Franco Masini - Interview

.aesthetic talk
FRANCO MASINI
*Between Cities, Scripts, and Style

written + interview ALBAN E. SMAJLI

Franco Masini moves with intent to generate monumentum. Actor, producer, reader of places, collector of moments—he expands his practice through curiosity and risk.

His latest project, a theatre production he’s independently bringing to life, marks a shift toward authorship. Ownership of process. Control of tone. A story he performs and constructs. Fashion is part of his language. He responds to designers like Adrian Appiolazza and Jonathan Anderson for their ability to distort form with precision. He keeps a close eye on Matias Carbone, an Argentinian voice now emerging across Europe. Masini assembles identities. and his wardrobe edits itself in real time.

watch FILM

full look MOSCHINO
tie FURSAC

blazer TRANSE PARIS
vest IGOR DIERYCK
jewelry ALT PARIS

Alban E. Smajli
Your career moves like a shifting lens—what’s in focus for you right now?

Franco Masini
I love the movement of my career. I think it’s really important to stay focused on new things and to have opportunities to learn and grow as an actor. My next step is to produce a new theatre show—I’ve already acquired the rights.

Which designers are speaking your language this season, and what are they saying?

There are many new designers doing amazing work. I really like Adrián Appiolaza and Jonathan Anderson—they’re very creative and always producing unique and thoughtful pieces. I also really like Matías Carbone from Argentina, who is expanding his brand into Europe.

If your wardrobe were a film, who’s directing?

My wardrobe has many different elements. I think it would need a very unique director. I enjoy changing styles, designers, and colours, and creating my own “Franco” style. I get bored easily—haha!

Art and fashion exist in dialogue. Where do you see the conversation heading?

Art and fashion are two things I really enjoy. I love how creators express their own perspectives through clothing.

Museums capture time, fashion rewrites it—what recent art exhibition has stayed with you?

I really liked ARCO in Madrid—a week of contemporary art, with so many creatives and amazing artists.

What does personal luxury look like for you beyond the obvious?

Personal luxury, for me, is in meaningful moments with the people I love—like visiting new places, discovering new countries, or sharing great food with friends. That’s the best.

What city makes you feel most like yourself?

I think Buenos Aires is the place—full of movement, art, cinema, friends, and always something to do. Madrid feels like my second home. It’s also incredible.

Morning ritual or midnight impulse—when do you feel most alive?

I feel most alive in the morning. I love waking up, going for a run near the river, and then having breakfast with a book. I really enjoy reading in the morning.

If you could archive a single look from your life, what would it be?

That’s hard to say because my life is in constant motion—and I love that. I’m always meeting new people, living in new places, exploring new cultures. I appreciate my job because it allows me to reach so many parts of the world.

What’s the last thing that truly surprised you?

The last thing that surprised me was meeting Adrien Brody at Paris Fashion Week. I really admire his work, and it was great to talk with him. We were seated in the same row. I’ve seen all of his movies.

full look JACQUEMUS
jewelry ALT PARIS

full look MOSCHINO
jewelry ALT PARIS

He begins his days by the river, running along the water as the city slowly wakes. What follows is quiet and deliberate: coffee, a book, the kind of solitude that aligns the mind before the rest of the world demands attention. Mornings carry a clarity that sets the pace for everything that comes after—travel, conversations, creative shifts, the layering of roles and identities. Buenos Aires flows through him with instinctive rhythm, while Madrid offers a different current, equally present in his internal map. Each place contributes to the structure he’s building—fluid, expansive, unfinished by design. His idea of luxury moves away from display and towards sensation. A shared plate with friends, the atmosphere of a new neighborhood, the texture of unfamiliar languages and streets—these are the moments that stay.

