Olmos stands and delivers

By Michelle Fithian, On-Line Forty-Niner

Monday, September 21, 1998

Despite arriving half an hour late, actor Edward James Olmos did not disappoint the audience, as he spoke about his success in Hollywood Thursday afternoon at Cal State Long Beach's Studio Theatre.

Olmos also presented "American Me," a film he starred in, directed and produced, at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center later that evening.

Olmos spoke to aspiring actors, performers and entertainment executives about working one's way into Hollywood.

Before he uttered a word, Olmos stepped onto the dimly lit stage and received a standing ovation. He emphasized discipline and hard work as being the only secret to making it in Hollywood.

"I was a kid from East LA with no natural talent," Olmos said. "I started in off off off off Los Angeles theaters. I had to learn how to act, write, produce, direct. I learned to persevere."

Known as the "Olivier of the Latino world," Olmos' credits are long and wide. He began his career as a musician on the Sunset Strip with the likes of Jim Morrison and Santana. He has starred in "Blade Runner," "Wolfen," "Stand and Deliver" and "Selena." He has been bestowed with Academy Award nominations, a Golden Globe and many honors for his humanitarian efforts.

Olmos talked about how perseverance and discipline made him who he is today.

From being the youngest professional baseball player in California history to perfecting and performing the character El Pachuco from "Zoot Suit," considered one of the most pivotal roles to ever be performed in theater, Olmos emphasized that there is little difference between him and the rest of the audience. The only difference is his level of discipline.

"'Zoot Suit' was the catalyst for the rest of my life," Olmos said. "When they called me, I wept out of fear. I knew this was the biggest responsibility of my life."

He told the audience that he worked hard to make it.

"I did not come out of my mother's womb saying 'To be, or not to be.' We all came out the same. I couldn't speak English or Spanish. I came out with nada. You must discipline yourself to do the things you want to do when you want to do it and then you will be successful."

After speaking to the students, Olmos made his way to the Carpenter Center to view with members of the community "American Me," a 1992 film that marked his directorial debut. The film tells the tale of a man whose life is molded by what he experiences in prison and how the life on the inside parallels that of the outside. It is a gory tale, inspired by a true story of gang life through three generations and how those generations have changed.

After the film, the lights began to slowly brighten and a serious, less approachable Olmos appeared from behind the velvet curtain.

"Harder to make and even harder to view," Olmos said. "More children have changed the direction of their lives after watching this film."

Violence was the topic this time around. Olmos said that violence is a learned behavior. He told the audience that hurting other people is a sign of not caring about oneself.

"Many get caught in the violence before they can get out," Olmos said.

He talked about getting out and the gang dynamic. Olmos told the audience that violence is learned. People do not come out of their mothers' wombs with a pistol in hand.

"The key to stopping violence is self respect, self worth and self esteem" Olmos said.

In an effort to illustrate his idea that violence is a learned behavior, he created a scenario with a young girl in the front row.

"How old are you?" Olmos asked. After some hesitation, the girl said she was seven. He began to snap his fingers and wave his arms about.

"First, you've got to get their attention, when they're young. Do I have your attention, mi amor?" he asked.

The girl nodded her head. In a quiet, matter-of-fact chant he said, "If he hits you, if he is mean to you, if he makes you feel less then you are, don't marry him."

The audience clapped and hooted as Olmos went on to explain that if one did that once a year by the time these girls were in junior high, they would be cheerleaders chanting in pompoms and skirts.

Olmos continued saying that by the time these girls became young ladies, young men would learn and understand that, "If I hit them, if I am mean to them and if I make them feel less than they are, they won't marry me."

One needs to teach these things to children, and then violence will stop. Self worth and pride in oneself, one's heritage and culture is the answer, Olmos said.