In PEPPERMINT, the new action thriller from Director Pierre Morel (The Gunman, Taken), Jennifer Garner stars as a vigilante on a mission: to take down the criminal organization that killed her husband and daughter.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with two of the many Latino actors in the cast, John Ortiz (Silver Linings Playbook), and Juan Pablo Raba (The 33).

Are you a big fan of action movies?

John Ortiz: Yes, I love the action genre and it is a lot of fun to see films like “Die Hard,” and “Rambo.” As an actor, I don’t only like to play different characters, but also to do different kinds of movies. I have never done a character like this in this genre, a detective. I was the villain in “The Fast and the Furious” movies, and I played a more innocent character in my first film “Carlito’s Way.”

And having the opportunity to work with a director like Pierre Morel, who has a very particular style…

Ortiz: Absolutely, that was one of the main reasons why I wanted to do this. He mastered this genre with movies that I love, specially “Taken.” I really enjoyed working with him because he was very open to new ideas and adding a different spin to this film. When I was lucky enough to be cast, everything I wished for did come true. He is very smart, passionate, and a true fan of world cinema, so it was a learning experience for me.

Detective Moises Beltran seems to be part of a long tradition of L.A. cops in movies. How would you define your character?

Ortiz: He is someone that has been around the block a couple times, and could retire if he knew what else to do with his time. He probably grew up with some of the individuals that he is now chasing down. He is very much connected to his own history, but also to Jennifer Garner’s character, someone that has lost her family. I love the conflict he is struggling with, between doing the right thing and following the law, but also his awareness of the grey areas in life.

Is this crime boss, Diego Garcia, the most evil character that you have portrayed?

Juan Pablo Raba: Look, I feel that the job of the actor isn’t to judge the character, on the contrary, you need to defend him. Human beings are the product of our circumstances. I can’t say that he is evil at heart, but instead -and not to justify him- that he is in charge of a ruthless business. At the beginning he doesn’t order the assassination of Jennifer Garner’s character, he tries to buy her silence. Things change only after she actively goes after his organization. We can’t say that he is a good guy, obviously, but I wouldn’t label him as “evil” either.

As an actor, is it more difficult to get out of the skin of a character like this?

Raba: No, because the purpose here is very clear. One has to understand the genre and the film being done. Garcia is a necessary element to elevate Jennifer’s character and her vengeance. We need to make him fearful, but that doesn’t require a deep psychological process that may leave the actor affected afterwards.

Talking about Jennifer Garner, how was it shooting those intense scenes with her?

Raba: I work with many organizations in Colombia that fight for gender equality, and one of the main reasons that I wanted to do this movie is that it has a strong female protagonist. All of my scenes are with Jennifer, not a stunt double. She is a real athlete! It was jaw-dropping to see the things that she was able to do during those extremely cold nights, back in December. She is a remarkable woman, in every sense.

PEPPERMINT is now playing in theaters nationwide.

 

Peppermint is a revenge story centering on a young mother who finds herself with nothing to lose, and is now going to take from her enemies the very life they stole from her.