Actress Adela Paez talks about starring in the sitcom “Primo” on Amazon Freevee, her inspirations, and being a part of the digital age.
‘Primo’
On her experience in “Primo,” she said, “It was a remarkable experience and a huge learning curve as well. It was my first time working a Single-Camera Comedy show so it was quite daunting to start.”
“In fact, I had never done any Comedy before so, admittedly, I was nervous. I still remember one day on set when Shea came back to holding to talk to me before a scene with my nephew, Rafa,” she said.
Paez continued, “Shea asked if I had any questions, and I started throwing out Comedy technique terms to try and figure out how he wanted me to do this because I was nervous and wanted to get it right. Shea calmly said to me, ‘I just want to see the love an Aunt feels for her nephew.’ Or, something to that effect.”
“Those simple words said all I needed to know. It was then that I realized I wasn’t hired for my comedy chops,” she added.
Playing Denise in ‘Primo’
She opened up about playing her character Denise. “Denise reminds me a lot of myself, actually,” she admitted. “When I first read the script, I was immediately drawn to her as she was loving, genuine, compassionate and quick-witted. The relationship she has with her nephew, Rafa, is comparable to the relationship I have with my own nephews.”
“In fact, one of my nephews was my inspiration for the scene where I stick tampons up Rafa’s nose. Not the finest way to handle a situation but she’s quick to think of the best way to take care of the kids. It was a touching scene and It stole my heart a little,” she said.
Inspirations as an actress
Regarding her inspirations as an actress, she said, “I am often inspired when I pull back another layer while working on a character. Every single discovery I make as an actor inspires the next opportunity. It’s a domino effect. Sometimes that discovery is so small and may only influence the intention for a single word but it’s a beautiful thing when it happens and you can’t help but want to keep doing it.”
The digital age
On being an actress in the digital age, now with streaming and technology being so prevalent, Paez said, “If I’m being honest, I miss the days when I walked into a Casting office and sat in a lobby with 20 other girls that looked like me. I had one shot to get it right and all the work had been done well before I stepped out of my vehicle and into that office.”
“There was something quite poetic about it all,” she said. “I will always miss that. So, getting back to your question, I don’t love it very much but I’m adapting like everyone else.”
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and aspiring actors, she said, “What is your advice for young and aspiring actors? I would offer advice that was given to me once. It’s a quote from the late Philip Seymour Hoffman and it has proven to be the best advice I ever received: ‘Study, find all the good teachers and study with them, get involved in acting to act, not to be famous or for the money. Do plays. It’s not worth it if you are just in it for the money. You have to love it’.”
Dream acting partners
She listed the following actors as her dream acting partners: Woody Harrelson, Colin Farrell, Ruth Wilson, Bradley Cooper, Casey Affleck and Emily Blunt.
“I am also constantly inspired by actors in my acting classes. I often leave class hoping to be paired with so many of my colleagues as they too inspire me,” she said.
Success
On her definition of success, Paez said, “My acting teacher tells us each week that we must earn the right to say the words in our scripts. Interestingly enough, I feel successful each time I earn the right to say a word.”
“It’s such an achievement to me. If I can honor these characters, I feel quite successful. I also feel enormous success knowing my family is happy, healthy and doing what they love,” she acknowledged.
Closing thoughts on ‘Primo’
Paez remarked about “Primo,” “It is the first show surrounding a Mexican-American family that is truly relatable and honest. My family and I watch the show and we laugh and our hearts soar because we remember these moments from our childhood.”
“I truly hope the show sparks conversations in people’s homes. It did in ours. Maybe it will create opportunities for families to mend old wounds or laugh about past hardships. Either way, it’s certainly going to make you laugh,” she concluded.
To learn more about Adela Paez, follow her on Instagram.
