Interview past Jana Letonja

Deja Monique Cruz recently starred in Netflix's holiday rom-com 'Christmas with You' alongside Freddie Prinze Jr. and Aimee Garcia. Adjacent she will exist starring in the upcoming Disney+ series 'The Crossover', which is executive produced by the NBA legend LeBron James. 'The Crossover' premieres today (quaternary April).

photography past Dave Bailey

Deja, you lot're starring in Disney+ series 'The Crossover', that is b ased on the book of the same name by Kwame Alexander .  The series is about two brothers, basketball phenom s, and their lives on and off the court. Tell united states of america more nearly this serial and the story we'll be able to follow.

This series is not only a regular basketball game diary, this story is a message about family and the way they bond together to encounter life changing challenges.

In 'The Crossover' you're playing Maya , a  sharp as a tack, observant, perceptive, non agape to speak her heed and ane of Filthy and JB's best friend . How would you describe Maya's role in Filthy and JB's life and story?

Maya, JB and Filthy are each other's ride or dice and will e'er accept each other's dorsum. Maya's never afraid to pace upwardly and be the voice of reason that the boys demand. She tends to put her feelings on the back burner to make certain she is 100 % percent supportive for the boys.

The series  is executive produced past  the  NBA fable LeBron James . How valuable do you think information technology is to accept someone like him, a professional basketball actor and a legend,  on the project?

LeBron James is invaluable and you actually can't put a price on his experience, noesis and inspiration he brings to the tabular array.

Just this past holiday season we were able to see you in Netflix's vacation rom-com 'Christmas With You', where you starred aslope Freddie Prinze Jr. and Aimee Garcia. Starring in a holiday rom-com must be a special feeling, knowing the holiday films bring such joy to the viewers. How was this feel for you?

Just the mention of 'Christmas With You' makes me grinning. This movie was and then special and memorable to our cast and crew in and so many ways. I've e'er dreamed of filming a Christmas movie because my family loves Christmas.

Your first Television set role was as a guest star on 'Law & Gild: SVU', where you were able to tell the story of a potent victim and exist a vocalism for others in that situation. What made this role so special to yous?

This role was then powerful. And to be a vox for victims meant the world to me. These truthful stories are emotionally hard to tell. However, the bulletin needs to be heard.

When did you lot develop your interest in interim and what ignited it?

I was fatigued into my high school drama class and tempted with games and snacks. Information technology was in that class that I found my passion for interim and immediately enrolled into the advanced theater program for the residuum of high school. Shoutout to Ms Barber, our theatre instructor, for making a deviation in my life.

Besides acting, y'all are besides a talented singer and dancer. Tell us more about those two of your other passions. Would you lot ever consider also a career in music?

Singing and dancing is engraved into our family. It's who nosotros are. Shoutout to our grandfather, Harvey Mayo, for inspiring us with all the talent. I did have a dream that showed me in the studio with a microphone. I'll keep dreaming. We'll just have to expect and run into.

You an interesting background as your  ethnicity is Puerto Rican, Caucasian and African American.  How practise all these ethnicities blend perfectly together into your personality?

I'k also Cherokee Indian. All my ethnicities blend together to make my personality and information technology is a huge advantage,because I can understand and relate with the perspective of a variety of cultures. I tin easily engage and connect with others. I'thousand blessed with this souvenir.

Just recently, we've also been able to see yous in the adventure picture show 'The Quest for Tom Sawyer's Gold', where you'll exist playing Lu, a brain with a dream to be a filmmaker. She is always viewing the world through her video camera. Have you e'er idea about being a filmmaker yourself besides?

If you haven't still, get your copy now and become ready for a swashbuckling adventure the whole family can relish. I am then excited for anybody to see it.

I have developed and produced my own YouTube channel, which I love. In the future, I would be interested in submerging myself into the world of professional person directing and producing.

You've also recently booked your first voice over role as Flo in 'Carnival Jungle'. How excited are y'all for this project? And how dissimilar it is to be just lending a voice to a character?

It's so dissimilar and I don't even recognize my own vocalization because the role of Flo is a little southern belle. Luckily, I was able to find a voice for her southern charm while filming 'The Crossover' in New Orleans. I love lending my vocalization to a graphic symbol, it'south an feel where I tin create my own surround and it really challenges the creativity of my mind.

Photograph by Amanda Peixoto-Elkins