By Elia Esparza
How do you write an action-packed-crime story about a Latino superhero, with a primarily all-Latino cast, set in an East L.A. barrio, combine it with Aztec folklore and still come out with a universal themed film that will absolutely appeal to everyone?
It takes a film director who knows the intricacies of every aspect of filmmaking and understands the script’s core message and a whole lot of respecting the integrity of the story. It takes someone who started his career working as a stuntman, stunt coordinator, actor and eventually transitioning onto directing episodic television and then film.
It takes someone like Ben Hernandez Bray, a film and television director who for the past 12-years has poured his heart and soul in bringing his story to the big screen—El Chicano, a WarParty, WarChest Productions.
To create a Latino superhero that is not from the traditional family of Marvel characters is a bold move. And, to smoothly tie-in cultural elements and ancient Aztec folklore, well that is one tall order. But for Bray, it came natural. He happens to be of Mexican-American-Irish ancestry, which could explain being born with the instinctual storyteller DNA.
El Chicano is about a Latino Superhero who battles the evils invading an East L. A. community. He finds strength and power from within and inspires others to inherit the mask to continue to watch over the neighborhood.
For Bray, El Chicano is a film project inspired and written as a symbolic representation of his life, with family tragedies, the death of his younger brother to gang violence and the loss of his newborn daughter. At the core of El Chicano is pure love of family and believing in his ability and having the will to act.
El Chicano stars Raul Castillo, George Lopez, Amy Garcia, Emilio Rivera, Kate del Castillo, Mr. Criminal, Noel G. Marco Rodriguez, Marlene Forte, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Sal Lopez, David Castañeda and Armida Lopez.
What stands out in El Chicano is that it is not a formula film whose purpose is to glorify gangs and violence. It is more about family — those you are born into, those composed from street friendships and those from work camaraderie.
Some reviews have labeled it the “Latino version of Black Panther.” El Chicano incorporates the struggles many American Latinos are going through as a result of the current unstable political climate. The story weaves in the magic of Aztec lore, clearly defining right from wrong and how each character inherit their beliefs.
Bray, who is known for his major stunt work on Star Trek, Iron Man, The Grey, Transformers: Revenue of the Fallen, generously gave of his time to speak with us about El Chicano:
Latin Heat: Congratulations! Truly impressed with El Chicano! Before we dive into your film, can you tell us who your childhood Superheroes were?
Benjamin Hernandez Bray: I’d have to say, Batman, Aquaman and Superman! As a result, I eventually became a big fan of ComicCon!
LH: So it was these Superheroes that have guided your career?
BHH: Yes, they really did. But I think it was more of a subconscious thing. I believe my loving these Superheroes, my working as a stunt professional, and my eventual writing and filming El Chicano came about as a result of the metaphor over not having a father. My mother and grandmother raised my four brothers and two sisters single-handedly.
LH: Was it this same love of Superheroes that led to your transition into episodic directing action superhero TV shows?
BHH: It was more of the love of being able to tell stories that finally gave me the opportunity, and the good fortune to be able to direct episodes on several of Greg Berlanti’s shows like Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow and Supergirl.
LH: You mentioned the motivation behind creating El Chicano was connected to not having a father/male role model growing up?
BHH: Creatively this movie came about because it was a very personal story that I felt could help others get beyond their difficulties. El Chicano is a superhero, he derives strength from within. His life is very symbolic of my own life. About twelve years ago I lost my younger brother to gang violence. It was a loss that hit my mother, siblings and me very hard and we struggled to get beyond our grief. To have to watch my mom bury her youngest was extremely painful. At the beginning, I started writing a memoir about our family dynamic and how we dealt with the death, the process was therapeutic.
The more I wrote, the more the memories came, the positive things of my childhood– how my mom made sure to put me in Boys Scouts… how she signed me up for my first job as a paperboy and how she’d help me in the mornings to deliver the paper– as the oldest I got the best of her attentions. Through this process, I saw my mom instilled positive characteristics in my life like working hard and making good choices. Working through this helped me move past the tragedy. Telling this story became important to me. I wanted people to know no matter what your socio economic background you come from, tragedy hits everyone, but you don’t have to stay trapped in your grief or your surroundings. You can make a better life for yourself. I hope others get inspired by it, especially if you’re from the barrio.
