FMFB: Hello Angelic its a pleasure, can you fill us in on your background in the arts?

AZ: I come from a very artistic family. Almost everyone has a career somehow related to the arts with a lot of visual talent on my mother's side and a lot of musical talent coming from my father's side. My father Kevin Zambrana used to play percussion for the band G.Q, he was Hector Lavoe's road manager for a bit and also an audio engineer over at Fania records. He now owns a sound production company so most of my childhood playgrounds were backstage and in recording studios. My grandmother used to teach sewing in the Dominican Republic. She was also a seamstress here in the states so she was always making something! So when I would go to my grandmother's house there were always scraps of fabric and patterns lying around as she was making someones' pageant dress or a dress for one of my sisters. She is pretty awesome always making something and gambling!  Although everyone in my family is dramatic and crazy(in  a good way) I am the first actress in the family! 

      I always wanted to be an actress and did some schools plays in grade school, but once I reached high school I was seriously into track & field. I was aiming for a scholarship to college until  i went on my first audition in my senior year of high school.  I remember screwing the spikes into my flats as I was waiting to be seen because I had to literally run to my meet after the audition.  I knew I changed my mind after that day and eventually turned down a scholarship and chose a school that would immerse me back into the arts. 

FMFB: Tell us about your highs and lows working with
A)Dito Montiel
B) John Singleton
c) Lee Daniels

AZ:  Tell you about the lows?...hey i'm just getting started here!  First thing I will mention is how I love them all for giving a girl a job! hehe

   a) Dito and I are both from Astoria Queens.  We attended the same elementary school, at different times of course. We ate at the same pizza and gyro spots, so we have that connection.  My first audition ever was for Dito and through that experience I knew that I wanted to act and could actually do it.  I've always been hyper and a bit loud, but I was shy when it came to exposing myself. Somehow at that audition I opened up a gate and surprised myself.

Dito likes to keep his projects very realistic.  Even when directing an action movie like FIGHTING, he kept  things as crazy as they naturally were. He doesn't fancy marks on the floor and is not "technical". Dito is all about the characters and their moments. If he sees a crazy bum on the street dressed up like spider man wearing a wig he would say "get him and put him in the scene!"

    b) John Singleton is like my uncle!  A fellow former track & field head! John gets you so amped to get into your scene, it"s like he experiences every emotion with you. He's a wonderful man with a wealth of knowledge. He would encourage me to come to set when I wasn't working and ask as many questions as I liked, and... oh yes I did!  He is true to himself and the struggles he faced with getting to where he is today. I still call John up for advice.  John never forgets anything or anyone!

    I am so lucky I got a chance to work with Franc. Reyes on my first film, ILLEGAL TENDER. A latino director who grew up in the same Bronx neighborhood as my father! Franc. is an artist in every sense, he is a fighter and he is fearless.  Working with Franc. felt like making a film with family.  

   

     c.) Lee Daniels....I love big papa Lee! Lee is so animated I wish I had a Lee Daniels action figure complete with the beautiful wild mane of hair he had. Lee wants you to be as true and raw as any actor can be.  Lee nutures you and is an excellent teacher.  He wants the best from you and I loved the challenge and demand.  There was no favoritism with anyone of the actors during the shoot of PRECIOUS. It did not matter if you were a megastar, Lee wanted a specific level from you and if you did not deliver, you suffered the consequences in the editing room.  He keeps you on your toes and gets the best out of you. Lee used to be a casting director and and excellent manager so he can smell a half hearted or scared performance before you even have the nerve to go there.  He is like that crazy uncle in the family that breaks you out of your shell like "girl you better get up and dance at your cousins wedding" hehe.

 

FMFB: How many days are you scheduled to be on set of "The Mortician" and
fill us in on the
role of Maria and Gareth Maxwell Roberts approach on directing.

AZ: I'm here in New Orleans Louisiana for a month staying right in the crazy and...HAUNTED French Quarters. We have been filming in some amazing locations so no need to pay for a tour.  I think my hotel room is haunted and Method man who plays the Mortician isn't helping by telling me it's Maurice the ghost that haunts the Ritz! The other day my cast mates had the nerve to share all their ghost stories in my suite and then leave me to sleep in there alone! lol 

     Maria is like one of those worrying Puerto Rican mothers who are so all over the place that you wonder how they keep it together but they do because they are resilient.  Maria is the unexpected backbone in any situation, she even surprises herself. 

