Rosie Perez has recently opened up about one activity that calms her during stressful times.
Perez, who has joined Kaley Cuoco in HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant, revealed some of her biggest life lessons.
She said, “I’ve had some good experiences on TV sets and some bad experiences, so I was hesitant to take the plunge with The Flight Attendant.”
Cuoco, who is the co-executive-producer and stars in the show, asked Perez to meet to discuss it.
Perez said, “She [Cuoco] is so freaking amazing. And I said, ‘Let’s talk about work ethic.’ I like to come to set prepared. I don’t waste time. I do my job and go home. I’ve learned it’s best to be up-front with how you work.”
“In my 20s, I used to show up late. I got fired from It Could Happen to You because of it—I was rehired within an hour because I couldn’t stop crying and screaming. I promised I’d never be late again,” the 56-year-old actress added.
“I think I’m drawn to activism work because there were a lot of injustices done to me as a kid,” Perez continued. “I know how it feels. I was a ward of the state for a time and in a group home for children—not for juvenile delinquents but for displaced or unwanted children. So I don’t like injustices—they set me off.”
Perez went on to say that she is able to move forward in her life when her mental health is in order. However, when she is not in stressful times, she exercises.
“If your mind is out of shape, it doesn’t matter if you’re in shape or not,” Perez said. “When my mental and emotional health is in order, I’m able to move forward in my life. If it’s not, things fall apart.”
“So I’ve learned to really focus on that. Exercise is also tied to my mental health. I’ve been boxing for a short time. One thing I’ve learned is that calmness and composure make champions—you can’t win if you’re not calm and composed,” she added.
The article originally appeared on Health.
