For Azul Guaita going from the Netflix remake of Rebelde to HBO’s adaptation of Laura Esquivel’s novel Como agua para chocolate was a very interesting experience. The actress spoke to Remezcla in Spanish about her role as Tita, the transition from Jana Gandía Cohen to this new character, and whether her time as Tita made her a better cook.
“It’s interesting because each project is different, no matter the magnitude, no matter the character, that’s what’s magical about being able to embody these characters that are so different and so powerful at the same time,” Guaita shared, adding that moving from one to the other felt natural.
“Tita is a very powerful woman, very strong, full of magic and she can share that magic with other people, which is what’s interesting,” she told us about Tita de la Garza, the main character in Como agua para chocolate, a young woman who somehow manages to pour her feelings into the food she cooks and make it so others can feel the same thing she’s feeling.
“As a person, Tita is a very empathetic woman and despite all the adversities and all the problems she faces… yes, she suffers, she has a bad time. But she doesn’t let herself be overwhelmed by those problems, by those feelings,” the actress told us. “And that’s something very beautiful about Tita, that she does feel things, she does feel sadness, anger, happiness. But she doesn’t stay stuck in these negative feelings, but she feels them, she passes them on to the things she does and she moves forward and she always looks for a way for everyone to be okay.”
The HBO show, which is entirely in Spanish, felt to Guaita like the perfect way to tell a story that is very tied to Latin America. “It’s very important and it is wonderful that we are doing it in Spanish because we are telling a Mexican story, a story from Latin America. So, how are we going to tell a story in another language than ours?”
For Guaita there was also a particular pride in telling this specific story and showcasing Mexico through its cuisine. “It is wonderful to be able to tell all those stories and show the world that this is international. And to showcase the food, because people sometimes think Mexico is only tacos. And no, there are many more dishes, impressive dishes, featured in the book. Each chapter is a recipe.”
One that Guaita had to learn. “I had to learn how to do it well, do the chopping techniques, and how to move in the kitchen. I mean, all of those are techniques that you sometimes think don’t matter, but it does matter.”
And during filming, Guaita shared that they actually made all the dishes from the book. She even has a favorite, the cream torrejas. “Showing this to the rest of the world is something that excites me a lot, being able to share this part of Mexican culture that is so delicious, so rich, so full of flavors, colors, aromas.”
Like Water for Chocolate is available on HBO with new episodes airing every Sunday.
