When he gave one of the most memorable performances of the series playing Pablo Escobar in “The Patron of Evil” he went for the dog, the cat, the parents and the grandmother. Now Andres Parra takes to the stage of the Broadway Theater for a single performance on February 2, “Come on, it’s for that” and it goes for the Argentine public. He already knew how to conquer it with his shady character in “La odisea de los giles” alongside Ricardo Darín, his hilarious manager in “Los protectores” sharing the least expected trio with Adrián Suar and Gustavo Bermúdez or starring in the series “El Presidente” directed by Armando Bó, but this time we are talking about something different, a monologue overflowing with grace in which he reveals his most personal side without fear or net.
“I love walking around Buenos Aires, eating meat, pizza, empanadas, bills. I gain 46 kilos every time I go there,” says Andrés Parra with his unmistakable tone of voice. If it comes for everything, so be it.
News: You have worked with large casts, did it make you a little dizzy to stand alone on stage to do “Come on, if it’s for that”?
Andrés Parra: Note that it was something I had wanted for a long time. What I like most is that after 30 years of career I finally found what I wanted to say, tell and share through art, that is the most powerful thing about this show, it is what led it to become the most important project of my life. It’s a show that comes from a very intimate and personal place, very mine, that makes it unique because that’s really me.
News: Recently Jamie Foxx in “What had happened was…”, his Netflix stand-up, talked about the stroke he suffered. Does comedy serve to exorcise one’s demons?
Vine: I think that when one can make fun of one’s wounds and traumas, the appearance of humor becomes a thermometer indicating that something has already healed. When certain topics cannot be touched upon, it is because we are still facing an open wound and we must be careful. But when you can ramble on about it, it’s already over.
News: It is the first time he will do theater in Buenos Aires. Legend has it that the Argentine public is one of the most effusive, how do you imagine it?
Vine: Oh friend, you are already scaring me! (laughs) Seriously speaking, I think Argentina is going to go crazy because we love each other a lot with the public, I have realized that, the love is mutual. And I think people are very grateful when someone dares to open up like that, when there is no filter or prestige to take care of, when there is nothing you want to hide. There is only one painful and strong truth with which the viewer identifies a lot. I think the Argentine public is going to enjoy it, we are very similar and we are also talking about universal themes. Who hasn’t been bad, who hasn’t been depressed and felt lost in life? There is a very strong connector there and of course I feel that we are going to have a lot of fun.
News: You starred in a global phenomenon like “The Pattern of Evil.” When the series ended and you had to shake off the character of Pablo Escobar, did you end up asking yourself ‘what now?’?
Vine: Yes, totally. I was lucky enough to experience how disappointing success is, what a big scam it is, because when you achieve it you realize that you are still the same as before. In the end success had nothing to do with the happiness you imagined, that is a great disappointment… and it is very nice! Because there you begin to realize many things…
News: For example, does life sometimes disprove that illusion?
Vine: Absolutely and I am proof of that. I achieved everything you are supposed to need to be happy, I lacked nothing. And the more I achieved things, the unhappier I felt, the emptier. And that is a beauty because you begin to understand that all of that is simply an illusion, a lie. When your life project collapses you stop being a slave to many things, we love to talk about freedom, but we are totally enslaved and I have come to the conclusion that authentic freedom is an exercise in being willing to lose everything. If you are not willing to lose your marriage, your prestige, your money, your car, your comfort, your watch…what freedom are you talking about? We were taught to put happiness in a lot of things and we refuse to be happy until we get them, but when we achieve it we hold on to them and happiness consists of not losing them. It’s a madhouse where you always lose, sister! (laughs)
News: I read that at some point you developed an addiction to social networks, which increasingly serve less to connect with others and more to live pending likes. How did you get out of that?
Vine: I realized that I spent seven hours a day on my cell phone. Then a book appeared in my life called “Love your freedom”, by Borja Vilaseca, where it talks about technodependence and refers to another book titled “Digital Minimalism”. I bought it, read it and immediately realized that my cell phone thing was an addiction. It is a very interesting book because it also analyzes how the network business is set up so that you cannot get away, these people become trillionaires with your time. They know what you like and what they can sell you.
News: Actors need the love of the public, was there anything of that in your relationship with the networks?
Vine: I think that since we were children they gave us a drug called “approval of others.” If you behaved well they applauded you, if you behaved badly they punished you and social networks are a “Cathedral of approval”, something that has weight in my profession. When you upload a photo it is because you want likes, you want applause. I began a detoxification process when I realized everything I was missing by living immersed in this network thing that is a lie because the cell phone completely disconnected us. I felt that a large part of my emotional imbalance came from that side, that race for likes generates dopamine, your nervous system goes up and down, it is not a place of tranquility. Realizing this set off an alarm for me, I was left with only Instagram that I am using to promote the show, but I don’t even have it installed on my cell phone, I try to spend most of the days without logging in, rather I read a book, I go for a walk and see people. It has been very healthy.
News: Speaking of meeting people, you have worked with such popular Argentine actors as Ricardo Darín in “La odisea de los giles” and Adrián Suar in “Los protectores.” What were those experiences like?
Vine: In “The Odyssey of the Giles” in addition to Ricardo there were Llinás and an incredible group of actors, for me it was like a workshop! It was a very beautiful experience, very intense and very cool to see them work. Being part of an Argentine film was a dream I had to fulfill, it was very important for me and I also really liked that movie.
News: And since we’re talking about Argentina, even Messi got to act in “The Protectors”
Vine: It’s true. Incredible. I tell you that “The Protectors” is the biggest disappointment I have had in the profession because I told Adrián Suar: “This series is going to become ‘The Office’, it lasts for 10 seasons” and I don’t understand what happened , friend. In season two we already had the characters completely, we knew what they could do, the situations were very clear, people enjoyed it… and they cut off our legs! We were like crazy, we didn’t understand anything, we were already going to do the third one and they canceled it. I still have the hope that this project will wake up again, I was too happy making “The Protectors”, we had a lot of fun with Adrián, Gustavo Bermúdez, Jorgelina Aruzzi… I don’t know what happened, I feel that the platforms change mayors all the time, it came a new one and said “no more”, it’s hard for me to understand.
News: “El Presidente” also lasted for infinite seasons, the series he starred in directed by Armando Bó. Did your way of watching football change after making it?
Vine: Of course! Many projects take away my naivety. The shady business that is football, FIFA is shameless. Maybe the entire FIFA should be imprisoned (laughs). Armando is the best. “The Last Elvis” is one of my favorite films of all time When they told me that “The President” was going to be directed by Armando Bó I thought: “This can’t be true.” We have plans with Armando, we are cooking things. There is something in store that we will surely do next year, we really like working together, we understand each other very well. Armando is completely crazy and I love that! (laughs)
