From movie 'The Purge' to 'The Woman in the Window': interview with actress Liza Colón-Zayas

A: Out of the blue, I received an offer to play the role of Dawn, an ex-con who drives a makeshift ambulance trying to save the badly injured on Purge Night. The unspoken code is to not attack this ambulance, but there's no guarantee. It's a dangerous risk and it's just us two small woman taking it on. 

Dawn is a woman of few words. She doesn't look like the typical Hollywood bad-ass, but she is courageous. I love the diversity of the heroes in this film. They aren't all heavily armed martial arts skills. Most are just blue collar types. 

A: Um... not sure. Barbarism by whom against who? The film makes us look at our upcoming elections even though it was shot before our present candidates were nominated. It's pretty disturbing as we see what going on now. It doesn't seem so outlandish and exaggerated anymore. 

A: A wide spectrum, but there is so much more I would love a shot at. On screen it's often the tough civil servant or grieving mom. Sometimes, I get the an authority figure like a cop, judge, or medical professional.

A: I'm a homebody. I love down time. Theater is pretty grueling. I love it but it's tough. So, whenever I can spend time at home with my husband, with family, seeing great theater, and cooking for really close friends I'm happy. I audition if it seems worth the trouble or hit the gym when the weather isn't miserable, but lately it's been brutal in NYC.

Q. What's your favorite book?

A: That's a tough one. I used to be a Stephen King fan before cable and internet. The web makes it so hard to focus. My energy is limited to reading and memorizing scripts, and news articles now. But this is the truth... when I was nineteen I read 'The Godfather'. I had never seen the movie at that point. One day I grabbed the novel from the bookcase on my way out, so I could have something to read on the train. I got seduced by the passages describing Italy. Just smitten. Then I knew I had to see this country. Years later, I was offered a play that performed in Sicily and Rome. Since then, I've made my way back to Venice, Siena, and Florence. I blame it that book. I also loved The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, by Junot Diaz. Pretty much anything by him. He's brilliant.