Ana Polvorosa - Interview

ANA POLVOROSA
*The Threads Are Still Moving

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

You see some actors once and that’s it — you’re in. Like a crush or a weird fever. You follow them through all their stuff, even the bad stuff, like they’re a cousin you sort of invented.

Then there’s the other kind — the shapeshifters. The ones who never show up the same way twice, who make you feel like you're watching them for the first time every time. Ana Polvorosa? She's that second kind. A glitch in the system. She’ll do twisted comedy, ghosts, heartbreak, mystery — whatever.

She folds roles inside out and wears them like borrowed jackets. Now she’s back, or sideways, or upside down, in Last Night at Tremore Beach, a Netflix storm-drenched, genre-melting thing, directed by Oriol Paulo and co-starring Javier Rey. And yes, she’s done it again, of course she has. What did you expect?

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Juan Marti
Ana, how have you experienced the days following the release of your new series, The Last Night at Tremore Beach?

Ana Polvorosa
Honestly, it's been a lovely few weeks. Many colleagues and dear friends have watched the series and left very positive comments. They're saying they really enjoy it and appreciate the work that went into it. So, overall, I'm really happy.

I’ve also watched the series, and I found it very intense. I have to admit that there are some things I think I didn’t quite understand …

Don’t worry. In the end, it’s a series that, precisely because it has so much to unpack and unravel, leaves room for many different viewpoints and ways to interpret it. This is due to how the story is told and what the series is like in itself. So really, don’t worry about that.

How did this project come to you?

Oriol Paulo, the director, got in touch with me and told me he’d written a story that was going to be adapted into a series format. He sent me the scripts and mentioned it was an adaptation of Miquel Santiago’s novel. He asked me to read them and share my opinion. I read the scripts and found the story fascinating on all levels, very… I don’t know, spectacular, impressive. What also caught my attention was how Oriol wanted to approach it, the perspective he wanted to give it. In short, there are many things, but what really connected me to the project was the character of Judy.

The series has a very complex plot, did you understand it during the first reading of the script?

Well, you obviously have to read it and reread it. Even then, there’s something in the story that makes you think way beyond what’s immediately apparent. But, for my taste, that’s what makes it interesting. It’s one of those stories that leaves you in a kind of limbo, like: “Is it telling me what I think it’s telling me, or is it really telling something else?” And that’s fine too, because it gives the viewer the chance and freedom to draw their own conclusions or have their own point of view.

Sometimes I feel like we’re too used to being given the answers instead of being allowed to ponder a bit …

I think right now we’re in a moment where we’re driven by a wave of action and reaction, quick responses, things made easier, so we don’t have to think too much or get stuck in universes that make us reflect or that allow room for different opinions. And it’s true that stories like this, at least, give us the opportunity for personal reflection and the chance to draw our own conclusions.

A story with so many plot twists and where the characters are not who they say they are must be quite a challenge as an actress. To what extent do you really need to understand what happens to your character?

It really depends, I think, on each project, each story, and where you are at the moment. It also depends on the colleagues you have, who is directing, and the vision they want to give it, how you feel with the character, or how you approach it. I think there are a lot of factors that influence how you approach all of that. At least, that’s been my experience. Maybe what I’m trying to say with this is that, in some cases, I start creating or connecting with the character from a more intuitive or sensory place, depending on how I live through the moment.

Did you discover Judy’s truths from the beginning, or did you keep being surprised by each script?

In this case, there was a previous novel that you could read or not. Then you have scripts to base yourself on, which are the ones you’re going to work with. Those scripts are written as they are, and you understand them as you read them. I mean, the way the information about the character comes to you is similar to how you later see the episodes.

You must have had many surprises!

In this series, the characters develop as the story progresses. I think that’s one of the hallmarks of the show, something that's really well done. I think Oriol has done this in other works and other stories as well—he often focuses on episodes that center more on certain characters, to delve a little deeper into their backgrounds. In this case, for example, you can see it in episode four or five, where the characters' past lives, traumas, or lived moments are explored. These elements continue to affect them, and in the end, it's not so important to know a character's pastto tell their present, but it certainly helps to understand them better.

As a viewer, do you like these kinds of series that make things easier for the audience?

Like everything in life, it depends on the moment you’re in. As a viewer, there are times when I feel like I want the story to be a little more complex, where I’m suddenly surprised or given something more "unusual." And other times, I prefer simpler stories, without flashbacks or unexpected twists, that are told from beginning to end, depending on how I’m feeling at that moment.

The series presents certain terrifyingly supernatural nuances. I think there are a lot of prejudices in the industry toward the horror genre, especially toward supernatural horror. How do you feel about these kinds of stories?

I think, in the end, what matters is that there’s some kind of relatively coherent justification, you know what I mean? Although, many times, I also like things that are... more "crazy" ideas, even if they’re a bit inexplicable. I don’t know, I think it’s not so much about wondering if a story has supernatural themes or something like that, because I’m not entirely sure what you mean by that. But I imagine you're referring to things that are more inexplicable, or stories that go beyond the ordinary. In the end, I think I focus more on the story itself, on what it wants to tell, what kind of story it is, rather than the twists or the themes it might explore or where it’s heading.

I love talking about supernatural experiences with my friends.

I don’t really pay much attention to those things (laughs).

Have you never experienced something supernatural?

Not that I’m aware of! Though I might have experienced something and just not realized it.

One of the things I liked most about the series was its foggy, menacing atmosphere. It’s a town that invites mystery …

I found the story attractive, and it also seemed like a great opportunity to work with Oriol. I’ve seen some of his previous works, and there are things I really liked. So, I saw this as a wonderful opportunity: to work with him, develop this character, and be part of this story. I don’t focus so much on whether the settings are more aesthetic or even more "flashy."

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“Acting makes you evolve professionally, as an artist, as a creative, but also personally, a lot. You grow, you delve into other places, you mature, you learn.”

Ana Polvorosa speaks with Juan Marti
for LE MILE Issue 38 / Ephemeral Edition SS25

total look VERSACE

Are you a fan of mystery movies?

I think, initially, I’m interested in any kind of story. It’s true that, perhaps, mystery attracts me a bit more, but horror, not so much, actually. I don’t know, because then it’s true that sometimes I watch horror movies and think, "Hmm, I liked that." I’m not sure if, as a viewer, I usually focus on this type of story, but there are some films in this genre that I’ve enjoyed.

Would you like to work with horror filmmakers like Jaume Balagueró or Paco Plaza?

Why not? I’ll repeat a bit of what I mentioned before: within whatever genre it is, what really attracts me is the story itself. If there’s something in the story that connects with me, if the character touches me, and everything that the story encompasses, then yes, I’m interested. It’s not so much about the genre, but about what the story conveys to me.

Tell me about a piece of fiction that has touched you recently.

It’s true that right now I’m a bit disconnected, but what I’ve been able to do lately is read more. Look, I’m going to mention a book I just finished. I’ll tell you the author exactly because I finished it the other day, and I read it super fast. You know, those books that just grab you. I went to the bookstore to buy other books I needed, and suddenly I saw this one, The Vegetarian, and it caught my attention. It was written by Han Kang, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature this year, 2024. And, wow, it really disturbed me a lot. In fact, I read it very quickly, but that’s because it hooked me so much. What’s curious is that, when I finished it, I was really shaken. I mean, it affected me quite a bit. It’s a very disturbing novel, but at the same time, I find it fascinating. I got trapped in such dark and eerie worlds that… I don’t know, it was a strange feeling. Kind of in line with this more mysterious and dark genre.

I’m curious about what you did during your free time on the set of Last Night at Tremore Beach.

