Home for the Holidays
Expanded Edition of 12-10-08 Windy City Times Interview
by Richard Knight, Jr.
Expanded Edition of 12-10-08 Windy City Times Interview
by Richard Knight, Jr.
Rodriguez at the film's premiere in Los Angeles, the film poster, Debra Messing-John Leguizamo-Elizabeth Pena greeting Rodriguez
in the movie
in the movie
Chicago native Freddy Rodriguez, familiar to audiences as Gio, the love interest of the lead character on TV’s “Ugly Betty” and from
playing a variety of film roles in Bottle Shock, Grindhouse, Bobby, Poseidon, and others now stars in Nothing Like the Holidays, a warm
holiday dramedy opening this Friday. The movie focuses on an extended Latino family returning to their parent’s Humboldt Park
home for what may be their last holiday together and stars John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, and Elizabeth Pena.
Rodriguez plays an emotionally scarred war vet who has just returned from Iraq. The movie, filmed entirely in the Humboldt Park
area of Chicago also features the debut of Rodriquez as an Executive Producer. The 32 year-old, married father of two young sons
chatted with Windy City Times during the city’s first snow storm of the season – the perfect time to talk about a holiday movie – just
hours before the film’s Chicago premiere. Excerpts:
WINDY CITY TIMES (WCT): It’s nice to tell you that I was in Humboldt Park just today.
FREDDY RODRIGUEZ (FR): Oh, what were you doing there?
WCT: (laughs) That’s where I live.
FR: Okay. I’m sure you didn’t live there in the 80s when I frequented that area.
WCT: No, probably not such a good idea for a middle aged gay man to hang out there in the 80s.
FR: (laughs hard) I think you’re right.
WCT: I wanted to ask you about filming those scenes in the park itself. It must have been difficult to do those scenes where you’re
running around the park.
FR: They were difficult because the weather was so bad. I’ve heard it was the coldest winter in 20, 30 years and it was just freezing.
Even during the day it was freezing. I’d never seen the park look so white before. Usually in the wintertime, when I was a kid I
would never go there so it was kinda cool to see it blanketed in white with the trees. It was just a beautiful sight I wasn’t used to.
WCT: Can you talk about that incredible cast that you assembled for the film?
FR: I feel so blessed to have gotten everybody that was in it. In Hollywood it’s kind of like in real life. When you assemble good
credit, which is done by the work that you choose and the quality of the work that you do, so when you call people like John
Leguizamo or Debra Messing or Alfred Molina they go, “Oh Freddy? Oh yeah, sure, I’ll come and play” because they trust you. They
know you’re going to bring the same quality that you have in your past work to the job you’re doing now.
WCT: Is it a dream to go to work everyday with a group of actors like that?
FR: Oh absolutely, absolutely. I think subconsciously when I was casting this film I was really trying to cast people who were on the
same vibe; who I felt would be pleasant to work with. I was so blessed to get that cast and for everybody to just be so cool and to
get along the way they did and build the camaraderie the way they did offset and I felt like that translated onto the screen.
WCT: Now Debra Messing plays the outsider in the film, in a manner of speaking and, of course, because I’m a gay man I watch
every movie from a queer perspective, I can’t help it (Freddy laughs). I assume as a Latino, you watch every movie from a Latino
perspective?
FR: Absolutely.
WCT: So I’m wondering how the mother character who keeps nagging Debra all through the movie about having a baby would react
to the news that one of the sons or daughters coming home for Christmas was gay? Would it have been World War III?
FR: You mean in Latin culture? It’s hard to make a general statement…
WCT: From your perspective.
FR: I think so. I think the mentality toward that is so hard school and especially when its first generation Latinos I think would react
the way you just described. I think second and third generation Latinos are more accustomed to that and would be more receptive
to that information. I think it depends on the person or how Americanized they are.
WCT: I’m part of a gay couple living in Humboldt Park so I’m very much a part of the gentrification that’s going on there. I’m just
curious, having come from Bucktown, a neighborhood similar to this one in Chicago, what are your thoughts on gentrification?
