Last year, Isabela Merced lived a double life. During the day, he was running around the set of “The Last of Us” in Vancouver, dodging welded and WLF infected seraphites along with co -star Bella Ramsey.
Then, after wrapping what was sometimes a 15 -hour workday, he would be on a flight to 4,500 miles away from Atlanta, making costume accessories and fighting training to become Hawkgirl in the “Superman” of James Gunn.
“I didn't know that I could do that,” he tells De Loss. “I tried for myself that I am capable of more than I think.”
The American Peruvian actress has the type of career to which any young actor would aspire: she made her debut in Broadway at 10 years in “Evita”, won the accumulation of criticism acted against Benicio del Toro in “Sicario: Day of the soldier” at age 17 and starring the adaptation of the live action of the successful successful “Dora Dora Dora the Explorer” when only 18 was only 18.
Only in the last year, it has become a certified action star, making waves in large franchise tickets such as “Alien: Romulus”, “The Last of Us” Season 2 and “Superman”. At age 24, its filmography of formidable heroines, Spitfires and multifaceted youth in the main box office successes have put it in a path that has been largely inaccessible for many of the Latin actors who preceded it. That is why he also has his eye on producing, hoping to provide more opportunities for his community in front of the Chamber.
However, this month, he is moving his approach to the screen and his other creative call: music.
In 2020 he launched his debut EP, “The Better Half of Me”, which showed his bilingual skill through Latin tracks with Latin soul, written and produced with his brother, Gyovanni Moner, during quarantine. Now, he is reviewing the project in collaboration with the Peruvian artist winner of the Grammy Tony Award. His new single “Apocalypse”, launched on Friday, transforms Merced 2020 Song of the same name From a slow jam to a modernized sauce rhythm suitable for a Miami nightclub.
With “Superman” now on digital platforms, Merced spoke with De Loss on putting the Hawkgirl helmet, working with “Apocalypse” and what comes next.
It seems that everything remains quite a secret for these mass superhero films. How much did you know when you entered your “Superman” audition?
Initially, I had no idea who was auditioning because everything had secret names. I think mine said “Cyclone” in the script. I didn't really discover who it was until the day of the camera test with the [Justice Gang].
Oh, go. How did they tell you?
They did not want to make obvious that they were about to tell me, so everything was really mysterious. I had been doing all the accessories and fighting training, and then they took me to James [Gunn’s] Trailer with the producers and everyone, and said “Do you want to be Hawkgirl?” As soon as I found out, I was very, very excited because I was like “Oh, thank God, it is someone I know.”
What was your connection with Hawkgirl before this?
I grew up [the “Justice League” animated series] And the character is canonically Latin, so I loved it. His story is really complicated, and becomes even crazier when you enter the comics, but I was a great admirer of her in the program, and I drew a lot in my memories of Maria. [Canals-Barrera’s] version of it. I mean, they are two different characters, but they are still in the same spirit because they share memories of their past lives.
What was more excited about this version of the character? Did you connect with her at all?
She is the only young man in this group of boys, in an industry that goes mainly to men, and in a film that is mostly directed by men. It was a really great opportunity to exercise a different way of being in that type of environment. She is a bit without a filter and disconnected, does not take care of the perceived version of me, and that was really cathartic to play.
Isabela listened to punk music to get into the mentality to play Hawkgirl.
(Jason Roman)
Because you also have experience in music, are I curious about whether you use music as a tool to enter the character?
Oh yes, definitely. Each character I play, I make a list of song reproduction that reminds me of them, and I will touch them before going to the movies. With Hawkgirl it was a lot of punk music what I was discovering, with all these really strong singers. Then there were songs that Bella [Ramsey] And I really loved Adrianne Lenker who informed our experience like Dina and Ellie [in “The Last of Us”]. There was also some music from the 80s there, perhaps in the early 2000s, but in general, simply very soft, sweet and romantic songs.
You are throwing a salsa remix from your single 2020, “Apocalypse”, with Tony Sictar. How did that arise?
I mean, “Remix” almost feels like euphemism because it feels like a completely different song. That is thanks to Tony, who is the first Peruvian to win a Grammy. He came to me with this opportunity four years ago, and we recorded the song, but he signed a stamp and we couldn't throw it. Now that I am free and independent, and he won his Grammy, he wanted to put it in his EP, and I thought: “Demons, yes, let's do it.” He gave me the freedom to make the video, and I am very happy with how it turned out. I could dance for it, and I learned all the choreography in an hour and a half. It was crazy, but I am very excited that people see it.
How would you describe your musical taste? And how do you connect to the type of music you want to do?
It is difficult to specify. If I am looking at my most rant, it is brothers Gutiérrez. But it is also Dick Gaughan, Big Thief, Los Mirlos, which is a Peruvian band, and the Andrew Oldham orchestra. There is no line that is not good music. I already have many things about acting, so if music could remain somewhat fun and light for me, and not so disciplined, I think it would be good.
Is there a musical? Or an idea for a musical that would excite you to return to Broadway?
Have you made a Selena musical? No, I think I would have remembered that. But that would be great, dance on stage. It would be like a musical concert-slash theater experience, something like what they did with “On your feet” by Gloria Estefan! If it was made by the right people with respect to their life and their legacy, I think that could be drugs.
But honestly, if I did something on Broadway, I would love it to be an original composition. I am currently working on one right now. I am producing it, and I will also be in it. Things are moving very well, and it is another project with friends. I think we have to risk bolder when it comes to Broadway, because everyone tries to reach a younger audience, but I think the most efficient way to do so is to allow the younger public to bring their stories ahead and tell them.
You have mentioned that you are leading to produce. What kind of projects do you have in process at this time?
I am producing a film that is surrounded in September called “Psyche.” I am very excited about that. We have Latin director, and also the project that is supposed to do after that will be directed by a Peruvian woman. So there are some very, very great s, that I have been trying to do, where I will have more creative control and freedom, but also a lower budget, so you know. [it] compared to what I have been doing in recent years. But I am excited to get to the root of why I love doing this and feeling it completely.
His career is very interesting because he is just beginning and, nevertheless, it is not the type of career that many Latin actors have historically been able to achieve so early. How do you process that?
I am in an interesting position because I think Hollywood is really comfortable by choosing Latin actors that are a kind of progress or mixed before they are willing to launch indigenous people. And look, I will take everything I can get, because, girl, I'm just trying to work in this economy. [Laughs]
But I think that being aware of that is really important because when I go out and do my own projects, and I have the power, I can hire people who look more like the people with whom I grew up or who resemble my family. But it doesn't always happen that way. Financing is difficult to obtain, and when you try to bring people, they want someone who is already known, and Hollywood has not given many of those opportunities to people of certain skin colors.
Because you have grown up in this industry, are I curious to know how your experience has been to learn to speak and advocate for yourself?
Something I have learned is that there is always a power struggle, either on a personal level, or at a larger level, or even socially. I think we are constantly fighting for power. And therefore, we can go back to the defensive. So I think that the biggest challenge for me was not necessarily because of what I went through, but how I reacted to him: choosing to maintain an open heart and continue to love freely and trust people due to the way they raised me. I think we all have to choose when we are harmed, and that is to close and harm others, or move on. Stinks, but I won't let that dictate the way Yo move around life.
