This article contains spoilers
“Capitol Barbie,” a locally-produced pilot written, directed and produced by UNM alumna Riley Del Rey, premiered on Sunday at the Guild Cinema in Albuquerque. Boasting an entirely New Mexican cast and crew, it is based on Del Rey’s alleged experiences working as a transgender Latina congressional intern for Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, a former U.S. house representative.
The fictional pilot, labeled as an episode based on a true story, follows a new congressional intern, Dolly Golightly, as she navigates the realities of working in Washington, D.C., facing constant reprimands over her dress and relationships with fellow Latinx interns. When an unwanted advance by a congressman reveals that Dolly is transgender, her boss, Representative Melissa Lopez-Gaffney, terminates her.
Del Rey’s actual experience as a congressional intern in 2015 for Lujan Grisham was terminated due to the alleged fact that she didn’t disclose her transgender identity, according to Del Rey. However, Lujan Grisham’s office said the allegations were false and that they never knew that Del Rey was transgender while she was working for them. Del Rey filed an ethics complaint against Lujan Grisham in 2018, but the Office of Congressional Ethics has not since released an official report on the complaint.
Speaking about the process of creating something so personal, Del Rey gave credit to the collaborative atmosphere of the film industry. The initial inspiration to begin production was sparked when Del Rey received an acting tape of Elese Jones, who went on to play Dolly in the pilot and whom Del Rey said looks remarkably similar to her younger self.
Del Rey said the cast made telling such a personal story easier, even through the trials of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They were so easy to work with that they made my job easier,” Del Rey said. “But I also had to tell them, ‘You are playing a version of me and versions of events that happened in my life.’”
Co-producer and co-writer Violet Martinez reflected on the opportunities that locally-produced projects like “Capitol Barbie” can provide for local talent — both in front of and behind the camera — along with the expanding state of the film industry in New Mexico.
“I hope that through this (pilot) and other projects that are being done by New Mexican true talent that (they) will grab the attention of big-time directors and big-time productions to hire more New Mexicans instead of flying out talent,” Martinez said.
While Del Rey and Martinez worked to add levity to balance the intense situations in the pilot, Del Rey said making projects that deal with social issues and include trans characters along with their struggles is vital in the film industry.
“It is very heavy, but at the same time that’s how people really feel … It might be tough to watch and hear but that’s the reality for trans people,” Del Rey said.
Martinez hopes that people come away from “Capitol Barbie” with a new perspective on the intersectionality of gender, the workplace and identity.
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“Life isn’t always like a movie,” Martinez said. “Sometimes … it can be very dramatic and just falls apart. Just take resilience from (this pilot).”
Del Rey and Martinez are currently in the writing stage for episode two of “Capitol Barbie” and hope to begin production soon for an entire 10-episode season.
Matthew Salcido is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @baggyeyedguy
