Chatting with Aimee
Aimee Garcia is an actress best known for her roles in television as Veronica on George Lopez and Alma on the series Off the Map. She has also had memorable roles on All About the Anderson's, Dexter, Lucifer, Greeting From Tucson, American Family, and the medical drama Trauma by Peter Berg. Garcia has appeared briefly as well on such iconic shows as Family Guy, Supernatural, ER, and Bones among many others.
Aimee also works in film. She appeared alongside Jessica Simpson in Major Movie Star and narrated Adam Sandler's Spanglish, Robocop, Convincing Clooney. She is also an avid supporter of higher education with degrees from Northwestern in French, journalism, and international-relations. Hollywoodisation's own Mary interviews the one and only, Aimee Garcia.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
I grew up in Chicago. I'm Mexirican (half Mexican, half Puerto Rican). I started dancing when I was 3 and dancing professionally when I was 7 in Chicago. I went to a high school that used to be all boys so my freshman year, there was 800 boys and 100 girls; all the seniors, juniors and sophomores were boys. But, they hated us. They were like, "Ugh now that girls are here, we have to shower and can't burp in class." That experience showed me how to deal with guys. I was a tomboy in high school and loved playing pick-up basketball with my buddies. I'm a late bloomer so I'm just now starting to come into my girliness...Now, I love putting on my heels and going out for drinks with my girls.
What inspired you to pursue your degrees at Northwestern? Why do you think higher education is a must for all people?
I chose Economics because I always knew I was going to be a freelancer, meaning you might make a lot of money one month and then no money the next four so you had to learn how to invest your money, save and make the dollar stretch. It's come in handy, as acting is a freelance career.
I chose Journalism because I think it's important to communicate well. Whether you're writing an email, giving a speech or doing a presentation, you have to learn how to communicate and convince people. Last year, I blogged for NBC from the set of Trauma and this year, I blogged for ESPN. And, right now, I'm writing this interview for you so I'm having to express myself through writing.
I majored in French because I think it's important to speak different languages. I already speak Spanish, so French was easier to learn. I use French in interviews to promote whatever I'm doing and it's the language of love so I had to learn it!
I think higher education is a must for all people because it gives them choices. I don't like people telling me what to do, and if all I had is a high school degree, people would tell me, "You can't get this job because you don't have a degree"..."You can't do that because you're not qualified." I mean, you can always choose to do nothing, but at least you have a choice. I don't like people telling me what to do, so I made sure to set myself up for freedom in life by getting a college degree.
How did you first become involved in acting? I started acting as a kid in Chicago. I did commercials with Michael Jordan, Sammy Sosa and Charles Barkley and danced professionally to help pay for college. Then in high school, I did professional Chicago theater. At Northwestern, even though I didn't major in acting, I performed in plays and musicals. I even played Diana Morales in Northwestern University's production of "A Chorus Line," where I got to dance and sing as well. When I graduated Northwestern University, I moved to New York and worked in finance because I wanted a job that used my Journalism and Economics degrees. But, after 6 months of being a mutual fund analyst, I realized acting was my one true love. Up until that time, I had been acting to pay for college tuition and it was so fun that I thought of it as my hobby. But, after graduation, I decided to turn my hobby into a career. So, I packed up my bags, moved to Los Angeles, and now here I am.
Who do you consider to be some of the greatest living actresses of our time, and why?
Well, obviously Meryl Streep. Not only can she do comedy and drama seamlessly, but she received her B.A. in Drama from Vassar College and her M.F.A. from Yale University and she seems to lead a healthy, balanced life. She doesn't seem to be a tortured artist, which is refreshing. I also love Reese Witherspoon because she has great comedic timing and, yet, won an Oscar for her dramatic performance. I love Angelina Jolie too because she's an incredible actress. (Anyone who has seen Gia can instantly sees she's a star). She embodies and exudes sexuality in such an intriguing way...best vixen ever! But, I think the world will remember her as an advocate for people and children who are less fortunate. She uses her fame, money and influence as a platform to champion for those who don't have a voice. She is using her notoriety to leave the world a better place, and that's very inspiring to me.But, my favourite actress is probably Annette Benning. She can make you laugh, cry and think - all in the same scene. I'll never forget that moment in American Beauty when she shuts the curtains and has a breakdown after the open house. Then, in The Kids Are Alright, she rips your heart out. I especially love the moment where she finds out Julianne Moore's character is cheating on her and she drinks the wine at the table while her heart is breaking. A lot of actors are great, but very few touch your soul. Somehow, Annette Benning moves me every time.
What did you learn from working on George Lopez? What was it like to be part of the first prime time comedy ever to feature an all Hispanic family? Do you ever miss it?
I learned to have fun! George set such a fun tone while we were shooting that it didn't even feel like work. But, he also taught me to work hard. I always say he's the hardest working guy I know. I feel so proud to be part of the first prime time comedy ever to feature an all-Hispanic family. No one on TV looked like me when I was young, so I'm glad that the next generation can see themselves representing on the screen. Yes. I totally miss it! It was so much fun! But, nothing lasts forever so we made history and now we're all doing cool, new things.
