Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Chicago Fire’s Jeff Lima
Jeff Lima is blazing a trail for the next generation of up-and-coming Latinx storytellers. Best known for his onscreen role as Leon Cruz on Chicago Fire, Jeff is also the founder of Innovative Pictures. Last year, he partnered with the graduate film program at New York University Tisch School of Arts to discover a new emerging voice in the industry telling diverse stories that promote the community. Now in its second year, we caught up with Jeff about starting the Jeff Lima Production Award and this year’s recipient.
PC: You’re an actor, founder, and producer. How did you discover your passion for the arts? Is there one that you naturally gravitate towards?
Jeff: It has to be acting. From as early as I can remember, I always wanted to delve into acting. So, it was more a matter of actually jumping into it. When I was eleven years old, I went away to a junior high school which offered the arts. In fact, it was big in the arts.
I was met with resistance from my theater teacher, as she was adamant about not having anyone thrown into her class. Over time, she saw my drive and became my mentor. That teacher became the person who took me on my first audition and introduced me to casting directors. It was through her that I met the casting director and director for the Oscar nominated film Half Nelson, which I booked. Early on, I learned to be vocal about what I wanted. Had I kept quiet, who knows where I’d be.
PC: How has your work behind the scenes made you a stronger actor and vice versa?
Jeff: I never understood how involved it was. I have a small business and we’re four years young. Everyone on set is so valuable, so as an actor, I know that I need to be prepared whenever I’m on set because everyone is working and prepared. You don’t want to hold any part of the process back.
PC: You’ve had a lot of success already in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Jeff: It has to be my tenure doing the Chicago Fire series. Initially, I had reservations about the character; when I skimmed the script, he read like your arbitrary thug. We all know the type. But Leon is an impressionable teen who succumbs to the influences of the street. As long as audiences are able to understand his journey, I’m okay with a Latino being seen in that light. We see the nuances of existing in a big city, being a Latino, and being a young man.
The writers took their time to build this arc. We see Leon find solace in his older brother, who is a public servant. We would think that Leon would follow in his brother’s footsteps, but he doesn’t. We do, however, see him grow to be a more responsible man. Leon ends up going to college and becoming a more positive person. It was so much more than what I thought it would be, which was this Puerto Rican hard guy from the block.
PC: Let’s talk about the Jeff Lima Production Award. I love the mission behind it. Tell us about it, the judges you have lined up, and how it came to fruition.
Jeff: It goes back to my yearning to be a part of television and film. When I had the opportunity, I wanted to pay it forward. The statistics speak for themselves: Latinx and minorities are underrepresented. We’ve made huge strides to get in front of the camera, but 91% of studio heads are white and 82% are men. Latinx and other minorities don’t have green-lighting power yet, but we’re getting there.
I had the opportunity to partner with the graduate film program at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. We’re contributing $10,000 to a student thesis film. It’s easy for emerging filmmakers to fall into this trap of writing what they believe the general American market may want to see, which is driven by European looking characters. Our hope is that the recipients who have won or gotten grants, and even those who haven’t, will be motivated to continue writing for our community.
This is our second year, and we’re very fortunate to have Sunny Hostin, Alana de la Garza, and Andrea Navedo, actresses that have years in entertainment. We have these global actresses reviewing the submissions. They’ve proven throughout their careers that they’re marketable both domestically and internationally.
PC: What did you learn from last year’s experience?
Jeff: That I can’t do it on my own. Last year, I was so overwhelmed with the submissions. Reviewing these submissions can be subjective, and I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t putting all of that on myself. So, the biggest takeaway from year one is that it’s not a one-person endeavor.
PC: Have you always known you wanted to use your platform to champion the next generation of diverse storytellers?
Jeff: The honest answer is no. I came in and my ambitions were a bit selfish; they were about advancing myself. I think anyone in the workplace is seeking to advance themselves, but something was still missing. I’m not sure I’ll see it in my lifetime, but I would love to see an equal playing field for Latinx in entertainment. I can only strive to add to those who came before me and create a starting point for those who will come after me.
PC: Tell us about this year’s selection process. What made Sofia stand out?
Jeff: This year’s selection process presented a reality that we were only able to graciously work around, in large part due to the extensive tenure of the jurors in film/TV. We received political dramas, family comedies, and fantasies to name a few. Because these can’t be equitably evaluated on the basis of structure and the like, it allowed us to read the submissions through a different lens. In addition to focusing on structure, character development, etc., the selection process was a matter of which narrative best exploited the nuances of Latinx culture.
Sofia Camargo’s film, First Communion, is about the nuances of friendship, play, and religious belief in adolescence. It’s a sensory exploration of curiosity and cruelty in girlhood, set in a private Catholic school in Colombia. The cohort of girls represent the greater school population, all very different, and they find their commonality in a sinister scheme. It explores inclusivity within our community, an issue which hasn’t gained mainstream traction.
Discussion about this post