Rosa Salazar is no stranger to the action genre. The American actress has starred in many films and shows throughout her career, with action playing a particular part in her oeuvre, including franchises like "The Maze Runner" and "Divergent," and the exciting Robert Rodriguez-led movie, "Alita: Battle Angel." Her latest film is a return to form for her, starring in a hilarious and action-packed "Play Dirty," the new Shane Black film, led by none other than Mark Wahlberg.
In an interview with HOLA!, Salazar opened up about her experience working with some of the leading action stars in the industry and why this project felt like a "graduation" of sorts for her.
"When I first read the script, I thought, 'It's Shane Black,' so it was an easy, fun, and amazing read. You're already hearing the characters and seeing the movie. He has a very specific voice, taste, everything," he said. "But it also felt like a graduation for me, because I've done a lot in the action space. I've been jumping off things and shooting guns my whole career, so I felt confident and like I could do this."
To prepare for the role, Salazar trained with specialists who taught her all that she needed to know about handling guns and machinery. "We had the equivalent of a Navy SEAL in Australia, where we shot the film, teaching us how to clear rooms, reload mags, and how to handle these deadly weapons with confidence. That's incredibly valuable information; you never want to pass that up."
Collaborating with Mark Wahlberg
"Play Dirty" is a heist film following a thief (Wahlberg) on the hunt for Salazar's character, with him believing that she was responsible for the death of his team. Like most Shane Black films, there's much more going on than what's initially depicted, with Salazar joining him on a mission and the two getting involved in a dangerous heist.
It's a meaty role for Salazar, and one that allowed her to work with one of Hollywood's leading action stars. "He's a pro. He's done some of my favorite movies of all time. I wasn't worried; I knew I was in good hands, and I just had to bring it, and he would do the rest. So I learned a lot from him. It was a pleasure to work together."
The experience of working together was one that Salazar did not take lightly. "If you told young me that I'd be working with Mark Wahlberg from "Fear"... I'd pinch myself. I feel very accomplished and grateful."
Her Latin heritage
Salazar also opened up about her Latin heritage and how her family always encouraged her to follow her dreams, no matter how far-fetched. "My father was an immigrant from Peru, and he was a cinephile. He wanted to be an artist. He gave up those dreams so we could do whatever we wanted to do, so he was just like 'go, go, go.' My mother was my movie buddy. She would take me to Video 95 and let me pick out anything, no matter the rating, and I would rent it, and we would watch it. That's how we bonded. There was this big love for films in my family," she said.
With her work and steady rise through Hollywood, Salazar is going through one of the best moments of her career. She has no plans of stopping anytime soon. "I think they'd be very proud," she concludes.