#Spanish Actor Javier Cámara

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Javier Cámara

[kate-likes-this]

Pedro for GQ Spain (09-04 /17)

by Maria Contreras • Photographer: Giampaolo Sgura Related: photoshoot / list of articles / en Español 🇪🇸

First 'Game of Thrones', then 'Narcos' and now glory. We spoke with the Chilean actor about succeeding at 40, his 'little brother' Miguel Ángel Silvestre, and his non-existent training routine.

According to the actor’s own confession he shares some similarities with his character, Javier Peña, the DEA agent from the Netflix hit series Narcos, like his very little willingness to comply with the rules. No, we are not talking about committing crimes, to be clear. “I don't like to hide my feelings or have to behave in a certain way because social rules demand it. Maybe that's why I was always punished at school �� - he reveals, while constantly jumping from Spanish to English. 

The actor has arrived at the London studio hosting this shooting from Seattle, where he has just shot an indie film, and as soon as the interview is over he will fly to Los Angeles on his way to San Diego Comic-Con. An intense schedule for an actor who until just four years ago considered that appearing in a chapter of 'Nikita' or 'Law and Order' was like a winning lottery ticket. Seasoned in theater and television, Pascal had developed “the professional ability to survive”: “I have been going to castings since I was 20 years old, and I had begun to assume that maybe my dream was not viable and to consider that making a living from acting, even anonymously, could also be considered a success. Also, in New York I was sheltered by my sister and my friends, whom I could always count on when I ran out of money. But then 'Game of Thrones' came along and everything changed for me”.

His brief appearance in Westeros as Prince Oberyn finally caused him to leave the ranks of the eternal aspiring stars. His popularity has only strengthened with 'Narcos', of which third season premieres on September 1 on Netflix. Without Escobar, and without Murphy, the plot now centers on the Cali cartel: “It's a different empire that has more money, more power, more control and more discipline, so it will be much more difficult for my character to dismantle it, because they have their hands in everyone's pockets ”. The Spanish Miguel Ángel Silvestre, Javier Cámara and Tristán Ulloa have joined the cast, and to say that they have got on well with Pascal would be an understatement. "Miguel Ángel in particular is like my little brother. We met in the United States a long time ago and became instant friends". 

In addition, on September 22 we will see him as Agent Whiskey in 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle', the sequel of Matthew Vaughn's spy movie that became the sleeper-hit of 2015. And Pascal joined the cast of stars like Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry or Julianne Moore. Thanks to the director‘s determination, who discovered him in the first season of 'Narcos' and was fascinated by his presence, and resemblance of a tough actor, a’la Burt Reynolds. “When Matthew is clear on something, he is unshakable. Because I can imagine the studio would ask him: 'But who is this Pedro Pascal?' He says: although my character is arrogant, he also transmits vulnerability, because there’s a fear that they would reject me. And I think he’s right".

However, getting famous around 40 also has its advantages, for example: you think more about squandering your salary on sport-cars and yachts: “ I can't afford yachts. Yes, I have bought a car, but it's a Mini Cooper, so it's not terribly extravagant. I'm already very used to my habits, and I think that's the luxury: experiencing a certain level of exposure when you're older, you've already become the person you are and there are certain things that it's too late to change. A nice new thing about not being under financial pressure is that I can do things for the people I care about. I know it makes me sound noble, but what I like most in the world is being in a position to help someone".

In these troubled times, there are many people that Pascal believes must be helped. When he was a few months old, his family left Santiago de Chile to escape the Pinochet regime. They received asylum in Denmark and later moved to the US, where Pedro and his three brothers grew up as gringos, first in Texas and later in California. Today, the political climate in his adopted country literally robs him of dreams: “We are living in a terrifying time. I have no idea what the future holds, I just know that at every opportunity I will stand up for what I think is right. And that includes the fucking fabulous diversity in North America".

Every successful actor knows which role changed their lives, and Pedro Pascal's was the scene stealer of the fourth season of 'Game of Thrones'. His bloody death by the hands of The Mountain has been burned into our memory, for sure. (Trivia: the actor who plays the huge Lannister bully had been chosen the third strongest man in the world in a championship shortly before filming that fight.) Several actors on the series have admitted that they read scripts with apprehension, but Pascal knew from the first audition that Oberyn Martell would die in that season. What he didn't know was how: he learned that his brains would end up on the ground almost in passing: "I was talking to the showrunners and in a very casual way they told me: 'We will have to send you to London to do your head.' And I: 'And why the head?' And they: 'Because you have to take out your eyes and smash your skull ...'. And I: 'So, this is how I die??? You sick bastards!’ ”, he remembers between laughter.

To this day, he still considers the HBO production the best professional experience of his life. “Nothing is going to beat it, not even if winning ten Oscars. I completely fell in love with that cast, with the locations, with everything”. Who does Pedro think should end up on the Iron Throne? “I think they are all going to die (laughs). I imagine the empty throne”. 