The truth is that, you know, during shooting periods, when I’m immersed in a project, I find it quite difficult to disconnect during the process. Well, I do disconnect, obviously, because when the shoot is over, I go home and have time for myself, but it’s true that I’m so immersed in the universe of the story… I don’t know, I tend to stay focused on the work, looking at the scenes for the next day or reviewing what I have coming up the following week. Sometimes, I even go back to check what we filmed the previous week to try to improve details. I’m really focused on all of that. As for disconnecting, well, the most we did was go out for dinner or make plans with the crew, because since we were shooting outside of Madrid, in Asturias and Barcelona, we formed a really close bond. Sometimes we’d step out of the characters’ bubble, but honestly, I didn’t do much to disconnect. I was very caught up in the universe of the story.

Isn’t it exhausting to get so involved at that level in your projects?

When it’s shoots like this, that deal with more delicate themes or, well, when the shoots are complicated, they inevitably affect you. There’s something you’re experiencing firsthand, and those complex themes, in some way, stay with you—in your body, in your mind.

How was the return to your life after a shoot like this?

Well, in this case, since the shoot was so long, and also intense, with a lot of commitment and responsibility, the excessive duration of the project added to it. Afterward, I needed some time to readjust to my daily life and routines. I mean, I had to normalize my life again, pick up my habits. I needed a period of time to settle back in because I was completely in another place, in a different context.

I guess it must involve a lot of personal work?

Yes, there’s a lot of personal work involved as well. It’s part of the process. For me, being quite reflective, I like to go over the moments I went through during the shoot, because in the end, that’s what leaves you with the learning, in some way. How have you evolved? Because shoots are incredible experiences. Acting, in itself, makes you evolve professionally, as an artist, as a creative, but also personally, a lot. You grow, you delve into other places, you mature, you learn. They are very powerful journeys.

What have you discovered about yourself during the shoot of Last Night at TremoreBeach?

Well, I’m still discovering myself. That’s not something that ends at the end of the shoot. It’s not like you finish shooting and say, "That’s it, I’ve got it all figured out." In fact, it’s been a year since we wrapped the shoot, in October or November of last year, and I’m still thinking and reflecting on many moments from the shoot. I’m still reaching conclusions about what it has taught me. So, I think it’s not something immediate, it’s not about finishing and knowing everything right away.

After this experience, don't you feel like doing something more naive and silly?

With stories, when they come to you, I think there has to be a connection, both with the story and with the character. When you read the scripts or when you get the casting calls, there has to be something that hooks you, something that makes you feel connected. Because if not, it doesn’t make much sense. I’m not sure if it’s something intuitive or sensory, I’m not sure how to call it, but it’s that feeling of reading the script and thinking: "Wow! Here’s something on an energetic level, something that connects with me and excites me." I don’t know, I think it depends on that, regardless of whether it’s comedy, drama, tragicomedy, theater, film, or television.

Are you an actress who is guided more by your head or your heart?

There’s a part of me that’s inevitable, a very passionate side, both with life and with my profession. That part is there, and it’s beautiful, I love it because I think it brings very intense things. But, of course, there are also moments when you have to stop, reason, think, and weigh things out. I don’t know, I think there’s a balance between both parts, depending on the moment.

What are you craving as an actress right now?

I think, precisely, what we were talking about earlier, about evolution, learning, and growth… I believe that stories come to you that move you from within, that make you say, "I want to dive into this, I want to explore it, I want to understand what this is, how I approach it, from what place I do it." It’s a continuous learning process, in the end. And that’s one of the most beautiful things about this profession, because you never stop learning, and at the same time, you never stop getting to know yourself.

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earrings SUOT STUDIO
shoes VERSACE

total look ZIMMERMANN

talent ANA POLVOROSA
photographer DANNIEL ROJAS
stylist SERGI PADIAL
make up + hair MIGUEL ANGEL TRAGACETE for CHANEL BEAUTY + KEVIN MURPHY SPAIN
producer JULIA NAVARRO via SUNSEASANDS AGENCY
words JUAN MARTI
photo assistant JAVIER BLANCO
stylist assistant PAULA SÁNCHEZ

special thanks ESPACIO LA CANDELARIA + MESALA FILMS

Guy Remmers - Interview

GUY REMMERS
*The Duke Goes Off-Script

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

There’s something about Guy Remmers. Maybe it’s the voice — precise but unbothered. Maybe it’s the posture — somewhere between centuries-old nobility and Gen Z’s nonchalance. Or maybe it’s the fact that he’s straddling about five different lives at once and making it all look impossibly casual.

You’ve seen him as Theo, the Duke of Tintagel, in The Buccaneers — Apple TV’s velvet-clad, chaos-laced, post-bridgerton fever dream of a period drama. He plays it with just the right amount of restraint and emotional slippage, like someone holding a glass of brandy they’re about to smash. Now, with Season 2 freshly dropped last week, and the one and only Leighton Meester joining the cast, Theo’s world is about to get flipped on its finely groomed head. No spoilers, but let’s just say Remmers is riding the heartbreak horse hard this time around.

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But The Buccaneers is just one thread in the tapestry. Before screen, there was stage — and before that, Bristol. Guy trained at the Bristol Old Vic and made his debut at The National Theatre in The Grandfathers, a moment he still talks about like a first kiss. “Being a Bristol boy at that age in London… that was the moment I knew,” he says, and you believe him. His presence off-camera feels less rehearsed. You might’ve seen him walk for Burberry, pose for Jimmy Choo, or drift across a moody editorial like he woke up in a 1970s issue of The Face. But fashion, he insists, is its own thing — something he enjoys, but doesn’t conflate with his work as an actor. Still, there’s a symmetry: both spaces let him play with image, identity, and what he calls “the evolving shape of masculinity.” You get the sense he’s aware of how he’s looked at, but not defined by it.

Ask him what he wants next, and he lights up. A detective role (“Life on Mars” energy), a comedy-drama à la The Thick of It, something American-accented. What you’re reading is a man who wants to stretch — not because he’s bored, but because he knows how good the view is from the edge. In an industry obsessed with immediate heat and viral cool, Guy Remmers is moving differently. He’s not here to be loud. He’s here to last.

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Alban E. Smajli
So you’re the Duke of Tintagel—old money, stiff collars, and then boom: American chaos. What made you say yes to Theo, and how did you find your way into all that aristocratic angst?

Guy Remmers
Thank you! Theo's constant battle with the benefits and disadvantages of his title has always fascinated me. I did a lot of work on what his upbringing would have been like and how he physically carries himself and speaks. A lot of suppressing his emotions but the really exciting part was then allowing him to be swept off his feet by this new unique ball of energy from overseas. 

Season 2’s loading, Leighton Meester’s crashing the party, and Theo’s still stuck between duty and desire. Where’s he heading this time—and what happens when fresh blood hits old money?

New faces and characters are super exciting as it means you get to meet and work with incredible new actors. I loved seeing how they all seamlessly intertwined into the story. Theo's journey in this season is an absolute rollercoaster and his world flips upside down when he has to decide if love is more important than the institution he has been born into.  

You started on stage, Bristol Old Vic, National Theatre, all that velvet and sweat. Now you’re in streaming land. What do theatre and screen give you that the other can’t?

They are both magical in slightly different ways. I haven't done theatre in a few years now and the thing I miss most is the feeling of being part of an ensemble where you all rehearse together and feel like one organism. The Buccaneers is an ensemble cast but it is rare for us to all be on set at the same time. But I have now done two seasons of seeing the world through Theo's eyes and growing with him and that is equally as special.  

