Interview with the Latina Actress Behind Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise
- Details
- Category: Interviews
- Published: Thursday, 17 October 2013 22:16
- Written by Lupe Haas
Millions saw the young woman throwing a telekinetic fit at a coffee shop in the viral sensation that hit the web inspired by Stephen King’s remake of Carrie. We go behind the scenes in the making of the viral hit with the Latina actress at the center of the video.
Aspiring actress Andrea Morales went in for the usual casting call, but this one was different as no information or script was provided. Once she arrived to the audition, she still had no clue what role she was up for, except it was a marketing video. The casting agency kept the client top secret and only instructed her to act like she had telekinetic powers and scream. Months later, she is part of the most talked about video that hit the web with over 40 million views on YouTube. Telekinetic Coffee Shop Surprise played a candid camera trick on unsuspecting customers in a NY coffee shop as a young woman loses her cool and levitates a man into the air, and pushes tables and chairs away from her using her mind. While there was no pigs blood, spilling her coffee on her laptop sends her into a tirade a la Carrie White. Watch video.
Andrea Morales moved from Indiana to New York City one year ago to pursue acting. After getting nationwide attention from the video, Andrea tells CineMovie she is now getting “cool” auditions and media exposure. Recently, she was flown to Los Angeles for an appearance on the Queen Latifah show. "I’ve gotten real cool auditions. I’m hoping that it’s a great stepping-stone and it’ll open some doors," says the twenty-some actress. The actress of Guatemalan descent says her theater background helped the day of the shoot. Before customers were treated to the telekinetic freak-out, Andrea, the crew, stuntman and the actors around her rehearsed the scene thoroughly, making sure the special effects and wire-work were functional. She performed the fake-out at least 40 times if not more. It only took them five minutes to reset and they were ready for the next victim. After the customers were clued into the prank, people laughed and applauded which gave her a sense of being onstage. “It was like a piece of theater and art, and coming from a theater background, that was really fun to be able to experience that….”
While the unsuspecting customer’s reactions were priceless, Andrea retells of two incidents that didn’t make the video. One of the bystanders actually tried to console her and calm her down. The man in the construction clothes in the video came in from across the street to grab some coffee. Andrea describes him as helpful in trying to calm the situation. “It’s ok. Everything is going to be ok,” he told Andrea. The dog in the video was the other reactive audience. According to Andrea, the dog eventually started barking at her. After shooting it over 40 times, the dog probably had enough. Andrea didn’t tire after that many takes, instead “getting more into it” each time. “It was really, really fun to sink into that character,” she adds. “I lost my voice but it was great.”
For more telekinetic action, CARRIE, starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore, opens October 18.
