On the Starz series “Vida,” Ser Anzoategui stars as Eddy, a sensitive soul, who is trustworthy, generous, and passionate, but also intimidating looking upon first glance. In many ways, Eddy is the heart of the community. When her wife, Vidalia, dies, the community aches, too. Photo: Starz.
Details of season two of “Vida” are being kept under wraps, but Ser Anzoategui, who plays Eddy, has some thoughts for the next season.
Eddy, one of the Latinx queer characters on “Vida,” was married to Vidalia, or Vida, the mother of Mexican-American sisters Lynn and Emma Hernandez (Melissa Barrera and Mishel Prada), who return to their Boyle Heights neighborhood for their mother’s funeral and soon learn she had been living a secret life.
‘OPEN HEARTS AND MINDS’
“I hope season two will open people’s hearts and minds more to talk about gender, have the conversation about gender versus seuxality, so people know the difference and are about gender justice,” Anzoategui told Q Voice News.
Less than two days after its season one cliffhanger, “Vida” was renewed by Starz for a second season. The network hasn’t announced when production will begin or episodes will air, but Variety has reported that season two will be 10 episodes, four more than season one.
The trade paper also reported that Roberta Colindrez (“I Love Dick,” “The Deuce”) will be a new series regular, Nico, a new bartender at the family bar.
In the cliffhanger, Eddy was almost beaten to death — the victim of a hate crime. Anzoategui, who identifies as queer, non-binary, and uses the pronouns they/their, would like to see the process of reporting hate crimes explored in season two.
“It’s a big problem with police and reporting,” Anzoategui said. “I hope we get to see what happens in the system when you report a hate crime and how you can help. Being a witness is important and can help.”
Also in the cliffhanger, Emma and Lynn stayed in Boyle Heights to save their deceased mother’s bar and protect the tenants, who live in the apartment building the sisters inherited, from having to move out.
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QUEER, LATINX INTERSECTIONS
The intersection of the queer community with the Latinx population of East L.A’s Boyle Heights. is something creator and showrunner Tanya Saracho, who identifies as queer, wants to explore in season two, she told TV Guide.
When Emma and Lyn’s mother ran the bar, it was a safe haven for lesbians in the neighborhood. Even though Emma is a part of the queer community, branding the bar lesbian runs contrary to her ideas of how to run a successful business.
“That’ll be a conversation between (Emma and Eddie), hopefully next season. That has to be a big thing, so it will be very important as a conversation,” Saracho told TV Guide. “Obviously there’s a resistance from Emma. Lesbian bars don’t last. They don’t stay open. Gay bars do.
In “her business mind, it’s not a very smart way to brand the bar. But also, she’s queer, so what are you doing? That’s good character conflict,” Saracho said.
‘LGBTQ STORYLINE IS IMPORTANT’
Anzoategui — who uses the pronouns them/they — isn’t conflicted with their feelings about “Vida.” They’re thrilled the series was renewed.
“The LGBTQ storyline is important, and there’s an intersectionality in audiences,” Anzoategui said. “The story is being told by all brown people, some Latinx and some queer. This is what can happen. We can show that we can create our own stories. The possibilities are endless.
“It’s more than a Latin show. It could become a universal show,” Anzoategui said. “That badass show.”
