Words by Carol Wright | Photos by Alex Stone |Makeup by Arlene Willis | Hair by Denise Badillo
We spoke with Armida about her experience acting in El Chicano and Boss Level, as well as her newest venture, Made in America, a short film she wrote highlighting her own immigrant experience.
When did you know you wanted acting to be your career?
I have always wanted to be an entertainer. As a little girl in El Salvador, I used to watch Selena dance and sing. I thought to myself, “that’s what I want to do.” Once I moved to America, we were very poor and my mom didn’t have the means to pay for acting classes. I had to wait until I was older, so I could fend for myself and truly pursue my dream. In high school, I joined choir, theatre, and dance. It was something that was always inside of me, even though I wasn’t able to pursue it when I was younger. I came from humble beginnings.
You’ve done a lot of commercial work. How did it feel to switch from commercials to movies?
Commercial actors are really underestimated. I will forever be grateful to every single one I booked. I was able to pursue acting full-time thanks to my commercial work and my side jobs – being a barista and an Uber driver. The switch was really easy. I have a theatre background so I just needed an opportunity – a role – to showcase my acting skills. The film El Chicano was my first feature film that gave me that opportunity.
Tell us a bit about El Chicano and what you learned from that experience?
El Chicano, as I mentioned, was my first film experience and I learned so much. I met George Lopez, a man I have been watching since I was a kid. It was a bit surreal. He was so graceful and has such a big heart. My overall experience was that if you prepare for the role and are ready for the opportunity at hand, it can lead you to so much more.
You’ll next be seen in Boss Level starring alongside Mel Gibson and Naomi Watts. What drew you to the film?
While I have a supporting role in the film, I feel blessed to be able to work in my first A-list film. Naomi Watts is such a pleasure to watch. I didn’t have scenes with Mel or Naomi, but I still feel extremely thankful to be alongside them in the same film. I would say what drew me to the film was the action and the storyline. I love a good action film.
You wrote a short film called Made in America then directed and starred in it. Tell us a bit about the short film. Was it difficult to share your story with the public in this way?
Made In America is by far one of my proudest and most challenging experiences. I wore many hats and I wore each one with pride. I loved getting into the mood of creating. The short film is about an immigrant daughter and mother, their experience coming to America. A stranger helped them when they needed help and altered their lives forever. It was important to me to showcase a different storyline of an immigrant, not the ones highlighted by the media. So this project is very close to my heart. It was harder to make since it was independently funded. Sharing something close is always tough for many reasons, but I do believe it’s important to share our own stories.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
I would say it’s a journey! People will come in and out and try to distract you from your path. Always keep your eyes on the prize and enjoy the process though it’s sometimes painful.