Michael Peña on Keeping Things Light During 'The Vatican Tapes' and 'Ant-Man'

I'm Oliver Trevena here at the London Hotel in West Hollywood, about to speak with the talented Michael Pena. He stars in the Vatican Tapes. I watched it last night. I'm still shaking. I'm Oliver Trevena here with Young Hollywood with this talented man, Michael Pena. How are you?

Pretty good, man. Pretty good. Good good to see you. Good to see you.

Right, right. The Vatican Tapes. Yeah. Crazy, huh? I didn't sleep last night. I'm not gonna lie. I was a little bit shaky. I really was after watching it.

Well, see, that's what happened when I read the script, I'm like, the script was so um it it more like, I don't know, it asked a lot of questions about like good and evil, you know, things that like, you know, when you get older,

Right, right, right.

you just kind of get numb to it and you're like, "Nah, whatever." And it reminded me of all the things that I used to think of when I was a kid. You know, I grew up Catholic. And um so I was constantly asking those questions. And uh and you know, I you know it's like, you know, it's a it's a good decision when you're like, I don't know. I don't know if I'd be forgiven to do a movie like this, you know?

Right. God has gonna see you through this. Something is coming. And something bad is gonna happen. He's gonna help you, sweetie. It is very scary. I always find them sort of movies and in the horror suspense bracket that anything that touches on, you know, Satan and God and the Devil is is really really touches, you know?

Yeah. Yeah, and also the Pope, um, you know, said, uh, that he thinks that the Antichrist

Right, right, right.

has has landed here on Earth.

Right.

And so perfect timing. Dude, that's when I was, yeah, that's when I was reading the script. You know, when you read about things like that or or whatever, it just adds to your decision

Right, right, right.

as to whether or not you should do this film. And uh, you know, and thank God that I'm like, I I did and and you know, I'm happy with it.

Right, right. Oh, it's a great movie. And yet, it's definitely more the uh, the more under skin jumpy. They went for that as opposed to you know, your that stuff. It's it's more it really gets in you.

Yeah. Yeah. Cuz the other one is like I it's it's almost it's a scary movie, you know?

Right.

And it's it's got horror.

Right.

Um but, you know, and I you know, I watch a lot of movies and I'm like, I won't say names, but I'm like, I the ones that just give you like a like a shock.

Right, right.

And you're like, uh, the story was not good. The plot wasn't there. But it just gave you a jump. And usually, yeah, and usually they they don't do very well.

Right. And you play Father Lozano.

Father Lozano, yeah.

Very well. You you come across like a father. experience.

Thank you. Well, here's the thing. Uh like, you know, I when I saw movies like this and I did do a little bit of research for it. But not too much. I um there's always they they act very holy.

Right, right, right.

And I it's like, I don't know any priest that acts like divinely holy.

Right.

Um, you know, there there is like some movements or whatever that they that they definitely do. Um, but especially the younger ones, you know, they're they're in it and they

more of a people's priest. Like you come across like the relationship with the dad in there as well.

Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. And then the guy's, you know, there was a Polish uh, a priest in in my in one of my schools, and he just acted like a normal regular everyday guy. So you can go up to him and say like, "Hey, you know what? I'm like, I don't know, the the thing that we were learning today, I'm like, I have too many questions." He's like, "Ah, sit down. Like, what do we?" You know?

Right, right.

And then we would talk, which I think it's more approachable. And it's also cooler for the script or for the movie and I thought in my part, for there's a guy who's supposed to be holy, but, you know, is he questioning his faith? What what is the stronger energy?

Right, right, right.

You know? And I thought that that was just much more interesting.

Yeah. Oh, I mean, our movie does. I think that's why it really gets under your skin is because there is that you believe it. Yeah. All of it. Um And Olivia does a great job. She does. She's kind of the victim and the villain. She looks like she puts it away. Yeah. Um it yeah, it's one of those roles. I don't know if I could ever look her in the eye and feel safe. She she plays it a bit too well.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. A bit too well. Yeah, what's going on? Do you want to

Yeah, yeah, yeah. She does it very, very well.

Yeah, she had to learn this this other accent or whatever. Whatever that is. Yeah. I have no idea what But she had it like you can read it off. She had it perfect.

Right, right. And that's difficult to do. How how is it in a movie like that when you when you come off a day's work? Because it is, I mean, it's dark. It's it's it's not nice what you're filming.

The thing that I normally tend to do, like, which I did also, like in movies like Fury, End of Watch, Crash, or whatever. Oddly enough, those are the ones that I'm really off camera, like, keep it light. When you're in it too much, you're acting more the the tone of the movie and then you you kind of just lose sense with reality. And um, so I just try to keep it light. And then for actually in, you know, I just did Ant-Man. Uh, and

Yeah. Small biggie.

there's a lot of humor in that. And that one we just really like, we're trying to focus more on the story and the thing. It's almost like the opposite, you know, like you try to find a, you know, that that drama to make sure that the, you know, the the the humor really works.

Juggling always projects. Always. You're a man who always works.

Yeah. I mean, I think it's in my DNA. I think it's the Mexican blood.

Yeah, you don't stop. I'm glad that you had 10 minutes because you probably could have squeezed another quick film in, you know,

Yeah.

Down the street or something. I just popped up.

Exactly. Done a little cameo.

Yeah. Um and and a little birdie told me that you got into uh football recently. Soccer. Messi is one of my favorite players of all time. You make me feel very out of shape when I'm watching it.

Yeah, I mean, but he's a badass, dude. He doesn't go down like the other guys do.

Right, right.

Which, you know, in like American sports, like your floppers get booed, even if it's like your favorite team.

Right, right.

And but it's it's the game. You know what I mean? But Messi doesn't play it, you know what I mean? He He's the man. He's a man. He's the man.

He's the man. We're gonna go kick some balls around. I think he's got five minutes before his next movie. Yeah. Michael Absolutely. Pleasure.

All right, brother.