Today I feel very lucky... Do you know why? Well because it's one of those days when I have the opportunity to talk to you about someone incredible.
Let me introduce you to Ndugu (Málaga, 2009)! As you may have guessed, he is our guest today and a veteran through and through. Not only in terms of age... He is a veteran in his family, he is a veteran on TV and he is a veteran in starring in weddings, and not precisely because he got married... He has witnessed all the important moments of his human brother Canco Rodríguez (Málaga, 1977) to whom he will always be grateful for "giving" him some Dolce
What can I tell you about Canco? Well, a lot of things... For example, if I tell you... Víctor Antolín Marín... Does something come to mind?... No, right? Well, that was the name of a main character in the series Aída... What? Not yet?... Okay, I admit that I haven't made it easy... Now I'm sure I have... He was known by his nickname, "El Barajas"! The truth is that, when you say that name, immediately, that smiling face, of a good person and always full of good will, comes to mind. That is one of the roles that Ndugu's brother, as he calls himself, has played, but, like the great actor that he is, he has also done theater, television and films such as Hotel Bitcoin, Sevillanas de Brooklyn or Operación Camarón, among others. others. Now that we have an idea of who's who, let's get to know them!
But remember... Here, the "protagonist" is Ndugu.
Brother, Canco…
How are you?
Very good, Ndugu is lying there resting because he is coming off a good kick, and I am perfectly ready to start the day.
Soon, in fact. They will pick you up in 50 minutes to go filming…
Yes, yes, and the whole day ahead.
Hey Canco… Beyond what is known about Ndugu and you… Who are you?
Well look... What a difficult question, right? It seems simple, but it is very difficult. Well, we are, as you said, brothers. Brothers and, furthermore, since I have been with him since he was born, my feeling is that, in addition, we are confidants. In fact, I've been doing a duet with him since before I was with my partner. So, of course, for me, Ndugu is like the friend or brother with whom you went to Madrid to share a student apartment. To this day, he is still that companion with whom we keep hundreds of secrets in our eyes.
Canco looks away at Ndugu. It is impressive to see that what he says with words translates into a feeling, the most intense, when he looks at his canine brother. He sees the two of them and it is inevitable to see the degree of complicity they have. It's normal, as we said, they are brothers.
Canco… Speaking of moments… Have you ever “saved” you?
Well, there are many, of course. He has lived wonderful moments with me because, luckily, life has given me very beautiful moments, both professional and personal. In all of them, Ndugu has been by my side, even in the hardest and most difficult, which is where it is most noticeable who is by your side and who is not. There have been times when I have cried with great sadness for any reason, and he has been by my side telling me: "Calm down, everything passes and here I am."
His way of speaking, of being and of expressing those moments of his life inevitably brings to mind others that I have experienced, personally, in mine. I tell him, openly and directly... "Canco, sorry for telling you, but these things excite me..."
No, no, I love it! I also love that you are like that because, come on, it will be easy to become vulnerable with you.
You have been together for 15 years, which is said quickly... How are you alike? Because surely you both have something from each other...
Well yes, in fact, it is said that dogs look like their "masters", but I don't like the word. Seems a bit sadomasochistic, doesn't it? Yes, it's more erotic than real, you know? We are brothers and, of course, we look alike. We have been blending in because this is what the relationship of friendship, couple and brotherhood consists of. Through admiration for each other, which I hope he admires for me even though it is a disaster at times, we have been taking things from both of us to be able to live well together. I think one aspect in which we are very similar is curiosity. We are very curious. Since "curiosity killed the cat" and neither of us are cats, we can browse safely.
He has been with you since he was born in your uncle's house, in Malaga, and I understand that you supported him by suckling from his mother until she weaned him...
Exactly, yes. When the litter was born, I went to choose one of the puppies. One was very pretty brown, others were shiny black and this one was like half black, soggy, that didn't shine very much, it had a little brown thing there... It was like the most pastiche of all and I said "well, like this one doesn't." No one is going to want him because the brothers are super cute, come on, I'll take him.” Furthermore, this way, he would be the first to be chosen from the entire litter. What happened is that, as they were taking them, as it was at my uncle's house in the countryside, I preferred to leave him with her mother until she weaned him. I hope he came out well fed because he fit in my hand. That's how small he was.
What do you think he sees in you?
Well, look, I've always thought that he sees in me a person that he has to help stoically, you know? Because I share many moments with him, although I admit that less so now because he's older and more relaxed, but I know that I have turned to him a lot when I have been worse. He has also shared the good moments with me, but maybe not so much because, sometimes, you spend them outside at celebrations or parties. On the other hand, in the worst moments you stay home. They are those in which you don't go out, your self-esteem is low and you don't want to see anyone. Those are the moments in which I have taken refuge in him the most. That's why I say that he will think... "My God, he touched my pain!"
(laughs)
We laugh at the way he says it, but behind that sincere and humble laugh, hides the greatest gratitude towards his Ndugu.
It's very good because the image that I always offer, both publicly and at the family level, is one of great joy and happiness. I always try to be positive, even in the most unpleasant situations I look for the good side, because I think that there is no point in falling into complaints... Of course, he is the only one who knows the vulnerable part of me. Nobody else knows her. He's like the great therapist partner. In fact, when you go to therapy, what the psychologist generally wants is for you to talk, to ask questions, for them to lead you to possible answers... But the important thing is the questions you ask yourself because, from there, you find the way to the answers. Of course, he is perfect because what he does is make me talk to him while, through his gaze and his movement, he gets me to end up finding the right questions to search for those answers. So...he is a psychologist. Total.
In the end, we all know that these animals are balls of love. I think that the disconnection of man from animals has caused many problems that are still not recognized, but notice that many people who have problems or difficulties in their lives are recommended to go to the countryside and interact with animals.
The thing about names is something that always has its history... Why Ndugu? I know it has to do with movies, although you didn't hit the nail on the head...
Well let's see... It really was a mistake. There is a Spanish film that I think, if I'm not mistaken, is called The Suicide Club, in which the actor Luis Callejo works. His character invents that he has an African child for whom he has to get money, through an NGO that he has set up, when what he is doing, in reality, is scamming people. The boy he talks about is called Engutu. I loved that name. Time passed, I had Ndugu, and I wanted to give him that name. Over time I understood that the child's name was Engutu and I thought "goodbye!... Why did I invent the name?" Then I was looking and saw that Ndugu is also a name. I mean, it really was a confusion, but I didn't invent the word. In fact, while researching, I saw that there is a famous percussionist named Ndugu, so, well, the name stuck.
He has always been a nerve, but with age, which happens to all of us, he goes a little slower... What weighs more at this point? What is most valuable?
What is most valuable with him is the day to day, because the countdown was activated a few years ago, and it is the law of life that they leave before us. That's how it should be and that's how he wants it, for sure. So, of course, right now, it means enjoying it very, very much. In fact, when we went on vacation, we had always left him at home so that he could stay well cared for. In one where he could move like here, at ease, with other people and animals around him. Places where he lives with the person who cares for him. Now we don't do it anymore. We took it on vacation. My girl is a dancer and sometimes it is essential that we leave him, but in general we try to always take him with us. Instead of traveling by train we do it by car, we go to the family's house... We try to separate ourselves from him as little as possible.
Canco... Sometimes, it is the human being who adopts the dog, but your case is different because I have heard you say that he has saved your life and that you are indebted to his breed... To what extent is this Is the phrase literal?
Obvious. We met and until a certain age I raised him, but from then on, it is a relationship that we have between the two of us. Know? Like when I cook for my girl or my girl cooks for me, or when we go out for a walk, you know?... it's already something familiar. In my personal case, Ndugu has led me more than I have to him. He has walked me more than I have taken him because, when we go out for a walk, what he offers me is time for me. It gives me space to go to the countryside, to the Parque del Oeste, to the Retiro or to different green areas of Madrid. He forced me to play with a ball, with a Frisbee, with a rope, with a stick... In other words, he forced me to be more of a child. It has given me the pleasure of walking with him and listening to the music I like for an hour, hour and a half, complete albums.
Eso te lo ha dado Brother...
Absolutely, and every day! It is true that there are times when a rainstorm is falling, it is cold and you say, "sorry, what I want is to stay at home watching a movie"... but I have to go down and it is also a adventure because who goes to the street now with the one who is falling? Because we! Plus, things always happen and you come back with anecdotes. Even in the cloudiest moments of rain, I suddenly connect with nature. I'm getting wet, going outside, feeling cold, then I come back, take a hot shower... I don't know, I see everything beautiful and, after 15 years, it's still pleasant.
I always like to think that still, even though it is buried under the passage of time and years, we all carry that girl or boy inside who, sometimes, needs to come to the surface to dream... What is your most sincere and innocent dream? with Ndugu?
First of all, never die.
Direct response, without thinking about it. It is a dream full of an innocence, almost childlike, that most human beings share to always keep us with those we love.
First that. Because, damn... It's family, of course! Obviously, everyone knows what family is when you have a good relationship and you don't want it to leave. But it is clear that, especially with him, you do have the feeling that he will never leave because I have learned so much from him and from my relationship with the animal world. In fact, my son, since he was born, has lived with an animal at home, which was taller than him, with hair and which now reaches the height of his face. That's why, for me, the most absurd and, of course, plausible childhood dream is that he is always there.
15 years together... A whole life, for many people... I'm going to ask you a complicated question... If you had to keep 5 photos of your life together... What would they be?
The first, when I separated from my previous partner. Practically she was the one who told me “we separated but I want you to have responsibility for this dog” and although they were very hard moments, today, we have a wonderful relationship. He was very little and was my salvation at that moment. Another photo is my day to day life with him. I mean, any day. I think people have always seen me with a dog. Since we were young, walking, when, sometimes, I skateboarded, going to the park, arguing with him on the street... Sitting watching the sunset, well, many things, one of those photos. Another, on my wedding day taking the rings, of course. Another one with my son... There would be infinite ones and the last one would be, look... Ndugu was about to die when he was eight years old. He had a very hard and totally unknown illness. It was so much so that he came to think that he could be patient zero of something.
Of course, when you are patient zero it is dangerous because you don't know if that disease can infect humans and sacrifice is considered... Fortunately, it was seen that it was not contagious to humans, nor to other animals, but it lost all the hair and looked like a little pig. I remember that you caressed him and took his skin as if it were that of a butterfly. Her veterinarian, Candela, I remember she told me one day, “Look Canco, I'm very good. “I am a very good veterinarian and I don't know what to do.” At that moment she asked me... “Do you have money?... Because what we have to do is investigate.” When they give you the treatments, that already costs money. But research is investigating to see what treatments should be given. At that time she was working on the series Aida and had income, so I told her that she did. When faced with something like this, the last thing you think about is whether you are going to go bankrupt or not. Candela explained the case to a professor at the University of Paris and he was very interested. Between the two of them, they found out that what was happening to him were huge allergic reactions. I remember her telling me that they had already found him and he survived. In fact, the professor asked Candela if she could use her photos to bring Ndugu's case to the books. Of course, we gave her all the photos of her so she could use them in whatever. Therefore, in some way, I also think that Ndugu is part of veterinary research. That's why, in my fantasy, I think that Ndugu has come to help his entire race. Another of the photos is also that moment, just as he saved me, I tried to save him.
How have you experienced the arrival of new members to your family/pack? Your partner, your son arrived...
Well, good good! Look, the arrival of my partner was, for him, a joy because, although we had a very cool relationship, honestly, he was not very spoiled. Yes, he had bought her a toy, a little mat for her to sleep on, but when Marta arrived, he had a good mattress.
In a corner I see Ndugu on a comfortable red plaid mattress. Comfortable, I assure you that he is...
This is one of them. He's been through many, of course. But they are such good mattresses that he says “I won't get on your couch because my mattress is better. Okay? “...Marta, who came in, I hope and suppose, in love with me, she also did it with Ndugu. So, of course, when she arrived, she said, “but my goodness, thank goodness this lady has arrived here!” That's why I think she was very happy when Marta arrived. When my son, Iro, arrived, he had a period of jealousy. He went from being the king of the house to being dethroned by another who was, at times, more king than him and who, on top of that, howls, screams... He had to think, “Why is this here?” Like some footballers, every time Iro passed by him, Ndugu would throw himself on the ground as if he had missed him! It was like, but he hasn't touched you! Just like in football. In the end, he must have seen how vulnerable he was and started to move closer. He understood that he was a baby. Then she started taking care of him, which is what she does with all of us.
Let's see, it is a fact that one of the characters you have played and is remembered most fondly is that of "Barajas"... Has he ever accompanied you in front of the cameras?
Yes, in Aida! I made a chapter in which Luisma asks Barajas to look for a black cat. Then I appear... Paco León looked at him and said... “But Barajas, this is a dog!”... and I “No, it's a cat!” He told her... “Look what a cat is like… Sit down, cat!” and, of course, Ndugu sat down. He will also be eternal there, in the chapter of Aida.
Canco... You are super well-known and I'm sure there are still those who say to you on the street "Barajas!"... In fact, there are relatives of mine who are absolute fans of yours but have they ever approached you in Ndugu and upon seeing you they have I'm like, recalculating?
Not on the street, but some fans, very fans of the series, have asked me online if the dog that appeared in that episode was mine. People are very excited to know the ins and outs, of course. That happens to all of us, right? Knowing that that dog, beyond fiction, is the real dog of that actor is nice to know. Knowing what's behind the scenes is cool.
Before I said that Ndugu will always be grateful to you for giving him some Dolce
I had some Dolce shoes
This is a pretty expensive trick but... Let's see... honestly Canco... Tell me a trick that you have done to him, because I'm sure there has been one?
At my wedding he did very well! I'm going to tell you something that happened at my wedding. I invited Rafa and Alex, two friends we made at the dog park, just like what happens when you have children that you start to know their friends' parents. Of course, you go to the park and begin to establish relationships and friendships with those who are always there and are most similar to you. With these, we became very good friends to the point of going out to dinner, partying... In fact, Alex, Rafa and I, we came back before going out to party to take the dogs out!
You imagine the scene and you can't do anything but laugh...
Well, as I was saying, I invited them to the wedding and I said to Alex, “Man, can you do me a favor? Since Ndugu is going to wear the rings, do you mind staying with him during the ceremony?” It was just staying with him in the chair because later, our friend Íñigo was going to pick up the dog and take him to the altar. “Okay, okay, okay.” So of course, we are there, giving the votes, everyone crying, excited... and the dog also started howling, excited, crying as if saying something about himself, right? Then, of course, the people who are friends or family and who don't know Alex at all, looked at him as if to say, "You're fine with what you're doing with the dog"... He looked at him saying, "But the dog isn't mine. He's from Canco!”... When Íñigo arrived and took Ndugu with the rings, everyone was like “How cute the dog”... Alex always remembers “I ate all the brown, the people He looked at me badly and, on top of that, at the beautiful moment, I can't carry it!
Do you have any outstanding debt with him? And him with you?
Clear! A lot, a lot, a lot... That's why, when Candela, the veterinarian, asked me if she had money, I told her that she needed it. I spent a lot of money on that research, but I would have spent it all. Beyond this, the debt I owe him is... We are, in part, the people around us who help shape our character. I am the person I am thanks to Ndugu, so when he is gone, and it is something that we talked about with my girl, we will not automatically have another dog. In my being, I believe that I cannot live without having an animal by my side. In my case, a dog. I am deeply in love with the dog. It is true that it is always good to leave a time of space, acceptance, mourning and not to make up for it, right? Furthermore, I think it is also good to face it, say goodbye, feel the loneliness, feel that it is not there, listen to it even if it is no longer there, feel that you have seen it happen even if it is no longer there and feel that you hear the necklace even if it is already gone. I think I have the need and commitment to have another one and, in fact, the one who comes will be adopted. Of a dog who needs a home.
A secret that is between the two of you?
I think one of the secrets we have is that we fell in love with Marta together. Yes, I think we made a "comic-affective" duet to make her fall in love with her. You know? Cool... Everything is ready. I do this, you do that... At a certain moment I'm going to lie down on her lap and there you can come closer You… I think… I see you in rehearsals. Yes, because when we went to see it together, there was a conversation about, “well, now behave yourself”… and he looked at me saying, “you behave well.”
We say goodbye because the production car is waiting for him to take him to the shoot. We could literally spend hours talking. I leave with the feeling of having met Ndugu, Canco and being amazed at the complicity, fidelity and humanity that exists in both of them. We agreed to see each other again and, after what we shared, to give each other a good hug, but well... That's another story.