Another experience that he will never forget was the filming in 2014 of the video clip 'Fire meets gasoline', by Sia, in which he starred alongside Heidi Klum, including a bed scene. "What was it like? It was good. It was really good (laughs). To put it mildly, she has been a popular figure in my life over the years, so just seeing me in my underwear and running around with her was very surreal". 

As if all of the above were not enough, very soon Pedro Pascal will also look at us from the bus stops in the new Solo Loewe fragrance campaign: a collaboration that has only rekindled his attachment to Spain: “I have a tremendously romantic relationship with Spain. My grandfather's family was Basque, my grandmother was born in Majorca, and I studied there as a young man one summer and immediately felt at home. So having the opportunity to collaborate with such a creative and stylish Spanish team has been really special. I have to figure it out how to move there once and for all".

Perhaps a shoot will facilitate the transfer; Pascal is a great admirer of Spanish cinema, but with Almodóvar's he has a personal connection: “My parents took me to see 'Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown' at the only art-house cinema in Orange County, and I no longer stopped. I lost my mother 17 years ago, and the way in which she identified with Almodóvar's characters means that his cinema has always played a very emotional role in my life”.

Although the luxury brands are already beginning to haunt him, Pascal admits that he is still "a bit lazy with fashion". And he illustrates it with an invaluable anecdote: “The other day, the driver who had to pick me up to go to the airport didn't even look at me. When I told him that I was Pedro, he replied: 'Oh, excuse me, I thought you’re a homeless'. I swear, I was freshly showered!" [In case these photos are not sufficient proof, we attest that Pedro Pascal does NOT look like homeless]. 

At 42 years old, another of his pending subjects is to find a trainer who will help him.“ Discipline with sport has always been very difficult for me. You know what pisses me off? The asshole of Miguel Ángel Silvestre, who is physically like a superhero. Sometimes I would kill him, but I also want him to teach me to follow a routine”. Are you asking Silvestre from here to become your personal trainer? "Exactly. What's more, I'm going to call him as soon as we finish talking".

[gwendolynlerman]

Exspaining Spain: regions

La Rioja (La Rioja)

La Rioja only has one province, La Rioja. The capital city is Logroño.

Architecture

The traditional architecture of the region is characterized by stone or adobe walls, wooden details, and tile roofs. A peculiar type of building is the guardaviña or chozo, a one-story, circular construction made of boulders.

Climate

The predominant climate type is the continental one, characterized by hot summers and cold winters. Precipitation is mainly concentrated in the warmer months. The average temperature throughout the year is 13.1 °C (55.5 ºF).

Economy

La Rioja is known for its protected designation of origin wines, which means that agriculture, especially viticulture, is very important. Other relevant crops include wheat, barley, and asparagus.

The main industries are wine production, conserves, textiles, furniture, and rubber.

Famous people

Domingo de Silos - monk

Fausto Elhuyar - chemist

Gonzalo de Berceo - poet

Gustavo Bueno - philosopher

Javier Cámara - actor

Juan José Elhuyar - chemist

Manuel Bretón de los Herreros - dramatist

María de la O Lejárraga - writer

Gastronomy

The Riojan diet is based on stews, meat, vegetables, cheese, and wine. Typical dishes include patatas a la riojana (potatoes with chorizo and lamb cutlets), bacalao a la riojana (cod with pepper, tomato, and sauce), ahorcaditos (scallop-shaped sweets made with puff pastry, almond, and cream), and peras al vino (pears in red wine).

Patatas a la riojana

Peras al vino

History

4th century BCE - Berones, Autrigones, Vascones

5th century CE - Visigoth conquest

8th century - Muslim invasion

970-1005 - Kingdom of Viguera

1005-1076 - Kingdom of Pamplona

1076 - Kingdom of Castile

1822 - province of Logroño

1982 - Statute of Autonomy

Languages

The only official language is Spanish. The Riojan dialect has Aragonese, Basque, and Navarrese traits. It is characterized by the used¡ of compound tenses instead of simple ones, the substitution of por by a next to time adverbs (ayer a la mañana vs. ayer por la mañana), and the conservation of Latin -b- in the imperfect tense (mordiba vs. mordía).

(Riojan Spanish vs. Standard Spanish)

Monuments and landmarks

There are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Route of Santiago de Compostela (shared with other regions of Spain) and San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries.

Other landmarks include the Co-Cathedral of Santa María de la Redonda, the Sierra de Cebollera Natural Park.

San Millán Yuso Monastery

Sierra de Cebollera Natural Park

[thealogie]

my friend is studying acting and she just met (via zoom) javier cámara (the spanish actor who plays cardinal gutiérrez) in a class. he said that jude law is the nicest person he's worked with and that the first thing he said to him was "i love our relationship in this, i'm glad it's you for this role". like, he loves that relationship, like, he's the pope and he might be in love. btw, have you watched the new pope? will you?

