Yahoo News John Leguizamo Says 'It’s Not Christmas' Without Coquito at His 'Big Latin' Holiday Dinner (Exclusive)
Leguizamo tells PEOPLE that his family always gathers on Christmas Eve for a dinner with Puerto Rican and Colombian food
John Leguizamo has the perfect, annual “big Latin” holiday — and the star of the evening is always a cinnamon-y delight.
While speaking to PEOPLE this month about his new documentary John Leguizamo Live at Rikers, Leguizamo, 63, explains that his family always gathers on Christmas Eve for a dinner with Puerto Rican and Colombian food. The party is hosted at midnight to mark the birth of baby Jesus, says Leguizamo, explaining that “it's a traditional thing and that's when you give the gifts out.”
But the real sign of a Leguizamo family holiday gathering is coquito: “Iif you don’t have that, it’s not Christmas.”
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“Coquito is a beautiful thing — It's a chemistry to make it. It has to be the perfect amount of coconut milk, coconut water, rum, the sugar, the cinnamon,” he explains. “It can't be too sweet or too weak. It's such a perfect formula.”
To accompany the alcoholic beverage, Leguizamo’s mother makes tamales “because she's Colombian — so she brings tamales, con chocolate. We get double cultural pleasures.”
The Violent Night actor, a dad of two, also chats with PEOPLE about something one of his cult-classic films has in common with a holiday movie staple. 1993’s Super Mario Bros., in which Leguizamo played Luigi, received negative critical reviews but has gained much love and admiration in the decades since.
"You know, It's A Wonderful Life, it had the same thing. It was a critical bomb. It bombed at the box office, and yet it became an American staple for Christmas," Leguizamo says. "So you never know. It's fascinating. And I'm glad that I brought joy to kids and was part of their childhood.”
John Leguizamo Live at Rikers, from Azimuth Films, is available to stream now on Black Experience on Xfinity and Xumo.
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