(Left) Luis Guzmán in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.
Out now in theaters is ‘Guns Up,’ directed by Edward Drake and starring Kevin James, Christina Ricci, Luis Guzman, Timothy V. Murphy, Francis Cronin, and Melissa Leo.
In ‘Guns Up,’ Luis Guzman plays Ignatius, the right hand man of a mob boss and friend to Ray Hayes (Kevin James), a former cop who works as an enforcer for the organization and is looking to get out.
Guzman’s ability to move effortlessly from the serious to the comedic has landed him roles in dozens of films and TV shows, and he’s worked with directors like Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson multiple times. In addition to ‘Guns Up’ and the recent thriller ‘Havoc,’ Guzman will return this fall in Season 2 of the blockbuster Netflix series ‘Wednesday’ as Gomez, patriarch of the Addams family and father to the title character (Jenna Ortega).
Moviefone had the pleasure of speaking exclusively with this versatile actor about getting the role in ‘Guns Up,’ working with Kevin James and Christina Ricci, and what we can expect next from ‘Wednesday.’
Related Article: Jenna Ortega Looks Suitably Spooky in the First Image from ‘Wednesday’ Season 2
(L to R) Kevin James, Christina Ricci and Luis Guzmán in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.
Moviefone: Let’s start with ‘Guns Up.’ What struck you about this script and character?
Luis Guzmán: Well, it was funny. They called me on a Monday. They offered me the part on Monday and they said, “Can you fly in tomorrow to start shooting Wednesday?” I go, “Okay, guys, maybe it’d be a good idea that I read the script because you offered me the part. I have not read the script.” So I got the script later that day. I read it that night. I thought it was really cool and different. I liked the whole genre of action/comedy and the fact that I was going to have an opportunity to work with Kevin James and Christina Ricci and to do a scene with Melissa Leo. I was like, “Oh, wow, this is great.” But it also a lot also had to do with the writer/director, Edward Drake. I just dug his vibe, his flow. That got me really interested. I dug the character because initially in the beginning, there’s a mystery to this guy. Is he a bad guy? Because he seems like a bad guy. But as the movie progresses it’s like, oh, okay, it’s shifting. It’s shifting…So yeah, that kind of drew me in.
MF: Ignatius seems like he’s there to facilitate whoever’s in charge at the moment, but at the same time it feels like he’s also got the big picture in mind.
LG: Absolutely. So like I said, for me in that sense, it was quite fun. It was a good shoot. It was a really good crew of people, considering all the action that was going on, the shooting and all that stuff. Nobody got hurt. We had great, great stunt coordinators on the show who kept everybody safe. For me that made it really cool. I just really dug how organic it was because I don’t like to be predictable, and this film, again, just gave me the opportunity to just do my thing and have fun.
Kevin James in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.
MF: Kevin is mainly known for comedy. Is it interesting to play opposite a guy like him and watch him do something that he’s not known for, and also to play off that yourself and see how he’s trying to stretch himself?
LG: See, I never think about those things because then again, for me, it becomes a little predictable. I, personally, like to be organic. Even though I know Kevin is maybe a comedic actor, I’m not thinking about him as a comedic actor. I’m thinking about him in that moment, in that role, and what’s going on, what’s happening, what are we doing?
MF: What’s the first thing you do when you get to set on the first day? How do you prepare?
LG: I just show up. For me, always, the first day is the hardest day because you are just trying to find the vibe. Because again, I always find that on my first day, I’m discovering things. Once I start working and whoever else I’m working with, and I get the flow back from them, then that really triggers me into what I’m going to do, how I’m going to approach all this stuff. So that’s how basically it works for me.
(L to R) Christina Ricci and Kevin James in ‘Guns Up’. Photo: Vertical.
MF: Any particular days on this shoot that you remember as being especially challenging, or when something funny and unexpected happened?
LG: Well, my first night of shooting actually, we shot underneath the Bayonne Bridge. We’re on the water, and it’s night, and [it was] just beautiful. You saw the Manhattan skyline in the background and it was just a beautiful shot. You appreciate that because there’s a certain artistry to that. Also, it was dark. I’m making this whole speech to all these bad guys, wannabes, and stuff like that, and I’m owning it. I’m owning that moment. But like I said, it was just such a beautiful setting.