You’ve done Burberry, Jimmy Choo, the whole fashion orbit. What itch does that scratch that acting doesn’t or is it all just dress-up in different lighting?

I feel very lucky to have done those things, especially as I have a love for fashion. To me they are completely separate, neither offers me something that I would need from the other.  

You move between film sets and fashion shoots, all soft tailoring and sharp stares. Do you see yourself as part of a generation that's reshaping what masculinity looks like, or does all that talk just feel like another box to be put in?

I definitely feel like 'masculinity' is evolving into more open and expressive ways and I think one strong representation of that is in fashion. I hope it keeps moving in that direction. 

You’ve done corsets, campaigns, a bit of everything in between. Is there a role or genre still lurking on your wishlist, just waiting to be cracked open?

I've always wanted to play a detective, that would be super cool. I loved watching police dramas like 'Life on Mars' and 'Ashes to Ashes' when I was younger, I think that's where my love for them started. My favourite TV series is 'The Thick of It' so I'd love to do a comedy drama in that tone too.  Also a big goal is to do a role in an American accent.  

Was there a moment where it all just clicked and you thought, yep, this is it, this is the thing I’m meant to do?

When I was 18 I did a play called The Grandfathers at The National Theatre - it was an extremely special experience. Being a Bristol boy at that age in London doing a play at that theatre was the best feeling in the world and a moment that I knew I was doing what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. 

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“I definitely feel like 'masculinity' is evolving into more open and expressive ways, and I think one strong representation of that is in fashion.”

Guy Remmers speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

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trousers ANN DEMEULEMEESTER
vest SUNSPEL

coat + trousers ISSEY MIYAKE
shirt DAVID KOMA
trainers ADIDAS X WALES BONNER

jacket + trousers Y-3
shirt BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
boots DAVID KOMA
gloves HANDSOME STOCKHOLM
tie TURNBULL & ASSER

“Theo's journey this season is an absolute rollercoaster. His world flips upside down when he has to decide if love is more important than the institution he was born into.”

Guy Remmers speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

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trainers ADIDAS x WALES BONNER

photographer ANTONIO EUGENIO
stylist JUSTIN HAMILTON
grooming TRAVIS NUNES
photo assistant GEORGE TAYLOR
styling assistants KATIE SOMAVIA, LORNA LANE
videography VALENTINA VILLA
talent GUY REMMERS

Special thanks to Caroline Fergusson + Grace Yeoman, PR Pinnacle

Milena Smit - Interview

MILENA SMIT
*Between Frames

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

Milena Smit moves through cinema with an intuitive force. As an actor, she absorbs characters at their core, shaping them from within. A script carries an atmosphere that guides her, each role unfolding through presence and instinct.

Her first rehearsal with Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz marked a shift. The industry took notice. Without formal training, she learned on set, refining her craft through experience and deep collaboration.

Time on set is fluid, shaped by waiting, by intensity, by the energy of those around her. Beyond acting, new ambitions form—studies, personal growth, the idea of motherhood. Every role, every decision, every moment exists fully in its own space.

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jewelry YVES SAINT LAURENT
heels FERRAGAMO

Alban E. Smajli
When you take on a role, do you see it as an act of becoming—or of undoing?

Milena Smit
For me, the key is learning to work with the emotions of the characters while disconnecting from those that might trigger my own personal wounds. I used to rely on my own emotions and experiences, but it took a heavy toll on my mental health.

What does “Ephemeral” mean to you in an era that’s obsessed with capturing and archiving everything?

Being present, so those small moments don’t slip by unnoticed.

Do you think cinema is closer to memory or to dreaming?


I believe it’s a perfect blend of memory and dreams, with a touch of magic added.

Is there a single moment in your career so far that you wish you could bottle up and keep forever?

The first rehearsal I had with Pedro Almodóvar and Penélope Cruz in their office, back when I still didn’t know if I was going to play Ana in Parallel Mothers.

When the script is in your hands, what pulls you in first? Is it the story, the silence between the words, or the world it creates?


The aura of the script, the energy conveyed by the story and the character.

Your work feels like you’ve found beauty in imperfection. How much of that is you, and how much comes from surrendering to the process?

I try to approach everything I do from instinct and gut feelings. I don’t have much experience with technique, since my school has been the work itself and the people I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with on various projects.

What’s more exciting to you, playing a character who feels like home or one that feels completely foreign?

I like the duality of both. I wouldn’t know which one to choose.

If your life were a film, what genre would it be today? Would tomorrow maybe be something else?


Right now, it would be a documentary about spirituality (laughs), but there have been moments of everything—drama, horror, romantic comedy…

What’s your relationship with time when you’re on set? Does it move too fast or too slow?

It depends on the day. On set, there’s always a lot of waiting, but I try to bring a book for those moments or enjoy the time with my colleagues. However, there are also days that are tough.

What excites you most about the worlds you’re bringing to life next?

Fulfilling other dreams, like continuing my studies, growing personally, becoming a mother someday, and living precious moments with my family.

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“I used to rely on my own emotions and experiences, but it took a heavy toll on my mental health.”

Milena Smit speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Issue 38 / Ephemeral Edition SS25

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jewelry BULGARI

full look ARMANI
jewelry BULGARI

talent MILENA SMIT
photographer LEIRE CAVIA
set designer JOSEFINA MAIZA
stylist MANU MENDI
make up + hair REBECA TRILLO-FIGUEROA using YSL Beauty
photo assistants ALBERTO FERNANDEZ + NICOLE WAR + ELENA DIAZ
set assistan t DELFINA AYERZA
stylist assistants RAUL GONZALEZ + MARIA GADEZ

Thanks to CRAM TALENT

Elizabeth Dulau - Interview

ELIZABETH DULAU
*Transformation Characters Across Star Wars, Netflix & Stage

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

Actor Elizabeth Dulau is entering a season shaped by roles with weight—political, historical, emotional. As Kleya Marki in Andor, she returns to the Star Wars universe for its final chapter, joining Diego Luna and Stellan Skarsgård.

Her presence remains precise and charged with a quiet urgency. In House of Guinness, created by Steven Knight for Netflix, she plays Lady Henrietta. The story follows the Guinness family across Ireland and New York in the 19th century, navigating legacy and fracture after the death of Benjamin Guinness. Dulau also voices the Piebald Deer in Wicked, a brief but memorable role.

She has appeared in Maternal, All The Light We Cannot See, The Outlaws, and Gentleman Jack, building a body of work that feels grounded and deliberate. Each performance speaks in its own register. In this interview, Elizabeth shares thoughts on transformation, emotional access, and the quieter moments that shape a role.

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earrings BONVO

Alban E. Smajli
You’re orbiting galaxies in Andor, slipping into corsets for House of Guinness, and voicing trembling deer in Wicked—what does it feel like to be a shapeshifter in a world constantly asking for identity?

Elizabeth Dulau
Yeah, this is an important discussion. I am a firm believer that actors should be allowed to transform into people far removed from themselves but there are boundaries that shouldn’t be crossed. There are some lanes that I very clearly do not belong in and that’s ok, that’s someone else’s lane. There’s still scope for shapeshifting within the lanes available to you.

I think it’s also important to acknowledge however, that a person’s identity can in many ways change throughout their life. This pressure to clearly define oneself is something that feels counterintuitive to me. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised actually being more of a shapeshifter in some respects feels natural to me and maybe that is part of my identity. It allows for growth and change and playing and to be honest that is why I’m drawn to being an actor. It allows me to really explore all the different sides of myself. To be honest, none of the roles I’ve played (yes, even the deer in Wicked) feel like someone other than myself. Every character feels like a singular thread of myself I pull on and enhance in order to transform.

