TheallureofEizaGonzález

From Mexican superstar at 14 to Hollywood leading lady, and now author – González’s story is ever evolving.

 

WRITER Patrick Grady

 

Interview taken from IMAGINE Magazine. Order the latest issue here.

 

I knew there was something unapologetically authentic about Eiza González when she logged onto our scheduled Zoom call at 2pm on a Thursday with the words “I just fell into the pool…fully clothed.” Straight off the bat, she was setting the tone for what was to come; total transparency, no less.

 

Don’t fret – while she may have conducted this interview drenched on a pool side lounger thanks to her husky’s squirrel-chasing antics, Eiza couldn’t have been happier to be welcomed by her longtime pal Aaron Paul – who kindly took on the role of interviewer for the afternoon. After completing a full on press tour on the back of their newest project ASH coming out, there’s little the sci-fi fanatic duo likely haven’t discussed – but even Paul was in for a shock or two.

 

González, who grew up and kick started her career in Mexico City, quickly established herself as one to watch. But, when she up and left for the City of Angels, the industry proved a little harder to navigate, given the renowned stereotype for Latin women. Having once even been told to her face “Sure you might work as an actress, simply because you are pretty,” she didn’t back down – determined is an understatement. She wasn’t about to let Hollywood’s deep-rooted biases diminish her raw talent, and she’s worked overtime to prove them wrong.

 

There’s real depth to González. With all the success she’s faced recently – starring in top-tier films alongside some of the best in the game, most notably of course, Aaron Paul but also Natalie Portman, John Krasinski and Rosamund Pike – she doesn’t get bogged down by all of the noise. Instead, her experiences have only shone a light on what’s truly important, an ever-lasting kind of success: her roots.

 

Aaron Paul:  So how do you feel that our little film Ash is now out in the world. It’s officially premiered and on top of all of that it’s been so well received. How does it feel to know people are loving it and specifically loving what you are doing in it?

 

Eiza González:  You’re the best. I mean, I can’t believe it. I think that when you and I sort of jumped into this movie, it was kind of beautiful in the sense that we had no real expectations. Sometimes, you go into movies with certain, maybe personal expectations or expectations for the world. But when we came into Ash, it felt like a school trip – everyone was aware that this movie was bonkers.  The outcome has been mind boggling, especially because it is a very intimate work of mine and I’m very vulnerable in this film. It’s really scary when you’re putting your vulnerability on screen and people may not connect, you know?  It really has given me faith –  in myself, in my career, and in knowing that I chose the right thing to do.

 

AP:  I just absolutely adore you so much. It was so beautiful to watch you finally lead a film. I can’t wait to see you do it over and over again. Tell me, how was it being number one on the call sheet.  Did you enjoy leading a set?

 

EG:  It’s so interesting because I feel like I’ve lived the real Hannah Montana life in a sense – I’ve had a dual life my entire career. I have a decade of a career in Mexico, right? And now I have a decade of a career in America. My lives have been so different in the paradox of them both because I had the chance to start my career as number one in Mexico, and I’d never worked before. I’d never really had any experience as an actress, never even been an extra, a small cameo, nothing. I went from zero to number one, and I was only 14. When I came to America, I had the latter. I started slowly as an ensemble cast and  then started climbing to second one or female lead, but never really number one.  Guy Ritchie really gave me this trust in  The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare – I felt invincible and I hadn’t felt that in a very long time.  Then Fly [Flying Lotus] came around and you did too. And here it was. I felt really prepared, mentally in a good place. I felt strong to kind of be visceral in this performance, and truly felt really safe knowing that you were there. You were the dream person to do this with for the first time.

 

“What I’ve always dreamt as an actress is knowing that a director wants to work with me again.  That means I’ve succeeded – not in the sense of succeeding financially, but more so that my work ethic and desire resonate sufficiently with someone for them to trust me enough to bring me back.”

 

AP: It was just such a dream to witness it firsthand.  You’ve cultivated and nurtured such a strong and beautiful relationship with Guy [Ritchie]. How does it feel to know that your work has truly resonated with him and what does that connection bring to your performances with him?

 

EG: What I’ve always dreamt as an actress is knowing that a director wants to work with me again.  That means I’ve succeeded – not in the sense of succeeding financially, but more so that my work ethic and desire resonate sufficiently with someone for them to trust me enough to bring me back. That’s always been my dream and it’s something that I really focused on throughout my career. I’ve been really lucky to have that.  And listen, I in no way think I’m perfect, but I have a lot of desire, hunger and drive to grow and be better.

 

AP: I’ve known you forever. You’re a woman of many talents. I mean, it’s blinding. One of which is singing. You told me that Guy actually overheard you singing to yourself one day and he was so blown away by your voice that he asked you to sing for The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare in another language right? What went through your mind? Were you all in right away or was it a daunting challenge?

 

EG:  Well. It was really exciting when it was in English. It was definitely daunting when he decided to switch it to German, given that I don’t speak German.  It made me feel very confident. But yeah, that scene didn’t exist and Guy just said, “Why are you not utilising this talent that you have? I’m gonna write a scene. There’s always an amazing 1940s song that you can sing.” He loves music and he loved Mack The Knife. You know, I think selfishly, he used me as a vessel to have a song he loved in the movie. But, oh my god, it really did work for both of us.

AP: You’ve had an incredible past few years in terms of work. I’m just so proud of you as a friend. Are you someone that is just constantly looking for the next project? Or do you prefer to wait for the scripts to land on your desk just to see what jumps out at you?

