Mexico's biggest star, Eugenio Derbez, is living the dream
Eugenio Derbez is one of the biggest stars in Mexico, but watch out, America — he’s making a huge impact north of the border. Derbez is an actor, comedian, and filmmaker who is all about embracing Latinx culture. “You need to be original. You need to raise your own Latino voice in order to be different, to be unique,” he said during a red carpet interview.
Derbez started his climb to the top hosting Spanish-language comedy shows. His ability to make people laugh catapulted him to stardom, gaining him a worldwide fan base along the way. “When I walk down the street, even here in the U.S., they [fans] are always saying my catch phrases of my characters, and they shout at me with my catch phrases,” he told Entertainment Weekly.
He’s also found success on the big screen. The 57-year-old actor has starred in more than 22 movies. In 2011, he crossed over to English-language cinema, playing opposite Adam Sandler in Jack and Jill. Derbez’s credits also include Overboard with Anna Faris and How to Be a Latin Lover with Salma Hayek.
His big breakout role, however, came in 2013 with the passion project Instructions Not Included. Derbez wrote, directed, and starred in the film, which became a surprise box office hit! The movie earned $100 million worldwide, becoming the most successful Spanish-language film in U.S. history — talk about bragging rights. It took Derbez 12 years to raise the money to make the movie, which he described as a love story between a dad and his daughter. “When we finally released the film, I never thought it was going to be this big. I had a hunch and the hope that something was going to happen, but I never thought it was going to be this big,” he said.
He continues to make major moves in the U.S. Derbez’s latest projects include Disney’s The Nutcracker and the Four Realms and Dora the Explorer opposite Eva Longoria and Michael Pe?a.
A post shared by Eugenio Derbez (@ederbez) on Sep 12, 2018 at 3:19pm PDT
Derbez, who received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016, is truly living his best life. “When I was 7 years old, I would watch the Oscars with my mother,” he told the Washington Post. “That’s when I decided to be an actor. I wanted to tell stories, and I dreamed of working in the U.S. Now I’m living that dream.”
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