She did her best in trying to guide us in the right direction… and I’ve always wondered if we had had a dad to raise us, influence us, would our lives have turned out differently? Would having a father been enough to save my brother’s life?
These questions started to haunt me and kept stirring up a lot… thinking about my childhood. As I recalled my admiration of Batman, Aquaman and Superman, it hit me that we Latinos were never exposed to a brown person… a Mexican or Chicano portrayal of any powerful and positive role models. Then one day, it just clicked!
We had no one to look up to or someone to teach us right from wrong who looked like us or lived in similar surroundings like ours… And, this is how the El Chicano character was created.
El Chicano is a symbolic story of fighting for a better life and thinking outside the box as I did. It’s a Superhero that doesn’t have traditional powers but gathers his strength from his ancestral culture, his barrio, his love of family and believing in his ability and having the will to act.
LH: You share co-writer credits with the producer/writer Joe Carnahan. Share a little on the script writing process and challenges.
BHB: This is my first writing project, something I’ve been thinking about and working on for twelve years. As I worked as a stuntman and made the transition to stunt coordinator, I was developing my writing skills and script format. I met Joe Carnahan (A-Team, Narc, and The Grey), through writer/director/producer David O. Russell (American Hustle, Silver Linings, Kings, Joy). We very quickly became good friends, sharing my life story about where I grew up, my brother’s death… he kept encouraging me to keep writing, and every so often he’d give me notes.
LH: That is the power of networking and building relationships on the job.
BHH: Yes, and even if it took years to complete, I kept at it. I had a family to support and could only write in my spare time. The plan was that whenever I did finish it, I’d turn it over to Joe because he’s an incredible writing talent and I knew he could help me with the script’s narrative, structure, etcetera. And, it took longer for me because I was also moving up in the business, making my way to TV episodic directing. Then about three years ago, my wife and I lost a daughter at birth.
Vanessa (Aimee Garcia) Diego’s sister
During this time, Joe came to visit and witnessed how much passion and love our family had for each other. He told me that when I was able to find some peace and get through the process of having to bury my child, to tap into this grief as I continued with finishing to write my script and that I should dedicate it to my brother and daughter. He encouraged me to go away and lock myself up and finish the script. Once I got the greenlight from my wife, I spent four weeks in New York staying at a stunt brother’s home while he was away in Europe working. This was four years ago and I returned to L.A. with 189 pages and gave it to Joe.
LH: Your angels guided you—
BHB: Yes… my brother Craig on one shoulder and my daughter Isabella on the other. Once Joe read it, he liked it and said it was enough to work with. The next step was me going to the Palm Springs area where he lives and spent two weeks there for the script polish. We drank Tequila, cried and ultimately rewrote the script that was 125 pages.
We finished the script on a Friday and that same night, Joe got the script to producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura (Four Brothers, Transformers, G.I. Joe) and producer Tom Ortenberg, CEO at Briarcliff, a theatrical distribution company (Snowden, Firefly, Girl With Pearl Earring). Both Lorenzo and Tom said they’d get back to us on Monday. The next day, Saturday, Lorenzo called and said ‘I’m in,’ and an hour later, Tom called, ‘I’m in.’
LH: The miracle of a well-written script. Let’s talk about your amazing cast. Tell us about the main characters.
BHB: The dual role of Diego/Pedro is a reflection of me and how I dealt with my brother’s death—the grief, anger, and sadness—I was mad over how it affected and almost destroyed my mother. It was very surreal. The George Lopez role resembles an Italian-Mexican cop from our childhood who would give us a hard time, me especially. Always lecturing me about right and wrong. Then there is Jesus, who is kind of the Shaman of the neighborhood, always preaching about the Aztecs… and then there is Aimee Garcia who portrays Vanessa Gomez, a character based on the woman who would become my wife. And then there is Susana, the mother role portrayed by the incredibly talented Marlene Forte. All of these characters all come from my childhood.
Jose Pablo Cantillo, George Lopez (C) with Raul Castillo
LH: What is your filmmaking training background?