The industry often feels like a theatre within a theatre. Where do you find the unscripted moments that still feel real?

I think these moments are found in the people you meet. Every now and then you’ll come across a real gem of a person with whom you can drop any professional guard and just be a messy human. I’ve certainly found that with Jacob James Beswick on Andor and Jennifer Macbeth on Maternal. People like them don’t come along often and I think it’s important to sit up and take notice when they do.

House of Guinness is soaked in legacy and loss. How do you personally move through stories drenched in history without getting stuck in the past?

When playing any character that is in a situation far removed from your own it’s important to remind yourself that your shared humanity connects you. Yes, do your research on the world in which they live, the etiquette, the politics, the faith systems but they are still a flawed person just like you. They will feel love, desire, rage, jealousy, grief and you can access their inner lives through your own experience of these things.

You’ve been part of massive universes (Star Wars) and deeply intimate dramas (Maternal). Which scale do you dream in?

My god I LOVE this question! I think my dreams range throughout many different scales. I am a big daydreamer and was often made to think it was a problem. I was constantly told to stop daydreaming and concentrate! But I realised while I was at drama school that my daydreaming is what helps me connect to my characters. I can happily spend hours dreaming up backstories for my characters to enrich their presence. I like to take the same approach to my own life too, dreaming up an ideal future for myself to then take steps towards it.

Fashion—do you see it as armour, as performance, or as rebellion? Or something more private?

I see it as all of the above. Fashion is one of the most accessible forms of self-expression and we’re always expressing ourselves with it whether we realise it or not. What we choose to cover ourselves with externally reflects something that’s going on internally. Maybe it’s a front, armour, a performance or a truly authentic expression of how we’re feeling in that moment. I love using fashion as a mode of creativity and character. When filming self-tapes for an audition, a really easy way to feel like that character might be throwing on a shirt or a pair of shoes that make you walk differently. In our everyday lives we can put on a different combination of pieces that make us feel like a subtly different version of ourselves and that feels so exciting to me.

dress + shoes SPORTMAX
earrings BONVO

coat SELF-PORTRAIT
tights FALKE
shoes ROGER VIVIER
belt + earrings FASHION ARCHIVE

“None of the roles I’ve played (yes, even the deer in Wicked) feel like someone other than myself.”

Elizabeth Dulau speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

How do you prepare for a role that requires emotional submersion—but still demands you show up, camera-ready, hair lit, line perfect?

All the camera-ready elements I don’t even think about. That’s someone else’s job. I let them look after that. As for the emotional submersion, there are a combination of factors at play. Good prep is always a winner. Again, I will often use daydreaming in the run up to a shoot to flesh out their life. I also use music a lot. Music accesses a part of our brains that logic simply can’t, so I create various playlists for each character and just before we shoot I’ll listen to a song that’s helpful. But the moment the director calls action I let go of all that prep and just focus on my scene partner, trying to change them and allowing myself to be changed by them. You have to trust that all your prep is there in the background without you having to hold on to it.

There’s a certain hush in your roles—quiet strength, subversion, layered tension. Where does that stillness come from?

I think this comes from a certain amount of internal conflict. I’m often drawn to characters whose outer projection is quite different to their inner lives. Kleya for example has a very cold and controlled exterior but I played her with the conviction that deep underneath all those external layers is someone who loves very deeply and holds a lot of hurt and rage. There’s something a little wild in her. I think this sense of stillness is born from the tension between those inner and outer lives. I’m suspended between the two.

Imagine a film directed by your future self—what genre would it be, and what would the costume department look like?

I’m very intrigued by sci-fi actually. I think it’s a really useful tool with which to ask questions about our world. And I have lots of questions! The costumes would probably be pretty elaborate. I’d need to get Michael Wilkinson on the team!

You’ve been part of a galaxy far, far away and now a dynasty built on stout. What story hasn’t been told yet, that you're dying to step inside?

I’m really inspired by filmmakers like Mark Ruffalo who use film as a form of activism, shining a light on important issues. Personally, I think there are more stories that need to be told about the climate crisis because there’s still so much apathy towards this issue.

The real change would only come about when government and major corporations commit to change but I believe we could bring about that change if we collectively put enough pressure on them. There’s so much potential for film and TV to create social movements, just look at Netflix’s Adolescence or ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office. Both dramas created such a huge public response that the government took action and maybe there’s scope to do the same with the climate crisis.

talent ELIZABETH DULAU
photographer ANTONIO EUGENIO
stylist PRUE FISHER
hair ERIKA NEUMANN
male up PHOEBE HEARD
photographer assistant DANIEL EYNON

Special thanks to Grace Yeoman, PR Pinnacle

blazer ARMANI EXCHANGE
trouser ARMANI EXCHANGE
bra INTIMISSIMI
shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
earrings FASHION ARCHIVE

coat THE FRANKIE SHOP
tights FALKE
earrings MISHO

shirt + shorts THE FRANKIE SHOP
tights FALKE
shoes MANOLO BLAHNIK
earrings MISHO
belt FASHION ARCHIVE

“Fashion is one of the most accessible forms of self-expression… What we choose to cover ourselves with externally reflects something that’s going on internally.”

Elizabeth Dulau speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25

Franco Masini - Interview

FRANCO MASINI
*Between Cities, Scripts, and Style

written + interview ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Franco Masini moves with intent to generate monumentum. Actor, producer, reader of places, collector of moments—he expands his practice through curiosity and risk.

His latest project, a theatre production he’s independently bringing to life, marks a shift toward authorship. Ownership of process. Control of tone. A story he performs and constructs. Fashion is part of his language. He responds to designers like Adrian Appiolazza and Jonathan Anderson for their ability to distort form with precision. He keeps a close eye on Matias Carbone, an Argentinian voice now emerging across Europe. Masini assembles identities. and his wardrobe edits itself in real time.

watch FILM

full look MOSCHINO
tie FURSAC

blazer TRANSE PARIS
vest IGOR DIERYCK
jewelry ALT PARIS

Alban E. Smajli
Your career moves like a shifting lens—what’s in focus for you right now?

Franco Masini
I love the movement of my career. I think it’s really important to stay focused on new things and to have opportunities to learn and grow as an actor. My next step is to produce a new theatre show—I’ve already acquired the rights.

Which designers are speaking your language this season, and what are they saying?

There are many new designers doing amazing work. I really like Adrián Appiolaza and Jonathan Anderson—they’re very creative and always producing unique and thoughtful pieces. I also really like Matías Carbone from Argentina, who is expanding his brand into Europe.

If your wardrobe were a film, who’s directing?

My wardrobe has many different elements. I think it would need a very unique director. I enjoy changing styles, designers, and colours, and creating my own “Franco” style. I get bored easily—haha!

Art and fashion exist in dialogue. Where do you see the conversation heading?

Art and fashion are two things I really enjoy. I love how creators express their own perspectives through clothing.

Museums capture time, fashion rewrites it—what recent art exhibition has stayed with you?

I really liked ARCO in Madrid—a week of contemporary art, with so many creatives and amazing artists.

What does personal luxury look like for you beyond the obvious?

Personal luxury, for me, is in meaningful moments with the people I love—like visiting new places, discovering new countries, or sharing great food with friends. That’s the best.

What city makes you feel most like yourself?

I think Buenos Aires is the place—full of movement, art, cinema, friends, and always something to do. Madrid feels like my second home. It’s also incredible.

Morning ritual or midnight impulse—when do you feel most alive?

I feel most alive in the morning. I love waking up, going for a run near the river, and then having breakfast with a book. I really enjoy reading in the morning.

