After 12 years of directing for television, former Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria was ready to tackle a feature film.
Her big-screen directorial debut, Flamin' Hot (premiering June 9 on Hulu), is based on the true story of Richard Montañez (played by Jesse Garcia), a Frito-Lay janitor who harnessed his Mexican American heritage to become a marketing savant. "You look at this guy and you go, 'Oh wait, he did that. So that means I can do that,' " Longoria, 47, tells PEOPLE in this week's issue. "This is a hero. He's not wearing a cape, but man, is this story powerful."
What made you decide you were ready to direct a feature film?
I like to be thoroughly educated about anything I'm doing, whatever it is. I really used Housewives as my film school. I mean, spending a decade on set, you pay attention and you learn things. I put the work in the last 12 years. I did half-hour, multi-cam, one-hour dramas, one-hour comedies. I did documentaries and then short films. And then it was just the next obvious step. To be honest, I love the medium of television. I didn't really set out to go, "Now I'm ready for a movie."
Does anything about directing make you nervous or anxious?
Yeah, I always get nervous. I was nervous about the responsibility I had to deliver a really great film in all aspects. And at the same time, the whole reason I wanted to direct and produce was to give opportunities to other women and people of color behind the camera. I think it was like I had so much to prove and I really took that challenge on in every aspect. And I'm so happy the movie's testing so well. All of that purpose has culminated into this beautiful film and it was very personal to me.
What was one of your favorite moments during the production?
I feel like I cried every day, [for] every milestone, I couldn't have picked a better cast. It was in the middle of COVID19, so until we rolled that first day, I couldn't believe it. That was really a beautiful moment.
What was it like meeting Richard and his wife Judy?
They're amazing. When I was fighting to get the job, I was hoping to meet them so I could get more of their essence. But then I ended up getting the job. My first meeting had to be with Richard and his family, because it was his family's story. I remember being so nervous and he starts crying and goes, "I knew it would be a Latina, a woman that would get this story. And I never in a million years would've thought it was you. And now that you're standing here, I don't think there's anybody more perfect."
There's been a conflicting report regarding his story. Why were you so determined that the movie had to be told this way?
We were never telling the history of the Cheeto. That would not be a very interesting movie. I'm doing the story of Richard Montañez, who happened to have a hand in creating the No. 1 snack in the world, which is a billion dollar brand. Nobody knew this market better than Richard. He's more known as the godfather of Hispanic marketing than the creator of Flamin' Hot Cheetos because he was the first person to go, "You guys, we need to market differently to different cultures, to Hispanics, to African-Americans, Asian-American. Everybody appeals differently to different things. And this is what my community likes. And all I know is that my community is not being spoken to. So you guys should speak to them and they'll show up." And he was right.
What have you learned about yourself in this process?
That I'm stronger than I think. Hispanic, Latina female directors, we get one bite at the apple, one chance. So that pressure, not just for me, but for my community and women in general—I knew I had to get it right.
Any New Year's resolutions?
I'm always writing down my goals and my dreams. It's really about growing in a way that's going to have effective change for a talent pool in Hollywood that is untapped. That's always been my vision and purpose.
Flamin' Hot premieres on Hulu on June 9.