The value is in gathering feeling, in building a personal archive made of people, places, and presence. At Paris Fashion Week, he found himself seated next to Adrien Brody. A quiet dialogue unfolded—film, performance, process. Nothing staged. Just two people exchanging thoughts in a shared space, surrounded by movement but anchored in something still.
Franco Masini lives in progression. Style evolves, environments shift, energy recalibrates. What stays is the drive to create—not as an end point but as a state of being, a continuous act that shapes and reshapes itself in response to what enters, what unfolds, and what he chooses to carry forward.

full look ARTURO OBEGERO
shoes CAMPER
jewelry ALT PARIS
watch CARTIER

full look EVAN BENJAMIN
socks + shoes MOSCHINO

credits
photographer LOUIS TERAN
stylist SIMON NNDJOCK
talent FRANCO MASINI
set designer CLARA DE GOBERT via APICORP AGENCY
movement director ROBIN LABARRERE
hair PAUL GOMEZ
make up MANON CANA via BUREAU ALAGNA
nails MAHARA DIARTE-ZEROUALI
casting director MARVIN LATOURNALD with MODELS LANE
production TABATHA RUSSO at BUREAU ALAGNA
photographer assistant STEVEN BAILLIN

special thanks to Tatiana Dumabin

Dylan Llewellyn - Interview

.aesthetic talk
DYLAN LLEWELLYN
*Brewing Moments

written + interview Sarah Arendts

Dylan Llewellyn moves through stories like an architect of feeling. Captured mid-conversation, coffee in hand, the setting mirrors the essence of his work—unfiltered, natural, alive in the moment.

Every role expands the space it occupies, stretching humor into unexpected depths and carving out moments that stay long after the scene ends. His presence on screen is charged—words, expressions, silences all calibrated for maximum impact.

jacket + shirt NANUSHKA

Comedy fuels his process. A living language of timing, movement, and instinct. The humor lands, not as an escape, but as an excavation of something real. Derry Girls, Big Boys, Beyond Paradise—each project a new rhythm, built with precision, delivered with an effortless pulse. Llewellyn works with momentum. The industry shifts, names rise and fall, but the resonance of his performances embeds itself deeper. Not tied to nostalgia, not chasing permanence. Just sharp storytelling, lived-in characters, and the kind of presence that doesn’t ask for space—it takes it.

knitwear SANDRO
blazer THE FRANKIE SHOP
jeans O.FILES
loafers DR MARTENS
socks FALKE
rings MAYA MAGAL

Sarah Arendts
What does comedy allow you to express that drama doesn’t?

Dylan Llewellyn
I think comedy lets you have more freedom with your performance. You can go from being extremely serious and deadpan, but still leaning into the humour, to being super silly and over the top. There’s a whole variety of comedic styles to explore and I think that’s the main difference.

You’ve inhabited roles that capture the awkwardness, rawness, and humor of coming of age. Can you think of a moment in your life that felt like it could be part of one of your shows?

I think we’ve all experienced that classic moment of getting ID'd when you're in your teens. I remember going to see a 15-rated movie in the cinema when I was around 17 years old. They wouldn’t let me in because I didn’t have my passport or ID on me, so I had to call my parents to come down with it. My older brother came in and asked the staff where I was… They said “Oh, he’s just waiting in the bar.” My brother goes, “Oh what, so you let him hang in the bar but not let him watch the 15-rated movie?” That was quite a funny classic story of growing up and being ID’d.

Fame doesn’t last forever. What’s the one thing you hope to leave behind in the industry?

What I hope to leave behind in the industry and my acting career is just a sense of joy in the roles I’ve played – from Derry Girls to Big Boys. Those comedic roles have been such a joy and so much fun to perform. I’ve also loved working with so many talented actors along the way. I hope it inspiresyounger generations to get into comedic acting and to carry on that torch. For me, The Inbetweeners inspired me growing up, especially during school days. I grew up watching them and thought I’d love to do something like that. Then Derry Girls came along, followed by Big Boys, so yeah, I hope I can do the same for another young actor or actress.


Jack’s journey in Big Boys is deeply personal yet universal. What’s the most surprising reaction you’ve received from fans?

I think what surprised me most about the response to Big Boys is just how many people relate to it. But at the same time, it’s not that surprising because all those subjects – grief, mental health struggles, friendship, family, and sexuality – are so relatable. A lot of people can connect with those topics. What really stands out to me is how much it’s hit home for so many, with people speaking out about how much those themes mean to them, especially the dynamic of friendships – specifically the dynamic of the gay and straight friendship between Jack and Danny.


You played Wally Nightingale in Pistol, a musician lost in punk history. Do you think he would be remembered differently if he were around today?

