Marta Milans becomes Mama Rosa for the DC Universe’s Shazam!

Marta Milans spoke to Hidden Remote about her role in Shazam! and gaining more than a role in the DC Universe, a new family.

DC Universe is out with a new movie that is getting rave reviews, Shazam!. Marta Milans plays Rosa Vazquez, a foster-mother to half a dozen children including Billy ,who turns into the superhero.

This is the biggest movie Milans has appeared in, though her acting career started more than 10 years ago and she has done work in several countries. But Milans found something even greater than a big-budget Hollywood film when she worked on Shazam! Milans found a family.

The 36-year-old Spanish actress spoke to Hidden Remote about the upcoming film, working with all those children, a love of language and so much more.

Hidden Remote: What was it like getting a chance to see Shazam!?

Marta Milans: I saw it yesterday (March 13). I was barely able to sleep last night. I was so excited that I could not fall asleep. I am not even a comic book nerd, but my god what a good movie.

HR: What were you thinking while watching it?

MM: It’s really hard to separate yourself from being in something you’re so involved in. I play a fundamental role in the film in being the mom to all these kids, especially Billy who becomes our superhero.

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Seeing myself in the film and how that family brings all the kids together and how different that is from other superhero movies; I was in-between being completely overwhelmed and not able to see the movie objectively without remembering how I loved it when we did these scenes.

We had the best time. It was a wonderful journey and I had all my kids there yesterday. They were crying, laughing, all hugging each other. It was an absolutely amazing experience.

HR: It sounds like beyond the movie, you created these similar relationships outside of the film?

MM: I guess that’s why I got this role; I always gravitated toward children in my life. I am not a mom myself, but I have this thing for kids.

We had a lot of fun together before the film. When I got the role and I went to the set in Toronto, I wanted to meet my kids before starting to film. At the end of the day, kids are kids even if they’re actors. I wanted to create that really truthful, special family bond and translate that on camera. You cannot fake familiarity no matter how good the child actor is.

We spent a lot of time together before starting to film. One of the producers was like, ‘Ms. Milan, Can I ask you a question?” as he’s looking at the kids hugging my leg and calling me, “Mama Rosa.”

My character’s name is Rosa and they baptized me Mama Rosa, I will be Mama Rosa until the day I die for all of them and for their parents – so the producer looked at me and was like how did this happen? I looked at him, smiled and said, ‘Well, first of all I am good with kids and second of all, it’s called homework.’

We want to make sure we do the best job possible at transmitting that chosen family bond. At the end of the day, the beauty of my character is how they managed to create that wonderful, safe, loving environment with kids that none of them come from that at all. We choose to give it to them. The beauty and the heart of the movie is precisely that.

There is all the fun stuff and all the action, superhero things that, of course, are going to be there for that audience, but I think this is what is going to make it stand out. There is no other superhero film that actually addresses things like that with kids that come from multiple ethnic backgrounds, different situations where they feel like they don’t belong or they’re orphans.

We basically tell them that your family can be the one you choose and not the one given to you. That’s what Billy figures out as he becomes Shazam. I am blessed and grateful to God to have been chosen to play that pivotal part in the movie.

HR: What intrigued you about the role? Why did you decide this was something that you wanted to go after?

MM: If you have the opportunity of being in a major studio movie that happens to be a super hero film that happens to be fun, I don’t think there is a sliver of you that will say I don’t think I want to do this.

All these projects are super secretive, you are never quite sure what you are actually auditioning for. All these NDAs you have to sign and what not. When I started to find out more about who Rosa is and the emotional foundation that she represents in the film, not only as a woman but as a loving character as a mother, as a mother to kids she hasn’t necessarily birthed, I was like, ‘Oh my god,’ I think this is the best person I have impersonated in my career so far as a character. This woman is pure love, empathy and heart. You see that throughout the film. It makes me proud to be able to have played her.

HR: Do you see yourself having more opportunities in the DC Comics universe?

MM: I am absolutely open for anything DC wants to offer me, but what I am really hoping is people will connect with this film. We have a feeling it will happen and have a chance to do a sequel and many more after that. It will continue to establish this story of Shazam! in the DC Universe, especially because of the fact that it is the first actual super hero movie of this category that is for kids with kids.

It’s so heartwarming and family friendly. I think that is something I would be happy to continue to see and I think it’s important in this day and age. All the superhero movies are targeting mainly to kids and teenagers, but to finally specifically refer to that demographic, we have to continue to give them more attention.

The idea of having played a foster mom and finally representing that in a movie of this impact, giving voice to foster homes to kids who feel they are in unwanted spaces, to kids who feel like they don’t belong, to kids who have a physical disability, to kids who are overweight, to all kinds of different backgrounds and to give them a voice, give them a place to come together as a family in a superhero movie, I think that’s groundbreaking.

