From show creator Tanya Saracho, the half-hour Starz series Vida has returned for Season 2, as Lyn (Melissa Barrera) and Emma (Mishel Prada) attempt to figure out the best way to approach rebuilding their mother’s business without it fully dragging them under financially. As the series continues to explore identity, culture, gender and sexuality through the lens of a Latinx family and their community, these previously estranged sisters must figure out what they want from each other, the relationships in their lives, and their futures.
During this 1-on-1 phone interview with Collider, actor Ser Anzoategui (who plays Eddy, married to Lynn and Emma’s mother Vidalia, at the time of her death) talked about the importance of representation and visibility, what it means to be a part of Vida, fan feedback, being a non-binary actor in Hollywood, enjoying Eddy’s journey, and learning so much more about who the character is.
Collider: I very much enjoyed the first season. This is such a fun show to watch, and to binge.
SER ANZOATEGUI: Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that, for real.
Obviously, representation and visibility matters, and it’s important for everybody to have the opportunity to see themselves on screen, and this show does that not just with its characters, but with its cast and its creative team. What has it meant to you to bring this character to life, but also be given a voice and a platform for people who could see themselves in you?
ANZOATEGUI: Well, it’s been incredible. It started a little bit earlier, when I was cast in East Los High and I was like, “What? You want me in TV?!” I was doing theater, and they actually sought me out. I was like, “This is great!” At the time, there was a masculine center character, and it was this impactful, far-reaching story. So, it does feel like a responsibility, but at the same time, I’m used to that. I’ve been writing about that and performing it, for a very long time now, and I just kept going and didn’t quit. I kept believing in myself and kept training, as an actor, and never said, “I deserve that role” or “I’m not gonna train. I’m not gonna go to class next week. I cried, and then I was like, “Okay, now it’s back to the next day,” or “Now it’s time for self-care.” There was a lot of self-care that went into it, so, that I could get up the next day and cry again. I know that someone with my background could really be triggered, playing these emotions and drawing from the actual place that happened. It was a spiritual process for myself. I had to trust in myself and my guides and God, and the ancestors and the city. I’m from Los Angeles, and I feel a deep connection to the streets of Los Angeles. I was homeless. So, I feel really blessed. That’s something that’s important, to be able to portray Los Angeles in a non-stereotypical way, with all of these characters.
Did you get meaningful feedback from fans, right away?
ANZOATEGUI: Yes. It was very immediate. It’s very personal to people. When they do reach out and tell me, through Instagram or in person, it’s very special, because it’s also a reminder, no matter how hard it is. If I get discriminated against or treated a certain way, either professionally or in my real life, I remember the fans and I remember how it makes a difference. That’s how I keep on going. It does matter, and I can get past this all and break through a lot of the barriers in front of me, within me, and outside of me.
When you’re a non-binary actor in Hollywood, does a show like this and a character like this feel like a success, or does it feel like one small step toward that larger understanding?
ANZOATEGUI: It’s both. It’s like, “What? For real?! This is literally right now?” But at the same time, I realize, “Wait, I’m complaining a lot. I should be positive more.” You keep working, and you’re in that wheel. I feel like a hamster in a wheel that just keeps going, and when you take the wheel out, you still keep going. Thank god, I was a struggling actor with no support from my family. As an adult already, I was like, “This is my craft.” It’s a huge thing. At the same time, it still feels like I’m educating and we’re still at the beginning of, “Look, these are brown people, but they’re not actually criminals. We’re at that basic level. We’re operating on woke level, and it’s really working. A lot of people respond to it, in their own ways. It’s really exciting to see this.
The whole first season really felt like the prologue for this story, and now it seems like we’re really getting to dig in and learn more about who these people are. What was it like to get to learn so much more about who Eddy is?
ANZOATEGUI: The show was being written, as we were shooting the episodes, so we didn’t really know what was gonna happen. It was definitely surprising and unexpected. That’s the beauty of working with Tanya. She always has you at the edge of your seat. Season 2 is a slow simmer, and you’ll be left on a cliffhanger, for sure. You would not expect Eddy to go where they go, so that was cool to play. I didn’t know for sure, if it was gonna go one direction, and then, after they told me new information, it was completely different. I was like, “Well, this is cool, too.” As an actor, I love that.
At the beginning of this season, Eddy is still recovering from last season’s attack, and when you can’t get around and you’re dependent on other people to help, you learn how those people feel about you, pretty quickly. How will that change the dynamic that Eddy has, with both Lyn and Emma?
ANZOATEGUI: While Eddy can’t move, she can’t do much for herself. Even though she wants that relationship with the two step-daughters, or step-sisters, she’s still like, “What would happen? Do I trust that they’re gonna make the best decisions?” She can’t be as physically present or as mobile and able to support herself. She has to rely on Emma and Lyn, and Lyn and Eddy relying on Emma is not a good thing. But, Emma is really gonna surprise Eddy. Eddy has some beautiful moments. There are gonna be a lot more unexpected emotional roller coasters, but it’s a slow simmer. You’ll get to see all of these other characters coming and how that affects Eddy.
With what you did end up getting to learn and explore with the character in Season 2, what did you most enjoy about the journey?
ANZOATEGUI: I know the value of the show. It’s so good, and the story could keep going, season after season. I feel like Season 2 is better that Season 1, and it has more juice with more episodes, so that’s exciting. Season 2 is so juicy that you just wanna get into that steak. Even if you’re a vegetarian, you’re gonna wanna eat this steak. That’s how juicy it feels like. The thing with (showrunner) Tanya [Saracho] is that she was already writing to you. She picks up those cues.
Vida Season 2 is available for binge-watching on the Starz app and Starz On-Demand, and weekly on Sunday nights on Starz.
