Exclusive Interview: Ashley Campuzano
With a passion for performing Ashley Campuzano was bound for stardom at a young age. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Ashley, who plays bad girl Tiffany Ramos turned good on Hulu’s, East Los High. The Emmy nominated original show has been taking the Internet by storm as audiences are thrust into the heart of East Los Angeles as they follow the lives of a group of Latino teens who are just trying to find themselves and deal with the hardships of the real world.
A SoCal native, Campuzano grew up in Downey where she discovered her love for the performing arts at the age of eight. In addition to acting Campuzano was also involved in pageantry, professional cheerleading and most recently graduated from California State University in Los Angeles. Check out what she has to say about Tiffany, how she was discovered and more.
Season three just premiered last week and last season Tiffany wasn’t the most innocent person. It’s great that we’ve gotten to see her character develop. Where do you hope her storyline goes?
“[Laughs] She was definitely not the most innocent girl! But she’s starting to realize that there are consequences to the things she’s done. As her storyline progresses she grows up. I’d like to see her focus on having good morals and sticking to them. As for guys she’s going to wait for the right guy, which I think is great.”
Tiffany is part of the Bomb Squad, how did you prep for that? It seems physically demanding.
“I actually have been dancing since I was 8-years-old so it’s something I love to do. So it was fun for me to get to do that but the rehearsals were definitely long and demanding but it was worth it.”
You joined the show in season two, what was it like joining the East Los High family?
“I met everyone at the table read and it was just instant bonding. It wasn’t hard to make friends with everyone. The East Los High cast and crew all hang out and they’re just one big family.”
What I love so much about the show is that they cover topics that are still considered taboo today. East Los High doesn’t down play the reality of things. What’s your favorite storyline other than your own to follow?
“I really love Ceci’s storyline. You get to see her change so much from season one to season three. She becomes a mom and everything changes for her. We get to see her finally break out of that abusive relationship and she just grows so much. From being a single mom and working hard for her daughter. She really loves her daughter and you can tell.”
How does it feel to be part of a show like East Los High that brings new light to the Hispanic culture and community?
“I’m truly honored. We have such a great cast and it’s nice to see a show that’s mainly Latino and get to tell those stories. There’s a lot of Latinos in the industry and it’s becoming more and more popular. I’m just really honored to get to do this and be apart of that community.”
You mentioned having a dancing background, how did you get into acting?
“Growing up I was always acting around the house! [Laughs] I just loved it. I was actually discovered at a mall and after that I just started doing commercials and stuff like that.”
That’s crazy!
“Yeah it was definitely crazy! I actually did my own thing for a while, I was a professional cheerleader and I did pageants but found my way back to acting. It’s been really fun.”
Who is your favorite person to do scenes with?
“I have to say Alex, she plays Gina on the show and we’re really close in real life! But on the show Tiffany is just mean to her. It’s fun to shoot those scenes, break for lunch where we’re having a good time and then go back into that character.”
What do you like/dislike about Tiffany?
“Tiffany’s really well-rounded, she knows what she wants and she isn’t afraid to get it. But at the same time she’s just made some really bad decisions. So while I love that she’s so well-rounded, I don’t agree with some of the things she’s done.”
What was it like filming the show?
“We shot each season in three months out of order. It was a lot of fun you’re with your family and you get to spend three months doing something you love with people you love.”
Do you have any upcoming projects we can share?
“Right now I’m working on developing my own projects so hopefully we’ll get to see some of those soon!”
If you haven’t watched East Los High yet (shame on you!) you can stream all three seasons now on Hulu and be sure to follow Ashley on Twitter and Instagram @CampuzanoAshley.