When it comes to Wally Nightingale, the character I played in Pistol, it’s a really sad story. He lived the rock and roll lifestyle but without the fame or the money that came with it. I think, and I hope, he’ll be remembered fondly as one of the roots for the Sex Pistols – someone who helped lay the foundation for what they became. I really want him to be credited and recognized as such.

Your characters are often outsiders finding their place. Do you see yourself in them?

Yeah, I think I bring a little of myself into all my characters. I lean into their characteristics more and just make them themselves – their own personalities, their own people. I’ve played a lot of vulnerable, awkward, coming-of-age characters who are finding themselves. But I’ve also played characters who are more confident, like Kelby Hartford [from Beyond Paradise]. I think Kelby is very confident in himself, and even Wally Nightingale from Pistol was pretty confident in his abilities.

Some roles stay with actors forever. Have any of your characters changed the way you see the world?

I think the character of James in Derry Girls has made me learn about Irish history and developed my appreciation for Irish people and how amazing they are. The character of Jack in Big Boys shows the incredible bravery of people discovering themselves, both with their sexuality and with grief, as well as their mental health. I think Wally Nightingale in Pistol made me see the world with more appreciation for music, for being kind of weird, and not caring about being normal. I think that was the whole message of Pistol, the show, and the Sex Pistols in general – it was all about letting your freak flag fly and being okay with not being normal. The whole punk revolution shows that, so yeah, I think I’ve learned a lot from these characters, their stories, and the show’s stories.

Both storytelling and life are temporary. Do you try to make things last, or do you embrace their short-lived nature?

I think I do try to make things last whenever I can but I also embrace the short-lived nature of things as well. I think you can enjoy both sides of it. That’s kind of me to a T – I’m definitely someone who’s glass half full but also half empty at the same time. I think you can see both sides of it and I feel likeit’s a healthy way to look at things – considering every perspective and mentality. Yeah, it’s a tough one, I think.

What’s a role you’d never take—and why?

Actually, there are lot of roles I am open to and really want to take a crack at. I mean, I'd love to play villain or a darker role, or just a role that’s completely different from what I’m usually cast in. I'm always up for the challenge and I’d love to explore those kinds of roles more and really get my acting teeth into them

“Comedy lands, not as an escape, but as an excavation of something real.”

Dylan Llewellyn speaks with Sarah Arendts
for LE MILE Nr. 38 - Spring/Summer 2025 Edition

coat NANUSHKA
shirt DOLCE & GABBANA
jeans O.FILES
ring MAYA MAGAL

credits
talent DYLAN LLEWELLYN
photographer ANTONIO EUGENIO
stylist MILLIE CULLUM
grooming CHARLIE CULLEN using @babylissprouk & @shakeupcosmetics
photographer assistant DANIEL EYNON
fashion assistant AMY HARFOOT
location Special thanks to Mae + Harvey, East London

Kris Marshall - Interview

.aesthetic talk
KRIS MARSHALL on BEYOND PARADISE
*Inside the Mind of DI Humphrey Goodman

written + interview Alban E. Smajli

Kris Marshall moves through roles like pages in a living archive. Each return to DI Humphrey Goodman is a recalibration, a quiet shift in tone, pace, inflection.

The detective doesn’t arrive fully formed; he extends through time, carried by instinct, built through decisions that remain invisible until they aren’t. Kris Marshall works with precision. He feeds the character small changes—gestures, rhythms, interior logic. In Beyond Paradise, nothing is static. Everything folds back into the work: his references, the sea, the energy of a long shoot, the movement of strangers who never knew they were being studied.

jumper + trousers RALPH LAUREN
socks FALKE
shoes SANDRO
sunglasses THE AVANTGUARD
jacket THE FRANKIE SHOP

He rarely speaks in absolutes. Scripts are approached like open systems. Scenes are lived, not performed. He notes structure, then lets it bend. The repetition of a character over seasons becomes an act of endurance, not rehearsal. Ideas are planted early and left to unfold over time.

Memory plays a role. So does observation. He remembers the weight of theatre nights, the long haul of production days, the silence that follows a line well delivered. Meals with Pacino in Italy exist in the same archive as his first stage rehearsals—held not for anecdote, but for texture.

