Most of us shop on Amazon everyday. Is that just me? Many of us at least shop on it sometimes. In a new movie shot right here in Miami, the life of founder Jeff Bezos is getting the movie treatment. Turns out he wasn’t always worth $171 billion.
Armando Gutierrez isn’t the second richest man in America.
But he does play him in a movie.
Armando Gutierrez: “Got my hair back now, so that’s important.”
Alex Miranda: “Haha”
Based on the book “Zero to Hero, Bezos: The Beginning” takes all of us back to a time before free same-day delivery.
Or before Amazon.com became a certain bookseller’s biggest enemy.
Armando Gutierrez: “At that moment, Barnes & Noble was the titan.”
And the largest e-commerce website in the world.
Armando Gutierrez: “If you watch this movie, you’re going to come out fired up to start a business, to take a chance. The movie covers a lot of his life before he had any money, when he was still struggling to even make payroll.”
Plus, pick a decent name.
Armando Gutierrez: “It wasn’t even supposed to be called Amazon. It was going to be called Cadabra.com.”
Alex Miranda: “Don’t even get me on the names: I didn’t know about this either. Cadabra, Relentless.com.”
Alex Miranda: “It sounds horrible.”
Armando Gutierrez: “He wasn’t even thinking of the marketability of the name.”
I met with the star at the swanky new Loews Coral Gables Hotel.
Alex Miranda: “I’m sure Jeff Bezos would love to live here, at the Loews.”
Armando Gutierrez: “For all we know, he owns it.”
Alex Miranda: “He probably does, penthouse.”
Armando says one way he would spend Jeff’s roughly $171 billion dollars:
Armando Gutierrez: “I would go to Salt and Straw and try every ice cream.”
And, shoutout to entrepreneur’s ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott.
Armando Gutierrez: “He was scared to start Amazon, but his wife pushed him to leave their jobs on Wall Street.”
Armando Gutierrez: “He wouldn’t have been able to make it without that.”
Armando Gutierrez: “She’s extremely supportive, she helps co-found Amazon with him. She was signing the checks.”
Alex Miranda: “Which is the reason I want you to do the sequel. Ha! And I want it to all be about the divorce.”
Like his mom and dad, who invested their entire life savings in the company.
Alex Miranda: “Not just any parents. We have Emilio.”
Armando Gutierrez: “When we were going through who’s playing Jeff Bezos’s dad, Miguel Bezos, who’s Cuban, Emilio was the number one pick.”
Emilio Estefan also executive produced the film, which was shot mostly in Miami.
Armando Gutierrez: “He was so fired up to do the role.”
Alex Miranda: “He’s an amazing actor. He did a great job.”
Armando Gutierrez: “I was like– and then, at the end he goes, ‘I really have to give you $300,000?’ ‘Emilio, we’re just kidding!’ ‘Oh…’ I know I know, I know.”
Alex Miranda: “Well, because he could, you know.”
Armando Gutierrez: “Oh, yeah. He easily could. Haha.”
So, what does Mr. Bezos think about all this?
Alex Miranda: “Have you had contact with Jeff?”
Armando Gutierrez: “I have not met Jeff Bezos. I hope I will one day.”
You can watch “Bezos: the Beginning” starting Tuesday on streaming services.
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