 

EG:  I think that at the beginning of my career I went through a stage in my life that was very dark because I had a really bad accident on a set and my career just took a complete 180.  I fell off of two pretty big movies that were life changing.  I was really young when that happened, and I was coping with not being able to process what had happened. I think I just jumped, I dove into work in a very familiar feeling of survival.  However,  I finally feel like I’ve gotten to a place in my life – as a woman, as an adult, as an actor – where I feel confident about what I want to do next. I value my family more than ever and my family time. And it’s something that I learned from you. Watching you prioritise your family, always putting your family ahead of you and that being the most important source in your life was  actually really impactful for me.

 

AP:  Thank you so much –  that’s what it’s all about. In recent years, we’ve watched you work tirelessly, just like you said, back to back, to back, but also to be taken seriously as an actor. No doubt that journey has been harder because of where you’re from. You’ve shared with me the moment that you came out to LA to chase after this industry in the States, and you met up with a casting director who told you to your face, “Sure you might work as an actress simply because you are pretty.” I mean, that just pisses me off. But it actually made you question whether or not you wanted to tackle this industry any further stateside.  How do you feel about the opportunities that are now opening? And what do you think still needs to change to achieve better equality?

 

EG: First off,  I’m so grateful that you asked that because I once had an interview in print where I mentioned this superficial adjective that people like to use for Latin women. I was sort of expanding on archetypes and there’s an archetype for every ethnicity, right? We’ve seen it in movies, we’ve seen it in cartoons, we’ve seen them throughout history.  I was expanding on the word ‘spicy’ and it was spun to me saying that I thought that about myself. It broke my heart because I was emphasising the importance of not labeling cultures and not labeling women.  And I just thought, wow, what a way to villainise something that was said so purely and with such good intention.  When I was 25 years old the roles that I was receiving were ‘Hot Mafia Girlfriend’.  I am just really proud of the troop of women working in this generation and before us, like Salma [Hayek], Penélope Cruz and Rita Moreno. You know, I went from playing an EMT to a scientist to an astronaut, and I feel fucking proud of that. And none of them were tied to an ethnicity. I do think that is an amazing step forward because that took an industry changing their mentality, and we have to say it because it’s applause worthy.

AP:  My God, I’m obsessed with you. You’re just the best. What would you say to young Latina girls who look up to you for inspiration? Or what would you say to the young Eiza González walking out of that casting director’s office?

 

EG:  Well, I would say go cry for a bit. You know, let the feelings sink in. It’s okay to feel the failure. Something that really inspired me throughout my life was watching my mother reinvent herself. She went from orthodontist school to model, and then she was like, “You know what? I’m not going to let people put me in this box. Telling me I’m only a model when I have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in orthodontics.” Then at 45, she said, “I’m going to go study psychology and graduate as a therapist.” I went to her graduation at almost 50 years old. So, when you see someone reinvent themselves consistently and not allow the outside noise to define them, it really becomes a beacon of light. I don’t know if I would consider myself an inspiration – I’m like the person that just fell in the pool right now! I don’t see myself as anyone that you should look up to ever. But that’s the beauty of life. I would just say, go through the emotions. Nothing has defined you – not one experience, not one mistake, not one failure.

 

AP: Wow,  I cannot wait to read your book.

 

EG:  Funny enough, I am writing one.

 

AP:  Are you serious?

 

EG:  I am. This is the first time I’ve told someone.

 

“I don’t see myself as anyone that you should look up to ever. But that’s the beauty of life. I would just say, go through the emotions. Nothing has defined you – not one experience, not one mistake, not one failure.”

 

AP: ​​ That does not surprise me whatsoever. I love the conversations that we’ve had over the years. I feel so blessed to call you a friend. I know you have told me that you’ve had a lot of challenges you have been faced with throughout your life. One of the biggest was when you lost your incredible father at such a young age. I know it was important to your father that you learned as much as you could, starting as young as possible, so you’d have a leg up in this world. What do you think he would say to you right now, after seeing everything that you have accomplished, career-wise, onset, offset, just the beautiful woman that you have grown into?

 

EG:  My dad was such a scholar, he would’ve never let me do this! Not in a million years would I have told him, “No, dad, I’m not gonna to go to university because I’m gonna be an actress.” My dad was a sobber; he just cried all the time. He was such a sensitive soul. You actually remind me a lot of him. You have that sensitivity and consistent kindness.  If he could see me now, he’d feel very proud that I was able to deal with the traumas I’ve faced in life as graciously as I have. I think I pride myself on, even in the meanest, darkest moments of my life or career, or when I’ve been suffering or felt like I didn’t fit in, I’ve always tried to deal with it with as much grace as I could. I think that’s what he would be the most proud of.

 

AP:  You are truly one of the best I’ve ever known. He’s beaming with pride right now, I’ll tell you that.  To get back to our little sci-fi horror flick really quick – what’s the one thing that you hope audiences take away from watching Ash?

 

EG:  I want them to feel like they are inspired and they can go and do whatever they want to do.  Go and create art, create films. Go with your friends into a warehouse like we were in New Zealand or in Kentucky, or whatever the hell you are. I felt like it rekindled my love for the craft, being around people that were inspiring me in ways that I hadn’t experienced in such a long time. That would be the dream scenario for me.

 

AP:  That’s the dream!  What does the rest of 2025 look like for you?

 

EG:  I’m really excited to just take my time. I’m getting mentally and physically ready for the next few seasons of 3 Body Problem. It’s a big season for me.  I have other movies coming out too, which I’m very excited about. I have In the Grey, Fountain of Youth and I love Boosters,  but we’ll talk about that later. Right now, I just gotta dry myself off from this motherfucking pool.

 

AP:  I love you. Go and dry yourself off.

 

EG: You’re the best. It means the world that you did this for me. Love you.