Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
My only exposure to the hugely successful Mexican-born actor Demián Bichir has been in the last year on the Showtime series "Weeds." He plays Esteban, mayor of Tijuana, the region's largest drug kingpin, and passionate lover to Mary-Louise Parker's Nancy. He brought out a fire (and a couple other things) in Nancy that had yet to be seen on the show, and she betrayed him so severely at the end of the most recent season that I don't see how he can let her live. He has injected some much-needed fire into the show, and I hope he makes a full comeback in Season 5 later this year.
For now, Bichir has been impressing audiences as a young Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbergh's CHE, working side by side with Ernesto 'Che' Guevara to plot out Cuba's future in the mid-1950s. Bichir is exhilarating to watch as the young, charming Castro in CHE, PART ONE (he makes a brief but significant appearance at the beginning of CHE, PART TWO). There's a power in his performance that nearly always overshadows Benecio del Toro's deliberately quieter and subtler performance as Guevara. As portrayed in Steven Soderbergh's epic two-part tale, Castro was the figurehead while Guevara got shit done, such as training and enforcement within the ranks.
Largely because I didn't know much about Bichir beyond CHE and "Weeds," I almost turned down this interview because I didn't know where to go once we'd exhausted those two subject. That might have been one of the dumber decision I'd ever made, because Bichir is a genuine thrill to talk to, and he doesn't hold back words or pull punches. His observations about what it takes to play an icon like Castro are as interesting as his discussions about working with Soderbergh. I just dug his energy, and I hope that comes though in this interview. Enjoy a man I'm sure we'll be hearing more from in the coming years on both sides of the border, Demián Bichir.
And for those of you not living in markets where CHE will play, either as two films or in the famed Roadhouse edition (as a single film with a 30-minute intermission), you will be able to catch Soderbergh's epic work on cable via On Demand beginning January 21.
Capone: How are you, Demián?
Demián Bichir: Good. Nice meeting you.
Capone: Good meeting you too. First off, fantastic job in the film.
DB: Thank you.
Capone: I'm also a huge "Weeds" fan, so I've got two or three questions on that front as well.
DB: You bet. Whatever you need.
Capone: When you play a character that is so well known in the world and one who has built a career on having such a strong personality, does that increase you anxiety about getting him right?
DB: Well, you know, you have just said what I've been saying for the last two hours. Yeah, that's the right answer. People ask me what it's like to play a character like Fidel, right? And that's exactly what I say. It has so many advantages that you can work with, because everyone knows him and because of the great, huge figure that he is. There are so many things that have been written about him and pictures and books and video and recordings and footage, all that. And those are all disadvantages as well, because that can work against you if you don't really nail it. For me, it's nothing that worries me or gets me nervous; it really excites me a lot. When the challenges grow in such a way, that's when you really, really have fun as an actor.
Capone: And you're dealing with Fidel at a time when people are less familiar with him and his personality is still taking shape.
DB: That's right, and you know what? It's funny because most of the times when I've been told that I'm exactly the way he was are by the older people, the 60-, 70-year-old people that knew him at that time, and they really remember that and they can believe the resemblance. That for me is a thrill because that's what you want to do with it. And the new generations, our generation, they really get it and they can relate to it. And if you ever get a chance to see footage from that time, it's funny to watch how both polished and unpolished he was. I'm just really happy with it.
Capone: In your mind, what was the key to getting this phase of Castro right?
DB: You know, I just read something that Steven Soderbergh said about me at a film festival in Morelia, Mexico. They asked him, "Why Demián? How did you come up with that idea?" And he said, "When I saw his tape, I thought 'This guy's not afraid of anything.'" And then I thought, man, I'm glad he saw that on my tape, because I was fucking shaking. [laughs] When you put yourself on tape or you go for an audition, you're so vulnerable and it's so hard. But they know that. And I guess that's the main thing you have to keep in mind. You can't have Fidel's dreams and ideals or go into the mountains and lead a revolution if you come across as afraid. How can you not be afraid if you're going to be working with Steven Soderbergh and Benecio del Toro, so that was part of the challenge too. I was not allowed to show them my fear.
Capone: What was your take on the relationship between Castro and Guevara?
DB: There are so many things that people thought about the way they were relating to each other, even rumors about them being…there were rumors that Fidel didn't really care too much for Che. Then when Che went to Bolivia, a huge rumor went around that Fidel killed Che, right? And that was so stupid, and that's how the second film begins when Fidel Castro reads to everyone in the world--especially the people in Cuba and to the Congress in Cuba and to whoever wanted to listen--the letter that Che wrote before he left for Bolivia. Steven wanted to begin the second film with that speech as Fidel reads that letter, and it's so emotional, so deep and overwhelming what he rights. And then all of those rumors went into the trash. They were not only great friends, but they were comrades. They admired each other, respected each other, and cared for each other. Even Fidel was a little reluctant when Che wanted to go right ahead and continue the dream of liberating the rest of Latin America. Fidel insisted it was not the right time to do it, and he actually wanted him to wait, but Che was in a hurry. "This can't wait." But Fidel thought, let's build something solid here in Cuba first. This is not the time. But Che wanted to do it, so Fidel did what he could to help him with whatever he needed in Bolivia.
Capone: I was really impressed with those scenes in the first film in that apartment with the group of Cuban mapping out Cuba's future basically. You forget that from such small beginnings, big results can come. Every movement starts somewhere.
DB: That's right. I love those scenes too. That's where the dream begins, where the journey begins. If you remember the scene, Che asks Fidel, "What do you have? How many men do you have? How many weapons, how much money?" And he didn't have shit. [Laughs] "We're working on it." That's the best of example of when you want something, you just put it in your head and there's no way it's not going to happen.
