Hudson Oliveira is an actor in New York City. He is in the film “Taxi Dance”, by director Kami Zargham, which was released a couple of months ago. I met Hudson back then and he gave me a very nice interview about the movie as well as his life in New York.
Lucas Eller: Hello, Hudson. How are you doing?
Hudson Oliveira: Hi. Thanks for having me. It’s great.
L. E.: Well, thanks for being here. It’s really great. So, tell us a little bit about “Taxi Dance”.
H. O.: Taxi Dance is a movie about human trafficking…
L. E. (interrupsts Hudson): Human trafficking? All right…
H. O.: It’s a very serious subject…
L. E.: And you’re in it?
H. O. (laughs): Yeah. I’m sure it’s a very serious subject and people need to know, you know, everybody knows about human trafficking.
L. E.: Is it based on a real story?
H. O.: It is based on a real story. Actually, it’s so intense, there’s a lot of stories going on at the same time, so it’s not just one story, there are three stories that are linked together. For instance, I play a Mexican guy…
L. E.: You… you’re a Mexican guy in the movie!? Do you speak Spanish in the movie?
H. O.: Yes, I do. So, it’s very realistic. There are Russian characters who speak Russian…
L. E. (joking): Mexicans, Russians, human trafficking… of course, it’s very real.
H. O.: Seriously! They shot this movie in Russia, in LA, and in Mexico because of the border, and obviously in New York.
L. E.: You were in Los Angeles when this film was done?
H. O.: I was in Los Angeles when we shot because that was the place we did my scene, because I was a Mexican guy…
L. E.: … who entered California through the border?
H. O.: Yes, my character crossed the boarder and became a hero because of this girl.
L. E.: So, you’re a Mexican hero?
H. O.: I was a Mexican hero. This girl crosses the boarder and gets raped by a policeman, who was guarding the boarder. As you know, there are mean people everywhere. It’s not just because he was a police officer.
L. E.: I’ve met cops who are very nice people.
H. O.: Of course, of course. We’re talking about a movie. So, the girl is raped and is left by him in the desert, and I found her when she was unconscious, pretty much unconscious, and I took care of her.
L. E.: You didn’t rape her, did you?
H. O.: No, no, no, no… I was a good guy.
L. E.: Right. Heroes don’t rape.
H. O.: (Sigh) So, basically I saved her and we end up becoming good friends. I actually married her.
L. E.:You got married to her. That’s so interesting.
H. O.: And the funny thing is… she became a go-go dancer.
L. E.: You were married to a go-go dancer; good for you! Everybody would love to get married to a go-go dancer…
H. O.: She was very hot.
L. E.: …that’s my point.
H. O.: Yeah… but the whole story of the movie is very heavy, intense, dramatic. We actually won an award for best drama by the NY and LA independent film festival.
L. E.: Congratulations.
H. O.: People told me that my part is the only light and joyful part in the movie.
L. E.: Really?
H. O.: It’s the hero thing, it’s love saving the day. Everything else is pretty violent.
L. E.: Wow! And who’s the go-go dancer here? Maria … Where is she from?
H. O.: It’s actually Jennifer Dias, who lives in Los Angeles.
L. E.: I’d love to interview her. Jenniffer Dias, if you’re reading this, please email me know and I’ll be happy to inverview you.
Hudson Oliveira laughs.
L. E.: Tell me a bit about the director Zargham Kami.
H. O.: Basically, Kami is a very famous photographer, he started his career as a photographer, and he understands a lot about image, and then he decided to direct movies.
L. E.: That’s great, because he decided to turn still photography into motion.
H. O.: And he did very well.
L. E.: He sure did, it is a very intense story and good movie.
H. O.: I do agree with that.
L. E.: Thanks for giving me this interview, Hudson. You’re very lovely.
H. O.: My pleasure, Lucas. You’re very welcome.
LUCAS ELLER INTERVIEWS
