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WANDA ROVIRA APPEARS IN ISSUE 24
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Wanda Rovira

Puerto Rican actress Wanda Rovira hits Hollywood with a major dose of Boricua style.

You acted in 12 Hours. Is it true that it’s the largest grossing Puerto Rican film?
Yes, so far it has been the biggest. When it was released in Puerto Rico, it was in theatres for 16 weeks, and people liked it so much they had to bring it back. We were competing with a lot of huge movies from Hollywood and people really liked it. Now we have a major release scheduled for Los Angeles and New York, and it’ll be released throughout the United States.

Why do you think it has been so successful?
Because it is real, it’s about life. People see themselves through the movie, through the characters. It’s about love, it’s about sex, it’s about emotions, things that are related to us in life. And I think people like to see those real things. You cry, you laugh, you feel sad through the movie. But once you finish watching the movie you think of your friends, your family, and you think of yourself. I think that’s why people like it.

Sounds like it covers a lot of different areas?
It’s about homosexuality, sex. It’s about life, love, having fun, and it’s about God. It’s about everything. It’s five stories in 12 hours.

Where in Puerto Rico are you from?
I was actually born in Brooklyn. My parents are from Puerto Rico, but since I was five years old I have lived in Puerto Rico. I’m from the north side of Puerto Rico, Vega Alta. I’m 100% puertoriqueña. I was born in Brooklyn, but my heart is in Puerto Rico.

Are Puerto Rican men more aggressive than other American men?
Yeah I think so, I think they are more aggressive. I think it’s the blood. It’s the culture. But everybody has a heart, so to me everybody is the same.

What about Puerto Rican women, what would you say is unique about them?
Well, we are very giving in general, both Puerto Rican women and men. But women, I don’t know, a lot of people say that we are the most beautiful women. I think it’s the energy. We have a good energy. We are very colorful and it’s because we’re born in a tropical place…it’s the flavor, it’s the blood, the energy of life that we have inside us.

Who would you say are the two most popular or loved persons in Puerto Rico?
Ricky Martin is our main star.

So he’s bigger then Tito Trinidad?
We have major artists in different fields. Tito Trinidad, we love him, but he’s retired already. We have Ricky in pop music, we have Marc Anthony in salsa music—and he’s an actor also. We have Rita Moreno, we have Benicio Del Toro. We have a lot of people. Even our governor. She’s female, the first female governor in the history of Puerto Rico.

But Ricky Martin is known around the world. He has been living the vida loca and shaking his bon bon. If you go to Africa or any place in the world people will know Ricky Martin. They may not know Tito Trinidad because they don’t like boxing.

Chupacabras is said to be from Puerto Rico. Do you think he exists?
Everybody has a different view. I just heard the other day in the news that there are Chupacabras in other countries. I don’t know. I believe in everything. This world is so wonderful, God is so wonderful. I think it’s people from other planets. What is a Chupacabra? They get cabras, rabbits, rats. They get everything. And the way their victims die, without any blood and the holes. I think they’re people from other planets. Because nobody has seen them and they have been killing animals for years, and they’re always in the same area.

Why do you think they’re picking on the Latin American countries?
Maybe they want our blood! Maybe they want Latino blood, since we are so popular now. You know Latino this, Latino that. They think they have to be in. [laughs] No, I don’t know…I guess it’s a weird subject, and everybody has a different view. I think here in Los Angeles it’s too open…

It’s probably too smoggy for Chupacabras.
Yeah, I think they like the country. Every time you hear the stories it happens in the countryside and mountains.

Do you think Chupacabras wears boxers or briefs?
Both. Because every Chupacabras is different each would have a different style…Actually, I don’t think they wear any, I think they’re naked.

Okay, on to a different topic. How would you define sexiness?
Sexiness comes from your heart. Everybody is sexy. You have to be very confident. I am sexy, the way I walk, the way I express myself. To me everybody is sexy, you just have to be confident in life and you have to express yourself.

How do you conquer a man’s heart?
I try to be myself. I love to talk, I’m very expressive. I’m very friendly. I just want men to see the real Wanda through my heart. I’ll use my eyes and my body language. When you like somebody your body language says a lot of things. I will never go up to a guy, that is not me. I think you have to start with friendship.

What do you do when a guy comes on too strong?
If they talk to me and I don’t like the way they talk to me I just don’t pay any attention. Because if they’re like, “talk to me,” I don’t like it when people come to me in that way, it’s too aggressive. But I will never fight with a guy, and I will never punch him because he says something to me. I’ll just keep going. Of course if he touches me, grabs me, and tries to do something, I will defend myself.

Not everybody knows how to express themselves…like here people stop me a lot in the street and say things. Everybody is different, everybody has different views, and everybody has a different way of saying things. I just smile and keep walking.

What do you think of one-night-stands?
I don’t want to judge anybody. You don’t know what things may happen to you in life. But I have to take care of myself. I take good care of myself. If you don’t know someone, you don’t know if he’s going to do something bad to you. I think the most important thing you have in life is yourself, so you have to take care of yourself as much as you can. I think I would have to go out with someone more than once before I go to bed with them. Sometimes men look so innocent and so handsome, but you never know. Everybody knows what is good for them, so you decide what is good for you and what is not.

What would you be doing if you weren’t acting?
Acting [laughs]. I’ve been performing all my life. I used to be a beauty queen, I used to dance. I do sports, I paint. I love to travel. I love to see other cultures, other countries… but I would love to be focused on kids. I think people have to work on improving the self-esteem of kids. Life goes by so fast and we forget about them. We forget about when we were kids and we felt so lonely and we were so afraid to tell our parents…I would love to work with kids, to make them more secure in life, to tell them to follow their dreams. I would teach them not to let anybody, even a friend, stop you in life.

I’ve heard you like candy. What’s your favorite candy?
Sweet and sour. I always say I’m sweet and sour. I love everything except coconut with chocolate. I love coconut, but not in candy. I love gum, lollipops, caramels. I love sugar.

What words of advice do you have for Latino men?
Be yourself. Sometimes guys try to be too strong. Be strong, be macho, but be sincere in life. Don’t pretend, because then things aren’t going to be the way you expect. Have fun, but have priorities in life. Go for it and work. And don’t be lazy, help us women around the house!