Ali Landry is probably best known as the Doritos Girl from her popular 1998 Super Bowl commercial. In 1998, she was also named by People magazine as one of 50 most beautiful people in the world. Did I mention that she also won Miss USA in 1996? That being said, there's more than meets the eye with Ali Landry. Even though she's very easy on the eyes, she can also a carry a conversation and has a lot to say about a lot of various topics. In my interview with Ali Landry, we talked about some of her past relationships, Bella, her career, Doritos, and a whole lot more. Bella hits DVD on May 6th. Be sure to check it out.
TONY: This film is obviously very important to both you and your husband, who directed the film. Why is the film so important to both of you?
Ali Landry: Well, Bella, for myself, was an opportunity for me to play a character that no one, I think, has ever seen me play. And it was the scariest thing I've ever done I would say, as far as career wise, but by far the most rewarding. I feel like I've grown as a person. It really changed us all, being involved in this whole Bella process, because we've seen how this film has really touched a lot of people and shed some light on some topics. It's a film with a lot of heart. Not a lot of money, but a lot of heart. (laughs) And for my husband, it was his first big film as a director, so he really had a lot riding on it and a lot at stake. It's not his genre, it's not really the style of film he would ever think he would have done as his first film, but it's just a story that sort of came to him. It's based on a true story, and he felt very compelled to tell this story. And that's where we are. And now we see why it was necessary for him to put this film out there because of the people that it's really touched.
TONY: What has it been like watching this film grow? You mentioned earlier how you started out with no money on this film, but the film has really caught on with critics and filmgoers across the world. It's really taken on a life of its own.
Ali Landry: That process has been unbelievable and absolutely incredible, because we really were sort of swimming against the Hollywood current. We did everything sort of by a different book. We did tons of screenings for over a year across the country, hoping that word of mouth would spread. People ended up pre-buying theaters, and we didn't depend on distribution to really get the word out. I mean, of course they did their job, but we really sort of took it upon ourselves and had a special interest in it and got on the road for a year and a half. I mean, I don't know any actors that do that unless they are the producer/director of the project. We just had so much riding on it that we sort of dropped everything for that amount of time and focused totally on Bella. And even now, everyone asks my husband, "Please don't start another project until we see Bella out on DVD," because we've been traveling still once or twice a week.
TONY: Your scene in the film is probably one of the most intense and hard-to-watch scenes in the entire film. How did you prepare for that?
Ali Landry: Well, I was not a mother yet, and I just had to find a place that, in my mind, would get me to experience that kind of pain. I tried my best to find that, and it was a tough place to be in, because it's a very vulnerable place to be in. And I hope that it came across organic and real, because I really felt it. But, as a mom now, just the thought of something happening to my child, I can't even go there.
TONY: Bella shows us how our entire life can change in an instant. One minute we're on top of the world, and then it's all taken away from us. That being said, sometimes we meet a certain person, and our life changes for the better. What kind of experiences have you gone through in your career that are similar to what is being portrayed in Bella?
Ali Landry: I don't even really talk about it that much, but there's only thing in my life that's changed absolutely everything. I was in a previous relationship and was deceived, and it not only changed my personal life, but it changed everything for me. It changed absolutely everything. It changed the way I walk through this earth I would say. From the projects that I choose and what that message is and what it puts out there to other people, what it portrays, it's really affected me. And it's sort of like the movie: What you think is the worse possible thing that could ever happen to you, sometimes could turn out to be the biggest blessing. Or that there's something that will happen to you in your life: One day everything's going along great and wonderful and you're on top of the world, and the next day, you can't even see past two feet in front of you. So it's sort of that whole thing. I went through that, personally, so Bella's kind of a representation for that, for me. And that was sort of like my coming out in a new way, as far as my career is concerned.
TONY: How have you stayed positive and upbeat when dealing with situations in life that are negative or draining?
Ali Landry: I don't think I was always like that. I think I was aware, but I wasn't fully, fully aware as I am now, I think. You realize life is short, and anything can possibly happen and things could absolutely change in a moment. I come from a great family; my parents are amazing and raised us so well. And, for me, my most important thing is my husband and my child and my family. And work, by all means, does not come first. They always come first, and my husband's the same way, and that's sort of how we go forth in our marriage and with our family. Because this town is so tough, I feel like it can take you in, eat you up, and spit you out. So we do whatever it takes to protect our family and protect our relationship, because that is the most important thing for us. I mean, without that, nothing else really matters.
TONY: When I was watching Bella, I couldn't help but notice the realism that was captured on screen. In fact, I almost felt like a voyeur at times. What was it like working under those conditions?
Ali Landry: That's so funny you say that, because the first time I saw it, that's exactly what I got from it. During the beach scene with Jose and Nina, I felt like I was sitting about two feet behind them and overhearing a conversation and eavesdropping on a conversation. I saw that when they were shooting it on the monitor and I had no idea it would translate that way to film. So that was pretty incredible. I loved that about it.
TONY: What did it mean to your husband to be invited by the president to sit in his private box during the annual State of the Union speech in 2007?
Ali Landry: Well, first, you have to understand, at the time, my husband had just become a citizen of the United States. Before when he was still under Mexican citizenship, every time he would cross, we would cross the borders or fly in from international flights, he would shave his beard and wear a sports jacket and dress really, really nice. And he was always afraid, one day, he wouldn't be able to come back into this country. So when he became a United States citizen, it was just such a relief, such a blessing, and such an incredible, incredible moment for him. So then for him to be invited to the White House to be sort of honored and sit with the First Lady, it was a surreal moment for him.
