[Si] TV

John Leguizamo is a pro. He's not your typical Hollyweird actor. You know the type who is late for press interviews and flips the bird at paparazzi. Well, we're not sure about the latter but could you blame Leguizamo if he did? We say he's professional because even after a red eye flight, little rest and countless hours in a press junket for his new movie The Happening, the colombiano still has time to crack jokes with Si TV. So next time someone brings up Super Mario Bros. as a theatrical nuclear bomb you tell'em callate la boca. Then Johnny Legz will flip'em the bird.

SiTV.com: How did you get the part and what's your role in The Happening?
John Leguizamo: M. Night [Shyamalan] called me up and said, "I wrote this character in this script and I thought of you. Now audition for me." I had to audition and he was in Philadelphia and I was in Pittsburgh. [So] I sent them a video phone audition. He liked what I did and he gave me the part. I play a math teacher, Julian. He's married and has an 8-year-old daughter. I'm best friends with Mark Wahlberg who's a science teacher in a high school in Philadelphia. I'm trying to split him up from a girl I think is wrong from him.

SiTV.com: With Land of the Dead under your belt and now this film, you must hold the record for a Latino living more than 10 minutes in horror flicks.
JL: (Laughs!) I know everyone keeps saying that Latin people in thrillers always die. That's pretty awesome and I can hold out for a long time.

SiTV.com: You're also in Righteous Kill with Robert De Niro and Pacino. How was that?
JL: I worked with both of them before. I did Carlito's Way with Pacino and The Fan with De Niro. It's the first time they ever acted together. In Heat they were shot separately and put together in the editing room. This time they're acting with each other and goofing on camera. It was pretty cool; just an honor to be with them.

SiTV.com: At the same time were you intimidating, as an actor, to your fellow co-star 50 Cent?
JL: Nah, man. He's so cool, man. 50 Cent and all that Smart Water money that he has . . . you can't intimidate him.

SiTV.com: Being that The Happening is a thriller, what's the scariest movie you've ever seen?
JL: It's still The Exorcist for me. That film terrified me. I thought it was a documentary I didn't know it was a movie. I thought this is what happens when Satan enters your body.

SiTV.com: Plus, you're Latino and chances are someone in your family was a Santero/a.
JL: Exactly, you can't help it. I was prepared for this movie. My whole culture, family set me up. I was mortified for about a year. I got biblical, man. I got a bible; I had a cross in my room. I knew Satan was going to enter my body and I saw what he did to that girl and I was scared!