Searchlight Pictures has finally unveiled the first full trailer for Eva Longoria‘s directorial debut film, Flamin’ Hot, and it’s a spicy one. Ambulance star Jesse Garcia takes on the role of the real-life (maybe) father of the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos Richard Montañez who supposedly invented the neon red powder while working as a janitor in the Frito-Lay factory in Rancho Cucamonga. With help from his family and his billion-dollar idea, he rose from the lowest rung within the company to become a PepsiCo star in the marketing department, an inspirational speaker, and an author.
Flamin’ Hot may be named after the iconic snack, but the focus of the film and its marketing is definitely on the man behind it all. Montañez lived a life of crime before having a family, choosing instead to take a job cleaning machines in the Frito-Lay plant as he settled down. One day, he brought home some unflavored snacks and experimented to create something that reflected his Mexican American roots with his family helping him test concoctions to determine which snack burns good. It’s not just about impressing his son or his wife though, but taking his ideas all the way to the top of the company he works for and paving the way for a better life through the power of one unstoppable spicy treat.
Although there are questions about the validity of Montañez’s story, that hardly makes it any less worthy of using it as the basis for an inspirational film. Flamin’ Hot Cheetos remain among the most popular snacks to ever grace the market, but Montañez’s rags-to-riches tale remains an empowering one about making the voice of a community heard and climbing to the top of the ladder through innovation. Longoria believed it was worth sharing in a heartfelt way. Critics seemed to agree upon seeing the film out of SXSW earlier this year as it currently has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 72% with many praising the story.
Longoria Gathered a Strong Cast to Fulfill Her Flamin’ Hot Dreams
Flamin’ Hot marks a big step forward for the Desperate Housewives star as she puts her skills from directing episodes of Black-ish and the ill-fated Gordita Chronicles to work in the feature format. To bring this inspirational tale to life, she teamed with writers Linda Yvette Chávez and Lewis Colick. Aside from Garcia, she also gathered a number of talented names for the project, including Emmy winner Tony Shalhoub, Annie Gonzalez, Dennis Haysbert, Emilio Rivera, Matt Walsh, Pepe Serna, Bobby Soto, Jimmy Gonzales, Vanessa Martinez, Fabian Alomar, Mario Ponce, Hunter Jones, and TikTok star Brice Gonzalez.
Flamin’ Hot premieres exclusively on Hulu on June 9. Check out the trailer below: