While seeking therapy from a psychologist can seem like a “luxury” for some, there's a healing power to talking, according to actor Claudia Zevallos.
Zevallos plays the co-owner of a bodega — along with the character of her father, played by Cuban American actor Tony Planas — in the new comedy, "A Snowy Day in Oakland," which premiered nationwide in theaters Friday.
The movie, which blends elements of psychology with comedy, tells the story of LaTrice Monroe, an upscale San Francisco psychologist — played by Nicole Ari Parker — who after a breakup decides to open a private practice named “HeadShop” in a predominantly Black neighborhood.
For Zevallos, who most recently starred in last year's film "Tyson's Run," the movie's storyline around the way therapy and mental health are perceived is relatable.
“It’s a bit of a taboo topic in our community. So what we Latinos do is we talk to the prima, the cousin, we talk to our best friend, or else we go to church,” the Peruvian actor said. “And this is the way we’ve dealt with our problems. So going to a psychologist is something foreign for us.”
“I think ‘A Snowy Day in Oakland’ has an underlying message: 'We hear you. We see you. We understand you,''" Zevallos said. “It’s about when everyone comes together, anything could be possible. And it’s ok to be you.”
The film was written and directed by Kim Bass, creator of the 1990s sitcom “Sister, Sister,” which featured Tia and Tamera Mowry as twins who were reunited as teenagers after getting separated at birth.
Plana, memorably remembered by fans as Betty Suárez’s father, Ignacio, on the ABC television sitcom “Ugly Betty," said the movie spoke to his experiences.
“African Americans and Latino communities live with each other, next to each other, everywhere in this country,” he said. “A lot of us are working class. A lot of us are fighting for better economic results than what we have.”
In the film, as LaTrice helps her neighbors get comfortable examining themselves, they learn to address the obstacles that stand in the way of their dreams. And this progress, Plana highlights, shows viewers a fuller representation of diverse characters.
“We’re still struggling to be represented in a fully human way, you know, away from stereotypes,” he said, referring to characters on TV and film. “One of the things I love about ‘A Snowy Day’ is that it allows us to be who we are — people.”
