Eddie Gonzalez & Jeremy Haft Interview: On My Block

Netflix has its fair share of coming-of-age series but On My Block continuously finds a way to stand apart from the rest. The comedy-drama, which recently debuted its third season in March, was created by Lauren Iungerich, Eddie Gonzalez, and Jeremy Haft. Not only does On My Block follow a group of teens dealing with the challenges of high school, but it also takes a deeper look into life in inner-city neighborhoods. The cast is led by four bright stars including Sierra Capri, Diego Tinoco, Jason Genao, and Brett Gray.

On My Block first premiered in 2018 and since then, it has been a mainstay for Netflix’s spring schedule. Monse, Cesar, Ruby, and Jamal are best friends at the front and center of the series while they tackle a new chapter in their lives. Along with the typical social and romantic struggles, the core four often face dangers with gangs, gun violence, and tough conditions in their L.A. neighborhoods. As they get older, they start to experience some fractures among the friend group which only intensifies in season 3.

To promote the latest season, co-creators Eddie Gonzalez and Jeremy Haft spoke to Screen Rant to discuss the show’s development and the inspirations behind the characters. The creative duo also explained how to balance humor on the drama series and what the future holds if Netflix renews On My Block for season 4.

What was your motivation in creating On My Block and bringing it to life on a platform that reaches millions of viewers?

Jeremy Haft: Eddie and I had always talked about doing something that depicted Eddie’s life growing up in Compton and Lynwood, as whenever people asked him about it, they had ridiculous stereotypes. As luck and fate would have it, I was having lunch with Lauren Iungerich, and she was coming off of her huge commercial and critical success, Awkward. Awkward was set in Lauren’s hometown of Palos Verdes and featured a predominantly white cast. Lauren shared with me how she received thousands of tribute videos from kids of color who loved Awkward, and that she wanted to do a show with kids of color as the heroes, the leads. Lauren then asked if I had any suggestions for a partner for her – I then told her that Eddie and I were writing All Eyez On Me, the Tupac Shakur biopic, and that Eddie not only grew up in Compton and Lynwood but had 117 Mexican-American first cousins. Yes, 117! The next day the three of us met up and started creating On My Block together. Netflix was the perfect home for this show and we have nothing but love for them for one, allowing us to have this platform and two, supporting us and trusting us to tell the stories that Lauren, Eddie and I want to tell.

Eddie, you grew up in the Lynwood/Compton area and you serve as the basis for Ruby. Which main character does Jeremy have a connection to?

Jeremy Haft: I have a very strong connection with Jamal. As a kid I always wanted a metal detector, so we had to give Jamal one! I also always wanted a CB radio and other gadgets – so Jamal gets that fun stuff. I really identify with Jamal’s love of his friends, and also his imagination. From Big Foot to Go Bags, to preparing for any and all calamities, Jamal is my man!

Abuelita is probably my favorite character, especially for her interactions with Jamal. Is her character based on anyone in your lives?

Eddie Gonzalez: She shares some traits with my Abuelita and I’m sure many other Hispanic grandmothers – such as owning a plethora of religious figurines and having strong opinions about many things – but she was not based on any one specific person. My Abuelita was definitely not hanging at Pimp Lane or smoking weed, she was more of the “pray ten times a day” variety.I’d say our On My Block Abuelita is more like an idealized version of who we all wished we had as a grandmother. Someone who is cool, relatable and 100% confident about who she is.

On My Block has dealt with pretty serious subjects (gangs, gun violence, immigration, etc.) but the series tries to mix in a lot of humor. How do you balance that mix?

Eddie Gonzalez: I think it’s an accurate reflection of life in places similar to where I grew up. Those issues were things we faced every day. But we also experienced first love, breakups, struggles to fit in and be accepted – like teens in any city throughout the world. Life was not bleak and hopeless. We refused to be victims nor be depicted as such; therefore, it was important to show that a neighborhood could be both “rough” but also one filled with love, hope and humor. Nothing and nowhere should be depicted as black and white – we are all shades of gray. I also think that when you grow up in such a world, comedy is often a coping mechanism for dealing with adversity. It definitely was for me. That’s why my brothers and I created Guess the Caliber when gunfire erupted in our ‘hood.

