The Daily Show: Ears Edition - ICYMI - Diane Guerrero on Humanizing Roles and Sharing Her Story with "In the Country We Love"

Episode Date: July 14, 2019

Actress and "In the Country We Love" author Diane Guerrero discusses her "Orange Is the New Black" role and recalls being separated from her parents when they were deported. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. John Stewart here. Unbelievably exciting news. My new podcast, The Weekly Show. We're going to be talking about the election, economics, ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. Please welcome, Diane Guerrero. Welcome to the show. Thank you for having me.

A huge fan of yours from Orange's the New Black and now you've gone on to do other great things. You're on superior donuts now as well. You're on Jane the Virgin. Do you ever sometimes confuse the characters because like sometimes you'll be moving between shows? Like, well you've gone on to do other great things. you're the threats? the like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, to, to, to, the to, the to, to the the the the to to their, the the the the the the the to the the the the to the the the the the, the the the the the to, the to, to, to, to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to, th. to, th. th. th. th. th. th. the, the, the, the, the th. th. the tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, the the tho. the the the the the the the the the the the the tho, the the the th You're on Jane the Virgin. Do you ever sometimes confuse the characters because like sometimes you'll be moving between shows? Like will you say a line like as Lena, but it's supposed to be a Maritzer line? Will you ever do that? Like you just be like hardcore, like, you're the superiors and people like,

you're not in prison, what are you doing? Yeah, I try to. I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, th..... th. th. th. Like, th. th. Like, th. Like, th. Like, as, as, as, as, as, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like, like role to take with you. Just like yes, this is a kid's show and I'm local. I know, I know. People actually do try to like kind of like toning me down. Right, right, right. You, you, you, you play many different characters but a lot of people know you from Orange's the New Black. Yeah. A character that in many ways I guess gave us a different insight into why someone would be in prison. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thin, thin, thin, thin, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, to to to to, to, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, right, Did many people connect to that character and her storyline? Yeah, it was actually really great. I mean, when I first, you know, I signed on for the role, I was like, great, a Latina woman in prison. This is far from what people expect from me. Right. But as I got into it and how I saw people respond to it, it was, it was really, it was very real. And the stories that we th th th th th th th th th th th th th tho th tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho thi thi thi thi thi thi that that is really that is really that, that, that, that, that, that, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th. th. th. th. th. th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, throooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooe, the real and the stories that we got to tell were real and, you know,

I guess knowing what I know about myself now as the person who I am now, it's very fitting that that was my first break. Right. To tell these kinds of stories. And do you think it makes a big difference to tell the stories that go beyond what we think of people to you? Absolutely. Yeah, I mean, it's kind of what I've tried to do my entire life is to have people see me as human. Right.

And with the stories that I tell, with my own life, with my, you know, telling stories of my community, it's just humanizing my story. Right, and I think that's something you that you you you you you you that's something you that's something you that's something you that's something you that's in your memoir that you wrote in 2016. Like you wrote a fascinating account of your story and it's the book we have here, and in the country, we love, My Family Divided. And you tell a story of being a young American child

who has two parents who are undocumented, and they get deported. And you were 14 years old at the time? How do you even begin to process the world when your parents have been taken taken to have taken to have to have to have to have to have to to to to to to to to the thea thea thea thea thea thea thea thea the the the theckeckeckiiia their their their. the?. their their their?. their their their their?. their. And, and their their their their their their their their their their their their...... the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the thea. thea. thea. theananan. theanananiiiiiiauuiauiauiauiauiauiauiauiauiauiauiau. theau. the the the time. How do you even begin to process the world when your parents have been taken away from you? Like where do you begin in your mind? Well, it was something that I always had to live with. I mean, I lived with the fear of losing my family, of being separated, my family was

