Exactly 30 years ago everyone built a raft to go shipwreck and lined up for two blocks in front of the immense Cine América in Callao and Santa Fe to see “Tangoferocious.” Marcelo Piñeyro’s film turned Cecilia Dopazo emblem of a generation and confirmed it as one of the definitive faces of the youth culture of the 90s, a time when cinema was given the body, far from drones and drawn effects.
He made television hits such as “Clave de sol”, “Atreverse”, “Gift from heaven” and “My brother-in-law”. She took some time because she wanted to and could, but she doesn’t come back because she never left. After events such as “8 Mujeres” and “Radojka”, on January 4 he takes to the stage of the Multitabaris Comafi to recreate “Made in Lanús”, the legendary play by Nelly Fernández Tiscornia whose first theatrical version starred Luis Brandoni, Marta Bianchi, Patricio Contreras and Leonor Manso. Then came the film of the same name and a story of goodbyes and reunions that remains valid to this day.
Now Brandoni, who served as Dopazo’s fictional father in “My Brother-in-Law,” is in charge of directing a great cast that also includes figures of the stature of Alberto Ajaka, Malena Solda and Esteban Meloni. On stage love is always stronger.
News: At this moment the question of leaving or staying in the country is a permanent topic of conversation on the networks. Was the validity of a material like “Made in Lanús” what decided you to accept this proposal?
Cecilia Dopazo: Not necessarily, although it is a very big plus. What attracted me the most was the team that was put together, the direction of Beto Brandoni, whom I have known for so many years, and the work itself, which is absolutely beautiful beyond the fact that it resonates a lot with current events. I knew it was a classic and Nelly Fernández Tiscornia is an enormous author. A beautiful team was put together between the production, the direction and the actors. All of this together made this project impossible to reject, still rehearsing at the end of the year and with 2023 that luckily was a lot of work for me.
News: It’s true, he’s been working a lot lately. He did “Radojka” with Patricia Palmer in theater, a participation in the film “No me roton” with Carla Peterson and Julieta Díaz, another in “Familia de divan”, with Boy Olmi and Carola Reyna, last year he had a very good role in “The Manager” alongside Leo Sbaraglia. And all these titles have something in common, they did very well with the public. Can we say that you are cabal?
Dope: (Laughs) I don’t know, but “Don’t break me” not only did very well in theaters but it is among the most watched on Netflix and “Familia de divan” is number one on Flow. We’re talking about really well-made comedies with very nice casts. Also at the beginning of the year I did a series with Pablo Echarri and China Suárez for Star+ that will only premiere at the end of 2024. Regarding “Radojka” it was almost three years, we were at Picadilly and we also did a long tour. There was everything on the menu!
News: Speaking of variety, for some time Corrientes Street has had a fixed menu, almost all the shows are comedies or musicals. Does “Made in Lanús” break the myth that commercial theater audiences just want to laugh?
Dope: Although this is a comedy-drama and, despite what I thought at first, it has moments of great humor, I think it’s good that something else is offered. It is important and oxygenating to laugh, but it is also important to connect with other emotions that have to do with human nature, right? I think we come to the theater to see ourselves reflected and to surrender to a journey that encompasses all our feelings, something that happens in “Made in Lanús.” Do not deny the sadness, the disappointment, although that sometimes seems half-hearted and scary to say that some things hurt us. In this time and in this country there are many people who are having a bad time and why don’t we go talk about it? Why isn’t it going to be reflected on stage? Being able to connect with what is happening on stage from another place other than just laughter is very restorative. Although the audience appreciates the moments of humor that give them a break, this is a deep work that penetrates deep inside, it is like a necessary emotional massage.
News: Regarding what he says, there has been a lot of debate about mental health, which was a historically taboo topic, but today perhaps little is said about the sadness of exile, there is a permanent romanticization on the networks about the fact of living abroad. Do we owe ourselves that conversation?
Dope: I think so, without a doubt. What is interesting about “Made in Lanús” is that it does not go down the line, but it raises all points of view. Brandoni never tires of saying that the wonder of this work lies in the fact that the four characters are right and each one, in his role, lives a different dilemma. There are no good guys and bad guys, that in my opinion is the fundamental thing, being able to think about what happens with those who leave and those who stay, with those who want to return and with those who cannot leave.
News: Brandoni was his father in “My brother-in-law” and he also shared the film “Convivencia” with him and José Sacristán. How was this reunion with a Beto director?
Dope: It was beautiful! In this job you can meet people for years, and if you shared as much as happened to us and also to Ricardo Darín, when you meet again it is as if no time had passed, we are the same people. There is something like a paved path, my colleagues did not know Beto and perhaps the informality of my relationship with him also helped the group dynamic.
News: You were away from the media spotlight for quite some time, in a profession where it is always said that success cannot be abandoned. Deciding to do something else and put your profession on hold is not common, how did you dare to take that step?
Dope: I did it, it was noticeable and it was noticeable, but I never came out to say that I was going to take a break or retire. Not at all, because everything in life fluctuates and has its moment. I didn’t know how long it was going to last, but I needed to do it because in the late ’90s I had started accepting projects where I didn’t feel comfortable. I wasn’t happy and that wasn’t good for anyone., it made no sense. It happened at a time when I was able to get away a little because my husband had more and more work, at the same time we began to build our family and I had the enormous privilege of being able to take that time. Other people may not be able to and continue against their desire because they have no other choice.
News: The curious thing is that being a renowned film and television actress, in her case the desire reappeared in the theater. Did she start to miss and say I’ll be back from another place?
Dope: It’s just that I started to miss acting and exploring new things, I had had many very good opportunities in film and TV, but not in theater. When I thought I wanted to return, at that moment I went to see a very well-known representative, Alejandro Vanelli, and within a week I was already doing “8 Mujeres” with Muscari, which was something beautiful. From there I did more and more theater, it was a very happy return.
News: Thanks to “Tango Fierce” and “Wild Horses” she is a generational actress. The remastered version of the latter arrived on Netflix recently and there was a special, very moving screening attended by director Marcelo Piñeyro, Leo Sbaraglia, Fernán Mirás and you. The film talks about a time when the word freedom meant something else. How did she experience it?
Dope: I was excited and surprised that that happened to me, I tell you the truth. Although I love the film very much, I didn’t have it so much in mind because I hadn’t seen it in years and it was beautiful to meet Leo, Fernán, Daniel Kuzniecka, Piñeyro and the entire team that was the same as from “Tangofero”. You don’t know what happened to me when the screening ended, I ended up crying while holding on to Marcelo, we couldn’t let go of each other’s hands. I didn’t expect the shock I had, I remembered all the filming, the trip to the south, Aída Bortnik who wrote the script with Piñeyro and all of us who are there, alive. Only Héctor Alterio was missing, who had come to Buenos Aires a few months before. “Wild Horses” talks about rebellion against the establishment, but above all about dreams and justice. It reminded me of who we were at that time and I think that’s what happens to the public too. Many people I meet tell me anecdotes such as how they ran away from school to see that movie because it was prohibited for minors, others comment that they made decisions that changed their lives after watching it and it is impossible not to be moved by that. ¡What a privilege to have been there!
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