In conversation, Marshall cuts through sentiment. He speaks clearly about work. The physical toll. The mental timing. The need to rest before the next scene. Acting, for him, is not escape—it is a study in repetition, and the possibility of nuance inside repetition.
This interview traces Marshall’s ongoing practice—returning to characters not to resolve them, but to remain in conversation with them. He shares what drives him on set, what surprises still occur, and what advice he carries forward. No grand epiphanies. Just a steady commitment to showing up, seeing clearly, and staying inside the craft.

suit + shirt RALPH LAUREN
tie SANDRO

“Every character I play is a part of me… Which has to be true otherwise you’re not going to believe it yourself, so how can you expect other people to.”

Kris Marshall speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25 - on Beyond Paradise

Alban E. Smajli
What keeps drawing you back to DI Humphrey Goodman? Is there still more of him to uncover, or do you just enjoy the ride?

Kris Marshall
Well, I’m not gonna lie and say that enjoying the ride isn’t a part of it, because both incarnations of him have lived by the sea, and I spend as much of my free time in it and on it as possible. Which is joyous. But there’d be no point if I didn’t feel there was more of his character to discover. As I get, shall we say, less young, it’s important to convey his changes as well, so there’s that, and I’m constantly throwing in new ideas and homages to my favourite detectives and other characters in TV and film that have influenced me.

From Love Actually to Beyond Paradise, your career spans rom-coms, crime dramas, and theatre. Where do you feel most at home?

Not working!.. No I’m kind of kidding. I came up through theatre, it’s all I did for the first 6 years, and even though after that I’d probably only do a play every 4 or 5 years, you can never replicate that kind of peril and immediacy on TV and film. But there’s something about building a character over a long shoot, and the fact no two days are the same, that I’ve always found beguiling.

Humphrey is a detective who sees the world differently. What’s a case you’d love to see him tackle in Beyond Paradise?

A corrupt politician. He’s renowned for being pretty open-minded, fair and kind, but he has a healthy disdain for and a delight in unpicking capricious and arrogant people who view him as strange and hopeless. It’s the Columbo/Marple gene, to lure antagonists to their doom!… Failing that, anything to do with surfing, for reasons mentioned above.


You’ve played both hopeless romantics and sharp-witted detectives. Which role is closer to the real Kris Marshall?

I would say both and neither. If that’s not too obtuse. I think Jack Nicholson said ‘Every character I play is a part of me’… Which has to be true otherwise you’re not going to believe it yourself, so how can you expect other people to. But also, they’re not me, because I study other people’s mannerisms and walks and use them as well. 


What do you think makes Beyond Paradise resonate so strongly with viewers?

Well, of course the location is beautiful, bucolic and colourful. But also, people love puzzle solving, so it’s somewhat interactive on that front. But the main reason is it’s not too dark and violent and doesn’t take itself too seriously, so it’s watchable across demographics. I’ve met people who say it means a lot to them as it’s something they can bond watching with their parents and children, which I think is delightful. 

You stepped back into Sanditon's Tom Parker and Beyond Paradise's Humphrey Goodman. How does revisiting a character change your perspective on them?

Filming is often arriving at a location you’ve never seen, and then getting the best takes within the allotted time, before you move on to another location you’ve never seen!… Whereas in theatre, you get to go back and slightly alter and hone your performance every night. So getting the chance to revisit a character again on film is, if you’ll forgive the mixed metaphors, another crack at the cherry. 


Theatre, film, TV—each demands a different energy. Do you approach acting differently on stage versus on screen?

I guess they all involve conserving energy. Filming is getting up at 5.30am, working until 7pm and then eating and getting enough rest to do that for anything up to 6 months. Theatre is all about building enough energy through the day for an evening performance, and then not getting too carried away with enjoying the nighttime after the show…Because the older I get the earlier I’m up!

Keeping in mind that you’ve worked with some of the most celebrated actors in the industry, what’s a moment that still sticks with you?

Working with Al Pacino on The Merchant of Venice. We were away on location in Italy and nearly every night after work he’d insist on us all having a sit-down meal in different restaurants. One night he even came clubbing with us younger actors, and seeing this absolute legend grooving to a heavy bass in a European nightclub was something I’ll never forget.