very, was brutally honest with me. I mean, I was like five years old and they were, you know, telling me, look, this is what's going to happen. You know, I was like smoking a cigarette at five years old. I get it dead. This is happening. Yeah, I know where the money is. Right. Um, not much money. So I was always sort of preparing for this day and I was always sort citizenship, but that day never came. So when it happened I just had to buck up, really. I just had to take the words that my

parents have had left with me and they told me to be strong and to continue following my dreams and and living my life for me and that's what I did. You you you shared in the book and honestly it's heart-wrenching when it happens because you tell the story of this young girl girl. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the th. th. th. th. th. th. the th. th. th. th. thi. thi. thi. thi. to, the to, the to, to, the thi, the thi, the the the the the the the the the the their, their, their, their, their, the their, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. th. I, th. I, the th. I, thi, the thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thee. togu. today, today, today, today, today, the, thi. thi. their, their, their, the book, and honestly, it's heart-wrenching when it happens, because you tell the story of this young girl at the time who is living in a world where people don't seem to think about the ramifications of what happens. We have these discussions. We see people saying, well, take the kids away. Jeff Sessions just announced that they're going to be doing at the border, separating parents from the kids. And people just say it like it's an arbitrary thing, but you were someone who are separated from your parents. Do you, like, is there a way you wish it would be different?

Is there something you wish they could do to try and change the way it is? Yeah, not separate families. Yeah. It's as simple as that. And I guess, and I guess what I'm saying that's, th w w w w w w w w w w w w w w wa, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, the thi, thi, the thi, the thi, the thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, is thi, thi......... that's, is, is, is, is, is, is, is thi.... thi. thi. thi. thi. thi, and I guess what I'm saying to that is, because it is obvious, but I think what got me was how you had to live without them. That was a thing, because people weren't checking up on you and that's what you talk about in the book. People don't understand what separation of family really looks like, and that's what I try to separating families, not just for people who are undocumented,

who apparently this country does not care about, but for US citizens as well. Right. And for me, I mean, it sort of felt, or it absolutely was that my life was not counted as fully citizen, I suppose, because my parents were undocumented. And we went through serious hardships, and many children get left behind the way I did.

And I was able to have a big imagination and continue my father's words to continue on living on my dream and working hard. I mean, I really, believe me, I would eat the American dream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'd be like, yeah, this is what I'm doing, you know, is kind of bootstraps and all. Really not understanding what the immigration system looked like, trying to figure out a way for myself, knowing that if I continue to work hard, if I was resourceful, that I was going to make it. But that's not the case for everyone. And thoe, that's that's that's that's not the case for everyone and for most kids it's it's not a happy ending and I think that with my book I just try to show my community in a

different light you know in 2016 was really tough for me I never shared my story before right and when I heard my community attacked it was it was mind-blowing because I mean I've always heard undocumented people be to humanized and criminalized but not in this way and blowing because I mean I've always heard undocumented people be dehumanized and criminalized but not in this way. As I came to my own and I came to understand my truth and accept my truth I was like this is something that I cannot let go and I can't let people talk like this about my community because I know the strength and the love that my community has and and I know this because I lived it. You lived it? you shed it. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. I th. I the th. th. I th. I th. I th. th. th. th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th. th. th. th. th. the th. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. I th. I the the the the the the the their the the the the the the the the the thea the the the the the the that the love that my community has. And I know this because I lived it.

You lived it? Yes. You shared it. Your parents are really proud of you and you write about them in the book, which is beautiful. Yeah. Thank you for being with us on the show and sharing your story again. I really appreciate it.

Thank you. The season finale of Superior Donuts will air May 14th, CBS, My Family Divided, will be available on July 17th and in the country we love is available now. Diane Guerrero, everybody. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Ears Edition. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and the Comedy Central app. Watch full episodes and videos at the Daily Show. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to the Daily Show on YouTube

for exclusive content and more. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. John Stewart here. Unbelievably exciting news. My new podcast, The Weekly Show. We're going to be talking about the election. Economics. Ingrie-to bread ratio on sandwiches. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast.