Jaime Camil is one of those actors who has dominated the “crossover” with his ability to work in both Spanish and English, in Mexico and in Hollywood. “Kimi”, a thriller by Steven Soderbergh starring Zoë Kravitz in which Camil is the villain, opens today in theaters and HBO Max . But to talk about this film that deals with the dangers and privacy intrusion of the gadgets that surround us, the actor and singer attends us from Mexico City, where is finishing his filming the biographical series on Vicente Fernández, a Caracol project that Chente himself authorized before he died last year.
“It is the story that he wanted to tell, it has his authorization, and it is a privilege, since the level of maquila of a company like Caracol is impressive. We are already in the final stretch, we are about to finish”, Camil tells us via Zoom, sporting the striking mustache that he grew to play Charro de Huentitán.
Ask: For you as a Mexican, what does it mean to represent Chente and even more when he has just passed away?
Jaime Camil : Unfortunately yes, but Caracol had been working directly with him for more than a year. They have put a lot of heart and at the same time a great biographical search, as well as a lot of respect for this project. It is a great honor, as well as a great responsibility. I just have to give my best effort and let my boards and my experience as an actor allow me to do a decent job that people like. And it is that as you know it is complicated, because there are comedians who are always doing the parody. It is very difficult to find a balance where by emulating his gestures, or his gestures or his way of being, you are not going to go to that place that you do not want to reach as an actor. You have to keep it real, not a caricature like most of those who imitate it. But I’m having a great time and proud of everything we’re doing.
Q.: You are a singer, but one thing is to sing and another is to voice Vicente Fernández…
JC: I can tell you that on more than three occasions I got dizzy during the recordings and almost fell when I was in the studio trying to give these Vicente tones and this power that has. I say “has” because I like to talk about the people who left in the present tense, that’s why this power that he had with his voice was difficult to do, if I felt very tired and with a headache, but we managed it.
Q.: What was it like being the villain in “Kimi”?
JC: It was amazing because Steven Soderbergh is a very generous director with his actors, he’s very nice. He understands very well this creative process that an actor and director entails on set, how the creation of the characters takes place. And at the same time he has it very clear, he has an exceptional talent, he knows exactly what he wants and how he wants it. His vision is forceful, so being under the command of a guy like him is very easy, it’s a gift as an actor. On the other hand, there is Zoe, who is charming, professional, disciplined, she is also very respectful and a very good companion, very generous, in addition to a great friend named Jacob Vargas. The truth is, it is no longer fashionable to arrive on set and be complicated. That’s from the 80s; whoever does it is as if he was stuck two decades ago. It was very generous and nice to create this film. And it does happen in real life that virtual assistants are listening all the time. If not, realize when you are looking for something and start advertising about it some time later.
Q.: Do you use any of these Alexa-type assistants?
JC: I’m not going to be living like this not saying anything because my phone will listen to me. Things are as they are and no way. It is very incredible what they are doing, but in my case I prefer to write, since I think that virtual assistants are still very stupid. It’s like they still don’t understand very well what you ask of them. That’s why I prefer to continue writing my searches.
Keep reading:
· Jaime Camil reveals that in each scene of the Vicente Fernández bioseries he thinks of the Fernández family with admiration and pride