Eugenio Derbez Was Concerned About Working with 'Miracles from Heaven' Co-Star Jennifer Garner
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Published: Friday, 18 March 2016 16:40
- Written by Lupe Rodriguez Haas
Eugenio Derbez continues to make his mark in Hollywood with his latest role in MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN directed by Mexican director Patricia Riggen (The 33, Girl in Progress). In a recent conversation with the native Mexican actor, writer and director, he reveals he went into the role with a misconception of Jennifer Garner. MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN also reunites Derbez with Riggen for the third time, and he explains why she is one of the “most demanding directors” he’s ever worked with.
Based on the true story of the Beam family from Texas, MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN tells the story of the Beam’s 10 year-old daughter who is diagnosed with an incurable digestive motility disorder that threatens her life. The family specifically her mom Christy Beam begins to lose faith when there seems to be no hope to save Anna. Christy takes Anna to Boston to see Dr. Nurko (Derbez), a specialist in children’s disorders in hopes he can save their young child. Watch Trailer
Known mostly for his comedic abilities, Derbez plays it straight as a children’s doctor who keeps the kids entertained while helping them with their life-threatening diseases. All of his scenes are played out with Jennifer Garner’s desperate character and the brilliant young actress Kylie Rogers. Going into the project, Derbez admits he had a few misconceptions about the actress who is in the midst of a divorce from husband Ben Affleck (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice).
“I thought it would be difficult working with her and she was going to be more serious and closed off, but she is the sweetest person, a good person. She’s always in good spirits… joking around. In reality, she’s truly a great person.”
Garner was also very gracious as an actress. Derbez tells CineMovie Garner was present for all his scenes “giving a lot of herself” when cameras were on him shooting coverage. Often in Hollywood, a stand in comes in to read the actor’s lines off camera when it comes time to shoot close-ups of the other actor. Garner stayed off camera and that helped Derbez greatly, for which he appreciated.
MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN reunites Derbez for this third film with director Patricia Riggen (Under the Same Moon, Girl in Progress). He loves working with her and calls her the “best director” he knows, but it comes with a price.
“She’s the most demanding director I’ve ever worked with who is very detail oriented. She’s a perfectionist. It’s difficult working with her because she’s so demanding, but that’s a good thing. As an actor, she wants the best. Every time she asks me to work with her, I feel like I grow as an actor.”
Derbez is no miracle worker in MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN, but he does believe in miracles in real-life and they comes in different forms.
“Like the film shows, we’re surrounded by miracles in life that we don’t see. Things we take for granted in our day to day. We tend to lose ourselves.’
Derbez adds our human bodies are miracles in how they function and everything it does. That’s the message the film tries to get across, he says. “The miracles we don’t see in our every day lives."
Up next you can catch Derbez opposite Gerard Butler and Andy Garcia as the President of the United States in Geostorm later this year, and he’s about to embark on his first starring English role in How to be a Latin Lover. He’s excited about the role in which he plays an aging Latin lover. He promises it’s going to be a lot of fun.
MIRACLES IN HEAVEN is now playing in movie theaters.