Go Away With … Jesse Posey

Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Tribune
February 19, 2021

Jesse Posey said that one of the perks of “Selena: The Series” is filming on location. Posey portrays Selena Quintanilla’s guitarist and husband, Chris Perez, in the Netflix series. “We filmed mostly in Rosarito, Mexico,” said the 26-year-old actor, who is Mexican American. “Then (we shot) quite a bit in Tijuana and a few times in Ensenada. Ensenada stood out to me, because my grandparents used to own a house there on the beach. I was only five the last time I was there, so I don’t remember much. But I thought it was dope to be back there. Mexico is awesome. I might have to move there.” Based out of Burbank, California, Posey stays in touch with his fans on Instagram (@jpose13).

Q: How are you dealing with not being able to easily hop on a plane during this pandemic?

A: I’ve been taking walks and drives with just me and my music. I have taken a few trips — road-tripped to Utah with a few friends to do a little camping and (took) a short trip to Arizona to do a little drinking.

Q: If you had travel plans last year and had to cancel, where were they to?

A: I was going to go to Miami with my best friend to watch the Miami Dolphins play. Unfortunately, we were unable to. So, Miami 2021!

Q: I am not sure if you have ever faced racism because of your heritage. Was it eye-opening to play Chris Perez and see how Selena had to overcome so many barriers?

A: I am very lucky to have never faced racism in my life, though I have seen it. Selena did face racism, but she also faced the troubles of being a big star. And piling those two on top of each other must have been a great challenge. But Selena was the kind of person who was ready to face anything. Though she had her own insecurities, she would never let racism get in her way. She was above it. She knew her worth. She had the support of her fans, her family and her husband.

Q: What is your favorite vacation destination?

A: That’s a tough one. Mexico is great. Great people. Great food. Great mezcal. But I did go to the United Kingdom for about two weeks and we hit a lot of different towns, London being one of them, for about a day. We found ourselves on the west end of town, I think. Hard to remember. Lots of Guinness. But we kicked it at this bar that sat alongside a river and we just hung there and drank beer as the sun set. Beautiful time.

Q: What is your best and/or worst vacation memory?

A: Best was going with my brother (actor Tyler Posey) a few years ago to Toronto, where we once briefly lived as kids. One night, we drank a lot and stayed up ‘til 10 in the morning the next day, cruising through town (and) messing around. It was a real brother moment. The worst was probably the hangover after I woke up. Just kidding. I never have a bad time on a vacation. How could you? It’s vacation.

Q: What was the first trip you took as a child?

A: I once went to Colorado as a baby with my family. Can’t remember why, but I ended up throwing all of my brother’s underwear out of the hotel window. Most fun I ever had.

Q: What’s the most important thing you’ve learned from your travels?

A: Just do it. Leave your hometown. Discover something you didn’t know existed.

Q: If you could only pick one place to eat, would you choose a street cart or fine dining?

A: I love a taco shop in Mexico. I don’t care much for fancy spots. I love spaghetti and chicken. Anything along those lines works for me.

Q: If you’ve ever gone away for the holidays, which was the best trip?

A: Big Bear!

Q: Do you speak any foreign languages?

A: I know a little Spanish, but mostly bad words. The older I get, the worse I get at learning new things. So, I advise everyone to learn everything at the age of one.

Q: Where would you like to go that you have never been to before?

A: Ireland!

Q: What would be your dream trip?

A: That zoo in Florida (Zoological Wildlife Foundation) with that monkey, Limbani. Look him up on Instagram. You’ll fall in love.