IN CONVERSATION WITH ALFONSO BASSAVE

Interview by Jana Letonja

Spanish actor Alfonso Bassave is well known for his roles on the series ‘Hispania’ and ‘Gran Hotel’, and movies ‘Te quiero imbécil’ and ‘Presentimientos’. He can be currently seen in Netflix’s series ‘Las viudas de los jueves’, which premiered on 14th September. 

Alfonso, we’re currently able to see you in Netflix’s series ‘Las viudas de los jueves’. How would you describe this series?

It’s a dramatic thriller based on the namesake novel by Claudia Piñeiro. It’s about the story of a few rich Mexican families obsessed with pretending they have the best life in this privileged and exclusive golf club, but in reality they have dark and dangerous secrets.

The series uncovers many dark secrets. Tell us more about your character.

Gustavo is an ambitious Spanish businessman recently married to Carla and his only priority in life is to be part of this exclusive and wealthy community. He pretends to be the nicest and coolest guy, but in reality he’s not.

What kind of characters and stories attract you to work on a project?

The most important thing for an actor is the script. If it’s good, regardless of the character, it will be written with different levels of depth. It’s quite common that the best characters are those with different layers and that often happens with those with a dark side. 

How did you develop passion for acting? Has it always been a career you envisioned for yourself?

My father was a movie enthusiast and I grew up watching a lot of films. He would usually make me reflect and debate about them. For me, it’s a priority to also evolve as a human being. As soon as I became an adult, I realized that acting was the best way for me to develop both artistic and personal skills. 

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You have stood out as an actor who has spoken about the importance of emotional intelligence and therapy to know how to pursue an artistic career. Why is emotional intelligence especially important for an actor?

I can’t understand life without it and even less an artistic career without knowing yourself and your own emotional world. But I think that it is also fundamental for any human being if you aspire to achieve happiness in this life. I never understood why they teach us so many useless subjects in school and provide us with so few emotional and psychological tools. 

After years of therapy, different retreats and self-growth courses, I have learned that getting to face your past and wounds allows you, after an intense and deep process, to get some peace of mind and to be able to reach more freedom and joy in your everyday life.

How do you deal with living in the public eye and in the world of social media?

I try not to pay too much attention to what people may think of me. I guess that’s one of the benefits of personal growth. In the end, you care about your own principles and criteria and try to live along those lines.

On the other hand, being an actor is an incredible profession, not only because of the constant opportunity to learn about yourself and the human condition, but also because it’s fun, you get to meet a lot of interesting people, travel around the world, etc. I usually receive love and kindness from others and realizing that your work helps entertain people or even make them reflect about their own life is very satisfying. 

You have demonstrated your versatility not only on the screen, but also in fashion. What is your view on fashion? How do you perceive it?

I understand fashion as another way of expression, both socially and personally. Like other art forms, it allows both creators and spectators to reflect on their own life views.

For me, it’s fun to play with it, but not a priority or something that I take too seriously. Being elegant and having my own style is about feeling secure and enjoying myself, and not so much about fitting in on how I should look or dress.

How would you describe your style? Do you have a piece of clothing in your wardrobe that you absolutely couldn’t live without?

My style changes depending on what I’m living at that moment or how I feel about myself or the place I am going to. Sometimes I would rather dress more classic because I prefer not to get too much attention, but other days I feel more playful and take more risks by wearing pieces that are not objectively elegant, but represent my mood. A good example would be the outfits for this shoot, which I would probably not wear every day, but really enjoy dressing up in to play a character represented by the clothes.

I think a good leather jacket is something everyone should have in their wardrobe and I have a few that I couldn’t live without. 

What are some of your other passions in life, besides acting? How do you like spending your free days?

I love traveling, nature and animals, and sharing all that with my partner and friends. For me, the best plan is to go somewhere in nature, like the mountains or the sea, with my dogs and people close to me.

I also love reading, art and learning about different cultures. Spending time abroad is the best way to expand your own mindset, learn from others and become wiser, more free and a better person.

What are your goals for the future? Would you like to expand your career outside of Spain, to international productions?

Shooting this series gave me the opportunity to explore not only another industry, but also how amazing Mexico is. That’s one of the best parts of my job. So yes, I would love to keep working in Latin America, a place where the movie industry is growing and making amazing things happen. It took us so long to understand our own potential and I think that now is a great moment for us to create our specific vision of life and fiction. 

I am also working on a personal project more related to real estate in the nature. It has always been my dream to live in the countryside and have a slower paced lifestyle, surrounded by trees and animals. I hope that becomes a reality soon, so I’ll be able to combine my career as an actor with my love for the outdoors.

artistic director & photographer SERGIO VALENZUELA
photographer assistant ZOÉ GÓMEZ
styling ALAN JIMENEZ
assistant styling MICHELLE ORTÍZ, VANESSA LÓPEZ, MARA REYES
production PERLA RAMÍREZ PEINADO
mua KARINA MATÍNEZ
project manager BERNARDO CARREÑO
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