Backstage 5 With...
Demián Bichir By Allie Volpe
A member of Mexico’s famed Bichir family—both of his parents and his two brothers are actors—Demián Bichir grew up in the theater. He has conquered both screen and stage in Mexico, winning an Ariel Award for best actor in 1995 for his performance in “Hasta Morir.” Bichir found acclaim stateside with 2011’s “A Better Life,” which earned him an Oscar nomination, and on FX’s “The Bridge.” He now stars alongside Robin Wright in her feature directorial debut, “Land,” playing a rugged outdoorsman.
What advice would you give your younger self? I [used to] take [acting] extremely seriously, to the point that I was suffering every time I was creating a new role, every time I would step into a new character, a new play. You have to enjoy the ride [and] enjoy the process.
Don Winslow’s “Savages,” and I created my own stuff, and I did it at home. I sent it over, and he said, “That’s a fucking character!” But that [role] was for Benicio Del Toro.
What is your worst audition horror story? Growing up in the theater in Mexico, all of the projects would come to me. So I moved to New York, and I got an agent. I took three different courses of English and speech training. I remember the first time I sat in front of this new entity that I had never seen before in my life, a casting director, and I was a wreck. I began reading, and after the first line, she stopped me right away and said, “No, please don’t do that accent.” I froze, because I thought, What accent? This is the way I talk. So I go again, and she stops me again and looks at me with wide eyes and goes, “Let me stop you right there. That’s all I need from you.” That was my first audition.
How did you get your SAG membership? Thirty years ago, I did a commercial for Pac Bell. That’s all that I remember.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve ever done to get a role? I put myself on tape for “Savages” because I wanted to play a different role than Oliver Stone wanted me to play, than the role that I ended up playing, Alex. He said, “No. You’re too handsome to be bad.” And I’m like, “I don’t agree with you. I think I can be very bad.” I said, “Can I send you a scene?” He said, “I don’t have a script yet, but yeah.” I knew the novel,
“If I can’t make it because I have some talents, I will make it because I’m stubborn.”
BACKSTAGE 03.11.21
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ILLUSTRATION: NATHAN ARIZONA/PHOTO: DFREE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
You come from a family of actors, but growing up, you wanted to play soccer. When was the moment that you decided you wanted to be an actor? I grew up doing professional theater, ever since I was a kid. At the same time, I was trying to become a professional footballer. I invited [my coach] to an opening night of a play that I was doing. The next time we were training, he called me up and said, “It was beautiful to witness that. And I wanted to ask if you know who [famed Brazilian footballer] Pelé is?” Of course! Everybody knows Pelé. “I just wanted to tell you Pelé didn’t have any other choice in his life. And you’re a great actor.” It was a very kind and subtle way to tell me I was not talented enough to play football. [From] that point on, I embraced what I was doing in the theater way more.