If you could archive a single look from your life, what would it be?

That’s hard to say because my life is in constant motion—and I love that. I’m always meeting new people, living in new places, exploring new cultures. I appreciate my job because it allows me to reach so many parts of the world.

What’s the last thing that truly surprised you?

The last thing that surprised me was meeting Adrien Brody at Paris Fashion Week. I really admire his work, and it was great to talk with him. We were seated in the same row. I’ve seen all of his movies.

full look JACQUEMUS
jewelry ALT PARIS

full look MOSCHINO
jewelry ALT PARIS

He begins his days by the river, running along the water as the city slowly wakes. What follows is quiet and deliberate: coffee, a book, the kind of solitude that aligns the mind before the rest of the world demands attention. Mornings carry a clarity that sets the pace for everything that comes after—travel, conversations, creative shifts, the layering of roles and identities. Buenos Aires flows through him with instinctive rhythm, while Madrid offers a different current, equally present in his internal map. Each place contributes to the structure he’s building—fluid, expansive, unfinished by design. His idea of luxury moves away from display and towards sensation. A shared plate with friends, the atmosphere of a new neighborhood, the texture of unfamiliar languages and streets—these are the moments that stay.

The value is in gathering feeling, in building a personal archive made of people, places, and presence. At Paris Fashion Week, he found himself seated next to Adrien Brody. A quiet dialogue unfolded—film, performance, process. Nothing staged. Just two people exchanging thoughts in a shared space, surrounded by movement but anchored in something still.
Franco Masini lives in progression. Style evolves, environments shift, energy recalibrates. What stays is the drive to create—not as an end point but as a state of being, a continuous act that shapes and reshapes itself in response to what enters, what unfolds, and what he chooses to carry forward.

full look ARTURO OBEGERO
shoes CAMPER
jewelry ALT PARIS
watch CARTIER

full look EVAN BENJAMIN
socks + shoes MOSCHINO

credits
photographer LOUIS TERAN
stylist SIMON NNDJOCK
talent FRANCO MASINI
set designer CLARA DE GOBERT via APICORP AGENCY
movement director ROBIN LABARRERE
hair PAUL GOMEZ
make up MANON CANA via BUREAU ALAGNA
nails MAHARA DIARTE-ZEROUALI
casting director MARVIN LATOURNALD with MODELS LANE
production TABATHA RUSSO at BUREAU ALAGNA
photographer assistant STEVEN BAILLIN

special thanks to Tatiana Dumabin

Dylan Llewellyn - Interview

DYLAN LLEWELLYN
*Brewing Moments

written + interview Sarah Arendts

Dylan Llewellyn moves through stories like an architect of feeling. Captured mid-conversation, coffee in hand, the setting mirrors the essence of his work—unfiltered, natural, alive in the moment.

Every role expands the space it occupies, stretching humor into unexpected depths and carving out moments that stay long after the scene ends. His presence on screen is charged—words, expressions, silences all calibrated for maximum impact.

jacket + shirt NANUSHKA

Comedy fuels his process. A living language of timing, movement, and instinct. The humor lands, not as an escape, but as an excavation of something real. Derry Girls, Big Boys, Beyond Paradise—each project a new rhythm, built with precision, delivered with an effortless pulse. Llewellyn works with momentum. The industry shifts, names rise and fall, but the resonance of his performances embeds itself deeper. Not tied to nostalgia, not chasing permanence. Just sharp storytelling, lived-in characters, and the kind of presence that doesn’t ask for space—it takes it.

knitwear SANDRO
blazer THE FRANKIE SHOP
jeans O.FILES
loafers DR MARTENS
socks FALKE
rings MAYA MAGAL

Sarah Arendts
What does comedy allow you to express that drama doesn’t?

Dylan Llewellyn
I think comedy lets you have more freedom with your performance. You can go from being extremely serious and deadpan, but still leaning into the humour, to being super silly and over the top. There’s a whole variety of comedic styles to explore and I think that’s the main difference.

You’ve inhabited roles that capture the awkwardness, rawness, and humor of coming of age. Can you think of a moment in your life that felt like it could be part of one of your shows?

I think we’ve all experienced that classic moment of getting ID'd when you're in your teens. I remember going to see a 15-rated movie in the cinema when I was around 17 years old. They wouldn’t let me in because I didn’t have my passport or ID on me, so I had to call my parents to come down with it. My older brother came in and asked the staff where I was… They said “Oh, he’s just waiting in the bar.” My brother goes, “Oh what, so you let him hang in the bar but not let him watch the 15-rated movie?” That was quite a funny classic story of growing up and being ID’d.

Fame doesn’t last forever. What’s the one thing you hope to leave behind in the industry?

What I hope to leave behind in the industry and my acting career is just a sense of joy in the roles I’ve played – from Derry Girls to Big Boys. Those comedic roles have been such a joy and so much fun to perform. I’ve also loved working with so many talented actors along the way. I hope it inspiresyounger generations to get into comedic acting and to carry on that torch. For me, The Inbetweeners inspired me growing up, especially during school days. I grew up watching them and thought I’d love to do something like that. Then Derry Girls came along, followed by Big Boys, so yeah, I hope I can do the same for another young actor or actress.


Jack’s journey in Big Boys is deeply personal yet universal. What’s the most surprising reaction you’ve received from fans?

I think what surprised me most about the response to Big Boys is just how many people relate to it. But at the same time, it’s not that surprising because all those subjects – grief, mental health struggles, friendship, family, and sexuality – are so relatable. A lot of people can connect with those topics. What really stands out to me is how much it’s hit home for so many, with people speaking out about how much those themes mean to them, especially the dynamic of friendships – specifically the dynamic of the gay and straight friendship between Jack and Danny.


You played Wally Nightingale in Pistol, a musician lost in punk history. Do you think he would be remembered differently if he were around today?

When it comes to Wally Nightingale, the character I played in Pistol, it’s a really sad story. He lived the rock and roll lifestyle but without the fame or the money that came with it. I think, and I hope, he’ll be remembered fondly as one of the roots for the Sex Pistols – someone who helped lay the foundation for what they became. I really want him to be credited and recognized as such.

Your characters are often outsiders finding their place. Do you see yourself in them?

Yeah, I think I bring a little of myself into all my characters. I lean into their characteristics more and just make them themselves – their own personalities, their own people. I’ve played a lot of vulnerable, awkward, coming-of-age characters who are finding themselves. But I’ve also played characters who are more confident, like Kelby Hartford [from Beyond Paradise]. I think Kelby is very confident in himself, and even Wally Nightingale from Pistol was pretty confident in his abilities.

Some roles stay with actors forever. Have any of your characters changed the way you see the world?

I think the character of James in Derry Girls has made me learn about Irish history and developed my appreciation for Irish people and how amazing they are. The character of Jack in Big Boys shows the incredible bravery of people discovering themselves, both with their sexuality and with grief, as well as their mental health. I think Wally Nightingale in Pistol made me see the world with more appreciation for music, for being kind of weird, and not caring about being normal. I think that was the whole message of Pistol, the show, and the Sex Pistols in general – it was all about letting your freak flag fly and being okay with not being normal. The whole punk revolution shows that, so yeah, I think I’ve learned a lot from these characters, their stories, and the show’s stories.

Both storytelling and life are temporary. Do you try to make things last, or do you embrace their short-lived nature?

I think I do try to make things last whenever I can but I also embrace the short-lived nature of things as well. I think you can enjoy both sides of it. That’s kind of me to a T – I’m definitely someone who’s glass half full but also half empty at the same time. I think you can see both sides of it and I feel likeit’s a healthy way to look at things – considering every perspective and mentality. Yeah, it’s a tough one, I think.

