Our Round of interviews for the movie “The Star” started with Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez, who play Joseph and Mary in the movie.
It was like chatting with my best friends and having a super relaxed conversation about something we all loved: the movie!
Zachary Levi had a supporting role in the television movie Big Shot: Confessions of a Campus Bookie (2002) with David Krumholtz, Tory Kittles, Jennifer Morrison and Nicholas Turturro. He then began acting as Kipp Steadman in the TV series Less Than Perfect (2002) with Sara Rue, Andrea Parker, Eric Roberts, Andy Dick and Sherri Shepherd.
He was seen in the television movie See Jane Date (2003) on the WB with Charisma Carpenter, Holly Marie Combs, Linda Dano and Rachelle Lefevre. In his spare time, Zachary enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding, skydiving and participating in various other sports.
Gina Rodriguez
Rodriguez’s career really took off after starring in the 2012 film Filly Brown, which also featured Jenni Rivera, Lou Diamond Phillips and Edward James Olmos. The movie explores the rise and fall of a young rap artist played by Rodriguez. As she explained to Complex.com, she picked this project because it defied common Hollywood stereotypes of Latinos. “This movie shows our stories are all the same. At the end of the day we are all one race, which is the human race. Filly Brown could have been a black girl, a white girl, an Asian girl.”
After Filly Brown was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, Rodriguez fielded numerous job offers. She turned down a chance to appear on Marc Cherry’s Devious Maids series because she objected to the way it portrayed Latinos. “That’s something I didn’t want to contribute to, the incorrect perception of a culture,” she told The New York Times. But Rodriguez soon found her dream project when she landed the lead in Jane the Virgin, which debuted in fall of 2014
One of my favorite parts of our interview was when asked about their favorite Christmas Movies and Traditions, they replied:
GR: I grew up with the nativity story, though. Like, that was definitely – and all the different versions and I feel like TBS and like Lifetime did a version every Christmas – I really enjoyed it so it’s really cool to be a part of this one.
ZL: And I think, “A Christmas Carol”? No, wait, no hold on.
GR: Oh, the one where he gets his tongue stuck on the –
ZL: Yeah, Christmas Story! Christmas Story! Because who doesn’t want a leg lamp? And I also like “It’s a Wonderful Life” – just to me, that’s like, that’s one of the greatest stories ever done, ever told.
GR: That’s the one where he’s like, “I’m gonna lasso the moon” right? And bring the moon down and you’re gonna eat it and stars are gonna come out of your eyes
ZL: What? I don’t remember any of that stuff.
GR: That’s what he says, right? Because it’s the most romantic part of it.
ZL: “You’re gonna eat the moon and stars are gonna come out of your eyes!”
GR: That is exactly the way he said it, it’s so romantic! Actually, that’s my boyfriend’s favorite movie, and last year in Thailand – he always watches it with his family on Christmas Eve with his dad –
ZL: There ya go!
GR: And so last, year, he was like ….
ZL: Glad I brought it up.
GR: – We weren’t with his family, so he said – I do this every year and I’m not gonna be with my family but you’re my family now, will you watch with me? And it was the first time I had watched with him and it was so beautiful. I know. Their relationship, though, towards the end was really rough. His wife.
ZL: He and his wife in the movie? Well that all came full circle. Don’tcha remember me Mary? But that, to me, the great thing – I love the heart of that movie in that we are all – even in our worst bits, even if we feel like we have completely ruined our lives – and I’ve felt like I’ve done that plenty of times in my own life, but you are worth something. You are valuable. You are valuable to your family, to your friends, to your community, and the world would not be the same were you – if you were not in it. And I think that’s the greatest thing from that movie.
GR: That’s also the beautiful take on Joseph and Mary in “The Star” – because they’re, and the I think the way that they told the story was so beautifully done because it is such a delicate matter, but it’s done with such a light, like joyous and that element of we all are just trying, and we all are just attempting at being the best version of ourselves and we all fail. All fall, and Joseph feels that way.
ZL: Oh my gosh, yeah.
