Feel the Scene: Anthony Gonzalez on Coco | Interviews
When you act or sing, do you let the emotion guide your performance?
Yes, I really identify with Miguel a lot, so I put myself in his shoes and just think to myself, “What would I do in this situation?” I also remember my family, since there are similarities between Miguel’s family and my own. That really brought the emotion to me.
I heard your mom being interviewed on the radio and she sounds so supportive of you.
She is. As far as similarities between Miguel’s family and own—we both have a passion for music and we both really know the importance of family, the importance of following your dreams and the importance of doing what you love. I loved playing the role of Miguel because he, in the movie, is very resilient and he perseveres. He could’ve just shined shoes for the rest of his life, but he decided to follow his heart and his passion. Because of him doing that, he has served as a leader to many other kids who have a dream. Thankfully, my family has supported me in what I love to do and has always been there for me. I didn’t have the problem that Miguel has.
Did you have an Ernesto de la Cruz in your life that you’ve idolized?
Well, there has been no one like him that turned out to be like Ernesto was at the end. [laughs] But there are many singing idols that I have. People like Pedro Infante, Jorge Negrete, Antonio Aguilar, Pedro Fernández, Vicente Fernández—these are probably all names that many people don’t know, but they are very popular in the music industry. They were people that I grew up listening to and aspiring to be like one day. There are actually some parts in “Coco” where Pedro Infante and Jorge Negrete show up, which was so cool.
Did you grow up watching Pixar movies as well?
I watched “Toy Story” a lot. I have the Woody toy, where you pull the string and he says something, and I have a Buzz Lightyear blanket that has my name on it next to a picture of Buzz. “The Incredibles” was amazing, and I can’t wait for “Incredibles 2.” I love all three “Cars” movies, and I honestly love almost all of the Pixar movies. They make you laugh, they make you emotional and they bring back memories.
And on “Coco,” you got to be directed by Lee Unkrich, who won the Oscar for “Toy Story 3.”
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