“I grew up in New York’s Washington Heights, where my community was very diverse.
“I really clung to her for inspiration, to the point that my family called me Baby JLo.
The fact that they created a role for a Latina to take Zack’s powers was overwhelming.
Credit: Casey Durkin/Peacock
But there’s so much more to Daisy than all that.
“I really connected with her story because I have experienced a lot of what she has.
But she saw her mom was drowning in bills and she didn’t want to add to that.
Casey Durkin/Peacock
Maybe we do a side-by-side timeout then everyone but us freezes and we see what happens?
Velazquez explains how his support on set meant so much to her as a rising BIPOC actress.
That’s what meeting Mario felt like, he’s like a tio to me now.
He’s also very funny and loud!
All of the original cast members were like that really.
They encouraged us to just have fun with it all and they cheered for us along the way.
Wow, now I feel like singing “Friends Forever.”
[Laughs] I haven’t been able to get that song out of my head!”
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
