Demián Bichir is a familiar name for our communities. The actor, who got his big break in telenovelas, has seamlessly transitioned into the kind of Hollywood career not many get to have. His latest project, the Showtime series Let The Right One In, an adaptation of the 2008 film, is Bichir’s latest opportunity to prove that he is a name we should always be paying attention to. Remezcla had a chance to talk to the actor about the project, about how he chooses his roles, and about the next generation that is set to take over.
When asked to describe it, Bichir referred to the show as fantasy horror, but above all a story about the “love of a father for his daughter and what we can do for our families and for our children,” adding that it’s a story about “people who are outsiders, people who are underdogs, people who are different,” something that feels very timely, despite the fact that it might not present in the usual way.
The show, which was written with Bichir’s character as Mexican, isn’t telling an overtly political story, but for Bichir, the reality of existing in a country where, who you are is seen as political, isn’t something he can fully escape. Indeed, the actor shared that he is always very conscious when it comes to the roles he picks as a Mexican man, because sometimes “in order to get these types of opportunities, you have to say no” to others that might be relying too heavily on stereotypes and who would end up diminishing our culture.
For Bichir, that doesn’t mean running away from what our communities are, even sharing that one of the most beautiful characters he’s ever played is actually a Mexican gardener who works in Los Angeles, because that’s “also who we are.” It just can’t be all we are, and for the stories to make sense, they need the right lens – and the right writers.
The stereotypes are still prevalent, but in the last few months, we’ve seen the release of Andor, Werewolf By Night, and even Blonde, which Bichir called “the biggest breakthrough in fighting stereotypes,” thanks to Ana de Armas’ turn as Marylin Monroe herself. But Bichir was clear that there needs to be a push, not just for more roles like these ones, but for those roles to be given to actors of our communities.
And though, for him, there might not be a superhero in the future, there is a next-generation coming, in the form of his daughter, Gala, who we recently saw in Apple TV+’s Now and Then. Bichir confessed to a great amount of pride every time he gets to experience his daughter’s acting, calling her a “phenomenal actor” and adding that “she is so small and she can do things that I can’t do now [even] after so many years of experience.”
For Bichir as a parent, there might have been a desire to keep her close, to not let her spread her wings, but as someone who was a child actor, Bichir is clear that he is no position to tell his daughter not to do what she loves, adding that “we just have to give our children as many tools as possible so they can develop their talents and become who they want to be.”
Who Gala Bichir will become is yet to be determined. Who Demián Bichir is, on the other hand, is much clearer. He’s the kind of actor who has paved the way for many more – and done so by knowing that the communities he represents deserve love, respect, and stories that showcase all we are.
Let the Right One In, starring Demián Bichir, is now airing on Showtime.