What’s a role you’d never take—and why?

Actually, there are lot of roles I am open to and really want to take a crack at. I mean, I'd love to play villain or a darker role, or just a role that’s completely different from what I’m usually cast in. I'm always up for the challenge and I’d love to explore those kinds of roles more and really get my acting teeth into them

“Comedy lands, not as an escape, but as an excavation of something real.”

Dylan Llewellyn speaks with Sarah Arendts
for LE MILE Nr. 38 - Spring/Summer 2025 Edition

coat NANUSHKA
shirt DOLCE & GABBANA
jeans O.FILES
ring MAYA MAGAL

credits
talent DYLAN LLEWELLYN
photographer ANTONIO EUGENIO
stylist MILLIE CULLUM
grooming CHARLIE CULLEN using @babylissprouk & @shakeupcosmetics
photographer assistant DANIEL EYNON
fashion assistant AMY HARFOOT
location Special thanks to Mae + Harvey, East London

Kris Marshall - Interview

KRIS MARSHALL
*Inside the Mind of DI Humphrey Goodman

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

Kris Marshall moves through roles like pages in a living archive. Each return to DI Humphrey Goodman is a recalibration, a quiet shift in tone, pace, inflection.

The detective doesn’t arrive fully formed; he extends through time, carried by instinct, built through decisions that remain invisible until they aren’t. Kris Marshall works with precision. He feeds the character small changes—gestures, rhythms, interior logic. In Beyond Paradise, nothing is static. Everything folds back into the work: his references, the sea, the energy of a long shoot, the movement of strangers who never knew they were being studied.

jumper + trousers RALPH LAUREN
socks FALKE
shoes SANDRO
sunglasses THE AVANTGUARD
jacket THE FRANKIE SHOP

He rarely speaks in absolutes. Scripts are approached like open systems. Scenes are lived, not performed. He notes structure, then lets it bend. The repetition of a character over seasons becomes an act of endurance, not rehearsal. Ideas are planted early and left to unfold over time.

Memory plays a role. So does observation. He remembers the weight of theatre nights, the long haul of production days, the silence that follows a line well delivered. Meals with Pacino in Italy exist in the same archive as his first stage rehearsals—held not for anecdote, but for texture.

In conversation, Marshall cuts through sentiment. He speaks clearly about work. The physical toll. The mental timing. The need to rest before the next scene. Acting, for him, is not escape—it is a study in repetition, and the possibility of nuance inside repetition.
This interview traces Marshall’s ongoing practice—returning to characters not to resolve them, but to remain in conversation with them. He shares what drives him on set, what surprises still occur, and what advice he carries forward. No grand epiphanies. Just a steady commitment to showing up, seeing clearly, and staying inside the craft.

suit + shirt RALPH LAUREN
tie SANDRO

“Every character I play is a part of me… Which has to be true otherwise you’re not going to believe it yourself, so how can you expect other people to.”

Kris Marshall speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25 - on Beyond Paradise

Alban E. Smajli
What keeps drawing you back to DI Humphrey Goodman? Is there still more of him to uncover, or do you just enjoy the ride?

Kris Marshall
Well, I’m not gonna lie and say that enjoying the ride isn’t a part of it, because both incarnations of him have lived by the sea, and I spend as much of my free time in it and on it as possible. Which is joyous. But there’d be no point if I didn’t feel there was more of his character to discover. As I get, shall we say, less young, it’s important to convey his changes as well, so there’s that, and I’m constantly throwing in new ideas and homages to my favourite detectives and other characters in TV and film that have influenced me.

From Love Actually to Beyond Paradise, your career spans rom-coms, crime dramas, and theatre. Where do you feel most at home?

Not working!.. No I’m kind of kidding. I came up through theatre, it’s all I did for the first 6 years, and even though after that I’d probably only do a play every 4 or 5 years, you can never replicate that kind of peril and immediacy on TV and film. But there’s something about building a character over a long shoot, and the fact no two days are the same, that I’ve always found beguiling.

Humphrey is a detective who sees the world differently. What’s a case you’d love to see him tackle in Beyond Paradise?

A corrupt politician. He’s renowned for being pretty open-minded, fair and kind, but he has a healthy disdain for and a delight in unpicking capricious and arrogant people who view him as strange and hopeless. It’s the Columbo/Marple gene, to lure antagonists to their doom!… Failing that, anything to do with surfing, for reasons mentioned above.


You’ve played both hopeless romantics and sharp-witted detectives. Which role is closer to the real Kris Marshall?

I would say both and neither. If that’s not too obtuse. I think Jack Nicholson said ‘Every character I play is a part of me’… Which has to be true otherwise you’re not going to believe it yourself, so how can you expect other people to. But also, they’re not me, because I study other people’s mannerisms and walks and use them as well. 


What do you think makes Beyond Paradise resonate so strongly with viewers?

Well, of course the location is beautiful, bucolic and colourful. But also, people love puzzle solving, so it’s somewhat interactive on that front. But the main reason is it’s not too dark and violent and doesn’t take itself too seriously, so it’s watchable across demographics. I’ve met people who say it means a lot to them as it’s something they can bond watching with their parents and children, which I think is delightful. 

You stepped back into Sanditon's Tom Parker and Beyond Paradise's Humphrey Goodman. How does revisiting a character change your perspective on them?

Filming is often arriving at a location you’ve never seen, and then getting the best takes within the allotted time, before you move on to another location you’ve never seen!… Whereas in theatre, you get to go back and slightly alter and hone your performance every night. So getting the chance to revisit a character again on film is, if you’ll forgive the mixed metaphors, another crack at the cherry. 


Theatre, film, TV—each demands a different energy. Do you approach acting differently on stage versus on screen?

I guess they all involve conserving energy. Filming is getting up at 5.30am, working until 7pm and then eating and getting enough rest to do that for anything up to 6 months. Theatre is all about building enough energy through the day for an evening performance, and then not getting too carried away with enjoying the nighttime after the show…Because the older I get the earlier I’m up!

Keeping in mind that you’ve worked with some of the most celebrated actors in the industry, what’s a moment that still sticks with you?

Working with Al Pacino on The Merchant of Venice. We were away on location in Italy and nearly every night after work he’d insist on us all having a sit-down meal in different restaurants. One night he even came clubbing with us younger actors, and seeing this absolute legend grooving to a heavy bass in a European nightclub was something I’ll never forget.

Have you ever been truly surprised by a plot twist in one of your own scripts?

Nothing that particularly springs to mind I have to say. Although I’ve had a fair few scripts through where you get to page 5 and it says ‘And then he dies’!… And you’re thinking, I’m actually quite insulted you thought I might want to play this role man…!!


If you could time-travel back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?

That whatever it is you think is the right way to do it, is the right way to do it…
And stop smoking dude…

credits

talent KRIS MARSHALL
photographer DAVID REISS
stylist PRUE FISHER
grooming JOLANDA COETZER

full look RALPH LAUREN
socks FALKE
shoes SANDRO

---

also read
.aesthetic talk VIVIANE SASSEN *Light, Color, and Identity

suit + shirt FURSAC
boots SANDRO

“Getting the chance to revisit a character again on film is, if you’ll forgive the mixed metaphors, another crack at the cherry.”

Kris Marshall speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25 - on Beyond Paradise

Itzan Escamilla - Interview

.aesthetic talk
ITZAN ESCAMILLA
*Breaking the Script

written + interview Juan Martí

It’s a pleasant and very surprising feeling when you discover that an actor is nothing like the characters they portray. That’s what happens with the young Spanish actor Itzan Escamilla.

