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Marc Anthony Proud Of His Heritage
By : Celeste Rodas de Juarez
Few entertainers speak so frequently and passionately about their Latin roots as this singer, who happily proclaims he has a Puerto Rican soul and is Hispanic at heart, all the while not forgetting the country where he was born: the United States. Although he says he’s “Puerto Rican down to the bone” and proudly waves the Puerto Rican flag in all of his concerts, Marco Antonio Muñiz (his real name) was born in New York 32 years ago, and, ever since then, has been the center of attention.
Using the excuse of shining his father’s shoes, he would hang around while his father would sing Latin songs with a group of friends. It was here, at only four years old, that he began to sing. The first songs he learned were “El Zorzal” and “Idos de la Mente.”
The fact that he learned to sing in Spanish before English and that he was able to be so close to his father on those singing nights, has been the key to his success as the king of salsa. This is a man who is devoted to his family and is determined to follow in his father’s footsteps in every way, so much so that in the half hour we had to speak, he was unable to say everything he wanted to about these subjects. Let’s take a look at what he was able to delve into.
You’re releasing two albums at the same time: Libre, a salsa album, and She Mends Me, an English-language pop album. Which of the two is more biographical?
The English one is a little more because it has my songs from when I first started. The salsa album is different because it includes songs by other composers, in addition to those that I’ve written. The pop album is kind of an exploration of my life today. It’s great. But both albums are very important to me because I’ve been able to work with very talented people.
In your last album, you included a song that was written for your daughter Arianna (“My baby, you”). Is there a song for Christian on this album?
No, those songs were written before my son was born. The truth is, the song about my daughter was very difficult to write. It began as a letter to my daughter and I made it into a song later. Then I didn’t want to put it on the album because it was too personal, and I’m a very private person. To make a long story short, it ended up on the album, became a hit and I had to sing it…I don’t want to sing it again because I don’t want to sell my life in that way.
I learned a lot from that lesson. I learned that my main responsibility, professionally speaking, is to record the best album possible and not to sell them. The record labels are the ones who sell albums.
“I’m more Puerto Rican than the coqui”
You once said in an interview that you are allergic to the word “crossover.” Why is that?
It’s because that word implies that you are crossing from one market or group to another, but I was born in New York. Where am I crossing? From where to where? I’m Hispanic and I’m American. Is it so difficult to comprehend that I belong to two different cultures?
What are your favorite places in Puerto Rico?
La Playa de Combate in Cabo Rojo is an area that you find a lot of little hidden spots. There are gorgeous places to dive, marvelous, little beaches, but the best thing about is that it’s not commercialized. Also, the Yunque jungle, a tropical area close to San Juan, is very beautiful. It’s paradise!
And your favorite foods?
Alca purrias (plantain fritters filled with meat), rice with red beans, pork and the deep-fried snacks. And the pastries—oh my God! Also, I can’t live without the potato fritters filled with meat. In my country, there’s nothing that isn’t absolutely delicious.
Does Dayanara cook all this for you?
My wife is an incredible cook! She cooked the day before yesterday and I had two helpings. She is an incredibly surprising person.
Back to Hollywood and family. Last year the movie En el tiempo de las mariposas, in which you appear in with Salma Hayek, came out on cable. Tell me how that project came about.
I was lucky to be a part of such a beautiful film. A few months back, Salma asked to speak with me a few minutes about the project. The conversation was so interesting that we ended up talking for hours. And thank God because it was an incredible experience!
As you know, I’ve been in films before, such as Bringing Out the Dead, Big Night and other movies. This year I plan to continue acting, and I’ll be telling you soon about some new projects.
Let’s talk a little about your family. Your son was just born (Christian) and you have a daughter (Arianna). In your opinion, what does it take to be a good parent?
It’s being close to your children. Being a good parent is about being able to establish that bond and being there when they need you, and not just assuming that someone is taking care of them while you’re at work. I want to be there when my son’s first tooth comes out, when he gets scared for the first time, help him when he falls, go with my wife and him to the doctor, patch him up when he cuts his finger…That’s what it’s all about. Understanding that your child needs you to be around and trying your hardest to make that possible. It’s a commitment. It’s not just saying, “I have a child,” but influencing them in a positive way.
How would you describe your wife, Dayanara Torres?
She is the love of my life. An angel. She’s everything to me and complements me very well.
You’ve always said that you are a very reserved person, and ever since you got married, you’ve become even more private. Why is that?
I understand now more than ever what I have—my family and how they make me feel. I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure it stays that way. I’m not going to sacrifice my personal life anymore for the sake of my job, at least not as much. I realize that I’ve worked too much over the past few years. You can’t imagine the sacrifices, the compromises, the calls, the way in which all of this consumes your time…Everything in my life is so beautiful and I want to take good care of it.
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