I am just so happy. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.

HR: When you were on set, what were some of the moments that stood out to you?

MM: Imagine being on set, it’s a big family home, a nice home. But a humble home because we are not people with a lot of money. Being around the table with all the kids each having their own personalities, their own stores, and me having to orchestrate that on a daily basis. You can imagine in reality, it must not be an easy task. When they’re filming that and then have director trying to get the kids attention, which you can manage to do for about 8 to 10 seconds at a time, and then give direction to each of them.

It felt like constantly being in a slumber party, which we did in off set. We made pancakes and watched Moana 55 times. That’s what really what it felt like being on set. It was hilarious. We were quote-unquote “working” and “this is such a hard movie to shoot.” It was great being around such wonderful kids who love each other so much.

HR: How many total kids were there?

MM: There were six total kids including Billy, who is the last one I adopt.

In reality, while filming, a lot of the actor kids had their families there as well with their siblings. Imagine going out all to dinner and making a reservation for 55.

For me as an adult actress having gotten the opportunity to get a role like this, it is overwhelming for me. The first day I walked into Pinewood Studios and I looked at the massive size of the steps, all the special effects and build for the CGI stuff. Then to see (the movie), I forget I am part of something as big as this. Now imagine for a child, to walk through a set and see this is thunderbolt of Shazam, cables where things are flying around. It’s makes you have wonderful butterflies in your stomach; this is such a cool job to get.

We were begging the producer, let’s make sure this movie does really well, because we really need a sequel. We want to work together again.

HR: I’ve noticed that you take roles here and in your home country, what are the biggest differences that you find working in the US and Spain?

MM: For me it’s all art. Art is art in whatever form or situation or country you’re in. To have the privilege to tell different stories in different languages in different countries for different audiences, that to me is beyond blessing. I built my career in Hollywood against everyone’s advice. They were telling me to build it in your home country first and then the jump will be easier. I was like, ‘I don’t think so.’

Cut to years of tears and sweat and sorrow to make a name for myself and being now in a position to choose what to do in what country.

I did this wonderful TV show called The Pier for Spanish production for Netflix with a production company; it’s the most powerful production company in Spain. To be able to have done that to also tell a story with Spanish characters about a specific place in Spain and going from that to representing my country when Shazam! opened — I also throw in a few Spanish words, which the director was cool enough to let them be there – at the end of the day, art is art, but when you can reach so many different types of audiences, from so many different cultures and be an ambassador, It’s really amazing. I am just baffled I get to be in this position. I hope it continues to be like that.

HR:. I read that you are fluent in seven languages.

MM: More like six and three-quarters. Don’t count Russian right now. I am still perfecting it. It is one of hardest. The only reason I started to study it is because my grandmother teased me because she speaks six. She said, ‘You think six is enough?’ For some reason that got to me, I have been like struggling with my teacher for like two years. And I’m like, ‘Why are you doing this to yourself?’

HR: What languages do you know?

MM: I was born and raised in Madrid, Spain so my mother tongue is Spanish. I’m bilingual in English. Then French, Italian, Portuguese, German and now Russian.

I keep telling my publicist that maybe you can squeeze me into trying to become a spy. At least I have that up my sleeve when needed.

HR: How has that helped you in your career?

MM: To be able to come here and work in Hollywood, the majority of colleagues and peers are in Spain because of the language. Even so, some of that do work in Hollywood, they have a very heavy accent. Spanish is a very strong language to try to soften. That has been helpful for me to have learned it such a young age.

Then just generally having an ear for languages, you have more of a photographic memory; it’s great for working on scripts and memorizing lines. You also develop more of a musical ear.

I was trained as a violinist for 10 years since I was 3 years old. Then quit because I wanted to get into acting. I think that musical ear, it could be connected to languages in a way. It really helped me.

Until 4-5, you are like a sponge. I remember learning French like nothing. I learned German like it was nothing. Now, jumping into a seventh language at my age now. Why is this so hard for me? If I have ever kids, and I hope that I will soon, I am going to implore them to make sure they are multilingual.

HR: What’s next for you?

MM: There is something I can’t talk about right now, but it’s really exciting. It’s about to probably be made aware of what’s going on in the next few weeks. It’s actually wonderful.

I have to wait here in L.A. for the premiere of (Shazam!). Right after that, shoot this secret, but it’s such a joy to be in this journey, jumping from one project to the next. Even when we wrap Shazam!, then filming then finishing this then going back to film this other thing. I keep thanking God and my guardian angel (publicist) Michael not to leave my side.

All the things I said, I truly believe that have an impact, I hope they do. It’s so hard to be invested in a movie that you worked so hard on and just be able to watch as an independent audience member that I can’t wait for other people to go and enjoy it.

Shazam! hits theaters Friday, April 5.