An Interview with Ana Ortiz (Hilda Suarez, Ugly Betty)

From the time she was a little girl, Ana Ortiz knew she was destined to be a star. With a supportive family and intense determination, Ana landed role after role until she scored the gig of a lifetime -- playing the role of Hilda Suarez on ABC's Golden Globe winning series Ugly Betty. I recently had the fortunate opportunity to chat with Ana and found her to be not only as funny as her character, but this talented actress is open, honest, completely down to earth and thrilled to be part of one of the most unique series in television history.

Q: Congrats on the Golden Globe win! How did the cast celebrate?

Ana: "The producers had a separate party aside from all of the regular parties. We had to be at work at 6:30 the next morning, so we went back to work right away. It was funny to see all of us on the set the next day completely dazed. Most of us had lost our voices from screaming so much. I think we're still relishing it, it's sort of coming in waves."

Q: Does every cast member receive a statue?

Ana: "No. It's in the office on the set. America had hers in the trailer for at least the first couple of days. We were all taking pictures with it. I would imagine it's home now or her mom has it."

Q: When did you decide to pursue acting?

Ana: "If you ask my mother, it was always. I took ballet for eight years, which was my first experience. Once I went on Pointe and my toes started bleeding through my shoes, I decided hey, I can sing, that would be much more fun! I guess I didn't have the passion for it that you need, so I moved onto singing and it progressed to acting. I've been blessed to be able to do it. I have a great, fantastic supportive family that never discouraged me from it. Although, up until about a month ago, my mother was sending me grad school applications."

Q: What do you think you'd be doing now if you hadn't gone down this path?

Ana: "That's a good question. I think something with kids. I spent a lot summers being a camp counselor and working with kids. My mom works with autistic children. I feel like that would have been my natural path. It's the only thing that really makes me happy. My mother is an incredible person, she had a job working as a group therapist for years and years and years and she quit and started a business working with autistic children and she's never been happier in her life. I guess it's the way we were raised, we have a huge family."

Q: You've had many different types of roles, is there any role that has helped mold you as an actor?

Ana: "I think any theater role I've had has been the biggest learning experience for me. On TV, you don't get to delve into a character because it's a guest spot or the series is short-lived. Hilda is the first experience of really getting into somebody. I did a play in New York with a theater company I'm a member of called Labyrinth and the play was In Arabia, We'd All be Kings. Philip Seymour Hoffman directed it and it was one of the most amazing experiences I've ever had in my life. It turned me into an actor just to see the way Philip worked and the way we all worked as a theater company. It was what I think made it all possible for me, I knew I could do this and I'm good at it. That is probably what kicked it off. I've been doing theater forever."

Q: What is the best piece of advice you've been given in this business?

Ana: "I guess the best piece of advice I've been given is pretty cliché: To have faith and if this is something you really want to do and it's something you really love, keep working. Stay in class, as long as you're doing something proactive, you will continue to work. It's like a body that is in motion stays in motion. Even with Betty, I'm still in class, I'm taking an improv class. If you don't get a pilot this season, go do a play. If you don't get a play, get in a scene study class. Just stay in it, you can't get too depressed and give up."

Q: How did the role of Hilda Suarez come to you?

Ana: "Fate. It's so hilarious, I actually tested for Betty! I remember getting the audition from my agent. My agent had told me about this show before it was even written. When the breakdowns came out, it was Betty and I was so sad because it was not me. I thought to myself that I can't do this part, she was super young and physically we were just completely opposite. I went in and he [her agent] told me to really ugly-up because they really wanted to see me. So, I went in there, but you always have to have the attitude that every audition is an opportunity. I shook off my negativity and thought this was an opportunity and this is a great cast and great directors, so I'll give a great audition.

They called me back in for Hilda. The audition called for her to be married, pregnant, not living with the family and looking for a minivan. She was a completely, completely different character. I went in there sassy, I had these hot pink shoes on - this was how I saw Hilda. I wasn't going to do in there with a pregnant suit on, so I just did my thing and then it turned out that Hilda developed into a different character with the same essence of family, family, family. I can't get over how well this show is cast, from top to bottom. Everyone sits so well in their parts. It's so wonderful to be a part of it. We're all just flinging for the fences, the bar is raised so high by America."

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