What kind of research did you do particularly on the Mara Salvatrucha gang?
There was a lot of visual research. Both the makeup and production design departments had walls and walls of reference material to go by. Did any of the real gang members you worked with on the film voice any concerns about how they were being portrayed? No. Like Edward James Olmos after “American Me?” [Olmos was sent death threats by members of the Mexican mafia after the film debuted in 1992]. Well, I am traveling around under an alias. (Laughs). Maybe I can finally get a pistol in New York City. I actually went to the shooting range a few days ago. I’m pretty good with a .40 caliber. Where do your characters come from? Are they composites from your research? Everyone is a definitely composite and everyone is sort of a facet of me as well. I didn’t know I had a little homie inside me – an inner homie. Did that attitude come out anytime during production? Yes, when I had to lay down the law. (Laughs) Nah, I’m pretty laid back on set. I’m energetic, but I never throw tantrums or anythi
