Spoilers for Animals lie ahead, so read on with that in mind.
Animals is one of the latest titles to hit the 2026 movie schedule, and it has quite a bit to offer. Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, this thriller centers around a mayoral candidate and his wife (Kerry Washington), who find themselves reeling after their son is apparently kidnapped. Also drawn into the situation are the couple’s maid and her boyfriend, who are played by Luis Gerardo Méndez and Adriana Paz, respectively. CinemaBlend recently spoke to the two, who discussed the film’s depiction of the Mexican-American experience.
Cecilia Trujillo (Paz) and Ramon Valle (Méndez) live very different lives from the former’s employees, the Kimballs. While Cecilia works to make a living as a housekeeper, Ramon is an undocumented worker, who struggles to find work due to his citizenship status. Their worlds are turned upside down when Ramon’s son, Hector, is unwittingly kidnapped in place of the Kimballs’ son, Denny. That’s just one facet of the character’s arcs, though, and Méndez spoke about one key element the film tackles that rings true to his culture:
The dignity. You know, like how these characters, like the majority of the community in the US of, not just Mexican, but Latin people in the US are very hard working. And that’s what they do. They just want a job. They just want to bring the most for their families. And I think we've seen that before, but the dignity these characters have, like the way Cecilia speaks to her boss, you know, like, ‘Yeah, I'm your employee, but this is a horizontal thing,’ you know?
Personally, I’d argue that this 2026 Netflix release does present a somewhat more nuanced take on the relationship between Mexican Americans and their white employers. But, on top of that, Ramon and Cecilia are also two people who aren’t just willing to sit around while Ramon remains in captivity. That’s especially evidenced by the fact that Ramon makes his way out of the Kimballs’ house to locate one of the conspirators who’s watching the compound. Méndez also says this:
And, in my case with Ramon, [who] is like the character who takes the biggest risks with the least protection, I feel like he's one of the most connected humans in the movie. Because I feel like we are all a little bit like that when we get born, like, Ramon just wants a job for his family, and that's it.
Throughout the movie, both Cecilia and Ramon must make some very big decisions, and that’s especially the case when it comes to the latter. (I won’t go into the specifics of Animals’ ending here, but Ramon plays a key role in the third act.) Méndez also spoke to the complexities of behavior and how that applies to his and Paz’s characters:
When we started getting money or fame or power, things get more tricky and we start to go to the darker side. And I think it's really beautiful to see all of them are animals, because you see them in a limited situation. And, when fear hits, logic says bye bye, you know? But the behavior of these two characters, I think is very interesting.
Paz agreed with her co-star’s observations, and she also discussed another key component of Mexican Americans’ experiences in the U.S. – their interactions with helpful people they meet in the U.S. The Emilia Pérez star shared some thoughts on how that’s reflected in the movie:
I will add to that, that I would like to talk about the good people in the states, you know, the people that are very welcoming with migrants and with the people that treat [Ramon] with respect. Because Abby and Mark treated Cecilia with respect. Well, also, it's more complicated than that. But I think we can have a good [relationship]. It doesn't have to be like a fight or a war. We are all human beings.
Affleck seemed to take care in depicting Mexican Americans, and the community as a whole plays heavily into the film. One of the key subplots involves his character, Mark, trying to gain support from the Latin community during his run for mayor. There are also several scenes in which Mark speaks Spanish, and Paz and Méndez praised Affleck’s bilingualism. Authentic Mexican representation has seen strides in some regards, and I’d hope that this movie helps further the trend of creating nuanced roles that reflect the culture.
Check out Animals by streaming it with a Netflix subscription now.
