interview by MAREK BARTEK

Javier Morgade will be next seen soon in ‘Culpa Nuestra’, the final film of the ‘Culpables’ trilogy. His recent credits include the Netflix series ‘El Jardinero’, Médem’s film ‘8’, and the upcoming series ‘Aquel’, where he plays Raphael in the dramatisation of the iconic singer’s life. His previous credits include ‘Alguien Tiene Que Morir’, ‘Alma’ ‘Disco, Ibiza, Locomía’, and ‘Culpa Tuya’, the latter becoming Prime Video’s most-watched non-English language title.

You’ve trained across both stage and screen from Asturias to Madrid. Looking back, what was the moment in your early training when you first felt a real emotional connection to acting, not just as a craft, but as a calling?

I think it was when we were filming ‘Alma’ for Netflix. The series is a mixture of psychological thriller and fantasy, and was filmed in my homeland. My character was a boy who was finding out who he was while trying to escape from a prophecy, and I think it was the first time that I could play and explore a character in a deep way. I really enjoyed it.

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You’ve moved between theatre, film, and television throughout your career. What does each medium bring you as an actor, and is there one space where you feel most seen or challenged?

Theatre made me feel more anxious than TV or film. Maybe because you have just one chance to connect with the audience. You have to be very present and alive. At first, I preferred that over working in front of the camera. But nowadays, I feel more comfortable in TV and film, where you have more tools to make “magic” happen and if you fail on one take, you can take another. Also, your work reaches more people and that’s one of the most beautiful things of this job, when people can get emotional with you, or laugh with you, or think and evolve with you.

When you step into a new role, where do you usually start? As an actor, how do you prepare for emotionally complex or ambiguous roles? Is there a specific process or mindset you return to when building a character from the inside out?

First of all, I read the script a few times and then I imagine the character with a different face than mine, as if another actor would do it, how he moves, talks, thinks. Once I have this, I try to see what differences exist between the character’s personality and mine, the things of myself that can be used and the things that must be shut down. There’s no specific process, but this is an exercise I usually do in the very beginning.

You’ve appeared in some of Spain’s most talked-about series, from ‘Alma’ to ‘El Jardinero’. How do you choose your television projects — and what, in your view, makes a role compelling in this golden era of streaming?

I could make up some cool speech about how I choose, but the reality is that you can’t always choose. In the last few years, I’ve been able to say no to some projects, but that’s a part of trying to build the career you want, not choosing. I try to give my best in every audition, whether I like the project or not. If they finally offer me the role, I’ll see if that’s a project that motivates me, or allows me to do meaningful work. That would be the best scenario. But sometimes you just need to work, and you do your best on projects that maybe didn’t resonate with you at first.

As you say, in this golden era of streaming, where we have new series and films almost every week, I think the key is playing the roles you really feel connected to. Sometimes you read a script and it all makes sense in your head. You feel that you could contribute with so many things that are inside you. And sometimes you don’t feel that way. When you feel that you can contribute to it, it’s when it becomes compelling.

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In ‘Desaparecidos’ and ‘Seis Hermanas’, you were part of ensemble-driven narratives. What do you enjoy most about working within large casts, and how do you maintain individuality within a collective story?

It’s very beautiful when you see many actors bringing their roles to life. You can learn something from everyone. How each character talks, the language they use, their motivations, goals and fears. I think the individuality appears without effort when every actor knows deeply who they’re playing. As in life, if you’re authentically you, you don’t have to make an effort in being different.

Your recent performance in ‘Disco, Ibiza, Locomía’ has introduced you to a wider audience. What drew you to that project, and how did it feel to recreate such an iconic and flamboyant part of Spanish pop history?

Kike Maíllo, the director of ‘Disco, Ibiza, Locomía’, was also the director of some episodes of ‘Alma’. We met there and two years later, he thought about me for this film. I really appreciated that. The roles were very different and so was the genre, and it got me to work with great Spanish actors and actresses.

Recreating the story of this boyband was very funny, the dance rehearsals, the outfits. In the late 80s and early 90s of Spanish society, these guys were very unconscious of what they were doing and bringing to the table. Although they “died of success”, they made history and were iconic.

The Culpa trilogy has been a massive hit globally, especially with Culpa Tuya becoming the most-watched non-English film on Prime Video. What was it like joining such a high-profile franchise midstream, and how did you make the role your own?