The Madrid native is fun, cheeky, curious, and a huge film buff, with a particular love for horror movies. Like the characters who survive at the end of a horror film, Itzan has managed to escape typecasting and become something much bigger than his role in Élite. His passion for film isn’t limited to his acting career; he’s also a big consumer of filmographies, always ready to watch the next great movie, whether it’s a horror classic like The Exorcist or something more contemporary like Hereditary. His life took a drastic turn when he starred in Netflix’s teenage hit Élite, which turned him into a mass idol, almost like the protagonist of a horror movie who suddenly becomes the 'chosen one' of a new generation.

Now, after leaving his time at Las Encinas behind, Itzan is looking to take on new challenges, like returning to theater, this time with the genius Ana Rujas. It’s like a 'new beginning' in his career, like when the monster of the story finally faces its greatest challenge. While we await the premiere of that new play, we can enjoy his most international project on Apple TV, the thriller series Midnight Family, which stars him alongside one of Hollywood’s rising stars, Diego Calva. One thing we can be sure of: Itzan Escamilla’s adventure has just begun, and the suspense over what comes next in his career remains like a mystery movie that never loses its tension.

full look MAISON MARGIELA
pants KENZO

coat + pants KENZO
shoes CAMPERLAB

Juan Martí
Itzan, I’m so glad to talk to you! How are you?

Itzan Escamilla
I'm good, thank you! I’m preparing for the play I’ll premiere next year.

You star in La Otra Bestia, an adaptation of the book by actress and director Ana Rujas, right?

Yes, that's right. It will premiere at Matadero Madrid.

But you didn’t know her personally before, did you?

No, I knew her by sight. We’d greeted each other a few times and followed each other on Instagram and social media, but that was about it. Then, she wrote to me, saying she was preparing this play and that she’d love for me to participate. She sent me the script, I read it, and I really liked the character. We started exchanging messages, and at first, it was a bit complicated because I wasn’t sure I could do the project. It clashed with another commitment. However, there was an internal situation, and they decided to create a shared character because the actor originally cast for my role also had another commitment. Since neither of us could be available full-time at Matadero, they decided to have two actors play the same character. This arrangement ended up working out for both of us.

Who is the other actor you share the role with?

Teo Planell, a really cool guy. This isn’t your first time in a theater project; a few years ago, you participated in the Spanish adaptation of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire.

Yes, that was a long time ago. It was my first play and the only one I’ve done so far. It’s true that I trained at Cristina Rota’s school, and the training there was very theater-focused. Not exclusively, but the theater component in Cristina Rota’s training is very important. However, I’ve only done theater once in my life, and honestly, I was very nervous: excited, scared, nervous.

Can you tell me something about your character in La Otra Bestia?

It’s hard to describe because the whole play moves in a kind of code that’s somewhat detached from more earthly reality; I think it’s somewhere between a half-dreamy and half-poetic level. It has something very special that describing it would fall short, so it’s better to go see it. To give you an idea, it’s inspired by a movie used as a reference to develop the script and adapt the poetry book La Otra Bestia. They were inspired by Possession, a 1970s film by Andrzej Żuławski, which has a rather extreme tone.

Are you more of an Isabelle Adjani fan or Isabelle Huppert?

Huppert. I love The Pianist.

A classic. How do you remember your days in Rabbit Hole?

I really enjoyed it. David Serrano, the director, is someone I always say I’ve learned the most from because he knew a lot, had a great eye for actors, and was very intelligent. We had a great time, and the cast was amazing.

You played the role of Jason, right? That’s a very powerful role.

It was a very complex experience. It was an intermittent role in the play, which always makes you feel a bit dizzy because when you’re on stage, you warm up, and in some way, you enter the journey. But when you’re constantly going in and out of the stage, you have to stay focused all the time. Besides the dramatic and traumatic elements of the character, which were a challenge in themselves, there was also the difficulty of staying alert all the time, even when you weren’t on stage at certain moments, because you knew that at any moment you’d have to go on with all the energy.

Now that you're returning to the stage, how have you changed?

I imagine that age gives you experience, and you use that experience as an actor, plus it provides you with more background and more work experience. I also think it gives you greater awareness. The years since I was in theater, the projects I’ve been involved in, and life circumstances have made me more aware. It’s not that I didn’t have that awareness before, but I do think that now I have a deeper understanding of how lucky you are when you’re given an opportunity to work as an actor, and I have more respect for it.

It’s not that I didn’t respect it before, but now I see it in a different light. I have more respect when facing a character, when looking at the work, and more responsibility.

“I learned to be part of a whole... finding my place within such a big machine.”

Itzan Escamilla speaks with Juan Martí
for LE MILE .Digital

total look BALENCIAGA

Out of all the roles you’ve played, which one stands out to you?

I don’t know if it’s because of the roles I’ve gotten or because of who I am, but I always view myself with self-criticism. It’s like I never see myself in a positive light; I’m always very hard on myself. So, the role I choose isn’t because I think I’m good at it, but because, objectively, it seems to have the most potential, the one that can be “squeezed” the most, the one that has the most to explore and where you can get the most out of it. And that would be the one in Rabbit Hole.

It’s a fantastic role.

Yes, because I really liked the script. I’m drawn to those kinds of stories. It’s a script that’s very well balanced between comedy and drama, which is something I feel about one of my favorite movies, Manchester by the Sea. It’s one of many movies I love that talk about human clumsiness when something very dramatic happens, and how people react in a clumsy way, which generates humor, but uncomfortable humor. I feel like everything is treated in an opposite way to what you would normally expect, not in a melodramatic way. My character had a bit of that, and for me, as an actor, it was very interesting because it went against what you’d expect from such a big drama. So, from an acting perspective, it offered many opportunities to investigate and try new things.

Do you think young actors in Spain are given those kinds of opportunities?

I think it’s a bit of everything. There’s something undeniable and also natural, given the times, the budgets, and everything else: taking risks and betting on an actor’s profile that might not fit right away is complicated. The times are what they are, and the money at stake is what it is, so often, they choose to bet on what we already know will work. I think, on one hand, there’s a comfort zone when profiles are pigeonholed into specific roles within each project, but I also think there are directors who take a chance on something different. That’s where a more auteur-driven approach comes in, which always brings a breath of fresh air, an attempt to look beyond what we’ve already seen, giving a new face to what’s familiar.

I realize that talking to you, I see that you’re nothing like the characters you’ve portrayed or your personal concerns.

I don’t yet have the ability to choose the roles I take. I hope to have it someday, but right now, I don’t. So, I’m really proud of what I’ve done because, for starters, it’s work, and though this expression is overused, working is very important in a profession where there’s so much unemployment. So, I think there’s a natural arc; everyone has it in their own way, and you can’t generalize. I think mine is mine, and the others’ arcs are theirs. But at least in mine, there’s a natural progression where, first, you have to do what people see you can do, give it your all, do your best to start showing different sides of yourself, so that they begin to see you in other ways and start to shape a more multidimensional profile.

What did you learn during your Élite days?

Yes, I learned a lot. I learned mainly about what a shoot involves because, in the end, it was a role that required me to be on set or outdoors almost every week, Monday to Friday. So, I became very aware of what a shoot is, the complications that arise, the mistakes you can make, what you should and shouldn’t do. And I think, as an experience, what I take away the most is learning to be part of a whole. That is, having a more experienced perspective when understanding what’s going on around me on set, knowing where to go, where not to go, and finding my place within such a big machine.

What were you like as a teenager?

