Benjamin Bratt - something of a 'Maverick'

I can honestly say I’ve ridden in an elevator with Jim Carrey and that I’ve walked up the stairs with Benjamin Bratt. The elevator ride was years ago when I was a student reporter for the Daily Trojan at USC. The stairs were just a few weeks ago at the California Theater for the Cinequest Film Festival’s Maverick Spirit Award. Bratt was conducting interviews with the press in the lobby of the downtown San Jose theater. Crowds were gathered around him, trying to get snapshots with their cell phones. I just happened to be walking up to the balcony seats with my parents when Ben departed the throng and headed up the stairs and behind the scenes.

It’s rare for me to see an interview with a celebrity on TV, in a magazine, or once in a while in person, and think, “Gee, that’s someone I might actually want to hang out with in real life.” But that is actually what I thought after sitting through the presentation of the Maverick Spirit Award for Benjamin Bratt at the Cinequest Film Festival March 4. And I’m not just saying that because he is so dreamy.

Bratt won me over with a few of his comments, but perhaps the thing that got me most was a jab at a recent vice presidential candidate.

“As a Maverick, I can tell you what I’m not going to do next and that is hang out of a low flying helicopter and shoot at wolves,” he joked.

But then on a serious note, he added, “The truth is I am really honored for what the award is – not a lifetime achievement, but kind like a mid-life achievement…Looking back eight years, it’s no chock to see my work got better after I met my family. They define who I am.”

Each year at Cinequest, a filmmaker or actor is honored as a maverick. I’ve been to a few of the award presentations, which often include a screening of a film and a Q&A with the honoree. I’ve seen William H. Macy, Edward James Olmos, Michael Keaton and Lili Taylor.

The event with Bratt featured a screening of his latest film “La Mission,” which opens in select theaters in the Bay Area April 16. A review of the movie, will appear in the April 16 edition of the Pinnacle (http://www.pinnaclenews.com/.) It also featured a short Q&A with writer/director Peter Bratt, Benjamin’s brother, who worked on the film, as well as the presentation of Bratt’s award.

Bratt then sat down with Jennifer Siebel Newsom, wife of San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom and an actress/filmmaker, for a question and answer session. Bratt talked about how he got into acting, growing up in San Francisco, and more, all with an air of humor.

“I was born in the early ’60s, though I don’t look like it,” he said. “And not a lot of people looked like me on TV.”

He told a story of working with Michael Caine on the comedy “Miss Congeniality.”

They were both in Texas, near San Antonio, and the pair went shopping in a local mall. No one recognized Caine, but Bratt was surrounded by fans.

“Michael said, ‘Your like the Alamo. Every time I turn around you’re surrounded by Mexicans,’” Bratt said. “He is a wonderful, witty man.

Born in the U.S., Bratt’s mother was Peruvian and his father was German. His mother was active in native American causes, and Bratt narrated the PBS series, “We Shall Remain.” The four-part series followed Native American trials through history.It was Bratt’s father who first suggested he try out acting.

“I was a bit of a ham and he asked if I thought about trying out for a play,” Bratt said. “I said no.”

But then he realized he would have a chance to hang out with all the girls who also tried out for plays so he got involved in theater. He studied acting at the University of California, Santa Barbara and the American Conservatory Theater, in San Francisco.

“If all fialed, I’d have a degree to be a teacher,” he said.

He almost didn’t take his first break, when he was offered a tryout for an ABC pilot, “Juarez,” because he didn’t have the money to get to Los Angeles to audition.

“The casting director – I was driving super shuttles and working in a print shop – grabbed me by the lapels and said what are you studying for if not to have an opportunity.”

Bratt flew to L.A., was cast in the lead with a six-episode contract.

“We only made two episodes, but I paid off all my student loans,” he said.

Since then, Bratt has appeared in 43 movies, TV shows or miniseries, including two projects with which he worked with his brother Peter.

He said it is great to work with someone “who is so in line with you socially, spiritually, familially – is that even a word?”

Bratt added that Peter had always been the storyteller.

“There is no experience quite like working my brother,” he said, adding that it helps his performance to work with a director who is also the writer of the material, as his brother was with “La Mission.”


“I find that my brother creates roles that have weight to them, but in circumstances, sometimes like real life, you need a good laugh,” Bratt said. “He know how to tap into it.”


He added that at the end of the day, what he wants to achieve is “to make you feel something, whether it is a comedy, drama or Greek tragedy. There is a reason this craft is centuries old.”


Peter chose the Mission District for his film because it is the family’s favorite San Francisco neighborhood. The film shows footage of the homes, the murals, Aztec dancers on the street corners.


“The best thing about the Mission District, the one thing that makes it unique is it’s in a constant state of evolution,” Bratt said. “The lifeblood is very strong. There is a strong Latino presence…Yes, there is gang violence, but there is a vibrancy of culture, in the murals…”


The movie deals with some of that gang violence, as well as the Latino machismo ideal and homosexuality.


“It’s about a young man deciding to stand by who he is at the risk of losing his father and extended family, Bratt said.


Bratt is continuing to promote “La Mission,” which opens at the Camera 12, in San Jose, the AMC Mercado, in Santa Clara, and some other select theaters April 16. For more on the movie, see their facebook page by searching for “La Mission” or visit the movie’s homepage http://www.lamissionthemovie.com/.


As for his next project, he said he has a few things in the work.


“Maybe a comedy,” he said. “It’s a long process. I used to go to the new Mission Theater and see Bruce Lee movies – double billings. I gotta do a martial arts movie. I need to kick something.”

Resolution quarterly report

It's been just about three months since I made my list of 19 resolutions. I've added four to the completed list (cook with five new ingredients; enter and complete a 5K; have tulips or lilies in my garden and apply for a fellowship.) The 5K was fun and I can't wait to do another one. The tulips were short lived, but I have the bulbs drying outside with hopes that I will be able to plant them for next year. I cooked with five different ingredients with Swiss chard being on of the best of the bunch and quinoa being the worst. And I got the news about a month ago that I didn't get the fellowship, but at least I tried.

As for the rest of the resolutions, I have started on some of them, such as eating at five new restaurants this year. I tried Rosy's at the Beach, Pluto's and Village Bistro, so I just have two more to go. I've also read three books, including Alice Munro's "Too Much Happiness," Audrey Niffenegger's "Her Fearful Symmetry," and Nick Hornby's "Juliet, Naked." I've got a few other books on the to-read list, including one by an author I met last week, Tim Z. Hernandez.

For some resolutions, I've started to lay the groundwork. Two weekends ago, I planted basil and a variety of tomatoes that will be used this summer to make my homemade pasta sauce. Unfortunately, a recent storm may have hurt the young transplants so I may need to replace them this weekend. I am determined to use as many of my homegrown tomatoes in the sauce as I can.

I have also booked a flight to somewhere other than Indianapolis for a short vacation. I will be stopping in Denver for a few days on my way home Indianapolis and it costs the same as flying straight home. Some people have asked me why Denver and all I can say is maple bacon cupcakes. Or at least that is the reason a friend told me to go there. Also, I know someone who lives there who has offered me a place to crash and to be my tour guide for a few days.

And with some of the resolutions, I have to admit, I haven't started at all. I keep meaning to add a few Oscar best picture winners to the netflix queue, but I'm on a "Criminal Minds" kick and trying to catch up on all the old episodes. I'm still on season one. I have also not started working on a short story since spending most of my week reporting and writing (and blogging) makes me not really want to write in my spare time. I've got some ideas kicking around in my mind, but just need to find the time.

I just keep reminding myself I still have nine months to go, plenty of time to finish the other 15 resolutions.