FR: Well, I think it’s good and bad. I lived on the borderline of Bucktown and Humboldt Park since 1979, 1980 and I’ve noticed
that when the gentrification started happening is when the area really started to get cleaned up and become safer. The
gentrification helped push the bad element out. So in that sense it’s good. I feel like it’s bad when the gentrification overpowers
the area, especially an area that is labeled as “Little Puerto Rico” because when that happens the area loses its identification and it
no longer is Little Puerto Rico. So as long as it’s balanced, it’s fine. But look, I grew up in Bucktown and it was predominately black
and Latino from the time I was there, from ’79 until ’94 and when I left it became fully gentrified and you rarely see any Latinos or
blacks walking through there. But Bucktown didn’t have that identification like Humboldt Park has.
WCT: You play such a great diversity of roles – what draws you to a particular role? Is it that you want to just try everything?
FR: Yeah, I think wanting to be diverse is definitely a factor in my decision making but first and foremost, it needs to speak to my
soul. There’s something inside of me that needs to tell me, “Yeah, you can do something with this character” or, “This is a project
you need to be a part of.” If it doesn’t speak to me then I can’t do it because I will do an injustice to the character. You will see
onscreen that I’m not into the role. That’s the type of actor I am – it’s hard for me to fake it. As tempting as some of these roles
are financially or just to be part of a cast that is of big notoriety, there’s been times that I’ve passed just because I don’t feel it.
WCT: I’ve got to ask you about “Ugly Betty” which has a big gay following.
FR: I’ve been told that.
WCT: Any hints on the upcoming season, will your character Gio be back?
FR: As far as I know, as of now I’m not coming back but I was talking to someone on the show and he said, “Look, you didn’t die
so there’s always a possibility that you’ll come back” and I enjoyed myself very much on that show so we’ll see what happens in the
future.
WCT: This movie has to be like coming full circle – you left here almost 15 years and now you’re back as an executive producer,
starring in a movie filmed in your hometown. How does it feel?
FR: It’s surreal, to be honest with you. That’s the word that pops in my mind. It’s been a surreal experience and I don’t think it’s
really hit me yet. Maybe after the premiere tonight and when the film comes out when I see people’s reaction it will hit me. But it’s
been truly a surreal experience. It’s the first time that I get to bring a movie back to the neighborhood that I frequented as a kid,
to get to see people in these neighborhoods that I haven’t seen in 20 years. I mean, it’s the first time any of that has ever
happened – that I’ve integrated my personal life with my business and it’s been wonderful.
playing a variety of film roles in Bottle Shock, Grindhouse, Bobby, Poseidon, and others now stars in Nothing Like the Holidays, a warm
holiday dramedy opening this Friday. The movie focuses on an extended Latino family returning to their parent’s Humboldt Park
home for what may be their last holiday together and stars John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, and Elizabeth Pena.
Rodriguez plays an emotionally scarred war vet who has just returned from Iraq. The movie, filmed entirely in the Humboldt Park
area of Chicago also features the debut of Rodriquez as an Executive Producer. The 32 year-old, married father of two young sons
chatted with Windy City Times during the city’s first snow storm of the season – the perfect time to talk about a holiday movie – just
hours before the film’s Chicago premiere. Excerpts:
WINDY CITY TIMES (WCT): It’s nice to tell you that I was in Humboldt Park just today.
FREDDY RODRIGUEZ (FR): Oh, what were you doing there?
WCT: (laughs) That’s where I live.
FR: Okay. I’m sure you didn’t live there in the 80s when I frequented that area.
WCT: No, probably not such a good idea for a middle aged gay man to hang out there in the 80s.
FR: (laughs hard) I think you’re right.
WCT: I wanted to ask you about filming those scenes in the park itself. It must have been difficult to do those scenes where you’re
running around the park.
FR: They were difficult because the weather was so bad. I’ve heard it was the coldest winter in 20, 30 years and it was just freezing.
Even during the day it was freezing. I’d never seen the park look so white before. Usually in the wintertime, when I was a kid I
would never go there so it was kinda cool to see it blanketed in white with the trees. It was just a beautiful sight I wasn’t used to.
WCT: Can you talk about that incredible cast that you assembled for the film?
