The movie:

"The important thing is that after six years of being involved in my project and my illusion, finally we are here to begin."

"This is a project that I have been having in mind for six years and we are finally going to make it happen, which makes me very happy."

"I have wanted it to be in English to obtain greater international impact and, in addition, Spanish would be nothing new because (in this language) other films were already filmed on Frida."

"It would take all day to explain why I'm interested to tell the story of Frida, but I summarize that one of the most fascinating things is not only Frida but Mexico, in relation to the historical and artistic times of the painter."

"It gives me many feelings to show a Mexico that was full of culture, in which the achievements were represented by the murals on the walls that were made by artists. There was a political attitude in which people participated as well as artists and intellectuals from all over the world. The country was a center for important people at that time and an object of international inspiration."

"We have 12 weeks and to tell the truth, we are very short of time. As it is a project that I started dreaming of long ago we will work behind closed doors. There will be no access neither for my family nor anybody else because I do not want to distract myself from the movie. And we don't want to waste time."

"I want to thank everyone that has been supporting me with the film, from Sari Bermúdez that has given many facilities to us, to Dolores Olmedo and all the other actors."

Frida Kahlo:

"Frida Kahlo was always ahead of her time. She had great individuality that is fascinating in all aspects of her life. She is an enigma, an icon, a mystery. And she is full of magic and of Méxicó."

"She had a broken body but an indestructable mind."

"Frida's relationship with Tina (Modotti) was of friendship only. If you mean if they they had a love relationship, well, no, they were just friends."

The actors and actresses:

"I want to take this opportunity to say that I'm very greatful to all my friends that have come to my aid in this production, like Alfred, like everyone, like Ashley. They are all working for minimun wages... which is pretty comforting, and to see that they are doing these project.... being such big names..... they have come to this project for their love to art... and as a favor to me."

"They are participating for a minimum wage... for the pure love of art or love for me."

Preparation for the role of Frida:

"I've read a lot of books. Lots, lots, lots. I've talked to the 'Fridos', to Mrs. Olmedo, to Hayden Herrera, to Marta Zamora (the two most important Frida historials in the world), to one of the doctors who attended Frida...... Many of the contradict themselves, many biographies also contradict themselves... it's a very controversial character and enigmatic... and... from all of this I've made up my own vision."

"I had talks with the doctor who took care of her and with friends of the painter. I've also read all biographies that I could find and I realized that there are many contradictions. But I will bring a different version to the screen."

"I feel really good. I've dedicated this a lot of time. I didn't know I had that gift. I'm going to draw the paintings in the picture myself. There will never be a hand double in those scenes. I will be painting all of them myself. I've already drawn a lot of self-portraits, and, to tell you truth, I do them really well. Let's see if someday I could show them to you. But to tell you the truth I am really proud, because it came as a total shock to me. When I saw the eyes I painted for the first time and how they watched me, I thought: 'Oh my God, I've been possessed by Frida's hand!'. I don't know where that came from....... That part is totally well-covered, 'cause I do it really good..... What I do terribly is the smoking. I have more than two months trying to smoke correctly...... but I can't find my mouth. When I was already a bit prepared with my right hand I discovered that Frida held the cigar with her left hand."

"I discovered that I can paint and I do it very well. I believe that Frida came to me. My family is surprised because I had never made the attempt to draw. So it is a new facet for me. What still costs me work is to smoke with the left hand like Frida."

"When I have the eyebrows closed and with no makeup and everything... I do resemble her a lot. You're going to be surprised. She was my size. I have even worn some clothes that belonged to her... and they fit me."

"Before coming (to Mexico), I took classes for drawing in New York and for painting here in Mexico. My teachers remained surprised and I even made several self-portraits that looked very well. It is as if I had Frida's hand."

"I am really going to paint in the film and I have already made some self-portraits. I myself am surprised when I see the eyes in the painting because I feel that they are observing me. For me it has been a shock, because I did not know that I had that talent, but I believe that Frida gave me her hand."

participation of Antonio Banderas:

"We are all ready, hopefully Antonio answers us soon since we are ready to start the shooting."

The monkey:

"And finally I want to introduce you to another person who is also part of the cast... with whom I've completely fallen in love, it's my new love, and it's called... 'Fulang chang'."

Jennifer Lopez ditching her Frida movie:

"The truth is I do not feel anything. It was a project of which we did not know if it was solid, then again, I focused on my own. What the others do is not my thing."

Alfred Molina:

Gaining weight and shaving his forehead:
"It is part of what you must do as an artist when you portray a person that lived and you can't change this. When Salma asked me if I was interested, I said yes, and now I am very proud to participate in the project."

"Three years ago Salma brought this project to me when I was working in New York and she asked me if I wanted to be Diego Rivera. I said yes."

Geoffrey Rush:

"It is the type of films that one likes to be in: in Quills, for example, I could not sleep with Kate Winslet. And now in 'Frida', or as I like to call it: 'Trotsky in Love', I get to sleep with Salma Hayek."

"The movie works on all levels and it is so well taken care of that it could be one of the best productions of this year. Two years ago Salma told me about it in an airplane and made me happy saying there was a role for me."

"When speaking to me of Frida Salma had great passion in her eyes."

"Last night I saw the paintings Salmita did and I can say now that it's going to be surprising."

Mia Maestro:

"From the beginning I was interested to star with Salma because she is a great friend. For me it is an honor to be with somebody that has as much energy as she has to produce, to act and to get this film financed."

Patricia Reyes Spíndola:

"When Salma made the soap opera Teresa I was her mother, and when I found out about Frida I wished that she invited me to be included in the project. I put a veladora in front of a photo of the painter. The good thing is that it went well and I am going to return to her mother."

"I am proud to work with a Mexican actress that is internationally successful. I thank Frida Kahlo and Frida Hayek."

Sarah Green (producer):

"We are thankful to Salma Hayek's passion. The process has been long and we are all moved to be here doing a film about so important Mexican artists."

Thanks to Morris for helping us translate the quotes!