Interview with actor

How to deal with the excitement of going on stage? What inspired you to become an actor? What influenced his formation as an actor?

In our magazine, the interview with the theatre and film actor, sculptor, designer – Santiago Blanco Choya (Spain).

Santiago Blanco Choya is an actor was born on 4^th of March in 1990 in Valladolid, Spain. He was classically trained as a theatre actor at renowned studio Corazza in Madrid, (Spain) and Susan Batson Studio in New York (USA). He has also work as a model being the image of Ralph Lauren, El Corte Ingles or Pull&Bear among other brands. Known for Overlove (2018), Un Dios Prohibido (2013) and Estate Tranquilo (2019). Now he is a member of “La estraña compañia» in the performance called “La Excepcion Y La Regla”

Thank you very much for agreeing to be interviewed!

• Santiago, has it been decided that you will be an actor since childhood? Did you dream of becoming an actor as a child? Is your family connected to the theater? No, not at all. My mom just started taking theatre lessons! But nobody else is involved in acting. My parents have been singing nonprofessionally for the past 25 years, and classical music has always been around my house. My dad also played guitar. And my grandfather painted oil canvas.
• Do you remember when you first met the theatre and cinema? How and when was it? When we did school plays in our school. I remember playing the Little bear from Goldielocks and the 3 bears and people laughing. That caused an impact on me. I was around 6 years.
• What works impressed you the most? For me, it hit while my first year at college. While studying Technical Architecture I fell in love with Spanish director Bigas Luna. Then I fell in love with Javier Bardem´s work. Especially Golden Balls and Jamón Jamón. Those movies changed my life. Also Vincents Сassel in ´L´haine´, Michael Fassbender in ´Shame´, Adam Driver in everything he does. Directors that I enjoy quite a lot: Pedro Almodovar and also Yoji Yamada.
• I read that your first education is non-acting. Where else did you study? I studied at Corazza Studio in Madrid, based on Stanislavski Method. I studied and finish Technical architecture and Civil Engineer at the same time. I also receive some studies at the Susan Batson study in New York.
• Who or what influenced your formation as an actor? My 5 years at Corazza studio, classical Spanish theatre festival at Olmedo, Valladolid, Vicent Cassel, Javier Bardem, Michael Fassbender, Meryl Streep.
• What roles in theatre or cinema do you consider the most successful in your career, or maybe you have some successful ones now? All of them have been a great learning lesson. In filming the two short films that I shot at the beginning of the year 2020. I want them to be released soon, cause as an actor those have been the biggest challenges. One in Spanish and the other in English. In Theatre my role as The Director in Federico Garcia Lorca´s The Public and the play I am actually in ´La Excepcion y la Regla´

• How do you work on the role and what inspires you? In every project, I am very open to learn and grow. I believe that can help me. I hope! I just love what I do. I don’t know how to answer that. The life I guess, the team of people I work with. The passion I see in others towards the same project.
• What is important to you in your profession? Respect for the art and the people involved in the work. And then to assure the creativity and freedom of the performance.
• I know that you are doing architecture, do painting and designing for you, is it a break from theatre and filming or not? I am doing both at this time. Don’t know for how long or if I will be able to do it forever, but I am enjoying the path. Both mean quite a lot to me!
• In the age of modern technologies and the situation with a pandemic, what are the prospects for the theater and performances in general in your opinion? I think we have to keep up with platforms, and technology. That will help us. But theatre will always be theatre. It’s a primal thing!
• Do you come on stage with ease or is there excitement? I don’t overly worried but I have tremendous respect for the stage and I make sure I am always ready before I go. Then, I try to relax, be present and give it all.
• Do you think an actor should be a versatile person or not? Always should be versatile. Versatility in every way is the best option I believe.

• Was it difficult during the pandemic without performances and spectators, what feelings did you feel when you first appeared on stage and returned to rehearsals after a lockdown? It was difficult. At the end of the first show back in October, I cried like a baby.
• When and where we can see you, are there any upcoming films or theatre roles? Yes. 1 Spanish short film and another Canadian project are coming soon. Also, until April with our national tour of “La excepción y la Regla” in Spain.
• Can you give any advice for young people who want to become actors or people who want to connect their life with the cultural sphere? If you really want to become an actor get prepared, train your creative mind, explore all types of ways related to the arts. Have reference of people and work you admire and slowly but surely follow the path. I am not encouraging you to do it cause is not easy. But if you do be open and ready for every opportunity!

Read the rest of the interview in the next issue…