BHB: It’s funny how things just all come together. Working on the job became my film school training. I had a veteran stunt coordinator named Ron Stein who took me under his wings and taught me the stunt business, from fire burns, high falls, stunt driving and fights to suggesting that I enroll in acting classes. Soon I was not only doubling for actors, I was also guest starring on The Shield, and other TV shows including being cast in Joe Carnahan’s The Grey and David O. Russell’s I Heart Huckabees. I also learned to be a filmmaker from pros like Joe and David. I learned by watching and doing– from lenses to blocking actors and understanding how the camera moves to help tell the story.
LH: Was this the first time working with some of the Latino veteran actors in El Chicano?
BHB: I was doubling for several Latino actors and through these jobs I got to meet so many. Soon, I auditioned for the Actor’s Studio in Los Angeles and I belonged to a theater company called Rick Walters Theatre Group. I started booking roles as a young Latin guy and that’s how I met Emilio [Rivera] on the TV series, Robbery Homicide, which was created by Michael Mann. At the end of the night, we had become friends. I used to be his stunt double. I also stunt doubled for actors Esai Morales, Michael De Lorenzo, Lou Diamond Phillips, and others, so these relationships started while working in the business. I met George [Lopez] through various shows and events we were both in attendance. He was always cool.
LH: When casting the twins’ dual role (Diego/Pedro), what was it about Raul Castillo that nailed it for you?
BHB: I remember being in that big white room at CAA and they were pushing a lot of other actors and currently, in our community there really aren’t many Latino leading actors, not like a few years ago when dazzling the headlines were Esai Morales, Jesse Borrego, Michael De Lorenzo, etcetera. What did it for me to choose Raul was something about his look. He reminded me of a homeboy I grew up with named Miguel, and as a filmmaker, I lean on instinct… his looks; emotionally… there was something about him that just clicked. The agency tried to push better-known names but I was like, ‘No there’s something about Raul, he’s the one.’ Joe looked at me and was 100% supportive of my choice.
A week later I had an interview with Raul via Skype. He was living in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen, and we just clicked. He had read the script, knew every single character, not just his role.
Raul Castillo, George Lopez and Ben Hernandez Bray
I told him the story about the loss of my brother and baby girl, I could tell he was sincerely touched and really understood the story. Three weeks later, I flew to New York and we met in Tribeca. We hung out and I remember calling Joe afterwards and I confirmed my gut feelings. ‘That’s Diego. That’s Pedro,’ I told Joe. Raul was everything that I embraced as a writer, as a director and my vision for the dual role of Diego/Pedro.
LH: Can you discuss the budget for El Chicano? And how financing come about?
BHB: Oh my God! That’s a whole other thing. When dealing with studios, we started butting heads. They wanted to change the storyline, wanted to change some of the characters and I didn’t want to do any of that. And it was very frustrating because when it comes to Latino projects, studios want to own it all, story, vision, everything… they end up owning your property, your material and all this leads to more creative differences… so eventually, I told Joe, ‘You know what? Let’s go for indie financing.’ I just flat out refused to give up control on the way my story was going to be told.
LH: So you went the indie route?
BHB: Yes, There were some people who had reached out to Joe from War Party Productions—these are the white oil and gas guys from Calgary and since the industry was slowing down, they were now interested in the movie business. Joe initially met with Art Robinson, WarChest producer and Gianni Altobelli and shared the script; teaser and they fell in love with the story. So all of the sudden we got financing at the time for about $7 million, or a little over $9 million Canadian. That’s how we got the money. With 85% of the film being shot in Calgary and the other 20% exteriors in Los Angeles, downtown L.A. They totally embraced our vision.
LH: What is your favorite superhero moment in El Chicano?
BHB: I would have to say it is the part when the camera starts to push it on Diego in the storage unit, where we see “por vida”. As a Mexican-American, this scene is very close to my heart because for one, he’s saying where he comes from and who he is, because it speaks to his background and also because it identifies where he’s at in that exact moment. When I yelled, “CUT,” it had all happened in one take and that’s when Raul lost it.
Diego/Pedro (Raul Castillo) in the storage room
This was the moment he had really understood the significance and importance of the film’s message. He was balling his eyes out—his character’s accumulation of pain and loss and internal elation of having triumphed against tremendous evil and odds. I walked over to him and we cried and hugged.
