Kelsey Grammer (Saint Thomas, United States, 68 years old) was 29 years old when he first played Frasier Crane. He was one of the comedy's supporting star cheers. He then became the protagonist of another series that would end up being even more popular and award-winning than its predecessor. In fact, it remains the comedy with the most Emmy awards in history. This Tuesday, Grammer, a confessed Republican Party voter, firm defender of Donald Trump and devout Christian, visited Madrid to do a round of interviews for the return of the series, available on SkyShowtime. He opens the day with EL PAÍS and will end it in The anthill. With his deep voice, he concisely answers questions in a slow, friendly and smiling manner.
Ask. How is the Frasier of today different from that of 20, 30 or 40 years ago?
Answer. Obviously, he's older, he feels more comfortable with himself. He's not so afraid about what his life means. He laughs at himself some more. He has matured. He hasn't quite done it, but he is a kinder Frasier.
Q. He has played this role since 1984, in cheers. What is it like to have been with a character for so long?
R. It's like living a life, it's up to you how you do it. Life constantly surprises and interests me. I've been asked this before: don't you get tired of playing the same character? Only if you get tired of life.
Q. After 19 years, how was your reunion with the character?
R. It was interesting to come back to it. It was like putting on an old set of clothes that I had forgotten I had and that now fit a little differently. He is a little different. But he remains just as enthusiastic about living each day. That's something I've always found remarkable about him. He has suffered many things in his life and has gone through many hardships, but he is able to wake up the next morning and be ready for battle again.
Q. When an actor is so linked to a character, the audience can come to think that one and the other look alike. In what ways are you and Frasier different?
R. Frasier is part of my imagination, you could say I created him, but he is not really who I am. I don't live the same way, I'm much less delicate, I live in a more casual way. I spend less time worrying about myself, he's a little obsessed with himself. But he wants to make the world a better place, and so do I, in that we are similar.
Q. The new one Frasier follow the format of the sitcom traditional, with a live audience, laughter… Is it a type of series that fits with today's audience?
R. Yes I believe it. Is it common in today's culture? Not anymore, but the biggest series we watched for decades were sitcoms multi-camera. From cheers until The Bill Cosby Hour, Roseannedozens of series, Friends, Will & Grace…And they are the ones that lasted. Even further back, The Dick Van Dicke Show In reality it was recorded with a single camera but it was presented in this same way, as a sitcom. And they are the series that we all remember.
Q. I asked you before about the changes in Frasier Crane over the years, but how have you changed as an actor over the years?
R. It's interesting. John Gielgud [legendario actor y director de teatro británico] He said it takes 17 years to become an actor. When I started playing Frasier in cheers I had been there for five or six years. I think he was somewhat right. There is something that gives you the life experience that fills the characters. If you don't have it in your own life, your character won't have it, so a young character is a little less interesting, honestly. That's how life works. I have more life experience and I think that filters a little more into the characters. I also have a great sense of humor and I lent it to Frasier.
As the world gets crazier, humor gains importance. If you can't laugh, you're screwed
Q. Is it more complicated to do comedy and humor today than it was 20 or 30 years ago?
R. I think it's harder to get people to stop playing the victim. Victimizing yourself is very popular now. Everyone has a reason to say, “oh, I suffer from this,” or “I suffered from that,” or “look at me, look at me as I am.” Ok, look, we are people, we all suffer, we have all been victims at some point. We have all been through some situation where we were not treated well. What is different now than maybe 30 years ago? People had a better sense of humor about themselves. Today we all take ourselves so seriously that almost anything that comes out of someone's mouth can offend another person. We need to relax a little.
Q. You have always been very clear about your political opinions. Have you had any problems in Hollywood because of it?
R. No, I have never felt that and it doesn't worry me too much, honestly. I am a conservative, and to me, what it means to be conservative is that the individual is the greatest treasure. And that's what I strive for, to make sure that every person in the world is as important as the next.
Q. In a world like today, with so many wars and so many problems, what function does comedy have?
R. As the world gets crazier, humor gains importance. If you can't laugh, you're screwed.
I am a conservative, and to me, what it means to be conservative is that the individual is the greatest treasure
Q. And what role does an actor have in today's world?
R. Deep down it's always about changing the world, right? Once we find our purpose, we always believe that we can do better because we want to save the world, or at least our portion of the world, and make it a better place. Whether you are a warrior, a poet, an actor or a writer, we do everything we can to make our corner of the world a better place.
Q. And how does an actor achieve that?
R. An actor, as Shakespeare said, holds a mirror up to life. And he helps others navigate life, look at it, gives them a perspective that maybe they didn't have or makes them see that we are one and that we are connected and that the human experience is universal.
Q. We have also seen him doing drama, on television for example, I remember boss, a totally different character. Where are you most comfortable, in comedy or drama?
R. The one of boss He's my favorite character, really, Tom Kane, he was wonderful. It was great to play him because he was so bad and so tough, even funny at times, because he had no limits. Tom Kane would do anything, he would kill anyone.
Q. It's more fun to play a villain, an antihero.
R. Yes, we actors love playing bad guys. They have no moral compass. There are no limits to your imagination when you play a bad guy.
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