Eiza González explains why she was fired from Sesame Street Mexico at the age of 5
Eiza González was dismissed from Sesame Street in Mexico when she was just five years old. The 3 Body Problem star recently reflected on the incident, admitting she was "a complete menace" during her brief time on the beloved children's show. Speaking on The Kelly Clarkson Show on March 11, González shared the story of how her behavior led to her unexpected departure.
During her appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, González explained that her high energy and mischievous nature played a key role in her firing.
"I basically was a hyperactive child," she said. "And I also liked to rile up people. I was a complete menace."
Her antics escalated when she convinced other child actors on set to break into the PBS office, where a mockup of the entire Sesame Street set was kept.
"They had a mockup of the entire set," she recalled. "And we were jumping in it, and we broke it. And it was me. I got completely fired from my first job. Big Bird fired me."
Eiza González reflects on her childhood
Following her dismissal, Eiza González mother was doubtful about her prospects in the entertainment industry.
"My mom said, 'You can't do this for a living. You are just so naughty,'" she recounted.
Despite the setback, Eiza González eventually found her way back into the industry, proving her mother wrong.
"Surely, I found my way back into it," she said. "Somehow I wiggled my way in."
During the same interview, guest host Brooke Shields related to Eiza González's early experiences on set by recalling her own first film, Holy Terror, which she filmed at age nine. Shields described a particularly frightening moment involving special effects makeup.
"I took one look—in a broken mirror, which is another added horror," Shields recalled, "and all of a sudden, it looked like I had a pizza stuck on my face."
Eiza González talks about her new horror film Ash
In addition to reminiscing about her childhood, Eiza González also spoke about her latest film, Ash, an independent horror-psychological thriller directed by Flying Lotus. The film features González as an astronaut named Riya, who wakes up on a mysterious planet to find her crewmates slaughtered.
As she struggles to piece together what happened, she encounters Brion, played by Aaron Paul, whose intentions remain unclear.
"It's a really fun movie because I love watching horror films in movie theaters [where] it's a communal experience and everyone is kind of screaming together," she said.
González encouraged audiences to support independent films, noting that Ash was made on a tight budget but with a great deal of passion.
"It's a little movie that we did in a backlot in a warehouse in New Zealand for no money, with a lot of love and a lot of passion, with a crazy off-the-wall idea," she said. "And it's fun, it's gory, it's crazy."
Beyond Ash, Eiza González has a packed schedule with several upcoming projects. She starred in Fountain of Youth, an Apple TV+ action-adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie, alongside John Krasinski and Natalie Portman, as reported by EW. Additionally, she will reunite with Ritchie for In the Grey, a hostage-negotiation thriller featuring Henry Cavill and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Eiza González is also set to appear in Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice, an action-comedy directed by BenDavid Grabinski and starring Vince Vaughn and James Marsden, according to IMDB. Furthermore, González will be part of Boots Riley's upcoming sci-fi satire I Love Boosters, co-starring LaKeith Stanfield and Demi Moore.
Her next film, Ash, premieres on March 21, 2025. Meanwhile, Sesame Street remains available on PBS and Max.
