Erik Estrada Talks Playing Nick in Planes: Fire & Rescue

Automatically transcribed; may contain errors.

Penny McLean: Hi, I'm Penny McLean with FlickDirect. Hello Erik, how are you?

Erik Estrada: I'm good. How are you?

Penny McLean: Welcome to Miami.

Erik Estrada: Thank you.

Penny McLean: For your wonderful film, Disney Planes and Rescue.

Erik Estrada: Yes.

Penny McLean: Let me ask you this, Your character, can you tell me about him? Who is Nick Lopez?

Erik Estrada: Nick is Ponch as a helicopter.

Penny McLean: I loved it.

Erik Estrada: They wanted to capture that, so that's why the dialogue is as such. And the scene is the way it goes. They brought in other cars, but they were female.

Penny McLean: Right.

Erik Estrada: And the helicopter just, mm, did that kind of deal. It's a lot of fun. The movie's a lot of fun. It teaches selflessness that it takes to be a firefighter and the bravery of the job. And basically your firefighters in our country here and all over the world, basically I always look at them as people with an extra dose in their DNA of compassion. Because they're first responders. Those guys are number one. They're first. Police come second, but they're first. And it's a fun movie. But what's great is the animation of the movie is really fun. The characters, they have all these kind of new characters. And they really are clean. And they really, you know, because I watch a Disney movie and animation. And I'll wait, okay, who's going to be the Latin guy? Who's going to be the Spanish? Who's going to be the brother? Who's going to be this? Who's going to be that? And I look for it. Because you look for the distinct sounds. and then expression of how they express their words. So this one is very distinctive. And the throwing in of what blew my mind, CHoPs, they call it, the throwing in of that, I saw it and it just blew my mind and I said, wow. I had a flashback.

Penny McLean: So tell me about his nickname, Loopin'.

Erik Estrada: Well, they call him Nick "Loopin'" Lopez because he does the aerial tricks with a helicopter that no other helicopter can do.

Penny McLean: When I just heard your voice come on, it just gave me a flashback of watching you in CHiPs, which I absolutely love. And that swanky voice and you flirt with the girls.

Erik Estrada: Yeah, right.

Penny McLean: Did it bring you right back?

Erik Estrada: Well, it brought to mind that, well, that's what CHiPs was about.

Penny McLean: That's right.

Erik Estrada: Motorcycles, teeth, tight uniform, and girls.

Penny McLean: Well, since you were from CHiPs and you have been in your life a real reserve policeman. You're a sheriff deputy.

Erik Estrada: Well, I am a real... I'm a captain.

Penny McLean: Oh, you're a captain.

Erik Estrada: I'm a captain. I lead a squad of six men on the task force. Internet crimes against children is what I do.

Penny McLean: And you do so many foundations and charities. Tell me about the Safe Surfing Foundation.

Erik Estrada: Well, Safe Surfing is a foundation that my sheriff started. I was a police officer in another state, and I heard about what he's trying to do with safe surfing. Safe surfing is to try to get mandated in schools internet safety education.

Penny McLean: Wonderful.

Erik Estrada: And he has a program called the NetSmart System, which is age-appropriate interactive from K-12. Nobody's teaching our kids what not to do when they're in a chat room, and they're getting taken. They're getting taken. They're getting groomed by these guys. Their innocence is being taken on film, and then they get shipped out of this country. Sex trafficking. That's what's going on. I know it because I've been doing the work for 10 years now.

Penny McLean: Well, it's wonderful. Well, I wish you all the best with this new film. And I actually, I'm cheering for you in this film because it brought me, I love your character. And thank you so much. And it comes out on July 18th in 3D, even the best. You're welcome to see it. It was a pleasure. Thank you so much.

Erik Estrada: My pleasure.

Penny McLean: Thank you.