Capone: You were talking about Steven before, tell me about working with him. How much guidance did he actually give you in terms of your performance?
DB: He's so generous that he believes in your work in such a way that he respects a lot whatever you did to prepare. He expects you to be a professional actor and hopefully a gifted actor who can bring things to the table and the set. He welcomes that. He's everything but stubborn. And he believes in collaboration. Of course, if you're not ready or your ideas are wrong, then sorry, man, he's going to move on without you. [laughs]
Capone: Do you remember something specific he did or said that stuck with you?
DB: There was this scene we were shooting at night where Fidel had to give this speech to the troops, and there were 200 extras in front of me and all of my commandos, my commandantes, and Benecio was there, of course. And then he came to me and said--and nobody else knew this but Steven and I really--he said, I'm not going to cut. Just do your first take, and if you feel you're fine with it, that's it, that's all we need. But if you need another one, I won't cut. Just give me a look, and I'll keep rolling. So we did one take, we finished it, then there was total silence, like a dead silence in the middle of the jungle with 300 people including the crew. And then I turned to him and tell him with my eyes, "Let's do another one." So he goes back to his camera without cutting, and I start over again. And then after the second take, I looked at him again and said, "Another one." So I asked for three, and he blinks his eye as if to say, "Yeah, we need a third one. You're right." And then I looked at him after the third one as if to say, "That's it." And he agreed, and said "Cut." That was pretty intense.
Capone: Did you have a sense how the first film was going to be put together, the way it jumps back and forth between a couple different points in Che and Fidel's time together? Was that in the script or was that a surprise to you after the editing was completed?
DB: Well, the script was more or less like that. But Steven worked in many different ways to put this in here or one thing before that or after that. He has such a great, educated eye that he can do whatever he wants with the story and you're still going to love it. So he could do three or four different versions of it, and they're all going to work. But finally he comes out with this, which I think is brilliant. I saw the whole thing in France at the Cannes Film Festival, and it was amazing. We got a standing ovation for 7-10 minutes. I just couldn't be happier.
Capone: I remember a documentary I saw about Castro a while back that was illustrating the many ways he liked the prove to people that he was in control. And how those microphones he used to prefer--those thin microphones with the bulb at the end--he would constantly grab them and adjust them while he was speaking, even though they were fine. I don't know if you'd gotten that deep into researching him…
DB: Wow, yeah, absolutely. And you know what, it's a pity, because you know that scene we shot of him reaching Che's letter? Before reading the letter, he plays with the mics again, he adjusts them, and we shot that, but it's not in the film.
Capone: That's the only scene in the movie where we see him in front of microphones, and I was waiting for you to grab those things.
DB: That's right. Hopefully when the DVD comes out, Steven will put in the whole speech maybe. [laughs]
Capone: When I see him in a couple of days, I'm going to insist that he put that scene in for accuracy's sake.
DB: [laughs] You should tell him to do that because there is a point where I adjust…I'm impressed with your eye, because that's a huge part of his behavior, always playing and adjusting the microphones. He's not ever adjusting them because they are there and fine. And every time he did that, he was thinking about the next thing he was going to say. It's just a small pause. "Let's play with the mic, while I come up with the next thing to say." [laughs]
Capone: Before I let you go, I want to ask you a few "Weeds" questions. As they often do, the show left us with a killer cliffhanger.
DB: I know [laughs].
Capone: A pregnancy and a rat all in one fell swoop. Have you been given any clue where things are going to go from here, or will it be a surprise to you?
DB: That's a great question, because I've got no idea. I don't even know if I'm going back or not. I'm probably going to go back at least for one episode, where they kill me because she's pregnant with my kid or whatever. I don't exactly know where they want to go or what they want to do. I'm pretty sure I'm going back; the only thing I don't know is how many episodes or how the character is going to develop.
Capone: Do you know when production starts again?
DB: If they do it the same way they did it last time, they should be beginning between April and July, somewhere in there.
Capone: The show had never been quite as openly sexual, especially where Nancy was concerned, before your character was introduced…
DB: I know.
Capone: That had to be pretty flattering that you would inspire, both in the writers and in Mary-Louise Parker, so much heat.
DB: Yeah, I've been getting a lot of fan mail because of the nude scenes and the sex. It's always hard. Mary-Louise can be very intimidating in many ways, because she's beautiful and she's such a great actress too. But she is a sweet lady and so generous, and she makes the whole journey so easy and makes you feel so comfortable. Because you don't want to mess it up, not there, not with her. Everything runs smooth because of her.
Capone: You'd worked for quite a while in Mexican television before this. What do you find different about being a part of "Weeds"?
DB: The TV I did in Mexico was interesting because they were series about the reality of Mexico. We were talking about drug dealing and corrupt politicians and the corrupt church. And we were talking about the decent people too, and my character was a commandante, a lieutenant in the police. He was honest and tough and there, trying to do his part to change the whole thing. And the way we did that was pretty much like filmmaking, so we had a lot of time to do it. We had stedicams all the time, and a lot of equipment to do it the way we wanted to do it. It's pretty much the way "Weeds" is done. It is great the way those two experiences worked out for me, because they are these kind of projects that are made with heart and time and respect for each other's work, and taking care of the quality of the scripts.
Capone: So you play a police commander, the Mayor of Tijuana, and Castro. Someone must think you are exceptional at playing men of power.
DB: [laughs] I've definitely done that a couple of times. Maybe it's that fearless quality coming through again. I love big responsibilities on my shoulders; that's what I like as an actor. And I've been lucky because that's what I've been getting.
Capone: I'm being told our time is up. Thank you so much for talking to us.
DB: Thank you, thanks a lot. Anything you need, you call us.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com