Have you ever been truly surprised by a plot twist in one of your own scripts?

Nothing that particularly springs to mind I have to say. Although I’ve had a fair few scripts through where you get to page 5 and it says ‘And then he dies’!… And you’re thinking, I’m actually quite insulted you thought I might want to play this role man…!!


If you could time-travel back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?

That whatever it is you think is the right way to do it, is the right way to do it…
And stop smoking dude…

credits

talent KRIS MARSHALL
photographer DAVID REISS
stylist PRUE FISHER
grooming JOLANDA COETZER

full look RALPH LAUREN
socks FALKE
shoes SANDRO

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also read
.aesthetic talk VIVIANE SASSEN *Light, Color, and Identity

suit + shirt FURSAC
boots SANDRO

“Getting the chance to revisit a character again on film is, if you’ll forgive the mixed metaphors, another crack at the cherry.”

Kris Marshall speaks with Alban E. Smajli
for LE MILE Digital SS25 - on Beyond Paradise

Itzan Escamilla - Interview

.aesthetic talk
ITZAN ESCAMILLA
*Breaking the Script

written + interview Juan Martí

It’s a pleasant and very surprising feeling when you discover that an actor is nothing like the characters they portray. That’s what happens with the young Spanish actor Itzan Escamilla.

The Madrid native is fun, cheeky, curious, and a huge film buff, with a particular love for horror movies. Like the characters who survive at the end of a horror film, Itzan has managed to escape typecasting and become something much bigger than his role in Élite. His passion for film isn’t limited to his acting career; he’s also a big consumer of filmographies, always ready to watch the next great movie, whether it’s a horror classic like The Exorcist or something more contemporary like Hereditary. His life took a drastic turn when he starred in Netflix’s teenage hit Élite, which turned him into a mass idol, almost like the protagonist of a horror movie who suddenly becomes the 'chosen one' of a new generation.

Now, after leaving his time at Las Encinas behind, Itzan is looking to take on new challenges, like returning to theater, this time with the genius Ana Rujas. It’s like a 'new beginning' in his career, like when the monster of the story finally faces its greatest challenge. While we await the premiere of that new play, we can enjoy his most international project on Apple TV, the thriller series Midnight Family, which stars him alongside one of Hollywood’s rising stars, Diego Calva. One thing we can be sure of: Itzan Escamilla’s adventure has just begun, and the suspense over what comes next in his career remains like a mystery movie that never loses its tension.

full look MAISON MARGIELA
pants KENZO

coat + pants KENZO
shoes CAMPERLAB

Juan Martí
Itzan, I’m so glad to talk to you! How are you?

Itzan Escamilla
I'm good, thank you! I’m preparing for the play I’ll premiere next year.

You star in La Otra Bestia, an adaptation of the book by actress and director Ana Rujas, right?

Yes, that's right. It will premiere at Matadero Madrid.

But you didn’t know her personally before, did you?

No, I knew her by sight. We’d greeted each other a few times and followed each other on Instagram and social media, but that was about it. Then, she wrote to me, saying she was preparing this play and that she’d love for me to participate. She sent me the script, I read it, and I really liked the character. We started exchanging messages, and at first, it was a bit complicated because I wasn’t sure I could do the project. It clashed with another commitment. However, there was an internal situation, and they decided to create a shared character because the actor originally cast for my role also had another commitment. Since neither of us could be available full-time at Matadero, they decided to have two actors play the same character. This arrangement ended up working out for both of us.

Who is the other actor you share the role with?

Teo Planell, a really cool guy. This isn’t your first time in a theater project; a few years ago, you participated in the Spanish adaptation of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire.

Yes, that was a long time ago. It was my first play and the only one I’ve done so far. It’s true that I trained at Cristina Rota’s school, and the training there was very theater-focused. Not exclusively, but the theater component in Cristina Rota’s training is very important. However, I’ve only done theater once in my life, and honestly, I was very nervous: excited, scared, nervous.

Can you tell me something about your character in La Otra Bestia?

