Patricia De Leon has worn a slew of career hats. The Panamanian beauty began her career as Miss Panama in the 1995 Miss World Pageant and later put aside her tiara for a chance to become a news anchor/reporter for Univision. Since then, De Leon has created a name for herself in both TV and film. She has appeared on shows, such as “Cold Case,” “Bold and the Beautiful,” and “Lincoln Heights.” Aside from television, De Leon has also appeared in movies, including How the Garcia Girls Spent their Summer and Cloud 9. Her latest role is a sexy Latina in The Pool Boys, a comedy about a Harvard-bound young man whose internship falls through, so he ends up working with his cousin. The two soon turn an empty mansion into an escort business as a way to make quick bucks and meet gorgeous gals, one of them being the sexy Julia, played by De Leon.
Between her roles, De Leon talks to nocheLatina about how she began pageantry, having a doll modeled after her, and how she feels about where her career is headed.
nocheLatina: You made your first big break as Miss Panama in the Miss World Pageant. How did you get involved in that?
Patricia De Leon: It was my mother’s dream to be in a pageant but since she never did, she wanted to fulfill the dream through me. That’s something that she wanted me to do. She enrolled me in modeling school when I was 13. She filled out the application for me to be in the pageant and that’s how I involved myself. It wasn’t my choice. I was always a very shy kid.
nocheLatina: How would you describe pageantry?
Patricia De Leon: It’s what really set my career. I think it’s the best thing I’ve done. I think it helped me in a personal level to come out of my comfort zone. It just makes you grow.
nocheLatina: After competing in the pageant, you began working for Univision as a news anchor/reporter. Where did this opportunity come from?
Patricia De Leon: Even though I studied law, one of the things that I wanted to do was reporting. I started by first becoming a weather girl. I had already worked for two major networks in Panama. I then went to Houston where my sister lived. I did a casting and they called me back. That’s how I started.
nocheLatina: How long did you work for Univision?
Patricia De Leon: Not too long because I had an offer to do a film in L.A.-a Latin film. It was La Llorona del Rio in 2000.
nocheLatina: Would you ever like to go back to the news?
Patricia De Leon: Sure!
nocheLatina: You star as a hot, sexy Latina named ‘Julia’ in the upcoming comedy The Pool Boys. What was it like playing that role?
Patricia De Leon: It was great because I got to work with a wonderful cast. We really clicked and understood each other coming from the same background. My character is very spicy, always controversial, and sexy. I wouldn’t call it easy, but playing Julia gave me more freedom.
nocheLatina: You are loved by many male fans. How do you handle all of the attention from men?
Patricia De Leon: You know, I’m very strong. My presence, I would call it, is a strong one. Men get very intimidated by women like me who are strong. That’s how I see it. And I’m very selective. I don’t open up to everyone. There are so many people in the world, why shouldn’t you be surrounding yourself with the best? I’m not very easy to open up to people. I’m the kind of person, when I let you in, I’m very giving. The people that surround me are like family.
nocheLatina: What is the craziest story you have from a male fan?
Patricia De Leon: I have men chase me home.
nocheLatina: Like in cars?
Patricia De Leon: Yeah.
nocheLatina: What do you do?
Patricia De Leon: I stop my car, get right beside them and say ‘If you don’t take off in the next minute, I’ll be calling the police on you.’ Can you believe people are so crazy? They chase me home? That’s ridiculous. It gets to a point that I stop my car and ask them ‘What is it that you want?’
nocheLatina: Does this attention affect you and your career in any way?
Patricia De Leon: I try not to let anything affect me in my career. I know who I am. You just have to be very aware. I’ve had directors asking me out and I say business is business, personal is personal, and I don’t mix either. It doesn’t just go into the acting career, it goes into every career. The minute you mix business with pleasure, you’re done, especially as a woman.
nocheLatina: What is your favorite physical feature?
Patricia De Leon: My eyes because I think that they speak. People could tell about me through my eyes. I think the eyes are the doors to your soul.
nocheLatina: Which of your personality traits do you love about yourself?
Patricia De Leon: That I’m very clear. What you see is what you get with me.
nocheLatina: What are your hobbies outside of acting?
Patricia De Leon: I like to go to the beach whenever I have time. I have two dogs so I spend time with them. I have two Pomeranians-a boy and a girl. You know what I like to do when I’m free? Have a nice dinner and a glass of red wine.
nocheLatina: I understand there is a doll that’s going to be modeled after you by Symbiote Studios. How do you feel about a doll being made after you?
Patricia De Leon: You know at first, I didn’t believe it. I thought it was a joke. My agent called me and it’s funny because I started laughing and then I thought it was awesome. I wasn’t expecting it so yeah, it was really cool and it should be coming out next year.
nocheLatina: You’ve landed roles left and right in movies and shows now. Do you have a favorite experience?
Patricia De Leon: Right now I have a recurring role on a show, titled ‘Lincoln Heights.’ I love working with them because they’re really like family. I’ve worked in different sets and I’ve never felt the union that these people have. They really like each other…they’re like family. They treat you like family.
nocheLatina: What do you think about the transition you have made from where you started to where you’re headed?
Patricia De Leon: You know sometimes I think about it and cry. Just because, you know, it’s hard, when you come from a small country to here…and I had to learn the language when I first got here. It hasn’t been easy, but I feel really proud. I cry out of happiness because God has given me the strength to not give up.
nocheLatina: Do you have any other upcoming projects on the horizon?
Patricia De Leon: I’m going to work on a pilot with Ray Romano called ‘Men of Certain Age.’ I play his fantasy woman. It just got picked up for 12 episodes by TNT. We’re going to begin shooting in September.
nocheLatina: If you weren’t acting, what would you be happy doing?
Patricia De Leon: Working with children.
nocheLatina: Why?
Patricia De Leon: I really love children. I’d like to have some time in the future for kids. That’s my ultimate goal, to have a family.
nocheLatina: Is there anything you’d like to add?
Patricia De Leon: I’m a vegetarian and people tell me ‘What are you, crazy? A vegetarian and you’re Latina?’ I’ve actually started working with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). I want to be more involved and educate our Latino community to respect a little more-our environment and animals are so important.
The Pool Boys debuts in September. To learn more about Patricia De Leon, click here. Photos courtesy of Brian B. Hayes and John Russo.
