Local actress lands part in New Mexico-filmed Cheetos movie

Jun. 8—Lora Martinez-Cunningham dreamt of having a career in the film industry.

For the better part of two decades, Martinez-Cunningham remains a staple within the industry.

The icing on the cake for the New Mexico native, who grew up in the South Valley, is that she is able to be part of the industry while living in her home state.

"My family and my roots are here," she says. "To be able to grow and create in the place where you grew up is a dream come true. I gotta tell you, to this day, when I see an email from my agent, I get butterflies. It's another opportunity to act, and when and if I book it, that's where it feels like cloud nine again."

Martinez-Cunningham is gearing up for another project to be in the spotlight.

On Friday, June 9, the feature film, "Flamin' Hot," is set to stream on both Hulu and Disney+. The film was filmed entirely in New Mexico and has been receiving accolades after its debut at the South by Southwest Film Festival.

"Flamin' Hot" tells the story of Richard Montañez, the Frito-Lay janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn Flamin' Hot Cheetos into an iconic snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global pop culture phenomenon.

Martinez-Cunningham landed the role of Patti, the secretary for Frito-Lay headquarters.

The journey to get the role had its share of bumps.

Martinez-Cunningham recalls getting the audition through Eco Cast — an online platform.

On the day of the audition, her WiFi network was spotty and couldn't hear the casting director or the reader.

"I was doing my best to continue the scene," she says. "I was struggling on the inside to hear them."

When it was done, she asked if she could get back on and begged for another shot.

"I got put back into the queue and waited for another hour and 45 minutes," she says. "It went smoothly and the casting director worked with me. They want the best for us and I was grateful. It's one of the stories I wanted to be part of, which is why I pushed for a second chance."

Martinez-Cunningham's journey in film is full of ups and downs. For every role she's booked, there's been dozens of roles she's been passed over.

Her first film was 1995's "Homage," which was produced by Mark Medoff and directed by Ross Marks.

"Mark was a mentor to me and he meant a lot to me," she says. "I felt so lucky to know him."

At the time of getting the role, Martinez-Cunningham was studying accounting and finance.

"I switched to all theater classes and directing for theater," she says. "I asked Mark what to do and I ended up going to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts."

After living in Los Angeles for 15 years, she made the move to come back home to New Mexico.

Since then, she's booked many roles in New Mexico-based features and TV series — her résumé boasts more than 70 credits to date.

Her love for her craft has only grown over the years.

"When I'm on set, or leaving it, I still have to pinch myself because I can't believe that I get to have so much fun and call it work," she says. "I know the odds and how the stars have to align in order to book a job. With each one, I value it with my whole heart. I give each role all I got because I know roles are hard to come by."

SEND ME YOUR TIPS: If you know of a movie filming in the state, or are curious about one, email film@ABQjournal.com. Follow me on Twitter @agomezART.

Streaming now

Catch New Mexico native Lora Martinez-Cunningham in "Flamin' Hot," which begins to stream on Hulu and Disney+ on Friday, June 9.