It was a release of grief and the start of healing. Not just for me but for everyone involved in making our movie. And it was especially emotional given all that is currently going on in politics, with Trump and all the negative attacks against Mexicans, Latinos. El Chicano is about being Chicano, Mexicano—pride, cultural, familia—our film brings it all together.
LH: From start to finish how long did it take to shoot El Chicano?
BHB: Shooting days had about eight weeks of prep, and 25 days to shoot, and then we were in editing another 10 weeks. By the time we got to the end of the movie, there was no more money and it was like chewing gum and scotch taping whatever else was needed to finish the movie. It was crazy at the end like it always happens on a movie set.
LH: How did the distribution deal with Briarcliff come about?
BHB: When Tom, who was at Open Road and Lorenzo got involved, they really believed in the project as much as Joe and I did, and for a while they stepped aside as we did our thing. But when it came to the financing, Tom was already in transition from Open Road to Briarcliff and once the film was complete, Tom saw a screening and took it to Briarcliff. They snatched it up. We had other offers but I was loyal to Tom and Lorenzo, as they had been to me from the very beginning. I have so much respect for these guys. From there, the exchange came in from foreign and they bought up foreign rights. And, that was it. It was Tom and Lorenzo, who took a back seat and let me do my work and stepped up to the plate when they were needed.
LH: You had to make some script changes towards the end of the shoot. What happened?
BHB: The ending of the movie wasn’t exactly what was on the script because we had run out of money. I then tapped into the many business relationships I had built during the past 30 years. I called in favors. I called every Latino friend… every stunt man including my two sons, Damian Bray 29 year and Keenen Bray 27, and they all came.
LH: You had to think out of box to make it happen—
BHB: Yeah, and on our last day of shooting, we were at the warehouse location, and everyone who came to my aid brought their best creativity with them. As a stunt professional on movie sets, we eventually learn how to handle a camera. We learn things that come in handy while making a movie on the last day of shooting.
For El Chicano, I had 20 stuntmen and crew, and they were just old friends who came out to help me finish the movie. It was all a brotherhood. The very last shot of the movie, that’s my son Damian operating the camera. My son, God bless him was shooting that amazing shot of El Chicano on the motorcycle! My other son Keenan, was also Emilio Rivera’s stunt double. And, even my 10-year old son, Julian Bray auditioned for the young Pedro character, and he was cast. He’s the boy who at the end asks, ‘Where you from?’
Family and good friends – you can always count on them. I got all four of my family in the movie. Yeah, it was a familia affair.
LH: El Chicano has an open ending – are you already in the works for a sequel?
BHB: We’re working on it.
LH: Any specifics on the film’s marketing rollout?
BHB: Tom and our wonderful publicist Liz Biber and Tracie Hovey have organized a 10-City tour/press junket with George Lopez and Raul Castillo. They’ll be hitting the border city of McAllen, Texas, where Raul was born and raised. We’ll be going to Austin, Arizona, New York, Miami, Northern California and Los Angeles.
We’re also looking at some marketing and promotion during the Canelo fight on Cinco de Mayo weekend. Our film opens on May 3rd – it’s the perfect big push weekend! We’ll have lots of swag bags with El Chicano film gifts.
LH: How do you hope El Chicano will be received by movie audiences?
BHB: A sense of excitement and pride especially for Latino audiences. And, for non-Latinos, an understanding of our rich culture, our history in Los Angeles, our other Latino communities across the USA and that El Chicano’s overall universal message is that we all as human beings deal with loss and tragedies, which include choices you make.
We want everyone to know that they can be a Superhero too in anything they do. They can make a better life for themselves no matter their circumstances.
Thank you, Ben Hernandez Bray!
Briarcliff Entertainment acquired the U.S. rights to El Chicano, and is expected to open on May 3, 2019.
El Chicano
Director: Ben Hernandez Bray
Writers: Ben Hernandez Bray, Joe Carnahan
Cast: Raul Castillo, Aimee Garcia, Marlene Forte, George Lopez, Sal Lopez, Marco Rodriguez, Roberto Garcia, Emilio Rivera, Frankie Quinones, Logan Arevalo, Kate Del Castillo, Jose Pablo Cantillo, David Castaneda, Yadi Valerio Rivera, Christopher Rosamond, Geraldine Moreno, Armida Lopez
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