Rosie Perez Would Play Sonia Sotomayor, Obviously

Who would be the obvious choice to play Sonia Sotomayor in a movie about the headline-grabbing judge’s life? Jennifer Lopez, obviously. Short of that, there’s always Rosie Perez.

We mean, the two have so much in common: Their Puerto Rican heritage. They’re from different outer boroughs in New York. Both have faces… The physical resemblance and shared life experiences are, truly, uncanny.

Says Rosie:

That’s who she is. Balancing the human being versus the judge is the biggest challenge that would face me personally. But I also think that to play her, you have to dive in and discover her true spirit. Otherwise, don’t even f-ing go there. Don’t even f-ing try it.

It would be the chance of a lifetime. I’d be right for the role because I’m fearless. I’m afraid of everything and afraid of nothing at the same time.

Whaaat?

Lucky for you Guanababies, we were able to get our hands on a copy of the script for Do The Moderate Thing: The Sonia Sotomayor Story. Check it out:

Court room.

Guy: Hey Sonia. Want to grab a slice of pizza for lunch?

Sonia: Haven’t you heard? I only like Puerto Rican food. 

Guy: Whoa, Puerto Rico? Isn’t that over by like, the Iraq?

Sonia: It’s an island in the Caribbean. And a commonwealth of the United States.

Guy: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa. Common wealth? That sounds like some communist bullshit to me. I always thought you were an American. Sotomayer. Isn’t that a Jewish name?

Sonia: I am American. And my name is actually pronounced “So-toe-mai-YOR.”

Guy: That shit is not natural. Red-blooded American tongues can’t make that sound! Yo, you some kind of terrier? 

Sonia: Wait. Do you even work here? Security!

Cue credits.

Of course one doesn’t necessarily have to look or have lived exactly like someone in order to play them in a biopic, nor do you have to have shared their life experiences. Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf? Paul Giamatti as John Adams? Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos? But it helps. Plus, the implication that any Latina actress can play Sotomayor simply because she’s Latina is the issue here. And it helps to at least speculate about casting women who have something to offer the role other than their ethnic background. 

But, hey. Maybe Rosie will hit this one out of the park, if actually cast.

What do you think of Rosie for the role? If you’re not feeling her, who would you have chosen instead? How would you feel in a non-Latina were to play Sotomayor?

Rosie Perez sees big appeal in Sonia Sotomayor movie [NY Daily News]