International screen star Kate del Castillo makes her New York stage debut as one of a trio of famous faces in Los Monologos De La Vagina, Eve Ensler’s groundbreaking The Vagina Monologues performed entirely in Spanish. The Mexican beauty is one of Latin America’s biggest super stars—dabbling in television, film, books and stage—and still finds the time to advocate for human rights, particularly human trafficking. BroadwayBox caught up with the lovely del Castillo to find out why this play drew her to NYC, the TV show she’d love to appear on and her personal connection to her iconic role on La Reina del Sur (The Queen of the South).
1. What was it about this piece that spoke to you in a way that you were inspired to make your New York theatrical debut?
They offered me Los Monologos De La Vagina when I was in Mexico, a long time ago, and for one reason or the other I couldn't do it. I never read it before or saw the show, so now when the producer called, I thought, “I don’t know; send the script and we’ll see. We might have to redo the whole script because it’s been 15 years since they wrote this.” But then reading it, I said, “my God, unfortunately it’s so contemporary.” It’s amazing how nothing has changed about violence against women. The numbers were the only things we needed to update, and they are increasing. I’m an activist and this is very, very important. And the monologues are beautiful— super profound and informative. I love it. This show is a lot of fun. We make fun of our tragedy as women. I’m having a blast.
2. You are one of Latin America’s biggest stars and you have career in America, but what’s the one thing no one tells you about crossing-over?
You have to have a big stomach for it. You’re starting from the beginning, and trying to blend into this system, which is very different than the way we work in Mexico or Latin America. On this side, we have to have managers, agents, PR, stylists, [and] at the end of the day, you give away all your money [Laughs]. And the other thing that’s hard is making people understand I’m not the same as Jennifer Lopez or Eva Longoria or Eva Mendes. We are all different kinds of Latinas. I bring an audience they don’t have, and vice versa.
3. I’ve seen you on Grimm, Dallas and, of course your sensational arc on Weeds; what’s the American TV show you would love to join next?
I love Homeland, and House of Cards is my other favorite. The writing is brilliant and they have a lot of fun. And they say so many things; there is no censure at all. I love it.
4. Of all these great roles you’ve done, what role of yours has been the closest to who you are in your real life? Which did you feel was a kindred spirit?
Probably the Queen of the South, she’s a big drug lord (and I don't do that), but I relate to that woman because she thinks like a man but she loves like a woman. So many things happen to her and she’s always getting back up every time, stronger. She’s a survivor, and she does it for herself—to be better for her, not for anybody else.
5. What would your typical Saturday night be like in New York, in Los Angeles and in Mexico?
Here in New York, I would go out and have a drink in one of those little hole in the wall bars. I like walking in New York. In L.A., you don’t walk and you don’t go out. I’m an old lady; I stay home and I have people over. In Mexico, I would go out very single day. On Saturday night, we’d have dinner with friends and go to a nice bar—not clubs, I hate clubs—or sitting and closing the restaurant after dinner.
Kate del Castillo stars in 'Los Monologos De La Vagina' at the Westside Theatre through June 1, 2014.
