Exclusive Interview With The Irresistible Lea Delaria

My interview with Lea DeLaria is one I’ll always treasure. If you’re not familiar with her work, where have you been? She’s the powerhouse behind Carrie “Big Boo” Black in Orange is the New Black and the unforgettable Miss Fritter in Cars 3.

Honestly, I’ve never seen a role fit someone so perfectly as Miss Fritter. If you caught any of my Cars 3 red carpet interviews, you already know that Lea actually inspired the character. She was Pixar’s top choice from the start. Getting that call from Pixar is the kind of moment that changes everything. I’ve had the privilege of visiting Pixar myself, and working there someday remains a dream of mine. When we asked Lea what went through her mind when that call came in, she didn’t hold back:

“Oh, what went through my head? I’m buying a house! I jumped up and down – I can’t even tell you. We were so excited. I love Pixar. I love cartoons, I’m a big fan of animation, and I’m a huge fan of Pixar’s – always have been. I see all their movies. So when we got the call, it was bucket-list stuff. There’s not an actor on the planet who doesn’t want to do that. So yeah, I was excited.”

Pixar also surprised her with an exclusive T-shirt featuring the original Miss Fritter artwork. Her reaction was priceless:

“They made a little T-shirt for me of the actual original drawing of Miss Fritter. When I saw it, I was laughing – we were all laughing. I was like, well of course they came to me for this; look at her. I knew she was demolition derby the second I saw her. I grew up where there’s demolition derby, went to it as a kid. I knew exactly who she was. If this is anybody, it’s definitely me. Perfect casting.”

Since Cars 3 revolves around automobiles, we had to ask about her relationship with cars. Her answer did not disappoint:

“When I went to school – and I’m fifty-nine, so this was a while back – in the tiny little Illinois town where I grew up, girls were required by their gender to take typing and home ec. I didn’t want either, so I brought my parents in, sat down, and signed up for auto mechanics instead. I used to be an assistant manager at a gas station and actually taught a course in basic auto mechanics for women – how to change an oil filter, how to change your oil, how to check your battery. I love cars and I work on engines. Pretty much anything pre-1976, I can roll up my sleeves and fix it. As for my dream car? A 1966 Ford Mustang convertible. But if not that, the ’79 Ford Mustang hatchback is a beauty.”

Every actor has a dream role, so we asked about hers. She led with a joke, then got real:

“A role I’m dying to grab is any role where I get to kiss Angelina Jolie. But no – I’m still waiting for someone to write that musical for me. I actually just had someone write a play for me, so I’ll be doing Off-Broadway next fall. It’s called Innocence*, written by Aaron Mark. Amazing play. But I’m still waiting on that musical. I want it. I’m hoping it happens.”*

In Cars 3, Cruz faces constant discouragement. People kept telling her she can’t do things. We asked Lea if she’d ever heard those words herself. She answered with two words first:

“Look at me. My entire life. Everyone from the nuns in Catholic school on – I’ve heard nothing but ‘you can’t do that,’ which just makes me want to do it more. I was blessed with amazing parents who encouraged us to be who we were, to speak our minds, to think for ourselves. ‘Watch me’ has always been my response.

That’s what I love about this movie – it teaches young girls something important. When I was a kid, I was told ladies don’t spit and holler, ladies sit with their legs crossed. I was constantly told what I wasn’t supposed to do instead of hearing ‘you can do anything, you can be who you are, you can have your dreams.’ My mom used to say I could be president of the United States — in the sixties! As a girl under ten in the sixties, I was lucky to have that mother. I know the girl next door’s mother was saying ‘you’ll never get a boy if you eat that cookie.'”

She also gave us a glimpse into her family:

“You should meet the rest of my siblings, because I’m not the troublemaker. I might actually be the quietest one.”

If you know Lea at all, that line alone tells you everything about the DeLaria family and I’d love to meet them. We wrapped up by asking her advice for girls struggling to come out of their shells:

“First of all – you’re absolutely perfect as you are. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, say anything you don’t want to say. And if you feel like you want to say something, when you know what it is, you’ll say it. Kids are always pushed to do things before they’re ready. In your own time, in your own way – that’s good enough.”

That’s Lea DeLaria in a nutshell: famous, fierce, and completely down to earth. I’d grab coffee, a meal, or just hang out with her any time. What did you think? Did we miss any questions you’d have asked her?