Summary

Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo praised Tracie Laymon’s Bob Trevino Likes It and their experiences working on it as both actors and executive producers on the film.

Bob Trevino Likes It portrays a unique online relationship authentically without delving into negative stereotypes, featuring powerhouse performances from Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo.

Ferreira discusses her hopes to make a period piece in the future, while Leguizamo teases what’s in store for Ice Age 6 and Sid the Sloth.

By far one of the best movies to come from the recent Palm Springs International Film Festival was a lovely little movie called Bob Trevino Likes It. Writer and director Tracie Laymon has exploded onto the scene with an incredibly poignant and heartfelt feature debut that is as hilarious as it is tear-jerking. A big part of that success is a trio of spectacular performances, which includes Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, and French Stewart.
We had an opportunity to speak with the former two to discuss Bob Trevino Likes It ahead of the film’s well-deserved theatrical run. Not only did the two acclaimed stars speak volumes to the immense filmmaking talent of Tracie Laymon, but they also shed light on what may be in store for their future careers after Bob Trevino.
Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo Fell In Love With Tracie’s Screenplay for ‘Bob Trevino Likes It’

Image via SXSW

COLLIDER: Not only do you both star in the movie, you were also executive producers on the film. I’d love to know more about how you first became involved with the project, and what resonated with you enough to the point where you thought, “Not only do I need to star in this, but I also need to be an active part in making it?”
BARBIE FERREIRA: Two years ago, I got the script and I had no context for it. There wasn’t any dates, there was nothing. It was just like: are you interested in the script, period? When I read it, it was so magical and so special that I was like, okay, this we need to get done. Thankfully Tracie– the most incredible director, producer, writer ever– made It work. I always sing her praises because it’s so rare to see someone like– I mean, she called people up and gathered the money because she was like, I need this to happen. And you don’t really see that. You see people who just throw in $30 million movies and everything and she worked so hard to get to that point.
So when I started, like a seedling, it was tiny, nothing was in stone yet. Our conversation really moved me to the point where I was like, I want this to be my first project that I’ve ever produced, and it just felt right. It felt like this was the moment. Tracie and I had so many conversations, and it was so incredible. I learned so much too about how the sausage is made. What filmmaking actually is, which is a whole lot of problems that you need to solve. [Laughs]. Thankfully Tracie– as the director, as the leader of it– really made sure that the integrity of it was there and that we got the money without sacrificing any of the heart in it. It was really, really cool to watch.
You picked a good one for your first producing project. John, what about you? How did you first get involved with Bob Trevino?
JOHN LEGUIZAMO: Tracie is a force of nature. I got to meet her at Morandi in New York after I read the script. I loved the script, and I felt like a kindred spirit. She wrote this beautiful movie, directed it, produced it, took it to every festival in the world and it won 13 audience prizes, which is unheard of! It’s a testament to her vision as a storyteller. I was so glad to be part of it.
That’s great. That’s wonderful. Again, the movie works on so many levels, partly the writing, but also both of you have such incredible chemistry in the film. It’s a really great, poignant relationship. When I was talking with Tracie earlier, she mentioned that French Stewart– who is also incredible in the movie– did a lot of improv when he was doing his sequences. Was there improv involved with you two, as well, during your scenes?
FERREIRA: A little bit. The thing with French too, he was improving but it probably it didn’t make the movie because it was just so mean. Even though it’s so real and he’s the sweetest man ever, but the things he would say would crack me up. He was like, “You look like you look like an unmade bed.” It was like during the first scene I literally had to look sad and as soon as they yelled cut, I was like, “Oh my– that’s the funniest thing I’ve ever heard! ‘You look like an unmade bed.’” At the end, Tracie decided even though it was very real, I think people would be so alienated by that Bob, that it wouldn’t make sense. But oh, my gosh, there’s so much with French, he’s a genius. With John I think a lot of the basketball scene was improv.
LEGUIZAMO: Yeah, that’s true. That’s true.
FERREIRA: Because also I don’t know how to play basketball. I don’t know, we were just going with the flow. You know what I mean? I think a lot of the sweet scenes of us connecting were a lot of improv. Tracie writing the scenes where we have long conversations and everything. We didn’t improv too much on those.
LEGUIZAMO: No, no, we didn’t.
FERREIRA: The fun stuff where we’re connecting, and we’re just naturally laughing and making jokes. That really came out of us having fun.
John, does that include the dad joke when he comes in to fix the plumbing?
LEGUIZAMO: That was Tracie. Tracie’s a funny lady, so it’s easy to bring these things to life. The big fight scenes or the yelling scene Barbie and I [have], that was all scripted, but when you have good actors like Barbie, it sounds like it’s made up and thought of in that moment.
The Team of ‘Bob Trevino Likes It’ Took Great Lengths To Adapt the Film’s Premise in an Authentic Way

