Miguel Dávalos, a native of the province of Barranca in the district of Pativilca, Lima, undertook a journey that took him to the south of the continent. He moved to Chile, where his mother resides, and for some years he worked in the hotel sector, where he acquired valuable experiences in tourism, gastronomy and organization of state events. This period was fundamental for his professional development. In 2013, Dávalos returned to Peru and, the following year, in February 2014, he obtained an outstanding second place in his admission to the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, which is why he decided to settle in Lima, where he has lived since then. .
Along these lines, the renowned actor, who plays the character of André in the film 'Chabuca', shared deep reflections on the complex process involved in his performance. With a career spanning almost two decades, Dávalos highlighted the importance of accumulated experience, both in theater and television, to understand and execute the nuances of the character. “It is a job that requires a lot of attention, a lot of alertness and concentration”, he explained, emphasizing that his acting training has been crucial to understanding the dramatic arcs and turns of the script. To discover more details about this actor's career, don't miss the following article from La República.
BEFORE THE PREMIERE OF THE MOVIE 'CHABUCA'
—Tell us about your experience playing your character in 'Chabuca', who some compare to Alex Brocca.
—My character is called André. I base myself purely on the script to be able to approach my work, which constitutes my first pillar in this discovery process. It's almost 30 years of life, so it is impossible to portray reality as it is. It is a fiction. This allows us to open a range of possibilities and fictionalize based on real events, but not on the rupture, because it is not a documentary, it is fiction.
—How do you master the scenes from reality to fiction when going on camera?
—It is knowing how to equalize all these interpretive levels. All those communication channels, as I tell you, both emotionally, both at the level of words and both at the level of physical action to be able to mesh everything: that the result is favorable, that it can vibrate with the public, that it can empathize with the public, that can touch the heart of the viewer; So I base my work on that. They are hours of training, they are hours of reading; There are many hours of watching good movies, of seeing references too. So there are many 'layers' of communication throughout a film, a scene, and a performance.
Miguel Dávalos with Sergio Armasgo, actors from the film 'Chabuca'. Photo: Miguel Dávalos's Instagram
—What challenges did you face when playing the character (André)?
—There is a very strong and important scene: a sequence shot where I reveal the illness to Ernesto. It is a single camera shot that follows us and marks a very hard moment for both characters. We repeated this scene perhaps more than 10 times, even up to 15, and they all had to be at the same level. If there were failures or repetitions, it was due to technical issues or because we were not all synchronized; Maybe the camera wasn't capturing the reflection in the mirror well. In those cases, we had to repeat the scene. The entire team, actors, technicians and lighting technicians, had to be in perfect harmony. When one goes off beat, as an actor, I must be at the service of the scene. If I adopt a negative attitude, it is detrimental to the film. The best I can do is focus, stay calm and collected, and listen to my teammates and the team to know when to act, when to close a tear, when another character comes in, or when I should return. It's all a surgeon's job, so to speak, very thorough and detailed.
—Before playing the character, did you research him?
—I approach my work in the same way as the other projects I have carried out and continue to carry out with a lot of discipline, commitment and responsibility, as I say, with a lot of respect as well. This character, I believe, lives in a quite violent and harmful context. By researching the context, asking and questioning many things, and having as references numerous testimonies from people who lived at that time, I can do what I do in the film, which, fortunately, has also had a good reception. It is a joint effort: although I show my face and am physically in front of the camera, giving voice, life and truth to the character, it is a joint effort.
Miguel Dávalos, recognized for being part of cinema, television and theater. Photo: Miguel Dávalos's Instagram
—What do you think about all this controversy about people relating the real life of Ernesto Pimentel with the character you have played?
—Well, filmmaking is part of this process. We do it to get people out of their comfort zone, similar to theater. Those people who perhaps did not know or were not interested in the subject have been able to investigate and leave their comfortable zone to understand and question more, and that is precisely the purpose of cinema: to move people, the masses, society. What is happening seems great to me and I am very grateful because the film has had a significant impact, neither good nor bad, simply the impact it is generating. Far from the controversial or sensational themes that could be attributed to it, I think it is a well-made film that leaves viewers satisfied, regardless of the particular interest that brings them to the cinema. Beyond any controversy, the film is also positioning the Peruvian film industry in a prominent place. When you see it, you realize that we have nothing to envy foreign productions.
—Many revelations have emerged in all media, including TikTok, especially about that well-known book that, among other things, recounts somewhat private aspects. Have you had the opportunity to read that book?
—They have sent it to me, but I haven't read it yet; however, she would read it. What happens on TikTok and other social networks seems wonderful to me because it is part of the digital revolution that we are going through. This generation has information at their fingertips, allowing them to express opinions on topics that previously might have seemed distant. Before, information came mainly from television, but now we not only receive information from multiple sources, but we can also express our opinions about it. This seems like a great goal to me and it is part of the digital revolution, as well as the modern times we are living in. As for couple stories, there are always different ways to tell them. In this case, the movie tells from Ernesto's point of view, while the b
ook, as you mentioned, tells from the other person's point of view. So who has the truth? The absolute truth is only known to the two who lived at that time. Everything else is based on interpretations.
ACTING EXPERIENCE
—How long have you been working as an actor?
—Indeed, I have been working with Michelle, Del Barrio Producciones, since 2017. In 2018, I wrote my first novel as a fixed character. From that moment on, fortunately, every year I have been working with her; This is already my fifth or sixth production. Yes, I think it is the sixth production in which I have participated and I am very happy, in truth, with the reception of the public and with the team itself: with the entire team of technicians and the production team we have managed to bring the work together to a successful conclusion. .
—What initially attracted you to become an actor?
—I have been dedicated to the plastic arts since I was a child. I have been practicing Peruvian folk dances since I was between 3 and 4 years old, and I have participated in theater since I was 10 years old at school, in the parish and in various places during my school years, in festivals throughout the country. I have been to Cerro de Pasco, Huaraz and Chancay participating in the School Theater Festival. Already in my adolescence I decided to dedicate myself completely to this as a profession.
—Is there any actor or actress that you particularly admire and What has influenced your work?
—My main teachers are Alberto Isola and Alejandra Guerra. They are always present because they taught me at the Catholic University, where I entered acting in 2014. Alejandra was my first acting teacher and I also had the opportunity to work with Alberto, being his student for two years at the university; We also did a professional assembly. Both are references for my career and have been important to develop my craft with discipline.
—What was the most complicated process you faced and that you couldn't solve immediately during your acting preparation?
—All processes have different journeys, both hours in theater and in recordings. Perhaps the most complicated thing is to balance rehearsal schedules, because sometimes these schedules determine whether or not you can be in projects, also due to schedule overlaps. This can have endless consequences, both detrimental and conducive to projects coming to fruition. However, I think the biggest challenge for us actors is coordinating rehearsal and recording schedules to stay organized. It is the great job, since we all want to be part of many stories and tell all the stories of the world. In truth, by fate, luck or time, each story opens doors for you. As long as the flow is calm and free, things can be done better.
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