It’s hard to describe because the whole play moves in a kind of code that’s somewhat detached from more earthly reality; I think it’s somewhere between a half-dreamy and half-poetic level. It has something very special that describing it would fall short, so it’s better to go see it. To give you an idea, it’s inspired by a movie used as a reference to develop the script and adapt the poetry book La Otra Bestia. They were inspired by Possession, a 1970s film by Andrzej Żuławski, which has a rather extreme tone.

Are you more of an Isabelle Adjani fan or Isabelle Huppert?

Huppert. I love The Pianist.

A classic. How do you remember your days in Rabbit Hole?

I really enjoyed it. David Serrano, the director, is someone I always say I’ve learned the most from because he knew a lot, had a great eye for actors, and was very intelligent. We had a great time, and the cast was amazing.

You played the role of Jason, right? That’s a very powerful role.

It was a very complex experience. It was an intermittent role in the play, which always makes you feel a bit dizzy because when you’re on stage, you warm up, and in some way, you enter the journey. But when you’re constantly going in and out of the stage, you have to stay focused all the time. Besides the dramatic and traumatic elements of the character, which were a challenge in themselves, there was also the difficulty of staying alert all the time, even when you weren’t on stage at certain moments, because you knew that at any moment you’d have to go on with all the energy.

Now that you're returning to the stage, how have you changed?

I imagine that age gives you experience, and you use that experience as an actor, plus it provides you with more background and more work experience. I also think it gives you greater awareness. The years since I was in theater, the projects I’ve been involved in, and life circumstances have made me more aware. It’s not that I didn’t have that awareness before, but I do think that now I have a deeper understanding of how lucky you are when you’re given an opportunity to work as an actor, and I have more respect for it.

It’s not that I didn’t respect it before, but now I see it in a different light. I have more respect when facing a character, when looking at the work, and more responsibility.

“I learned to be part of a whole... finding my place within such a big machine.”

Itzan Escamilla speaks with Juan Martí
for LE MILE .Digital

total look BALENCIAGA

Out of all the roles you’ve played, which one stands out to you?

I don’t know if it’s because of the roles I’ve gotten or because of who I am, but I always view myself with self-criticism. It’s like I never see myself in a positive light; I’m always very hard on myself. So, the role I choose isn’t because I think I’m good at it, but because, objectively, it seems to have the most potential, the one that can be “squeezed” the most, the one that has the most to explore and where you can get the most out of it. And that would be the one in Rabbit Hole.

It’s a fantastic role.

Yes, because I really liked the script. I’m drawn to those kinds of stories. It’s a script that’s very well balanced between comedy and drama, which is something I feel about one of my favorite movies, Manchester by the Sea. It’s one of many movies I love that talk about human clumsiness when something very dramatic happens, and how people react in a clumsy way, which generates humor, but uncomfortable humor. I feel like everything is treated in an opposite way to what you would normally expect, not in a melodramatic way. My character had a bit of that, and for me, as an actor, it was very interesting because it went against what you’d expect from such a big drama. So, from an acting perspective, it offered many opportunities to investigate and try new things.

Do you think young actors in Spain are given those kinds of opportunities?

I think it’s a bit of everything. There’s something undeniable and also natural, given the times, the budgets, and everything else: taking risks and betting on an actor’s profile that might not fit right away is complicated. The times are what they are, and the money at stake is what it is, so often, they choose to bet on what we already know will work. I think, on one hand, there’s a comfort zone when profiles are pigeonholed into specific roles within each project, but I also think there are directors who take a chance on something different. That’s where a more auteur-driven approach comes in, which always brings a breath of fresh air, an attempt to look beyond what we’ve already seen, giving a new face to what’s familiar.

I realize that talking to you, I see that you’re nothing like the characters you’ve portrayed or your personal concerns.

I don’t yet have the ability to choose the roles I take. I hope to have it someday, but right now, I don’t. So, I’m really proud of what I’ve done because, for starters, it’s work, and though this expression is overused, working is very important in a profession where there’s so much unemployment. So, I think there’s a natural arc; everyone has it in their own way, and you can’t generalize. I think mine is mine, and the others’ arcs are theirs. But at least in mine, there’s a natural progression where, first, you have to do what people see you can do, give it your all, do your best to start showing different sides of yourself, so that they begin to see you in other ways and start to shape a more multidimensional profile.

