Summary
The modern state of the internet can be a downright terrifying place.
COLLIDER: This is obviously an extremely personal movie for you.
There’s always like,I dont know who this person is.
Image via NImesh Niyomal Perera
Usually it’s a horror film and someone ends up dead [Laughs].
That’s usually how it goes.
But this is the complete antithesis of that, which makes for such a great movie.
Image via SXSW
LAYMON: There’s another part of the story that sometimes I forget to say.
I had to use a different name.
I wrote the script not knowing what the name was going to be.
Image via Roadside Attractions
Houston’s 44% Latino.
One of these incredible mentors and friends and chosen family was named Bob Trevino.
So I think if I use the name Bob Trevino, I canknowthat the heart of this is true.
I called him up.
I said, Hey, Bob, I have a really weird question for you.
And he said, Sure.
Plus its a good, catchy name, too.
LAYMON: Its fun!
It’s a playful name.
This is, of course, a movie about two different Bob Trevinos.
One is John Leguizamos character who becomes a pivotal character in Lily’s life.
Then there’s also the French Stewart’s Bob Trevino, whos her real dad.
LAYMON: He comes from a place of hurt.
He’s doing his best, and it’s just not quite cutting it.
To say the least.
There’s a lot of really, really funny stuff that wound up on the cutting room floor.
Unfortunately, it was really hard.
French isincrediblyfunny, and a lot of the humor that we kept was his stabs at manipulation.
He punches down a little bit, and that’s funny.
He did improv a lot of amazing things thatwe didget to keep.
And as long as it was rooted in the character, I could.
It’s so funny!
We’re going to lose it![Laughs].
You think maybe there’s potential for an extended cut in the future that has those scenes?
LAYMON: Or at least outtakes!
Our whole cast is just so wonderful.
Beyond French Stewart, of course, Barbie and John are also incredible in the movie.
They both give amazing performances.
How did they both first become involved with the project?
Cause I know they also produced the film.
LAYMON: They were both executive producers, and they really lived up to that.
They’ve championed the film.
They stuck with us.
They’ve been a part of every possible stage of the process.
Some people just take that credit and don’t do anything that’s not the case at all here.
Their hearts are a part of this film and they have championed it in all ways.
Barbie was on first.
I just really, really wanted to go to her.
I was probably saying her name ten times a day.
They were like, No, we get it.
Were trying to put the film together.
Give us a second.
I said: Can we go to Barbie now?
Can we go to Barbie now?
Then finally, we had enough together to go to her andI knewshe was going to get it.
I knew in my heart.
I watched her work.
I watched different sides of her in different projects.
And you don’t find all those things in one human being, usually.
I cannot imagine I can’t even come close to imagining anyone but her in this role.
‘Cam’ filmmakers Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber are behind the project.
That makes perfect sense.
She’s very peppy.
But it’s also internalizing a lot of trauma.
Or maybe relate to it too much?
To the point where it feels like it’s hitting close to home.
What was your thought process like when you were approaching those themes?
LAYMON: To be honest, my goal was to be as honest and truthful as possible.
I thought we’re an underrepresented group sometimes.
The people that are experiencing all these things that you could’t necessarily see on the outside.
I wasso busythat I didn’t even have time to worry.
Occasionally I would cry because it was so beautiful what we were doing.
I thought it was socathartic.
The whole situation was so cathartic.
Having this incredible cast and crew that were supporting me was very emotional for me.
And maybe other countries!
And maybe all these other things!
And it just kept going!
And I was like,Well, buckle up, Trace.[Laughs].
Especially if it’s more movies like this, an incredible start to a great career.
I’m curious, what do you either hope or plan to do next?
Do you want to stick with these smaller, more personal movies likeBob Trevino Likes It?
Or do you want to expand to something more expansive, like a big franchise film?
I’m not afraid at all of huge films.
I did write another one, and I hope to do that.
I don’t know if it’ll be my next one.
Because there certainly is hope and light and we don’t have to make it up.
We just have to all open our eyes for it and be there for each other.
Bob Trevino Likes Itis now playing in select theaters.
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