Image via SXSW

It’s an amazingly well-written movie. That scene is great, too, because, what this movie does really, really well is show a really great relationship that was born entirely through the internet. In most cases, even Tracie mentioned earlier that’s usually the premise for a horror movie. Where someone meets someone online and it goes horribly wrong. But this movie doesn’t do that. It’s a very sweet relationship, but it also does touch on the concerns of: Oh, is this kind of weird that I’m treating you like that? Or the concerns that maybe this is being done for ulterior motives? How were you able to find a good balance for the relationship between the two characters Lily and Bob to have it come off naturally and authentic and the way it does in the film very well?
LEGUIZAMO: We took great pains to make sure that it never got seedy or that it was wrongfully intended because Bob wasn’t looking for that. He has that at home, you know I mean? He wasn’t a guy who was trying to break. He was a guy who was looking for somebody to parent, somebody to nurture. There’s a lot of guys out in the world who are doing good things. Not always grooming. There are a lot of guys who are doing good stuff that is not always a seedy situation.
FERREIRA: Absolutely. We talked about it a lot. We were like, we don’t want this to ever come off as anything weird. And the real Bob wasn’t like that. Although Tracie and the real Bob didn’t actually meet, it never like [shady] territory. The truth of that was always there. The truth of the story is that it wasn’t that. I know that people, their minds go to that immediately, because it’s way more interesting to talk about an internet story that’s crazy and there’s foul play involved. But this one is actually like a beautiful story about the connections you can make on social media that isn’t negative. Which has to happen, right? I mean, there’s millions of people on here. There’s gotta be something good coming out of this.
Yeah, there’s gotta be a good one. A good, positive story like this is definitely one we need right now with all this stuff going on.
FERREIRA: Exactly. It’s like a warm hug. It’s like, Okay, we all are human at the end of the day. We all have trauma and fucked up pasts. We can really get together on a human level and really realize– this movie, to me, alienates no one at all. You can bring your grandma, you can bring a ten-year old– they will get it, which is what’s so cool about it.
Barbie Wants To Make a Period Piece in the Near-Future

Barbie, a question for you. This movie– with you both producing and starring in it– feels like a really good introduction for you into the feature film world, after you’ve already conquered the television world with things like Euphoria. What is something you would like to accomplish next, either for your next project or in the near future? Is there a specific genre or series you’d like to be a part of? Or would you want to be a part of something more intimate, like Bob Trevino Likes It?
FERREIRA: That’s a great question. The last couple years, I’ve been working on a whole slew of different films that I think are all coming out this year. I did a rom-com. I did a horror. I did this drama- comedy, like heartfelt. What I really want to do next is, I’ve noticed a lot of things I do are contemporary, and I just want something that’s just a little bit “Ye Olde,” a little period piece, you know, why not? I’m open to anything that has really good character and really good story. Thankfully, I’m finding really cool people to work with, especially in indie film. I’ve been working with a lot of people who are indie filmmakers, right? I really connect with them on a level of like, we care more about the actual story of the film than selling it. Obviously there’s a balance. You can’t just [Laughs]. I feel like I’ve thankfully been around people who really care about telling stories, care about films, and care about the state of the world we’re in now. So it’s really cool. So hopefully something that’s maybe a little bit not contemporary. Anything I’ve been doing is pretty in the 2010s/2020s.
Very cool. Is there a specific period you’d want to explore? Something like Bridgerton, where it’s more Victorian or maybe Western?
FERREIRA: I’m open to anything! I’m open to The Witch all the way to Bridgerton, I’m open to whatever. I like things that challenge me or different things I haven’t done. If I did a play on Broadway, I literally have never done professional theater. Other than when I was a kid, that’s how I started acting. Things that challenge me and that make me grow as an actor is always so fun.
John Leguizamo Is Ready To Bring Back Sid the Sloth for ‘Ice Age 6’

