Marc Cherry has done it again.
The man behind Desperate Housewives has crafted Devious Maids, a a deftly produced Lifetime series debuting June 23 that features Ana Ortiz (Ugly Betty), Dania Ramirez (Entourage), Roselyn Sanchez (Without a Trace), Edy Ganem (Livin' Loud) and Judy Reyes (Scrubs) as five Latina maids with ambition and dreams of their own while working for the rich and famous in Beverly Hills. ("Housewives" star Eva Longoria is also an executive producer.)
Windy City Times spoke with Ortiz last week when she was in town for a press junket, covering everything from class distinction to Ugly Betty to the men of "Maids."
Windy City Times: How has your stay been in Chicago?
Ana Ortiz: I wish I had more time. I mean, can you believe this [incredibly sunny] day? My flight landed in Indianapolis last night, and we had to drive here. I got in Chicago at two in the morning—but, driving in, I got to see the city at night, and it's stunning.
WCT: First of all, some of our readers are still upset over the cancellation of Ugly Betty [which happened in 2010].
Ana Ortiz: I feel their pain, trust me, but thank you for saying that.
WCT: The show seemed like it had plenty of steam.
Ana Ortiz: It had plenty of steam left. [The cancellation] was really disappointing; the show was the best experience of my life. I made friends and family for life; America [Ferrara, the star of Ugly Betty] is my son's godmother and Mark Indelicato is at NYU. He's a genius. Judith Light, Vanessa Williams...
WCT: Ah, Judith—with the win at the Tonys this year...
Ana Ortiz: Second win in a row, and that's only the second time in history that's happened. Also, I just did an independent movie with Michael Urie.
WCT: I saw the first two episodes of the show alone. First, the title alone...
Ana Ortiz: [Claps] "You had me at hello..."
WCT: But it also has the comedy and the drama, and it's definitely a Marc Cherry show.
Ana Ortiz: Yes; it's definitely in his wheelhouse. I will say that he's been really wonderful about listening to us and including us in the development of the show. It's been great to have a little collabo on that. Listen: There are five Latinas on this show, and we're definitely not shy. [Laughs]
And can I just tell you something? Susan Lucci is just...
WCT: She had me when I saw her under the bed.
Ana Ortiz: What is so funny is that she's known for being so dramatic, but she's really funny on this show. She gets to do all this comedy. She did some comedy on All My Children, but this is a whole other level.
WCT: Let's talk about your character [Ortiz laughs]—the woman of mystery.
Ana Ortiz: Marisol is definitely a woman of mystery. She comes into the maids' world under the guise of being a maid, but she has a more important goal—to find out who really murdered Flora [another maid]. She meets these women, but doesn't expect to form all these beautiful friendships and have these incredible experiences. But she's lying to them the whole time. Eventually, that comes to a head—you know how we Latin girls are: We don't play. There's a lot of fun, juicy drama.
WCT: Tom Irwin's character [one of the Beverly Hills husbands] creeps me out.
Ana Ortiz: Oh, I know! He really takes it there.
WCT: I don't know how much more I can take. I might need my heart medication. [Both laugh.] I'm not a whippersnapper like you.
Ana Ortiz: I'm 42, my darling. This is what 42 looks like now.
WCT: Well, I'm what 92 looks like now. [Ortiz laughs loudly.]
Ana Ortiz: Well, I look forward to it—it looks fabulous! As for Tom, he's such an exceptional actor. He really struggled with it and, to his credit, he committed fully. Wait until you see the rest of it. They all bring it.
WCT: One of the things I like about this show is that shows Latinas as multidimensional—as more than just maids. Your character has the line, "You just see me as someone...
Ana Ortiz: ...who opens your door." I welcome the conversation. I think we got some controversy because of the title of the show, which I understand. When I first got this script, I said, "Really!" But I read the script and I enjoyed it. I then had a meeting with Marc and he told me his vision of the show; then I found out the other girls who were circling the parts. They are some of my favorite actresses on the planet; I've been auditioning with them for 10 years.
We do realize that the controversy is legitimate, but I'm truly honored to bring these stories to life. My grandmother was a domestic worker; Judy Reyes' mother was one her whole life—and these are women who had full, exciting and wonderful lives.
WCT: I was about to say: There certainly is nothing wrong with being a maid, but there's so much more to...
Ana Ortiz: Absolutely—and I appreciate you saying that. Really, these are the women in charge. They're the ones raising your children and cleaning your house, so don't trip. Don't sleep on the maid—and don't sleep with the maid, either! [Laughs] I hope we get a nice, long run so we can tackle more issues.
WCT: How much do you think the show reflects the reality of Beverly Hills?
Ana Ortiz: [Laughs] Well, it is television; nobody's going to watch something that's sedate. It reflects it, for sure, but it heightens everything. It's a novela, it's Beverly Hills-plus. Right off the bat, it's super-heightened, but this is when you're starting to learn who we are as characters. We settle into it, and things start getting really intricate. There's that Upstairs, Downstairs vibe—but here, downstairs is running the show.
WCT: Then there's that line when you're interviewing with the family: "You don't have an accent." I would last 30 seconds in that place.
Ana Ortiz: You and me both. But I've actually heard that, and I hear, "You don't look Puerto Rican. You don't sound Puerto Rican." But this is what Puerto Rican looks like.
WCT: What's it like for a New Yorker like yourself to be in L.A.?
Ana Ortiz: It's good because I have two babies. It was hard to have a baby in New York. In L.A., I have a big yard and they're running around like little hippie children. That being said, when they're in first, second or third grade, I think I'd like to come back home.
WCT: For a second, I have to mention the men of this show: Tom Irwin, Grant Show, Brett Cullen and Drew [van Acker]. I've been watching Pretty Little Liars, so I know about him.
Ana Ortiz: Drew van Acker. He comes with his own built-in audience of young, fabulous girls. Can I just tell you he's the sweetest, most mellow, down-to-earth, cool guy? You're like, "Could you have a flaw, because you're perfect and you're, like, 12?"
WCT: And he looks like a Kennedy.
Ana Ortiz: [Laughs] Yes, he does. Grant Show is a California surfer guy, super-happy to be on the show. He and Dania Ramirez's character have a smokin' storyline.
WCT: What do you want viewers to take away from your show?
Ana Ortiz: First of all, I want people to have fun. I want them to turn off for a while and get into these lives. Another thing I'd like people to take away is that everything is everything—that you don't have to be who people think you are because of your bank account or your job. Everyone is complex, and the hero can be the person who captures your heart and tells your story.