FR: I feel so blessed to have gotten everybody that was in it. In Hollywood it’s kind of like in real life. When you assemble good
credit, which is done by the work that you choose and the quality of the work that you do, so when you call people like John
Leguizamo or Debra Messing or Alfred Molina they go, “Oh Freddy? Oh yeah, sure, I’ll come and play” because they trust you. They
know you’re going to bring the same quality that you have in your past work to the job you’re doing now.
WCT: Is it a dream to go to work everyday with a group of actors like that?
FR: Oh absolutely, absolutely. I think subconsciously when I was casting this film I was really trying to cast people who were on the
same vibe; who I felt would be pleasant to work with. I was so blessed to get that cast and for everybody to just be so cool and to
get along the way they did and build the camaraderie the way they did offset and I felt like that translated onto the screen.
WCT: Now Debra Messing plays the outsider in the film, in a manner of speaking and, of course, because I’m a gay man I watch
every movie from a queer perspective, I can’t help it (Freddy laughs). I assume as a Latino, you watch every movie from a Latino
perspective?
FR: Absolutely.
WCT: So I’m wondering how the mother character who keeps nagging Debra all through the movie about having a baby would react
to the news that one of the sons or daughters coming home for Christmas was gay? Would it have been World War III?
FR: You mean in Latin culture? It’s hard to make a general statement…
WCT: From your perspective.
FR: I think so. I think the mentality toward that is so hard school and especially when its first generation Latinos I think would react
the way you just described. I think second and third generation Latinos are more accustomed to that and would be more receptive
to that information. I think it depends on the person or how Americanized they are.
WCT: I’m part of a gay couple living in Humboldt Park so I’m very much a part of the gentrification that’s going on there. I’m just
curious, having come from Bucktown, a neighborhood similar to this one in Chicago, what are your thoughts on gentrification?
FR: Well, I think it’s good and bad. I lived on the borderline of Bucktown and Humboldt Park since 1979, 1980 and I’ve noticed
that when the gentrification started happening is when the area really started to get cleaned up and become safer. The
gentrification helped push the bad element out. So in that sense it’s good. I feel like it’s bad when the gentrification overpowers
the area, especially an area that is labeled as “Little Puerto Rico” because when that happens the area loses its identification and it
no longer is Little Puerto Rico. So as long as it’s balanced, it’s fine. But look, I grew up in Bucktown and it was predominately black
and Latino from the time I was there, from ’79 until ’94 and when I left it became fully gentrified and you rarely see any Latinos or
blacks walking through there. But Bucktown didn’t have that identification like Humboldt Park has.
WCT: You play such a great diversity of roles – what draws you to a particular role? Is it that you want to just try everything?
FR: Yeah, I think wanting to be diverse is definitely a factor in my decision making but first and foremost, it needs to speak to my
soul. There’s something inside of me that needs to tell me, “Yeah, you can do something with this character” or, “This is a project
you need to be a part of.” If it doesn’t speak to me then I can’t do it because I will do an injustice to the character. You will see
onscreen that I’m not into the role. That’s the type of actor I am – it’s hard for me to fake it. As tempting as some of these roles
are financially or just to be part of a cast that is of big notoriety, there’s been times that I’ve passed just because I don’t feel it.
WCT: I’ve got to ask you about “Ugly Betty” which has a big gay following.
FR: I’ve been told that.
WCT: Any hints on the upcoming season, will your character Gio be back?
FR: As far as I know, as of now I’m not coming back but I was talking to someone on the show and he said, “Look, you didn’t die
so there’s always a possibility that you’ll come back” and I enjoyed myself very much on that show so we’ll see what happens in the
future.
WCT: This movie has to be like coming full circle – you left here almost 15 years and now you’re back as an executive producer,
starring in a movie filmed in your hometown. How does it feel?
FR: It’s surreal, to be honest with you. That’s the word that pops in my mind. It’s been a surreal experience and I don’t think it’s
really hit me yet. Maybe after the premiere tonight and when the film comes out when I see people’s reaction it will hit me. But it’s
been truly a surreal experience. It’s the first time that I get to bring a movie back to the neighborhood that I frequented as a kid,
to get to see people in these neighborhoods that I haven’t seen in 20 years. I mean, it’s the first time any of that has ever
happened – that I’ve integrated my personal life with my business and it’s been wonderful.