Joining these films was a big opportunity to be seen by the teenage audience. They absolutely love the saga, no matter what country they’re from. And about making the role my own, I think many times on this kind of films, you can see from the beginning who’s going to be the good guy and the bad guy. The heroes and the villains. Although Michael was a supporting role, and those who read the books know he’s the villain, I could make him look like a good guy until the last minutes of ‘Culpa Tuya’ where he turned Noah’s phone off. I wanted to make him look like a nice, innocent guy before the audience knew he is a threat to Noah’s and Nick’s relationship. In ‘Culpa Nuestra’, people will see his true self.

You’ve now worked with directors like Kike Maíllo and Julio Médem. What have those collaborations taught you, and how do you adapt your performance style to match different directors’ visions?

Every director has his own world. Each person is different and when we are doing creative and artistic jobs, it’s important to listen in order to get into those worlds. Talking about these two,

they’re both great directors. With Kike, I really enjoy the freedom he gives to actors. We make our thing and then he sets the cameras. He enjoys it when we improvise, suggests text changes or comes up with some ideas. And Julio is a whole another world himself. He’s very poetic and loves the actor’s job. When you ask him something, he starts explaining the meanings of what he wants, and answers your question and other 5 you didn’t make yet. He has a very unique vision.

In the short film ‘Lo De Aquella Noche’, you explored intimacy in a highly concentrated format. What do short films offer you artistically that longer formats don’t?

The concretion. A few minutes to send a message and provoke something in the audience. People should be able to see what you want to tell them clearly, yet beautifully. A good short film has the ability of making people think, or realize, or feel, or understand something in a very short period of time.

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You’ve also returned to the stage with 'Silencio'. What’s the most significant thing theatre gives you as an actor, and how does live performance continue to sharpen your craft?

Actually, ‘Silencio’ is a play we made 10 years ago. It’s been a long time since the last time I had the chance to get on the stage. But the thing I like the most about theatre is having the audience just in front of you, when an atmosphere is created and feels like magic. When what’s happening on the stage is the only reality that matters at that time. No phones, no noise, no ‘reality outside’.

With projects on Netflix, Prime Video, and in cinema, you’re now moving between national and global platforms. How are you navigating the increasing international attention, and what kind of roles or stories are you eager to explore next?

To be honest, the only thing I’ve noticed is that more people contact me to tell me their impressions on the projects I made. They are usually nice comments, so I feel grateful. In the last year, I also got to receive some hate from the ‘Culpa Tuya’ audience because I play the guy who wants to break Nick and Noah’s relationship, but I find it very funny. The real thing that affects and interests me about all this is that I’m having chances to work, learn, get to more people and become a better actor with all these experiences.

I would love to explore comedy again. I loved that about ‘Disco, Ibiza, Locomía’, but I think expectations in general aren’t a good friend. I’m trying to enjoy the uncertainty of this profession and be open to whatever comes next.

You’ve recently joined 'Aquel', where you’ll play Raphael in a biographical Netflix series. Stepping into the life of such an iconic figure comes with weight, how are you preparing for the role, and what aspects of Raphael’s journey resonate with you personally?

You see? This is what I meant with my last answer. I would’ve never said “I would love to play Raphael on a series”, yet here I am, and loving it. I can’t tell you more than what’s been already told. I’m really enjoying it. He is iconic, he made history, he changed the music industry of Spain, he dared to be authentic and different in a time when that could have been a risk in Spain.

As you said, it comes with weight. I feel it like kind of responsibility. I want to honour him and his journey. It’s a lot of work, but we are making a very beautiful series. Directors and producers are happy, he and his family are happy, therefore I am very happy. We are a full team working hard in order to be proud of this project, and to make him proud of letting us tell his story. It’s the most challenging and special role I had the chance to play until this day, and I’m really enjoying it.

TEAM CREDITS:

talent JAVIER MORGADE
photography NOAH PHARRELL
styling MASU @MMASSSUUU
hair and makeup ALMUDENA GARBEL at Ten Agency
editor TIMI LETONJA
interview MAREK BARTEK

IN CONVERSATION WITH JAVIER MORGADE

IN CONVERSATION WITH JULIO PEÑA FERNÁNDEZ