Written by Jesus Figueroa
@ThisFunktional of ThisFunktional.com
Each year I make a list of 10 people I would want to chat with either on the red carpet or interview in the coming year.
I’ve never shared those names because they’ve been more part of my vision board for the year.
I have been so fortunate to get to chat with such incredible people — actors, filmmakers, and so many more talented people.
I will definitely make a top 10 interviews of 2020, especially because of it having been such a chaotic year.
For now, here’s being hopeful for the future. Here’s 10 people I am hoping to have a chance to speak with about their life, their goals, and their talent.
They are in no particular order as I really can’t rank them:
Jaime Camil
Not only is Jaime Camil such and incredible actor, but every time I’ve had the opportunity to chat with him — on or off camera — he’s been a delight. I’ve had the pleasure of bumping into him at events and he’s taken the time to chat in an amicable manner. Even as I was fortunate enough to chat with Camil in 2020 before the pandemic, he’s someone I find fascinating. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s my mother’s favorite actor.
Alexa Bliss
I’ve never gotten the opportunity to chat with a wrestler and for the past year Alexa Bliss has been my nephews’ favorite female wrestler. They enjoy her character change to the fiend’s friend, which she has been brilliant in playing. Plus she is a fan of the band Bowling For Soup, which I am also a fan of and they too were also almost on the list.
Halsey
The music of Halsey got me through many moments of 2020. I’ve been inspired by the beauty of her words and the passion of her music. It would be an honor to be able to talk to her about how she has dealt with so many situations that life has thrown at her throughout her career and even before she became a household name.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Admiration for this man comes from beyond his acting career. The kindness Schwarzenegger shows through his numerous charities, the gratitude for this country, and the pride of being an American are some of the reasons behind why I’d want to sit down for a chat with this amazing human. I was able to meet him and shake his hand at the press day for his return to acting after his term as governor, “The Last Stand,” and I would be honored to be able to talk to him about all the work he does to better the world.
Noemi Gonzalez
I’ve had the opportunity to chat with this amazing LatinX actress, but she has grown so much and been part of such amazing projects, such as Netflix’ “Selena: The Series,” that it would be such a magnificent thing to talk to her about the evolution in her career. I am so happy to see her career only get better.
Jane Levy
“Zoe’s Extraordinary Playlist” has been such an impactful show in my life and Levy has been an actress which has been taking roles which make such an impression that I would be thrilled to have a chat with her about her career. From magnificent comedies like “Suburgatory” to brilliant thrillers like “Don’t Breathe” and unexpected horror like the “Evil Dead” reboot, there seems to be no role that Levy cannot handle.
Nicole Maines
Maines is a superhero on screen and in real life. The manner in which she conducts herself and has used her platform to inform is admirable. There’s no better way to put it than I wish I could be as much of a powerful human as Maines continues to be. She’s a talented actor, but more importantly she a brilliant and caring human. Her time on The CW’s “Supergirl” has put her in tough situations which she was able to get through by proving just how strong she is. Bravo to Dreamer.
Jocelyn and Chris Arndt - the siblings come as a package
These two talented siblings are rockstars and it’s always amazing getting to speak with them. It’s been awhile since I last chatted with them and I would be happy to sit down and catch up with them. I’ve always been in awe of the in redoble music these two release. Hoping to be able to set something up to hear how pandemic has affected their music careers.
Tegan and Sara - also a package
Not only am I fan of their music, but I am a total fan of their foundation. I have always been a fan of the LGBTQ+ community and the Tegan and Sara Foundation has done as much as they could not only for the LGBTQ+ community during these pandemic times but also for the Black Lives Matters movement. It would be amazing to chat with them about their music and other work.
Chef Gordon Ramsay
I’m a huge fan of Ramsay. I’m in the middle of going through his MasterClass Cooking I course and already I have learned so much about technique and safety. I have watched every “Hell’s Kitchen” and most Ramsay programs on both FOX and National Geographic Channel. Then I’ve also gone through his YouTube channel and seen many clips from his shows in the UK. His attitude fascinated me and I’ve always found that people who are passionate about their career fascinate me and their stories interest me.
Here’s a bonus one:
President-Elect Joe Biden
This one is one that I’ve been more and more interested in talking to. I am not always a political person on this or any platform I’m on. It is not that I have no opinion, but rather I feel each person has their point of view and will vote for what best suits their situation. But, Biden has always spoken with compassion and no matter how heated things get, his decency shows. Hearing his speech recently as the U.S. Capital Building was under siege, I did not hear anger or hatred coming from Biden, but rather it was a tone of pain, it seem to hurt to see democracy under attack. I would be incredibly humbled to be able to talk to Biden about policies and character, about pride and his dedication to being in public office, and about how he felt when he first took public office as well as how he felt watching the chaotic news of January 6, 2021.
I’m not sure I will get the opportunity to speak with any of the people I have listed, but I have my reasons for wanting to talk to them. I try to not have the same people on my list every year, so there are a few from last year which I’d want to still talk to, but I skipped them from this list because if I listed everyone I wanted to talk to this list would go on and on.
That being said, I already have started interviewing talented people and have scheduled several interviews I hope you all enjoy and hopefully get something beneficial from.