Speaking of gun violence, was Olivia always meant to pass away from the gunshot wound in the season 1 cliffhanger or were other outcomes considered?

Eddie Gonzalez: Yes, from the outset, Olivia was always going to die. When Lauren, Jeremy and I pitched Netflix the show, we told them that Olivia would die at the end of the first season. As harsh as it sounded, it was also sadly very real when you grow up in communities like Freeridge.

What message do you want viewers to take away while watching a series about a rough inner-city neighborhood?

Eddie Gonzalez: There are several take-aways. First and foremost, I’d say don’t judge us. There’s this common misconception about the inner city – that it’s solely dangerous and hopeless. That, however, is very short-sighted and simply not accurate.  What’s rarely spoken of is the tremendous sense of community. Where I came from, people had your back. I’ll never forget going to a party and meeting an older couple who I told that I was getting married in a week. The woman said, “That’s fantastic! What can we bring? Arroz, frijoles, pan de polvo.” I literally had spoken to these people for twenty minutes and they were offering to make food for our wedding. That is community! The second thing I’d like viewers to take away is that whether you grow up in the inner city or in an upscale suburban neighborhood or even a remote town in a foreign country, we all want many of the same things. Our dreams and aspirations really aren’t that different. It’s only the level and the amount of obstacles that differ.

The show does a stellar job of putting young people of color at the center of the story. What would you say to convince other people in the industry to create series that speak to diverse audiences?

Eddie Gonzalez: It’s pretty simple: Speak your truth and accurately depict people of color. For years, we’d go into meetings and I’d tell stories about my family and these stories often broke stereotypes. Let’s not paint everyone with the same brush. Let’s not continue to look at people, or communities as black and white, but rather shades of gray. And ultimately, I’d hope that we don’t have to “convince” people to create shows that speak to diverse audiences. We’d instead point to the success of shows like Blackish or our show and tell them that there’s a demand for them.

The series centers on friendship but family is also a major theme. How important is it to show non-traditional families like the case with Cesar or Monse?

Jeremy Haft: We think it’s extremely important because it’s rarely depicted in the media. It’s also very authentic and serves the story that we wanted to tell. Speaking to this issue of non traditional families, our goal was to go further than just showing the current state of their families. We dug deep to show how and why they became these non-traditional families and we feel that’s extremely important for the audience to know so that they can better relate to them. For Monse, she’s being raised by a single father, who works tirelessly to provide for her, and to give her everything she needs to improve her life. Cesar, as you learn in the series, was raised primarily by his brother, who sacrificed his life’s dreams to make sure Cesar had a chance – it’s not always simple and easy, but Oscar did what he could to raise and protect his little brother.

Will On My Block ever reveal if Lil Ricky is dead or alive?

Eddie Gonzalez: We’ll see. Let’s hope we get an order for Season Four first.

With the current state of the world, many people are stuck inside looking for something to watch. Other than On My Block, what you guys recommend?

Eddie Gonzalez: While I’m a huge true crime fan, I’ve actually steered clear of such shows and gone more light-hearted lately. And one of my favorite shows is The Office. It never gets old and the writing is absolutely brilliant – and it’s the perfect show to take your mind of this horrific crisis we are all going through. Stay safe everyone!

Jeremy Haft: I don’t know why you’d watch any other show if you can just binge On My Block over and over. Okay, seriously I’m loving Ozark, and I always have get my fix of Shark Tank and shout-out to Mark Cuban who’s working tirelessly to combat Covid-19.

On My Block season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.

About The Author

Kara Hedash
(1746 Articles Published)

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Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

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