I don’t know, in many ways. I don’t really remember well, to be honest. As I got older, I was the class clown, the one who liked to joke around, I guess. I really liked being the class clown. I was a very curious, restless person. I really liked studying, I was pretty good at it, I didn’t fit the profile of a bad student, I was a good student. And I don’t know, I was someone who always had the need to explore hobbies or interests that I didn’t see around me. I always wanted to be part of something special, something different. I had this constant urge to not settle for what was closest, but to look for something out of the ordinary. So, I kept trying, trying everything. I did a lot of sports, skateboarding, martial arts... whatever it was. I kept trying until acting came into my path, and that’s when everything changed.

Do you remember your graduation trip?

I had a problem throughout my adolescence, which was that when I was 11, I had an epileptic seizure. Because of that, my neurologist strictly prohibited anything related to alcohol. I really liked surfing, and they even had to put a life jacket on me to do it. And that kind of carried over into my entire social life, as if I suddenly started receiving a lot of attention that I hadn’t had before.

My parents weren’t exactly neglectful, but they weren’t overprotective either. So, from that point on, everything changed a bit for me. At first, I lived with a lot of fear, and that feeling aligned with my parents’ caution. I was also a bit embarrassed because everything changed suddenly. But I think, after a while, I started doing whatever I wanted.

What’s the craziest thing you did with your friends?

I probably did more things, but the one that we always remember is when we set off a huge firecracker at the Palacio de Hielo shopping center. We thought it was going to make a little noise, but it went off like a bomb. At that time, there was still a risk of attacks. The alarm went off immediately, the police came, and they asked all my friends for descriptions of me. I ran and hid behind a bench, while police cars started to line up in the area. I don’t know if it was the paranoia of the moment, but they really were chasing me. That’s the story my friends and I still remember vividly.

coat JUNYA WATANABLE
socks + shoes MM6

“When you find a passion and decide to go for it, knowing you’re going to have to build your future on your own, it gives you confidence and the drive to commit.”

Itzan Escamilla speaks with Juan Martí
for LE MILE .Digital

How does one go from being a troublemaker to a committed actor?

Well, age and the fact that when you find a passion and you decide to go for it, without financial or family support behind you, and you know you’re going to have to build your future on your own, it gives you confidence and the drive to commit.

Do you think that, even as time passes, the desire to throw a firecracker in the middle of a shopping center goes away?

Yes, I got over it (laughs).

Has your twenties been more chill?

Not really, because I starred in Élite.

When did you realize the impact of Élite?

I was in Bogotá promoting Élite before it had been released, and when I came back, it had already premiered. So, I went out for a drink with a friend, like we are now, and suddenly people started staring at me and asking for photos. I remember the first few times they asked me for pictures, I got all red... I didn’t know how to react. And from that moment on, it didn’t stop.

You’ve explored teen drama, human drama... What would you like to explore now?

I really like comedy, and I’d love to do something with Paco Plaza, for example. Paco Plaza is known for his horror films. I really liked REC.

What’s the scariest movie you’ve seen so far?

Oh, I remember one starring Demi Moore that really scared me, I think it was called Half Light. But there’s one scene that has traumatized me the most of all—one that makes your heart skip a beat and leaves you pale for days. It’s a scene where she’s, I think, in the water near the shore, and suddenly the child appears, coming out of the water. I remember leaning back on the couch, feeling like I was having a micro heart attack at that moment. It traumatized me so much that for days, I couldn’t sleep, with the image of that child’s face coming out of the water stuck in my mind. I don’t know, it’s a horror movie that I remember with a lot of fear. The Exorcist is one I really like, but it also scares me a lot. It’s more the underlying aura of the film that gets to me than what you actually see, like the vomiting and those scenes. Although, I mean, with time, it has a bit of a B-movie feel to it, it becomes more gore, more “body horror,” and all that, which sometimes makes you watch it almost from a comic perspective.

Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

Yes, I was sitting on a bench with a friend of mine because we used to do graffiti. We were out on the streets late at night. We were sitting on a bench, and we hadn’t smoked any weed or anything, we were perfectly lucid. At some point, my friend was really into UFOs and always talked about them. There was kind of a relationship between his obsession with UFOs and me, who always made fun of him about it. I’d tease him a lot about it, I was quite atheistic in that sense. We were sitting on the bench, looking at the sky, philosophizing, talking. And at some point, next to the moon, I saw this orange ball. At first, I thought, “Well, it must be a star or a satellite,” but the ball started descending and getting bigger. I remember I was so impressed I couldn’t even speak, and it was a very brief moment. So I tapped my friend to look, and we both just stared, stunned. Suddenly, the glowing sphere shot up to the sky at full speed, leaving a small trail, and then it disappeared.

After that, my heart was racing. I ran, feeling this strange magnetic pull, and even though I’m not into auras or vibes stuff and all that, at that moment, I felt kind of hypnotized. I thought, “I need to get out of here.” I ran, and from that day on, I started sleeping a lot at my grandparents’ house, where I was raised. In my room at my grandparents’ house, I couldn’t sleep. I had that constant feeling of wondering, “What did I just see?” I started getting into all the alien abduction stories. I became interested in horror movies about it, like The Fourth Kind, the one with Milla Jovovich. And from that day on, every day, at a certain time, I think it was around 2 a.m., I would hear this huge engine sound, like it had a lot of power, right above my room. I’d hear the sound of an engine, and I didn’t dare to look, but when I did, I couldn’t see anything. However, every day at that same time, I’d hear that engine above, on the roof of my grandparents' house.

Do you believe in UFOs? Would you go to Montserrat to see if you saw a UFO?

I was in Tepoztlán, which is in Mexico. It's a magical town very related to UFO sightings and all that.

What was it like shooting Midnight Family in Mexico?

Really good, except that I caught three bacteria that destroyed my life for four months.

Maybe they were alien bacteria.

I thought maybe they had cast an evil eye on me (laughs). But seriously, working in Mexico and doing Midnight Family was cool, it was intense. What was happening outside of the shoot really blended with what was happening inside. So, when everything was going well, everything was awesome, but when it wasn’t, it became more difficult. But well, now, looking back, I have very good memories of it because I met people with a lot of talent in Mexico. I had the opportunity to be with them, work with them, see how they work, and honestly, they do it in a way that's quite similar to mine, or to what I had seen around me. An example: Mexico is a city that works a lot in chaos. There’s very little order, really. It’s very frantic, things are constantly happening, but without a clear order directing them. It’s as if everything is left to free will, and in the end, it will probably work out. So, they trust that it will work out and that the chaos is viable. It’s a city that works a bit like that, and I think that also influences how actors and actresses work, at least the ones I had by my side in this project. I always make sure to specify that it was a concrete experience, from one project, because it was probably more of a particular experience than a general one of how their modus operandi is.

Has this experience helped you to be more spontaneous?

I think you have to keep a spontaneous part, because otherwise, you become a Swiss clock, and I think that’s the antithesis of good work. Because in chaos, you always find brilliance or unforeseen things, and that’s where the gem of an interpretation is, when you’re not controlling everything, when there’s a moment of improvisation. But for me, I think I need to have control first, in order to break it from there. I’m speaking from little experience, but if I had to create a sketch of an acting method, it would be something like control, an analysis of the character and the text and then forgetting all about it. In other words, doing all that work beforehand and then forgetting it, so I’m not rusty or focused on any of it when the action happens, and I’m facing the moment. I would like to find a method similar to that.

team credits

seen RAÚL RUZ
styled JAVO GONZÁLEZ
production (off-set) JUAN MARTÍ
make up + hair AMPARO SÁNCHEZ
art direction URI SERRA
production assistant AVA