MF: You are an actor who is constantly working. Is it a satisfying feeling for you to have such a long career and be as busy as you are?
LG: Oh, man, it is 100% satisfying. It kind of blows me away because I always tell my friends and family, it’s nice to be wanted, but it’s also the fact that I have established myself and I get phone calls to do this and to do that. I mean, Jesus Christ, man, just for me right now, I’m just playing this iconic role of Gomez on ‘Wednesday.’ The great John Astin did it, the wonderful Raul Julia did it. Here I am doing it. I’m just honored and blown away. Listen, I’ve been doing this for a long time. I pinch myself every day. I’m like, wow. So again, it’s nice to be wanted but, and I’ve said this many times, I’ll say it again. I guess the biggest asset that I have about myself is being humble, and that’s why I keep getting called back to do stuff. I show up not only to be an artist, but to complement other artists, whether they’re a director, actors, producers, makeup, hair, wardrobe. It’s all a beautiful artistic collaboration and I’m just honored to be a part of all that.
Luis Guzmán on the set of ‘Wednesday’ season 1. Photo: Netflix.
MF: You and Christina didn’t get to interact on Season 1 of ‘Wednesday,’ but was it fun to work with her on ‘Guns Up’ and also maybe talk about that connection?
LG: Well, it was great working with her on ‘Guns Up.’ I think we just mentioned [‘Wednesday’] on the first day. But I got to tell you, man, Christina was so laser-focused on this. I love her character. I love the reveal of her character. She was really spot on, 100% committed to what she was doing. So for me, again, it was fun working with her.
MF: You mentioned John Astin and Raul Julia playing the part of Gomez. What do you do to make the role your own?
LG: Well, my approach is quite simple. I am a loving husband, a loving father. I love my family. Being an outcast is something that I’m proud of. I use the word organic a lot, but that’s how I approach it. Listen, you get to work with Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Isaac Ordenez who plays my son, and we really click so well together. It’s a beautiful family. So for me, like I said, because you see how Raul and Anjelica Huston did their roles, you saw how John Astin did his role, and it’s just a continuation of love.
(L to R) Luis Guzmán and Isaac Ordonez in season 1 of ‘Wednesday’. Photo: Netflix.
MF: What can we expect in Season 2 of ‘Wednesday’?
LG: They blew the lid off it. The first season was pretty spectacular. I told the writers, “How are you guys going to outdo this?” Believe me, they went beyond it. I was blown away. Audiences are going to be so, so happy to see the show come back. Tim Burton, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar and their team of writers really outdid themselves. Just the best cast, the best crew. It’s a real collaboration of artists and it’s beautiful.
MF: Finally, you’ve worked multiple times with great directors — Steven Soderbergh, Paul Thomas Anderson, Brian De Palma. Do you see a similarity between the way they work or the vision that they have, and do you see that in some of the newer directors that you work with these days?
LG: I think they’re all different because they approach their artistry differently. All their visions are different. What they have in common is that they’re all artists, but they all do their thing differently and the outcome is wonderful.
When a job goes horribly wrong, an ex-cop and family man who moonlights as a mob henchman has one night to get his family out of the city. Read the Plot
What is the plot of ‘Guns Up’?
When a job goes horribly wrong, an ex-cop and family man who moonlights as a mob henchman has one night to get his family out of the city.
Who is in the cast of ‘Guns Up’?
- Kevin James as Ray Hayes
- Christina Ricci as Alice Hayes
- Luis Guzmán as Ignatius Locke
- Melissa Leo as Michael Temple
- Timothy V. Murphy as Lonny Castigan
- Joey Diaz as Charlie Brooks
- Francis Cronin as Danny Clogan
- Leo Easton Kelly as Henry Hayes
- Keana Marie as Siohbán Hayes
- Maximilian Osinski as Antonio Castigan
Luis Guzmán in season 1 of ‘Wednesday’. Photo: Netflix.
List of Luis Guzman Movies and TV Shows
Buy Tickets: ‘Guns Up’ Movie ShowtimesBuy Luis Guzman Movies on Amazon