You also narrated Spanglish. Did you enjoy that?
Yes. I got to work very closely with Jim Brooks (who co-created The Simpsons). He is such a genius! I remember recording at Sony when Adam (Sandler) rode up in his scooter. He said hi and I was like, "Ummmm...." I felt like such an idiot! That was the first time I was speechless in front of a celebrity.
You are also very active when it comes to charity. Do you feel it is important for those who are in a position to do so, give back to those who have less?
Definitely. I think that any one who is in the limelight should use that platform for good. When I go to school and talk to kids, they listen because they know me from The George Lopez Show. I don't care why, I just care that they listen to me when I tell them they need to get a college degree. So, yes, I think it's important for celebrities to use their influence to raise awareness for things they're passionate about.
What one aspect of charity and activism do you feel most passionately about?
I'm most passionate about education. I'm a true believer that education = choices. I think the more prepared you are and the more you know, the easier it will be to navigate through life. You never know where education will lead you. And, when I say, "education," people usually think of the classroom, tests and homework, but what I mean by "education" is making good choices; choosing good friends who will support you, taking trips that might give you a great business idea, cultivating a relationship with a teacher who might become your lifelong mentor...
What is it like to work alongside other fellow Hispanic celebrities to raise awareness on policy issues in Washington?
This spring, I went to D.C to promote the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's American Graduate initiative with America Ferrera and it was amazing to see how much influence you can have. I was like, "Why are these White House people listening to me? I'm just an actor." But, then I realized I'm an educated actor and that my college degree gave me leverage for my ideas on education to be heard. So, again, because I went to college, I was able to go to D.C. and give national leaders my opinion on how to make positive changes for students.
What advice would you offer the women of tomorrow?
To not limit themselves and to prepare themselves in order to be able to compete. How do you prepare yourself? By getting a college degree and doing internships. I really think woman make excellent bosses; they communicate well, they mutli-task well and they have great social skills - qualities of good CEOs and successful business owners. So, I would say to not be limited by what's around them. If you want to do something do it. Life's too short. The worst feeling in the world is regret. I'd rather regret what I did, than what I didn't do. You never know if you don't try. And, even if you "fail," you'll learn from that experience and that "failure" might even lead you to another successful path.
What is something about yourself that your fans might not know?
That I'm starting to become a girl and just now getting into fashion. I'm a late bloomer, but better late than never I guess.
How do you think your life has changed most since your early days?
I definitely meet more influential people now and get to have cool experiences, but other than that not much has changed. I have a lot of the same friends I had back in Chicago and at Northwestern and I bet if you asked my grade school friends if I've changed, they'd say I'm the same... or at least I hope they would!
What is the most insane thing you have ever done? What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
The most insane thing I've ever done is jump out of a plane while doing 6 summersaults 15,000 feet in the air. I don't know what I was thinking but I was dared by one of my friends...and I never back down from a dare. I also traveled by myself through Turkey, Greece and Israel and would sleep at random locals' houses. I could have gotten kidnapped or robbed. But, I guess I was so naïve that nothing happened to me and I made it back home.
In my spare time, I travel. I just went to the Cook Islands and went deep-sea fishing. I caught a 20-pound Mahi-Mahi so I was stoked. It took me 20 minutes to reel her in...she was feisty. I also play golf, which is a very mental sport. I play poker with my buddies and, of course, hang out with my friends.
Are you excited about your new role on Dexter? Can you tell us a little about that?
Yes! I love Dexter. It's actually my favorite show. And, my role is so fun. Jamie is fearless, fun and smart. She moves to Miami for grad school and is Dexter's nanny. I like her because she's feisty but fair. She's also Batista's little sister so like any little sister she has her bratty moments, but she's really comfortable in her skin - literally. In the first episode, Jamie's wearing a bikini and walking around totally comfortable. She's a Florida girl so being in her bikini is like being in her pajamas.
You are also star in the film Go For It? What exactly is the movie about? Do you know when it will be released yet?
Go For It is like Step Up meets Flashdance. I play the title role and do all my own dancing. There's no guy with a wig or body double (like there is in most dance movies). It's a coming-of-age story about a Chicago dancer named Carmen, who dreams of becoming a professional dancer. But, her brothers want her to grow up and find a job, her parents want her to go to college, and her best friend keeps dating horrible guys. So, she's being stretched a million different ways. Go For It! also features the Beat Freaks and Gwen Stafani's Harajuku Girls. We shot the movie in 18 days and Lionsgate picked it up for national distribution so it was pretty cool. It hit theaters in the spring and will be out on DVD Sept. 27.
Anything you would like to say in closing?
I just want to tell anyone who's reading this to never give up. I know it sounds so cliché, but I always say there are two types of people; the people who quit when things get rough and the people who get back up when they fall down. The choices you make determine which one you are. If I were you, I'd say be the latter, life's too short.
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