Oh my god. Thank you for confirming that Jude law is into the romance in that. I watched a few eps of the new pope and then got frustrated at finding good streams (I like watching with subtitles which are hard to find) so I decided to wait for the series to finish running on HBO....and now you’ve reminded me it’s available and I will definitely be watching it soon.

[100pelis2019]

2. Hable con ella (Pedro Almodóvar, 2002).

Buf... Peli chunguilla. Va de dos señoras que están en coma y de sendos señoros que las quieren y están con ellas. Uno de los señoros es Marco (Darío Grandinetti), amante y enamorado de Lydia (Rosario Flores), una torera diva bastante maleducada; y el otro señoro es Benigno (Javier Cámara), un enfermero en el hospital, que tiene de “benigno” lo que yo de actor porno (sorprendentemente bastante poco). Benigno está malito de la cabeza y se obsesiona con una señorita bailarina llamada Alicia (interpretada por la Musa de España, Leonor Watling) y pasan cosas terribles que no voy a decir jajaj

La peli es estéticamente bonita y muy española, como todas las de Pedrito, pero la historia es un fucking mess que te hace sentir mazo incómodo/a/e (supongo que eso está bien??), pero que romantiza y banaliza un poco algunas cosas muy feas (LO SIENTO PERO NO QUIERO SPOILEAR). La portera que sale durante 40 segundos es mi personaje favorito porque representa a la perfección la Spanish Señora Extravaganza, uno de mis fenómenos favoritos. 

3/5??? No es mi favorita de Almodébora.

[efe-es1405-yahoopartner-blog]

El Festival de Cine Español en Australia sigue creciendo a sus 20 años

Sídney (Australia) 18 abr (EFE).- El Festival de Cine Español en Australia arranca hoy con "Kiki, el amor se hace", de Paco León, y la presencia de la actriz Natalia de Molina, en la 20 edición de un certamen en constante crecimiento de audiencia y estrenos. El Spanish Film Festival (SFF, siglas en inglés) fue fundado por la española Natalia Ortiz, que lo dirigió durante 15 años generando cada vez una mayor expectación en Australia con las cintas e invitados que traía cada año, como el director Fernando Trueba o el actor Javier Cámara. La empresa de distribución cinematográfica Palace Cinema se hizo cargo a continuación del festival y desde entonces "ha ido creciendo poco a poco y ahora está en siete ciudades de Australia (Sídney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Camberra, Perth, Adelaida y Hobart)", dijo a Efe su portavoz, Paulette Arvizú. El festival, que comenzó con unos miles de espectadores en Sídney, reunió el año pasado a cerca de 45.000 personas en todo el país, donde unos 100.000 de sus 24 millones de habitantes son de habla hispana. La cifra supuso un aumento del 15 por ciento en el número de espectadores, que, según Arvizú, "sigue creciendo porque la gente es más consciente de su existencia y regresa. Llevamos tres semanas de ventas y estamos un 20 por ciento por arriba del año pasado". En esta edición el festival trae como invitada a Natalia de Molina, protagonista de "Kiki, el amor se hace" y ganadora de dos premios Goya, el de mejor actriz revelación por "Vivir es fácil con los ojos cerrados", en 2014, y el de mejor actriz por la cinta "Techo y comida" en 2016. Además de la habitual gran fiesta de inauguración con música, comida y bebidas españolas y la alfombra roja que se coloca en todas las ciudades, el festival tiene por primera vez un embajador oficial, el chef español y estrella de la televisión australiana Miguel Maestre. En la programación de 2017, que durará tres semanas, se exhibirán "39 películas, la mayoría estrenos australianos. También hay una retrospectiva de Ana Belén en 35 milímetros, y secciones especializadas en el flamenco y para niños", agregó Arvizú. En el programa destacan "La Reina de España", de Fernando Trueba y protagonizada por Penélope Cruz; "El bar", de Álex de la Iglesia; "España en un día", un proyecto colaborativo dirigido por Isabel Coixet; "El destierro", de Arturo Ruiz Serrano; y "Verano de 1993" de Carla Simon Pipó, entre otras. La sección de flamenco incluye los documentales "La guitarra vuela: soñando a Paco de Lucía" sobre una gira de "La maestro", el instrumento diseñado para el legendario artista español, y "Sara Baras, todas las voces", un tributo a la bailaora. También se mostrará el documental "De Rosendo a Rosendo" de César Espada y que une en su relato al monje benedictino Rosendo Salvado, fundador de un monasterio en el siglo XIX en la localidad de New Norcia (Australia Occidental), y el veterano rockero español Rosendo, quien el año pasado hizo una entrañable gira por el país. El SFF cerrará progresivamente, primero en Sídney, el 7 de mayo, y finalmente en Perth y Hobart el día 17 con la película "El viaje a España" del cineasta británico Michael Winterbotton, la última entrega de su trilogía formada por "El viaje" y "Viaje a Italia". EFE

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Javier Cámara