Image via 20th Century Fox

John, I don’t even need to ask you what you’re working on next because you are always working. You’re always working on the next big thing. You’ve played so many great characters, so many iconic figures. Unfortunately– or maybe fortunately for you– I was raised in the Ice Age. So you will always be Sid the Sloth to me.
LEGUIZAMO: [As Sid the Sloth] Sid the Sloth! Ice Age 6 coming up. 2026.
Exactly! That was something of a surprise that there is going to be another Ice Age movie, because I know you sat out the Disney+ spin-off that came out recently. What made you want to come back to the series for the sixth one?
LEGUIZAMO: People have grown up with the whole series, and it’s sort of a milestone in children’s lives. Now it’s like the grandparents are coming with the parents and grandchildren, and it’s a very sentimental journey for a lot of people– so I thought it would be a beautiful experience. The movie is really funny and cool. A lot of action, a lot of hilarity from Ray Romano, Denis Leary, and hopefully myself.
It’s great to see all of you together again. Has the process of making this one differed from the other films, because I know the first five movies were made by Blue Sky, who sadly is no longer a studio, they are no longer with us at this point. Now is it being made in-house at Disney or is it a new studio that’s taking over? What has it been like making it?
LEGUIZAMO: Yeah! Lori Forte is still the same producer, and it is Disney that’s producing it, and we’re doing it. But it’s so much easier now that we know the characters. We have the same punch-up guys who punch it up. It just gets easier and easier the more you can do it.
John Leguizamo Shuts Down a Potential John Wick Return

Image via Lionsgate

That’s great to hear. A question about maybe, potentially another future project, but really, I’m just curious. How do you think your character from John Wick is doing? How do you think the progress is coming on John Wick’s car? Because the last we heard about it was in John Wick 2.
LEGUIZAMO: Yeah…Well… I mean, I was cut out of 2, so I was not the happiest camper. I had a whole backstory and everything, but I don’t want to get into all that.
Oh, that’s very fair. Well, we did just hear a fifth one’s coming out, so who knows? I actually think in the movie you said, “Yeah, the car will be ready in 2030.” It’d be kind of epic if the next movie came out. And then it’s like: “Here’s the car. It’s done. It’s finished. Exactly when I said I’d finish.”
LEGUIZAMO: I wouldn’t hold my breath on that one.
Barbie Ferreira and John Leguizamo on the Hopeful Impact of ‘Bob Trevino Likes It’

I’ll conclude with one last question here. Because this movie has so much to say about mental health and found family and all these great, great themes. What is one thing that you really hope audiences take away from the movie?
FERREIRA: A lot of emotions that they haven’t really ever even tried to work through. I want people to be confronted by their emotions and what is right beneath the surface that we try to ignore. I also think, be kind to people. Like Lily is so lonely. Everyone’s so lonely these days, you know? Everyone is struggling with this. I think knowing that other people are feeling this way and it’s kind of a societal thing at this point. Hopefully, we have more empathy towards each other and it’s not just so negative. Hopefully they can think about the small acts we do every day. And that will change someone’s life.
LEGUIZAMO: I want everybody to go see it in the theaters because I think this is a real healing movie. I think this in a community is an incredible experience. When we saw this at SXSW, to hear it with a whole crowd laughing so hard, and crying so hard at the same time, was so unbelievably healing for all of us. To realize that we can really be role models of decency, respect, and doing kind things. Doing kind things is a heroic thing and I think we need to celebrate that more.
Bob Trevino Likes It is in theaters now.

Bob Trevino Likes It

Release Date

March 21, 2025

Runtime

102 Minutes

Director

Tracie Laymon

Writers

Tracie Laymon