Save this article to read it later.
Find this story in your accountsSaved for Latersection.
In its second season, NetflixsOne Day at a Timerebootgets miraculously deeper and more confident.
We knew it was going to be a lot of hard work.
It was a great acting exercise for me and I had a lot of fun doing it.
Isabella Gomez: It was so painful!
I cried so much!
It was interesting, because Justina can handle her emotions so seamlessly.
Me, I dont have that kind of control yet.
JM: Not yet!
But shes pretty damn good.
IG: Justinas helped me a lot with it.
It wasnt even difficult to get there, it was difficult to control it.
Seeing Rita like that and seeing her all tubed up, it was too close to home.
The season feels like it gets a little darker.
Its still funny, but you have these big emotional turns like the finale.
They did that strategically.
Last year, it was serialized.
It was all leading up to the quinceanera.
This year, it was different.
People havent been sobbing for six hours and then get hit in the gut at the last one.
How did you approach that story line, Justina?JM: Ive seen it, you know?
I mean, I get depressed.
But never has it debilitated me.
Ive never been where I cant move or Im paralyzed.
I just went for it.
I cannot believe the response.
So many people are like, This is what I feel like, this is what happened to me.
It was way more powerful than I even imagined it could have been.
She texted me, This was like watching a documentary of my life.
Nobody talked to her when this was happening.
Nobody explained this to her.
Its like, Come on, move through it, get over it!
I believe in therapy.
Ive been to it, believe me.
I totally believe in it.
But theres still that old-school mentality like, Get up, get up and get through it.
Sometimes you just cant.
Thats whats so beautiful.
Even me, I learn something.
You cant just put Vicks VapoRub on it, like Lydia suggests.IG: But it does help!
Where did that running joke come from?JM: Oh, thats for real.
Because Gloria …
IG: Because half of us are Latinos!
JM: Because half of us are Latinos andwe know Vicks VapoRub!
Im Puerto Rican, I grew up in Chicago.
I thought it was just Puerto Ricans.
And then, [gestures toward Isabella] shes Colombian.
IG: We call itVi Vaparu.
He has Vicks VapoRub by his bed.
Im like, Seriously, Jon?
Hes like, Yeah, it works.
Elena starts dating after coming out last season.
I also learned so much.
The pronouns was a new thing for me.
I had heard about it, but didnt quite understand so they had to teach me all of that.
The LBGTQ fans are incredible.
Of course, Rita Moreno is wonderful and so charming.
Every day theres something.
She gets away with stuff we could never get away with.
I was like, Wait,theElvis?
Shes like, Yes.
JM: You know what you learn from her, really?
To take your time.
Because she takes her time with stuff.
She takes her time and she always delivers.
I have known Ivonne Coll since 1995 and shes played my mother many times and were very dear friends.
Then those two facing off?
How funny was that?
IG: Ivonne is also the sweetest woman.
She was like, Hello, Im here!
This interview has been edited and condensed.
