Could a former telenovela star go from a soft spoken nun to a potty-mouthed bad girl on the run? In the case of 32-year-old actress Ana De La Reguera, the answer is a hell yes as she’s the leading lady in the Hollywood flick Cop Out, opposite Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. While De La Reguera has starred in numerous soap operas in her native Mexico as your typical damsel in distress, she’s anything but-and American audiences are finally getting a hint. From her glamorous ads showcasing her cherubic beauty for CoverGirl and Pantene Pro-V, to showing off her naturally curvaceous figure and dancing talents as an aspiring singer in 2008’s Paraiso Travel, De La Reguera looks stunning as she shows off her many sides in front of cameras. It’s hard to resist her warm, coffee brown eyes and captivating smile that shows off two perfect dimples, which made viewers fall head over heals back in the 2006 comedy Nacho Libre. However, it’s her ability to poke fun at herself that has intrigued audiences worldwide.
“Oh yeah, I was cursing like a sailor,” remarks De La Reguera on her character Gabriela during a telephone conference, just days away from the premiere of her latest major film, Cop Out. “It was all about letting go and not being afraid to be funny or outrageous with the cast.” In the film, De La Reguera stars as an outlaw’s Mexican mistress who doesn’t speak a word in English. Gabriela, who’s in a heap of trouble, is discovered in the trunk of a car by cop Jimmy Monroe (Willis) and his outlandish sidekick Paul Hodges (Morgan). The duo, not knowing how to speak any Spanish themselves, attempt to help Gabriela, but they’re quickly lost in translation with side-splitting results. While De La Reguera shyly refuses to repeat any of the swears from, she does insist that many scenes were improvised with the approval of director Kevin Smith, a major factor in why she was ready to embrace her naughty side. “I was a huge fan of Kevin for many years and that was also one of the reasons I wanted to be in the film, to work with him,” she explains. “I think he’s hysterical and he’s very involved with his actors…you definitely need to have a sense of humor working with him.” She does admit with a loud giggle that it was hard to keep a straight face while speaking her Spanish lines, but there’s another new role of hers that’s no laughing matter.
A few days prior to the interview, gossip reporters went gaga over the sexpot’s steamy kiss with actor Hugh Jackman, which stirred rumors of a not-so-secret affair between the two. De La Reguera reveals that the smooch was for a Lipton Iced Tea commercial that was shot in Brazil. “It was incredible,” she gushes over their lip-lock. “Hugh Jackman is so hot and talented as an actor, singer, and dancer. Who wouldn’t want to be near him? I haven’t met anyone like him before.” Even though tabloids throughout Latin America have insisted that she and longtime boyfriend, 51-year-old Univision journalist Jorge Ramos, have broken up, De La Reguera quickly remarks that they’re still together. However, don’t start sending any engagement gifts yet. “As far as marriage no…we’re happy how we are and enjoying each other’s company. You don’t need marriage for that,” she says. For now, De La Reguera’s priority is what it’s always been: her flourishing career.
As De La Reguera’s stardom grows in the states, does it mean that she’s giving up Latin cinema for good? She has moved to Los Angeles, but isn’t saying goodbye to Latinos, her main audience. “I love the opportunity to do films in different countries and I’m now just exploring what’s out there and what might be a good fit for me as an actress,” she says. “I think it’s great to be able to work both in Mexico and the US. I never imagined that I would get to do that. There’s definitely a lot of competition in Hollywood, but it also gives you the chance to do your very best and show it off.”
Cop Out premieres today in theaters.