GR: And Mary does, throughout their entire little journey, but it’s done in such a hopeful way that it’s not – the context isn’t, the weight isn’t so heavy so that children and adults with their different perspective on it can see the value in it which I think is very cool.
Here is a short clip of that conversation, thought you might want to check it out:
Our time together revealed how much they enjoyed making the movie and how much the story touched them!
I hope you enjoyed our interview as much as I did and that you head out to the movie theater this holiday weekend to watch The Star!
Can’t wait to hear what you think, as usual, give us a Trendy Shout!
Picture Credit: Animation Picture credit to Sony Pictures Entertainment INC.
Such a great movie! I’m sure it will be one we watch every year! Great interview!
This sounds like a great movie for the whole family. My son saw some kind of preview online for it and wanted to see it. I hope it does well!
This looks like a really awesome movie! Wow! I am going to have to check it out.
This sounds like it will be one great movie. I’m a big fan of Gina Rodriguez so I will for sure see with my kiddos. I think they’ll enjoy it!
Sounds like this would make a great family movie to watch together. I am going to have to check it out,.
Sounds like a fabulous movie. I am going to have to check it out this Holiday Season.
I keep seeing the previews for this movie. It looks really good, I can’t wait to see it!
I hadn’t even heard of this movie! And we usually keep up on all the animated ones coming out. Don’t know how this slipped by us!
Wow, this would be so exciting to be able to do! I love hearing about the behind the scenes info about movies. I have been wanting to see this movie with my kids, maybe this weekend we can find some time to go and see it.
What an amazing insight into the movie. It sounds like it was a fun interview!
I love this movie! I love that they focused on this story as well. So cool.
They sound like amazing people! I would have loved to talk with them.
I am excited to go see The Star. This is a great interview. It must have been so exciting to talk to Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez.
Zachary and Gina are adorable. I have been itching to see this movie for quite some time. I can’t wait to see it closer to the holidays with my family.
What a super fun interview! The kids are begging me to take them to see this movie. I better get on it!
They sound like nice people! I haven’t gotten to see this yet!
I can’t wait to see this movie with my kids. It looks like the perfect movie for the holiday season!
I totally love this movie. It really will be a classic, so much fun!
This movie looks like it is so good. I can not wait to see it with the family.
My daughter and I have been talking about this movie since we saw the first preview. I’m looking forward to a mommy and daughter date.
I love reading interviews so that you can get to know the actors better. For Gina to turn down a role that inaccurately portrayed Latinas is a big stand for a young woman needing work. That really says everything about her character.
This movie is going to become a Christmas Classic. I enjoyed the interview with the actors. It’s fun to hear the “behind the scenes” stories and see some of the personality coming through.
Thanks for sharing your great interview. I’m so excited to see this movie, one we can all go to.
This movie looks so cute! I LOVE Zachary Levi! And is it just me, or does the character in the movie look like Gina Rodriguez?!
It sounds like this is going to be a really sweet retelling of the story! I think I’m going to like Zachary and Gina as Joseph and Mary.
That’s totally awesome. I love these actors because they’re really talented and dedicated. Glad that you got the chance to interview them!
The kids always put on a play at church centered around Joseph and Mary. They’re going to love seeing it for once instead of being in it. I have a feeling this will be one of our favorite movies.
They look to be great stars and that was anice interview. I will look into that movie to see during the holidays
I am really excited to take the kids to see this movie. It sounds just so wholesome and family friendly – rare these days!
Oh wow what an awesome sounding movie for Christmas and what a fab interview! I’m going to have to look into it more 🙂
This movie is on my list of ones to see. I think this is a great idea telling the story from the perspective of the animals. I am an animal rights advocate and hopefully this will make many people see animals in a different light.
We are so excited about this movie! I am so glad to see the true meaning of Christmas being shared on the big screen.
We’re going to see Star next weekend. The kids are really excited about it. We are, too. It’s going to be good.
Star looks like a great movie to take the family to for the holidays. I love Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez. They are so talented!
Sounds like a great movie to share with children to explain the Christian meaning of Christmas. I’m sure it will do well.