Disney invited me to the premier of COCO in LA with all the expenses paid.

We were in an interview with the actor who told us that he always wanted to be a singer. Benjamin Bratt is the voice of the most famous Mexican singer in COCO.

 

As Benjamin Bratt approached the table where we were the twenty-five bloggers who were invited to the #PixarCocoEvent we received it with a lot of applause; came with the smile that characterizes him, commenting that he felt great about going to the premiere of COCO the night before in Los Angeles, which we also went to.

"I went to the most spectacular premier last night, the most moving and funny premier I've ever gone. Where else do they greet you with mariachis and folk dancers? Said.

For Benjamin Bratt, Coco of Disney Pixar, is a very beautiful film, he was delighted with the artistic beauty of the film, which combined with the technical experience to the emotional depth of the film, give a very powerful result.

Like most of us, he cried at various points in the film, but there is one in particular, which touched his heart; when Chicharrón appears, voiced by Edwards James Olmos; where you realize that when you're forgotten for your loved ones, that's when you really die.

He said he was very excited about COCO because it is finally a global opportunity to illuminate Latin culture.

When the creators of COCO gave him the first tour at Pixar Studios up in Emeryville, they took him to a space covered with Mexican iconography, colors and images of the day of the dead and some drawn characters that they were going to show in the film, he was surprised because at that moment he realized the beautiful brunette faces of the animated figures. "They looked like people I know, the people I come from."

About his character, Ernesto de la Cruz, Miguel's idol, told us that he has a lot of Pedro Infante and Vicente Fernandez, he acknowledged that he had never seen a film by Pedro Infante or Jorge Negrete before, but after Director Lee Unkrich and the Co-Director and Writer Adrian Molina explained that his character was inspired by them, went to You Tube to study them and realized the power of the stars.

I loved the photo of Ernesto de la Cruz with the Torito and the Charro Cantor! Benjamin Bratt told us about these singers: "They were like the Mexican version of Frank Sinatra, someone who is adored both for his musical ability and for his magnetism as a movie star and that doesn't make it either." Achieving this with the voice of Ernesto de la Cruz was a difficult thing, but "the good thing is that the animators drew the skeleton, very handsome by the way and with perfect hair," he said, as he smiled.

The actor told us that when he died, he would like to be remembered for his kindness or generosity, for the love he lives in his heart for his loved ones and by someone who tried to live life entirely. Oh and also that was fun!

On the subject of death, he said the story of COCO see death as a celebration, a real continuation of what we went and who we were. And it is not something to be afraid of, but to realize that it is a natural part of the life cycle and that you can remain connected to the people you love, through prayer, memories, knowledge and with offerings.

Benjamin Bratt's mother is from Peru, and they don't have the tradition of celebrating the day of the dead, but he says that tradition is now part of The American Culture and that he has relatives who recognize the power of beauty to create an altar with offerings for those who already already they're gone.

On COCO's famous Mexican idol phrase, Seize the Cruz, Seize the Moment said he now takes more caution when making decisions but relates it to the most important thing in his life: his family, his immediate family, the relationship with his wife and his do children: Sophía and Matteo.  The phrase is perfect for Miguel, who is young and has a potential, a dream that he wants to achieve.

Ernesto de la Cruz is the most beloved singer in history at COCO and in the fictional town Santa Cecilia, where Miguel lives and all the songs from the English version are sung by Benjamin Bratt, who told us "I am an actor, but I have always wanted to be singer , I admire musicians in general because singing, their voice is their instrument and crosses all cultures.

When he was offered the role, he thought it was ironic, because he was going to star in the most famous singer and musician in Mexican history.

Click here to read more about COCO, meet the creators, Pepita, Dante, download activities and coloring sheets and more.