Selene Luna has appeared in variety of television series and movies such as “The Cho Show” and 2010’s “My Bloody Valentine”. Media Mikes had the chance to talk with Selene about her career and what she is currently working on.
Adam Lawton: What made you decide to go into show business?
Selene Luna: I have a very specific answer for that. Being the only little person in my entire family I didn’t grow up around anyone else that was like me. For that reason I always understood that I would be stared at and or treated differently. By the age of 5 I decided I would be an entertainer. I just thought that it would be a good platform for people to stare at me on my terms. I figured I would give them something to look at. Everything kind of snow balled from me having that attitude.
AL: Being involved in both standup comedy and acting is there one type of performance that has been more of a challenge than the other?
SL: I will do whatever I can get my hands on. To be honest it’s all equally challenging. As far as gratification goes I get the most gratification from performing live on stage. I love theater and live performance. That is my number one passion. Both types of performance are challenging and require tenacity and leather skin.
AL: Do you ever find it hard to get people to break out of the idea that you can only play certain roles because of your stature?
SL: That is probably my greatest challenge. It is something that has always been there and will probably never go away. That is something that attracted me to being a standup comic. I feel likethat is the only place where I have control of the material and I can do what I want. I am able to give whatever impression I want to give. As far as scripted television or films go that is just not an option for me. The only person I can think of that has been able to break through this type of thing is Peter Dinklage. He is one in a million. Just to be clear my philosophy or take on this type of thing is that Hollywood equally discriminates against everyone. I don’t think little people are special in this department. Transgendered and or gay individuals are often discriminated against as well. You never see a film where the next door neighbor or someone just happens to be bull dyke. That is something you just don’t see. Everyone gets it at a certain level. Someone like me might get it a little more amplified but its show business. We are all equally warned. I think it happens to everyone and it’s brutal. You really have to be into it. It’s also really important I think for performers to create their own material regardless of what they want to do in life.
AL: You have appeared in a number of horror films. Is this a genre you are a fan of?
SL: I love horror. I am a big chicken but I love to get scared. It’s fun for me. From the work I have done horror movie sets are hands down the most fun to work on. If a horror offer comes along I take it and run with it. It’s like being a little kid and it’s a lot of fun. You get to scare people and play around. It’s hilarious! I have never seen a death scene where the entire crew is not fighting to crack up. It’s just so ridiculous. Horror has also been the only genre that will embrace someone like me. The casting for these types of films is more about the freaky and unusual. Call it what you will but it gives me opportunities that I would not have otherwise.
AL: Can you tell us about your role in “Girls Will Be Girls”?
SL: The people involved in that show are friends of mine and they have been doing it for awhile. I happened to be visiting a friend who owns the studio where the show was being shot. I was walking by and one of the producers pulled me aside and said I would be a perfect fit for a role they were looking to cast. I love everyone involved and it was a lot fun. I got to play an 8 year old kid who is kind of like the neighborhood brat. She lives next door to one of the main characters who I harass to the point of them kidnapping me. It’s super funny.
AL: You have worked with Margaret Cho quite a bit in your career. How did you two start working together?
SL: We have known each other for quite a long time now. We first met through a mutual friend at one of Margaret’s birthday parties. I had gone as this friends date and that’s wherewe met for the first time. We bonded from there. I had actually already known Margaret’s husband through the art and burlesque scene. I had been doing burlesque for many years by this point. Sometimes Margaret and her husband would come to the shows and participate. We have a lot of mutual friends and it was just a matter of time before our worlds collided. The first work I did with her was the off Broadway burlesque show that Margaret put together. We ended up touring with that show and we really bonded during that time.
AL: Do you have any other projects in the works?
SL: Starting in May I will be doing a tour with Dita Von Teese. I have toured with her before but we will be starting out by doing some west coast shows and we will be announcing more dates as the tour progresses. I am very excited about this. The burlesque world is really where I learned my chops. It is still a great passion of mine and I have a lot of fun doing that. I will also be doing some more stand-up dates with Margaret.