What did you learn during your Élite days?

Yes, I learned a lot. I learned mainly about what a shoot involves because, in the end, it was a role that required me to be on set or outdoors almost every week, Monday to Friday. So, I became very aware of what a shoot is, the complications that arise, the mistakes you can make, what you should and shouldn’t do. And I think, as an experience, what I take away the most is learning to be part of a whole. That is, having a more experienced perspective when understanding what’s going on around me on set, knowing where to go, where not to go, and finding my place within such a big machine.

What were you like as a teenager?

I don’t know, in many ways. I don’t really remember well, to be honest. As I got older, I was the class clown, the one who liked to joke around, I guess. I really liked being the class clown. I was a very curious, restless person. I really liked studying, I was pretty good at it, I didn’t fit the profile of a bad student, I was a good student. And I don’t know, I was someone who always had the need to explore hobbies or interests that I didn’t see around me. I always wanted to be part of something special, something different. I had this constant urge to not settle for what was closest, but to look for something out of the ordinary. So, I kept trying, trying everything. I did a lot of sports, skateboarding, martial arts... whatever it was. I kept trying until acting came into my path, and that’s when everything changed.

Do you remember your graduation trip?

I had a problem throughout my adolescence, which was that when I was 11, I had an epileptic seizure. Because of that, my neurologist strictly prohibited anything related to alcohol. I really liked surfing, and they even had to put a life jacket on me to do it. And that kind of carried over into my entire social life, as if I suddenly started receiving a lot of attention that I hadn’t had before.

My parents weren’t exactly neglectful, but they weren’t overprotective either. So, from that point on, everything changed a bit for me. At first, I lived with a lot of fear, and that feeling aligned with my parents’ caution. I was also a bit embarrassed because everything changed suddenly. But I think, after a while, I started doing whatever I wanted.

What’s the craziest thing you did with your friends?

I probably did more things, but the one that we always remember is when we set off a huge firecracker at the Palacio de Hielo shopping center. We thought it was going to make a little noise, but it went off like a bomb. At that time, there was still a risk of attacks. The alarm went off immediately, the police came, and they asked all my friends for descriptions of me. I ran and hid behind a bench, while police cars started to line up in the area. I don’t know if it was the paranoia of the moment, but they really were chasing me. That’s the story my friends and I still remember vividly.

coat JUNYA WATANABLE
socks + shoes MM6

“When you find a passion and decide to go for it, knowing you’re going to have to build your future on your own, it gives you confidence and the drive to commit.”

Itzan Escamilla speaks with Juan Martí
for LE MILE .Digital

How does one go from being a troublemaker to a committed actor?

Well, age and the fact that when you find a passion and you decide to go for it, without financial or family support behind you, and you know you’re going to have to build your future on your own, it gives you confidence and the drive to commit.

Do you think that, even as time passes, the desire to throw a firecracker in the middle of a shopping center goes away?

Yes, I got over it (laughs).

Has your twenties been more chill?

Not really, because I starred in Élite.

When did you realize the impact of Élite?

I was in Bogotá promoting Élite before it had been released, and when I came back, it had already premiered. So, I went out for a drink with a friend, like we are now, and suddenly people started staring at me and asking for photos. I remember the first few times they asked me for pictures, I got all red... I didn’t know how to react. And from that moment on, it didn’t stop.

You’ve explored teen drama, human drama... What would you like to explore now?

I really like comedy, and I’d love to do something with Paco Plaza, for example. Paco Plaza is known for his horror films. I really liked REC.

What’s the scariest movie you’ve seen so far?

Oh, I remember one starring Demi Moore that really scared me, I think it was called Half Light. But there’s one scene that has traumatized me the most of all—one that makes your heart skip a beat and leaves you pale for days. It’s a scene where she’s, I think, in the water near the shore, and suddenly the child appears, coming out of the water. I remember leaning back on the couch, feeling like I was having a micro heart attack at that moment. It traumatized me so much that for days, I couldn’t sleep, with the image of that child’s face coming out of the water stuck in my mind. I don’t know, it’s a horror movie that I remember with a lot of fear. The Exorcist is one I really like, but it also scares me a lot. It’s more the underlying aura of the film that gets to me than what you actually see, like the vomiting and those scenes. Although, I mean, with time, it has a bit of a B-movie feel to it, it becomes more gore, more “body horror,” and all that, which sometimes makes you watch it almost from a comic perspective.

