He arrives at the appointment with Magazine with a slow step and a tired expression, but with the usual kindness and hint of irony. Is it the hangover of success? The last year has been intense for David Verdaguer (Malgrat de mar, 1983). Reviving Eugenio in David Trueba's film has brought him awards and overwhelmed his agenda. But what takes its toll on the day of the interview is the daily performance of Elling's play (now on tour), a delicious comedic approach to mental health. Theater has always nourished him: “It is vitamin and also destruction, look how I am…”.
After the photos, a portion of brownie and coffee recharge their energy. This “vital pessimist” always relies on humor: “It saved my life.” Since he was a child, his thing is to tell stories and make people laugh; His grandfather nurtured his vocation by taking him to the theater often.
With a Sevillian mother (accountant) and Catalan father (yoga teacher), he has a daughter, Lupe (7 years old), his “favorite person in the world”, who made her film debut before she was born: in The Days to Come, he and María Rodríguez Soto played a couple who (like them in real life) were expecting their first child. The couple's breakup, which had occurred some time ago, was recently revealed.
Today the actor is wary of addressing personal issues. He is now filming a series for TV3 and premiering La casa, directed by Álex Montoya and based on the comic of the same name by the Valencian Paco Roca. A film about the passage of time and family through three brothers reunited after their father's death.
They know that his status has changed.
Yes, now I'm cool. It's a joke. I already had a Goya, from high school, but this one as the protagonist is amazing. More than one has stopped the motorcycle to congratulate me. Eugenio was someone loved and embodying him was risky. I was scared. And he liked it, he made me more popular and I can choose, yes. But above all, I had never felt part of this unstructured family that is cinema. And now I do feel like one of them. He is cute.
Has it given you security?
No, I will never get rid of insecurity. You can't fight that. But I feel fucking privileged.
In ten years, four nominations and two Goya awards. Have you detected any envy?
Wow, you see that a lot of people are happy for you, like I am with them. A prize depends on so many factors: who you compete with, luck... Are you the best? But how many people have voted? A thousand people?
And the ego. has increased?
No no. Man, I have an ego, because otherwise I would have a problem, especially with this job, in which you have to expose yourself. I think this job is just the right mix of ego and insecurity. Ego to dare to do things and insecurity to not believe what you do. It is the ideal mix.
In our previous interview he was in crisis and questioned himself: who am I? Where am I going? Do you already have answers?
Good question. I don't know if I know who I am, but I can stand myself more than before. I live better with myself, with fewer doubts. I don't think about where I'm going, I try to be there. I have too much of a future and that makes me anxious, but I am learning to enjoy it more. And I'm happier. I am living a very good stage. It would be stupid to complain.
Are you missing something?
Triceps, just that. And sleep more.
In love?
“Long live love”, as I said at the Goya gala.
His private life now arouses more interest. She said that “being on the left and separating well is difficult” and they criticized her.
It was taken out of context. I meant that having a pleasant relationship with your ex-partner is complex. He showed me that I should not talk about my life with journalists as if they were my colleagues. Suddenly I understand the actors who respond to the press: “Everything is fine, happy with the film, come on, goodbye…” I used to think… what a shame. And now I say: how clever. Sometimes the more you give, the more shit you get. It is difficult to be cautious and spontaneous. Now I'm in a shell moment. I'm not saying it for you, huh.
Your best quality
My sense of humor.
What would you change about yourself?
I would like to be more disciplined, to be calmer with other people's tardiness. And above all enjoy more. I'm on the path of enjoyment, it's something...
How do you experience fatherhood?
It makes me very happy to be a father. When I was a baby I suffered more. Now we have a great time. A friend told me: “When you are a father you are a better actor, you know what is important and you act more freely.” Well, I suffer the same. But I am super happy that you see that her parents enjoy working, so one day I will encourage her to follow her vocation.
Now he releases The House. What attracted you to this story?
I read Paco Roca's comic and the script and I really liked them. It coincided with the moment that my grandmother, who now lives with my parents, decided to sell her house in Banyoles. It's sad because you let go of something that has been part of your life. Places have memories, sometimes more than we do. And this film is a mirror, you compare yourself, it challenges you, it makes you reflect on yourself.
What connects you with your character?
He is a guy who has dared to dedicate himself to what he wanted, like me, and it is something I am proud of. In other things I am a coward, but in this I have been very brave. He also questions me about a scene in which he says, referring to his sick father: “I spoke badly to him, he had no patience.” That phrase touched me a lot because sometimes it happens a little to me with my mother. Not to speak badly to her, but with infinite love, because I love her very much, sometimes I am less patient than she is with the rest of her. And it is not fair. I wouldn't want Lupe to treat me like that in a few years.
What relationship do you have with your mother?
Very good. It is an invasive point, all love, cares about people. She is an excellent mother and grandmother. With me she is the worst critic in the world, for her everything I do is incredible. She defends me to the hilt, whether she is right or not. Since she is an accountant, she prepares my income tax return. She is my mother but she makes me the Father program. And she comes out to pay me. Good sign, I'm happy to pay taxes, I really mean that.
What kind of son is he?
Unique, for good and bad. I think they raised me very well, but I'm sure I have some only-child tics. The problem with only children is that we think that everything happens because of us, especially the bad things. If I see you scratched, I will think: Maybe I was rude? As a child everything happens through you, you put yourself in the center, but rather in the pejorative sense. as responsible for what happens.
Is it competitive?
Nothing, zero, I'm not.
Maybe being an only child influences?
Look, I hadn't thought about it like that, but maybe I did, because we don't have to compete at home, we have won everything. I like to have good jobs, to be congratulated, but not to compete. There are colleagues who don't comment on whether there is a casting, and I think: but if they don't get you and they do, then they wanted me! I have come to recommend actors. In a test for a series I told them: “When I read the script I kept thinking about this actor.” And they chose him. Luckily I now do less castings. I function worse under pressure.
What is your ideal day off like?
I love to imagine it. I would like to get up whenever I want, then have a vermouth, eat, make love, a nap, make love again, a movie or something, a delicious dinner with cava and once at home, talk for a while with my partner, It's very important! I heard it from Alfredo Landa, who explained: "with my wife, we still stay talking until three in the morning." He seemed so pretty to me. So that, a few laughs and go to sleep. And so in a loop, an ideal life.
Some role I would reject.
None. Characters do not have to be ethically defensible. If censorship reaches fiction we have a serious problem...
Still existing...
And he usually criticizes people who have nothing to do with the joke itself, it's funny, the offended ones. With comedy there is always someone who feels offended.
The extreme right permeates certain sectors.
I think one of the reasons is that a part of it has gotten into Tik Tok and since the message is clear, so simple and direct, it is sold as so practical that it convinces some. It's scary.
Do you follow politics closely?
I think that all our actions are political. Now, for example, the issue of housing outrages me. I live for rent in Barcelona and the prices are impossible.
Will you vote in the 12-M elections?
Yes, I always vote. And I'll just tell you that I'm not right-wing.
He coincided in the youth theater with the president of the Generalitat, Pere Aragonés...
Yes, we did amateur theater. We have no relationship now, but we are happy when we see each other; I have a lot of affection for him.
The first thing you would do if you woke up as president?
Make me cry, you say!
