Luis Fonsi Talks Movie Debut With ‘Say a Little Prayer’

Luis Fonsi is on a successful streak. The Puerto Rican big name is celebrating 25 years in song with a large excursion that’s set to wrap in his cherished house nation subsequent 12 months. His LP El Viaje simply received a Latin Grammy for perfect pop vocal album, and the set is nominated for a Grammy in the most productive Latin pop album class. He’s additionally set to make his debut at the large display screen on Friday (Nov. 22) because the male lead Rafael Reza, within the indie movie Say a Little Prayer.

Fonsi has acted prior to in tv and theater, and making the bounce from that to films was once in his plans– simply now not so quickly, the “Despacito” hitmaker tells Billboard.

“It was once an surprising alternative. It was once any such issues that you simply take into accounts and say to your self, ‘In the end I would like to dive into that global and notice what doorways open.’ However I wasn’t there but,” Fonsi explains. “I used to be actually in the midst of operating on an album and a excursion — however a pal of mine, who could also be hooked up to the film’s manufacturing group, despatched me the script, pronouncing they have been on the lookout for the male lead position. I used to be already considering it might be a ‘no’ even prior to studying the primary web page. I learn it the entire option to the tip all through a flight from Miami to Madrid, and I used to be like, ‘Wait a minute, this might be attention-grabbing.’”

Say a Little Prayer, a rom-com starring Fonsi, Vannessa Vasquez, Jackie Cruz and Vivian Lamoli, facilities round 3 perfect buddies (Adela, Ruby and Cristina) who are living in San Antonio, Texas and feature had little-to-no good fortune of their romantic relationships. They hotel to reciting an impressive prayer to seek out their “misplaced” husbands, which brings about chaos of their friendship — nevertheless it additionally brings Rafael into their lives. His magnetic appeal as artwork curator and previous musician seduces two of the chums, however just one has his middle.

“I may just see myself — now not best during the persona, however via those tales. We’ve all long gone via equivalent issues, as it’s a movie about friendship, circle of relatives and love. So, I believed it will be the proper first step,” says Fonsi, including that he labored with an appearing trainer for the movie. “I felt extraordinarily comfy capturing the movie. There was once by no means a second of panic or considering I didn’t belong there. The truth that I were given to write down the song additionally gave me numerous self belief.”

Fonsi wrote the movie’s reliable track, “Prayer in Your Eyes,” which his persona plays all through a date with Adela (Vasquez). He wrote and produced the track in two days considering he didn’t want to flip it in till after he had shot his scenes. “I didn’t comprehend it was once going to be a part of the tale; I believed it was once going to be the credit track of the movie so I kinda put it off,” he says with amusing. “Actually 3 days prior to I traveled to San Antonio to do my scenes, Patrick, the director, is like, ‘Good day, I in reality want to pay attention the track. We’re capturing a scene round it.’ Excellent factor is I paintings neatly underneath force. And I’m pleased with the track. It has slightly little bit of nation affect. It’s now not nation song, it’s a pop track however I routinely transported myself to San Antonio. It’s in English and that was once amusing too as a result of I don’t do numerous writing in English.”

The importance of his first large destroy at the large display screen isn’t misplaced on Fonsi. As any person who has damaged information in Latin song and altered the style’s panorama along with his world wreck hit “Despacito,” he’s enthusiastic about contributing to the diversification of the movie trade. Hispanic and Latin actors proceed to stay excluded or left at the back of in Hollywood, in line with a 2023 USC Annenberg Find out about, regardless of Latinos now making up just about 20% of the U.S. inhabitants.

“I’m out right here selling Latin song on a daily basis, in need of it to be world, and there’s numerous room to develop once we discuss Latin actors and administrators in movie,” says Fonsi. “For me, it’s been so robust to transport the needle in Latin song and be a part of what has came about with Latin song international. And if I will be able to transfer the needle ever so moderately within the movie trade and be a part of it, it’s going to make me really feel so proud.”

Recently on his 25 Años Excursion, which is able to wrap in March in Puerto Rico, Fonsi is reflecting on his newest wins, together with a Latin Grammy for an album that captures his adventure throughout those 25 years.

“El Viaje could be very particular to me,” he explains. “From the start, it was once all the time an album; I wasn’t seeking to write a radio-friendly track and a number of different songs. It began off as an idea album, each and every track is a spot, town, a party of my 25-year adventure. It intended the arena to win as it reaffirmed that they were given what I used to be seeking to say. To get a nomination for the Grammys was once icing at the cake. Those previous 25 years, there’s been such a lot evolution, now not being petrified of reinventing myself,.

He continues to mirror: “I really like that during each and every section of this profession, there’s one thing new they throw at you, and you determine the right way to make it paintings inside your global with out in reality leaving behind who you might be as an artist. That’s what makes it amusing.”

Directed by means of Patrick Perez Vidauri and written by means of Nancy De Los Santos-Reza, Say a Little Prayer premieres Friday in make a choice AMC theaters around the nation.