Have you ever had a supernatural experience?

Yes, I was sitting on a bench with a friend of mine because we used to do graffiti. We were out on the streets late at night. We were sitting on a bench, and we hadn’t smoked any weed or anything, we were perfectly lucid. At some point, my friend was really into UFOs and always talked about them. There was kind of a relationship between his obsession with UFOs and me, who always made fun of him about it. I’d tease him a lot about it, I was quite atheistic in that sense. We were sitting on the bench, looking at the sky, philosophizing, talking. And at some point, next to the moon, I saw this orange ball. At first, I thought, “Well, it must be a star or a satellite,” but the ball started descending and getting bigger. I remember I was so impressed I couldn’t even speak, and it was a very brief moment. So I tapped my friend to look, and we both just stared, stunned. Suddenly, the glowing sphere shot up to the sky at full speed, leaving a small trail, and then it disappeared.

After that, my heart was racing. I ran, feeling this strange magnetic pull, and even though I’m not into auras or vibes stuff and all that, at that moment, I felt kind of hypnotized. I thought, “I need to get out of here.” I ran, and from that day on, I started sleeping a lot at my grandparents’ house, where I was raised. In my room at my grandparents’ house, I couldn’t sleep. I had that constant feeling of wondering, “What did I just see?” I started getting into all the alien abduction stories. I became interested in horror movies about it, like The Fourth Kind, the one with Milla Jovovich. And from that day on, every day, at a certain time, I think it was around 2 a.m., I would hear this huge engine sound, like it had a lot of power, right above my room. I’d hear the sound of an engine, and I didn’t dare to look, but when I did, I couldn’t see anything. However, every day at that same time, I’d hear that engine above, on the roof of my grandparents' house.

Do you believe in UFOs? Would you go to Montserrat to see if you saw a UFO?

I was in Tepoztlán, which is in Mexico. It's a magical town very related to UFO sightings and all that.

What was it like shooting Midnight Family in Mexico?

Really good, except that I caught three bacteria that destroyed my life for four months.

Maybe they were alien bacteria.

I thought maybe they had cast an evil eye on me (laughs). But seriously, working in Mexico and doing Midnight Family was cool, it was intense. What was happening outside of the shoot really blended with what was happening inside. So, when everything was going well, everything was awesome, but when it wasn’t, it became more difficult. But well, now, looking back, I have very good memories of it because I met people with a lot of talent in Mexico. I had the opportunity to be with them, work with them, see how they work, and honestly, they do it in a way that's quite similar to mine, or to what I had seen around me. An example: Mexico is a city that works a lot in chaos. There’s very little order, really. It’s very frantic, things are constantly happening, but without a clear order directing them. It’s as if everything is left to free will, and in the end, it will probably work out. So, they trust that it will work out and that the chaos is viable. It’s a city that works a bit like that, and I think that also influences how actors and actresses work, at least the ones I had by my side in this project. I always make sure to specify that it was a concrete experience, from one project, because it was probably more of a particular experience than a general one of how their modus operandi is.

Has this experience helped you to be more spontaneous?

I think you have to keep a spontaneous part, because otherwise, you become a Swiss clock, and I think that’s the antithesis of good work. Because in chaos, you always find brilliance or unforeseen things, and that’s where the gem of an interpretation is, when you’re not controlling everything, when there’s a moment of improvisation. But for me, I think I need to have control first, in order to break it from there. I’m speaking from little experience, but if I had to create a sketch of an acting method, it would be something like control, an analysis of the character and the text and then forgetting all about it. In other words, doing all that work beforehand and then forgetting it, so I’m not rusty or focused on any of it when the action happens, and I’m facing the moment. I would like to find a method similar to that.

team credits

seen RAÚL RUZ
styled JAVO GONZÁLEZ
production (off-set) JUAN MARTÍ
make up + hair AMPARO SÁNCHEZ
art direction URI SERRA
production assistant AVA