The Amusing Link Between The Menu And John Leguizamo's New Travel Show
New movie "The Menu," is an outlandish horror-comedy about a group of diners at a high-end restaurant. But it turns out that for star John Leguizamo, his role was a little too real. In "The Menu," Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Holt play a couple who travel to an exclusive tasting menu restaurant run by a crazed chef portrayed by Ralph Fiennes (via Collider). Among the other guests is Leguizamo, who plays a washed-up movie star, which he admits is based on a former co-star of his. But it turns out playing an actor was just the beginning of the role's crossover with his real life.
In an interview on "Late Night With Seth Meyers," Leguizamo admits to an uncomfortable moment of self-awareness he had on set. His character is not just a former action star, but his presence at the restaurant is part of the declining star's attempt to revive his career with a Food Network travel show. As Variety reports, Leguizamo himself is set to host a new travel show about Latinos in the United States on MSNBC, including exploring their contributions to American food culture.
Thankfully, his role in a major, well-received new movie should assuage any career concerns of his. And, Leguizamo himself doesn't seem too bothered by the potential comparison.
John Leguizamo's new travel show explores Latino contributions to America
Leguizamo's show, "Leguizamo Does America," spotlights Latino culture in America, including activism and food, according to Variety. When talking to Meyers, Leguizamo admitted that eating on a travel show can be exhausting, joking that he would have to eat an entire lechon again just because they didn't get a good take. While having to eat extra roast pork sounds more like a benefit of the job than a hazard, Meyers and Leguizamo agree that what looks like a dream job can actually be way more work than people realize.
Even before his travel show and "The Menu," Leguizamo was no stranger to the culinary side of entertainment, starring in one of our 15 best food movies, "Chef." He has also been an outspoken advocate of Latino representation in Hollywood, with Business Insider reporting that he made headlines recently with an open letter, where he used James Franco's casting as Fidel Castro to attack the industry for the disproportionately small number of starring roles for Latinos.
Hopefully, Leguizamo's new show can be a small step in rectifying that ongoing problem. And, if we get to watch him eat some delicious carnitas along the way, that will be an added benefit.