TONY: You have been recognized by a number of publications and magazines as "sexy" and "beautiful." What does that feel like? Do you ever get used to it?
Ali Landry: I think in the beginning of my career, I just was sort of not really thinking of maybe how I was being portrayed in the media I feel. I mean, Doritos happened and then this happened, and I just sort of was blindly just going through life and not really being aware. And they would say, "Do you want to do this?" And I would say, "Yeah, sure." And it is very nice and very flattering, but I think maybe by doing these kind of magazines, it fed into that a little bit. So, I am flattered, don't get me wrong, but now it's just time for people to see who I am as a person, and hopefully that will reflect in the projects that I choose in the future and the things that I get involved in. So that's where I am now.
TONY: What is it like dealing with that stigma?
Ali Landry: I feel like a lot of people in this business, they want you to say that your personal life should be separate from your work. And I don't have that philosophy, actually. I feel like, as human beings, we spend most of our time at work, and my work is a reflection of who I am a person. So, like I said before, I sort of fed into what people were sort of labeling me as ... you know, sexy, hot and all of this coming off of Doritos. And, now, I'm making sort of different choices, I guess. And you hear all the time from people in the spotlight, "Well, people portray me in a certain way." Well, maybe they're making those kind of choices where people would actually make those kind of comments or assumptions on their character. So, for me, it's one in the same.
TONY: What's changed in terms of what we find sexy and attractive? From when you did your Doritos commercial back in 1998, what kind of changes have you seen in the mainstream media?
Ali Landry: I think that, over the years, the envelope is being pushed further and further. I mean, everyone can see it, just from the commercials that we see to when we're driving down the road and the billboards that we see that are up there. I mean, I was driving down Santa Monica Boulevard, and they had a billboard that said something like, "Have an affair, it's something or other." It was promoting cheating or whatever, and for them, it was no big deal, and it was hot, fun, sexy, and sassy. Well, I feel those kind of images and if we continue going that way, it's kind of destroying our society in a way. So, I dunno, I want to do whatever I can to kind of make that pendulum swing back the other direction.
TONY: Bella has received so much positive feedback from both critics and fans. Out of all the great praise that you have heard about the film, what sticks out?
Ali Landry: Well, I mean, the list goes on and on and on, and we have so many people on tape saying it's affected them. From repairing relationships to not speaking to their parents or their brothers and sisters for years and years and years, and they finished seeing Bella, and they made a phone call to repair that relationship ... to the extreme of someone deciding not to have an abortion because of the film. So this film has been incredible.
TONY: I have a sports question for you. I know you were featured in a number of Super Bowl commercials, so I have to ask you, do you and your husband have a favorite sports team or a favorite sport?
Ali Landry: (laughs) The funny thing is neither one of us watch sports at all. I know, it's crazy. I mean, we'll watch soccer a little bit, The World Cup or something, but that's pretty much the extent of it. My husband's a surfer, so that's about it. (laughs) He likes to surf.
TONY: Bella is also about second chances and how we learn from our past experiences. For you, personally, what have you learned about second chances?
Ali Landry: Well, I think, also, not only second chances, but it gives you hope. It really does give you hope in life, this movie. Something can happen to you that can really shake you up, and, again, you feel like, "How am I gonna get through this? How am I gonna see the end of this?" And you never know what's around the corner. You never know if there's that bright light that's shining around the corner, and that terrible thing that happened can really be an extreme blessing. I experienced that even before Bella, and then to see that my husband sort of had the same idea and brought across the same message in this film, I dunno, it's nice.
TONY: In your terms of your career, I'm sure you never thought you would be in the position that you're in today. Do you sometimes just have to throw up your arms and go along for the ride and see where it takes you?
Ali Landry: I mean, sometimes that happens, I think, with a hit show or a hit film or a hit commercial. And those moments, I feel like you kind of throw up your hands and go along for the ride. But if there's something that's really important to you and you really have a definite goal in mind, you kind of have to work towards that, and every step you take has to be towards that one specific goal.
TONY: You seem like you have a strong connection with your fans online. You answer a lot of their e-mails and keep in touch with them. How important is that?
Ali Landry: I'm just a normal girl, woman now, and I go through the same struggles as everybody else who has the same issues. And that's why right now I'm actually in the process of pitching a talk show for moms, because if there's somebody that you look up to or whatever, I just feel like we need to support each other in this world, in this lifetime. Just to share your thoughts or whatever kind of advice or whatever kind of insight you can share with different stories. I just think it's nice. In our position, if you're given a voice, I feel like, also, you need to use that voice for something positive.
TONY: Finally, what's your advice on how to handle being a Hollywood mom?
Ali Landry: For me, we're sort of on the same wavelength, my career and my personal life. There's a lot of events now that I'm a mom that I get invited to with the baby, and those are some of my friends, and I'm not gonna not go to these events because of photographers or whatever. I mean, this is our life. I'm gonna take my baby, and I wanna enjoy these things with her. On the flip side of it, there's so many blessings that come along with this career and with the job that I have. I wish my parents could be here or some of my really close friends from Louisiana could be here to share all these wonderful experiences with me. So now that I have a child and my husband, these things are fun for us and really nice and wonderful and we get to travel and do really good things and go to charity events and all that. So we all kind of share it together as a family
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