Ali Landry came to fame 10 years ago with a series of Doritos commercials that aired during the Super Bowl. Since then, she’s gone on to star in numerous movies and television shows, including a regular role on “Eve.” Now, Ali is starring in the multiple award-winning movie, Bella, in which she plays a grieving mother. I recently had a chance to speak with Ms. Landry, and found her to be incredibly friendly, intelligent, and motivated. Read on to see what she has to say about her newest role, her career, family life, and, of course, Doritos.

- Mike Spring

Editor

Ali Landry: Hi Mike, how are you?

Mike Spring: I’m good, how are you?

AL: I’m good, I’m good. A little busy right now, but it’s all good. I’m leaving for a fashion show, I’m in a photo shoot this afternoon, these interviews, so it’s a little bit crazy.

MS: Well, I guess busy is a good problem to have I guess.

AL: Yes, it is.

MS: I’d like to talk to you about “Bella.” I was very impressed with the film, actually. I had no idea what it was going into it, and I really enjoyed it. You had the hardest role in the film, though; the really, really dramatic scene. Was that a difficult scene for you or was it a nice chance for you to show your range?

AL: Well, you know, when I was told about the role, I was really afraid. In that kind of role, you put yourself in a very vulnerable place. But I knew that was my opportunity for people to see me in a different light, and I know it was probably the hardest thing that I have ever done. But, by far it was the most rewarding. It’s just really hard to go to that place with yourself.

MS: I had a tough time watching it.

AL: It really, really was an amazing experience. The whole shooting of the film was great for us.  We’ve been promoting it for the past two years. And just to see the people that it really touched and affected has been a really beautiful experience for us.

MS: What was the mood on the set like? Especially when you were shooting your scene? Was it a happy set? Was it a somber set?

AL: No, it was definitely a happy set. Absolutely. Everybody adored each other and we kind of felt like everybody really got so personally involved in the project. It was like a little film with a very big heart. And because of the budget we had and we knew we were shooting in New York City, it was like, “How are we were going to pull this off?” We were shooting so fast. Like, we were shooting several pages a day. So, we all sort of came together knowing what the goal was. And we all knew, I think, that we all have a lot riding on this project. So, that made the experience really special.

MS: And how was it working with your husband in a professional capacity?

AL: He’s the one who thought I could really do the role when I wasn’t sure. I said I wasn’t ready to go there. But I had to do an audition on tape which was fine by me because I wanted everybody to be fine with me doing the part. And he is actually an excellent director. He took all of our performances to a place we didn’t know they could go. He made the scenes for me, even after I watched it, seem so real. I almost feel I was sitting on the side of Nina and Jose, eavesdropping on a conversation in some scenes. So, it was really haunting to me how he captured that, especially knowing the struggle behind it; the budget and how difficult it was shooting in New York. I was very, very impressed. He’s pretty amazing.

MS: As an actress, you’ve been doing a lot of TV over the past few years, and now you’ve done this film as well as some other movies here and there. Do you have a preference between movies and television?

AL: No. I kind of like jumping back and forth between everything. I guess I get sort of bored with just one. Working on a project like this puts the bar pretty high. And since shooting that project I’ve become very, very vain and specific on the project I want to be involved in because I have seen what this project has done for people and how it affected people. I don’t know; it kind of changed me a little.

MS: I can imagine. So, are going to try to focus on more dramatic roles now?

AL: Yeah, I love the dramatic, but for me it’s the script. It doesn’t matter what genre it is. I feel if I connect with the script, if I connect with the character and the overall message of the project, I think that’s how I’m making my choices right now.

MS: So, I have to ask: do you get recognized a lot from the Doritos commercials?

AL: Oh yes, still, all the time. It’s incredible to me after 10 years, that people still know me as the Doritos girl. And some people are like, “Aren’t you offended by that?” But hey, I bought a house with Doritos. So I am not complaining. It’s very nice. It’s very flattering that people even remember.

MS: And then you have been listed as one of People Magazine’s most beautiful people, and you’ve been the top 100 sexiest women for Maxim and those magazines. Do you enjoy those lists or are you kind of, “eh, whatever” about them?

AL: Again, it’s flattering. I don’t really see myself that way. It really matters how my husband sees me, no doubt about it.

MS: And one of your movies I wanted to ask you about that I’m actually a huge fan of is Repli-Kate. You worked with James Roday, who obviously has been quite successful with Psych, and Eugene Levy, who are two very funny people. What was that experience like for you?

AL: That was, I guess, going into something kind of blindly. I don’t think I would do that project again. But you know, the older you are, the wiser you get. I was young and I wanted to work and I wasn’t being specific and looking for something specific in a project. I did enjoy working with James and Eugene. Absolutely. They are really funny and really smart and really witty.  It was a great experience and you learn. You learn from project to project. You figure out what you will do and won’t do.

MS: So, are you and your husband planning on making more movies together? Is this something you want to do again?

AL: Yeah. Absolutely. His production company is amazing. We love to work together because both of us are very, very, professional and I feel like we both have a lot in common. When he’s working on a film, I feel like I’m working on it; it’s our personal life, our family time and everything else. So the seriousness of the project is definitely there and I really want it to be the best it can be. I don’t want him to cast me in a role unless he thinks I’m the absolute perfect person because he has a lot riding on it as a director. So, we would love to and we’ll have to see what’s to come.

MS: Do you have anything else lined up at the moment that we should be looking out for?

AL: Well, right now, I’m in the process of shopping a TV show. I got really inspired by the whole Bella process and I started working with a team of people who do television shows, because I know television very, very well. It’s reality-based. Now the one we are in the process of pitching is a talk show for moms. So, that’s what I’m doing right now.

MS: Are you a mom?

AL: I am! We just had a baby!

MS: Congratulations!

AL: Which is not “just.” She’s 9 months.

MS: Anything else you are working on, or is that your main focus right now?

 AL: I am also working on a book and one of my dreams has always been to go into branding, like a lifestyle line. I love texture and design. So, that’s what we’re in the process of doing. We’re doing a television show, we’re doing cross- promotions with whatever project I take on. And of course, trying to find the right project, the right script, the right project for a television project or film.

MS: Is there anything else you want to tell our readers?

AL:I feel like this movie Bella is, for me, a representation of where I want to go as an actress. And as far as projects I want to be involved in, it’s definitely an example of that: projects that are really touching to people and make a difference, and I think that’s part of being a mom. Your perspective in life changes, and you question, “Why am I here, what am I doing to contribute?” So, that’s sort of where my focus is. With everything I take on, I’m not going to take it on for the money, I’m not going to take it on for the fame, the glory or anything else. I really want to take on things that really kind of help people along or shed light on something.

MS: That’s great. Well, I appreciate you taking time to talk to us.

AL: Thank you!