     When you first meet him, Gareth Maxwell Roberts looks like a rugby playing football watching English fellow but he has this gorgeous imagination.  He is such an artist and loves actors. He writes these characters and gave each of them a struggle but allows you a lot of freedom and he is very gentle. The script was so vivid. He created this world that makes you feel like you are walking through someone's dream and the story pulls you right in.  The film has a great crew mostly consisting of his family and friends so it's so much fun!   

FMFB: You are NYC bred, what are your top three favorite places in NYC and
why

AZ:  Even though I hate the cold, I am an outdoors girl and I go everywhere in my heels!  I like walking around Greenwich Village with all it's little streets and great food stops. You can get a three dollar falafel, walk around and  find a new boutique everyday. 

     There is a French place in Long Island city  on Vernon Jackson Blvd. called Cafe Haven.  They serve a nice variety of crepes and spiked hot chocolate. It's right next to the NYC skyline and the sun shines right across the river and in through the big french windows.  The reason why it's special to me is because I only take one family member there at a time to talk. If I take you there, you are special to me, I don't even take my fellas there, well none yet! 

  My other favorite place is The Museum of Natural History. I know I am an old soul and things in there are older than I feel sometimes so I don't feel so shaky when I'm there. hehe  It's really awe inspiring and kind of creepy so I like it! 

FMFB: As far as Film: Favorite thespian you will like to work with (Male &
Female)
& dream role & director?

 AZ: I'm going to mention two women!

 Shirley Maclaine!  She plays "the difficult woman" better than anyone!  I have admired her work since I was a child, the meaner her characters are, the funnier she is!  Angelina Jolie! 

I admire her career and look up to her for juggling the female action hero roles and still delivering great dramatic performances. She also gives so much and is gorgeous! 

For the Men, I would have to say Johnny Depp is so smooth man!  He is always exciting and brings something new to each character.  I can tell that he never stops having fun and to maintain that infectious joy for acting for as long as he has, is a gift itself.  

FMFB: DREAM ROLE

AZ: I must say that acting is my dream and any role I get is living out the dream for me. I have a knack for Characters who have to redeem themselves. 

Enough of the humble talk... I want to play Natalie Wood one day.  I was working on her as a character at Black Nexxus Inc. , where I trained. The Los Angeles premiere for PRECIOUS was held at Grauman's chinese theatre and my heels and hands fit perfectly into Natalie's...creepy right!

FMFB: DIRECTOR

AZ: I've wanted to work with Darren Aronofsky for a while. He makes magic out of some daring subjects.

FMFB: As far as Music: Who gets you on the dance floor and styles of music
you enjoy

AZ:   I am high energy and I love dancing so anything high energy will get me out on the floor. I'll even dance to an annoying song and goof out.

 I have liked Shakira since I saw her singing with her guitar and grungy red hair on Sabado Gigante. I was relieved to see another odd artsy latina who would take the world by storm one day.  I'm really digging Lady Gaga right now!  

 As far as music I like to listen to, mostly anything that has a soul breathed into it and a message.  I like great instrumentals like Mongo Santamaria and west african funk music. I like world music and conscious rap like Wu tang and common.  Lady GaGa is fearless which is why I like her, but I usually tend to sway away from synthetic tracks.  I need the soul of the real instrument. 

FMFB: As far as Fashion: Tell us your top three designers

AZ: I like Jean Paul Gaultier for his body of work.  he is more than a clothing designer.  He costume designs for film, for ballets, for cirque du soleil, and music tours. 

John Galliano is another designer I admire for how he injects his imagination into his work.  

Emanuel Ungaro delivers sexiness with an edge. I like to dress sexy but never trashy. 

FMFB: In the "Babes"  department is there anyone you go silly for?
  

AZ: Christian Bale, the crazier he seems the more I like him! 

 When I met Will Smith at the PRECIOUS premiere I acted cool, but my cast mate and I snuck out to the balcony and had to silently scream and go silly! 

  The rapper Common. He is fly on many levels! One of my favorite rappers who also doing his thing on film and he's fine!  I saw him at the movie theatre once with some of my  homette's and we all got kind of giddy.

 
Thank you Angelic, I look forward to our follow up
John Vincent Vargas