We caught up with John Leguizamo on the red carpet at the Miami International Film Festival for “The Trip 2” (“El Paseo 2”), the sequel to the 2010 Colombian box office smash and essentially a Spanish-language version of National Lampoon’s Vacation, in which a quirky family embarks on a vacation fraught with lost reservations, hot exes who show up at the worst possible time, and plenty of slapstick jokes.
The actor/comedian agreed to spend a few minutes answering my questions about Miami Vice, how his Sid the Sloth voice turns on his wife, and his much-anticipated next picture, “The Counselor.”
“The Trip 2” is one of Leguizamo’s rare Spanish-language films. “I performed many of my stunts… like Jackie Chan,” he explained.
“They threw me into a mud volcano, made me do scuba diving and nearly drowned me, hanged me from the exterior of a bus, and made me dance for 24 hours in the hottest spot in Colombia; it was insane.” The end effect is rather amusing, so it was well worth the effort.”
Leguizamo has also been a part of Ridley Scott’s latest picture, “The Counselor,” which features an ensemble cast as remarkable as the man who penned it (Cormac McCarthy). Leguizamo collaborates on McCarthy’s debut script alongside Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Cameron Diaz, and Rosie Perez.
The film is about a lawyer who becomes entangled in drug trafficking. The film is scheduled to open in November 2013.
Watch the video above for additional information on “The Counselor” and which Miami Vice character best depicts Miami in its entirety: Don Johnson or the other man. (Fun fact: Leguizamo appeared on Miami Vice in two episodes in 1986 and 1987 as Orlando Calderone and in one episode in 1989 as Angelo Alvarez.)
Leguizamo was willing to discuss anything…but he still didn’t mention my name.