FREDDY RODRIGUEZ EXPERIENCES MEXICAN POVERTY

Harsh Times took the cast to a small town outside of Enseneda, Mexico. Mexico plays an important part in the film being the home of Christian Bale’s girlfriend whom he planned to marry before working for the FBI. Star Freddy Rodriguez says he’d never experienced such extreme poverty before.

The villagers welcomed the cast and crew with such hospitality they even opened up their homes to host the film’s craft services and catering.

“Mexico was intense for me personally. I’ve never really experienced poverty on that level before and it was intense to be there and to see the conditions that the people live there. And at the same time what was interesting was how content the people were there. How content they were with their situation and how warm they were towards us and having us there.”

The crew reciprocated to their kindness by allowing the Mexican extras on the set to take home the left-overs from a party scene.

“Every night that we were there we ate at a different person’s home. They allowed us to use their home to set up our cafeteria there. And at the same time we fed all the extras that were in the film as well. But just extremely humbling and it makes you gain a whole new appreciation for your whole life.”

Harsh Times opens tomorrow in theaters.

“There’s a scene in the party scene where there’s a pig, a slaughtered pig and so we had that pig brought in. We’d use it in the scene and at the end of the day we allowed the village to have a pig. And so everyone that was on the set that day got to take a big chunk of meat with them back home so that they could make it for dinner.”