There are only six days left until the Pedro movie premieres on MTV Tr3s...
So we are rolling out the red carpet para ti by providing a close look at the Pedro movie cast. How does one actually portray a character that is not really a character, but someone real? From a reality series at that? We caught up with actors Alex Loynaz (Pedro), DaJuan Johnson (Sean) and Karolin Luna (Rachel) at the Pedro movie screening at Florida International University to find out.
Check out what the cast-mates had to say about the importance of Pedro's story and what they learned from it after the jump...
Were you familiar with Pedro’s story before being cast for the movie?
Alex Loynaz: Yes, I was.
Karolin Luna: Yes I was, definitely. I did remember who Pedro Zamora was when I was auditioning because I was about 14 when Real World 3 came on. So I did happen to see the first few episodes but I had to go back and refresh my mind and re-watch everything.
DaJuan Johnson: I wasn’t, and I am from Miami (cringes). When I got the script I did two things: I read it and then went online [to do more research]. That was the best way I could get familiar with it.
What attracted you to your perspective roles (Pedro, Sean and Rachel)?
Alex: I thought this was an amazing story that had to be retold and what better way to do it than to make a movie and get a bigger audience - which he [Pedro] would have loved. He was a very compelling person, very brave and heroic in many ways. As an actor, those are the kind of things you want to do.
Karolin: Yes, absolutely. This is my first feature so to be able to be a part of something so wonderful. It's an honor to be able to tell his story in his way. Plus the whole Real World aspect of it was fun, getting to research all of that and learning what people really thought of Rachel. You see people’s reaction like “oh you are playing her.” So, to focus on who Rachel was and not what everyone thought of her was fun.
DaJuan: Once I read the script I remember thinking if I get the chance to do this I have to do it. It’s a story that gives you chills when you read it, so imagine being able to be in it, be a part of it. It’s so important. And I was just like “yeah, this is what I went to school for!”
Can you name one thing you’ve learned about AIDS since taking on this project that you didn’t know before?
Karolin: I was just floored to learn the rates are still increasing. In 2007 it was like 33 million were infected with the HIV virus and 2 or 3 in America died that year alone. So just statistics wise it was pretty shocking.
Alex: The same for me. I met quite a few people that were infected in a support group. One thing that I learned was this people still go about their lives. I viewed it differently before. It affects them physically, but mentally for the most part they are still very happy people. It doesn’t stop their life, it’s not a death sentence, which many people think it is. Learning that aspect was incredible.
DaJuan: The numbers are insane. Also, I learned it’s still going up faster in the African-American community. What’s up with that? What are we not being taught? Do we need to talk about this in the churches and in the schools more? I know we are smart, so why is it going up faster with us?
What was the most challenging scene for each of you to act out?
DaJuan: We all became a family spending weeks together in Puerto Rico – you eat together, laugh together, hang out together. Then you had to go on set and just switch it up. You want to hold on to that moment and bring the truth and the honesty to it because these are real people, this is real life. I would say the hospital scene with Alex was hard.
Alex: The whole movie! (laughs) I think one of the biggest challenges for me was not falling into the state of feeling sorry for Pedro because he never wanted that. He never really wanted any pity – he wasn’t about that. As an outsider that for me was one of the biggest challenges.
Karolin: Alex and I have a scene together that is a well known scene between Pedro and Rachel where he confronts her about being scared. To have to go to the place of having disdain for [Alex] and looking down on him and be afraid of him. I think that was the toughest scene for me.
How did you identify with the Latino cultural references in the film dealing with religion and a close knit family?
Alex: I got it right away. I have Cuban parents. Not that I grew up with Santeria but I am well aware of it. Just a lot of the references I knew right away.
Karolin: Yeah, I am Dominican born, all my family is Dominican. Of course growing up in Miami you are aware of Santeria. I come from a huge Hispanic family so it was great to be able to understand where Rachel comes from and why she said. It was very easy to connect up with that.
Don't forget to catch the premiere of the Pedro movie on MTV Tr3s April 1st at 8PM. Gather-up la familia around la tele, and get the tissues ready!
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