The actress talks with us about her appearance in the film 'García y García', about theatre and her participation in the trilogy 'Los Gondra' at the Centro Dramático Nacional theatre, about 'Tu Cara Me Suena' and her culinary skills, among other things.
Mario Cerdeño Salinero | 28/09/2021
Ylenia Baglietto gives us an interview to update us on the latest projects she is involved in. A chat in which we talk about 'García y García', one of the latest films in which she has participated. She also gives us time to talk about theatre in all its aspects, as Ylenia dares to stand on and behind the stage. In addition, the actress comments in depth on the trilogy 'Los Gondra', a play in which she participates and which can be seen at the Centro Dramático Nacional.
Finally, we talk about the actress's desire to take part in 'Tu Cara me Suena' and her culinary skills, among other things. A personal, fun and interesting interview with Ylenia Baglietto.
-Mario Cerdeño (Los Lunes Seriéfilos): Hi, I'm Mario Cerdeño and today, after the pandemic and after many things, I'm doing a live interview here with my friend Ylenia. How about Ylenia?
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, very well, very happy to be here with you. We finally meet in person, we have the opportunity and that means that we are taking steps forward.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): It's an honour, I'm even nervous. I've said before that I feel like I'm fresh out of university, coming back to do a face-to-face interview with an actress. The first question, because we interviewed you in August last year. It's been a year now and above all we have to ask you a little bit about how your professional life is going.
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, very well, the truth is that it's going very well. It's true that since I started in this profession I haven't stopped, I've been lucky enough not to stop. I'm also very restless, as you well know, so I'm still doing very well and doing lots of little things. I've just released the film 'García y García' and right now I'm preparing a play that I'm going to premiere on 13 October. So I'm going from one thing to another, so at least I'm still active.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): In addition to this activity that you say you have a lot of, I'll ask you now. First I would ask you: What would Ylenia say to that girl who wanted to dedicate herself to this as a child? What would you say to her from your current position?
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, I would say to her... "You see Ylenia how dreams come true"? [laughs].
Because it's true that I've always fought and there's one thing my father always told me: "you work, you'll get everything with hard work". And from here, I say to my father that he was really right because that's how it is. In the end, when you have a very clear objective, a very clear dream and you work to achieve it, in one way or another you always achieve it.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And you have spoken about 'García y García', which is the fourth film you have shot with Ana Murugarren. Well, tell me a little bit about this project and what you do in this film that is still in cinemas.
Ylenia Baglietto: Yes, yes, the film is still in cinemas and the truth is that I am happy every time I work with Ana Murugarren. The first time I did audiovisual work in film was with her and I have a lot to thank Ana for and every time she does a project she calls me, even if it's just for a small part, which in a way is also what I do in this film. The protagonists are José Mota and Pepe Viyuela, the two García. They get confused because one goes to do one job, the other another, and on the way they get confused. So they end up doing each other's jobs, thinking that one was very poor while being very rich and one was very rich while being very poor.
So they exchange their lives and in that plot there is also Eva Ugarte who plays the girl in the film and I play the roommate of Eva's character. It's a special character. Ana Murugarren gave me the opportunity to also reconstruct and to put a little bit of hand in the 'look' of the character and well, all of you who see the film will see that she has a special look. Well, he is a character who is a little bit crazy, but I think he has moments, there are five moments in the film, but I think they are very funny.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): I am also glad that you are doing very well. You have to go to the cinema to see the film. Besides, cinema is very important now, so you have to support the cinema and spend your money there.
Ylenia Baglietto: Of course you should. I always say what people are saying now, which is: "safe culture". You have to fill the theatres, you have to fill the cinemas. In Madrid, thanks to life, from Monday we will have 100% capacity, so we can fill theatres and cinemas. So I encourage everyone to go and see culture and feed on culture.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And also Ylenia, for those who don't know her, is not just about series and cinema, she is very much into theatre, very theatrical, and she is also going to premiere 'Los Últimos Gondra'. But before we talk about that, I wanted to ask you... What is the theatrical Ylenia like?
Ylenia Baglietto: Phew! Well, very passionate, very vehement, like I am in my life. Normally the directors have to tell me "calm down, calm down, calm down". Just as in cinema and television you have no choice but to make everything smaller, in theatre as you have to do everything very big, I throw myself into the pool and normally they have to lower my batteries a little bit because I have a lot of energy, so normally I build characters with a lot of energy. Then on tour I say "but why have I built this character? Couldn't I have built a character that was a bit calmer?
So well, but I think it's also very interesting from there because I build it up and then you can always bring it down. I mean, if I didn't have energy I wouldn't be able to scratch or take it off anywhere. This way I'm here and I already have the director who tells me "come down, come down" and directs me and then I do what they ask me to do, I don't know if I get it or not, but at least I always follow the guidelines.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And this is a difficult question, but, if you had to choose between series, cinema or theatre right now. If you had to choose one...
Ylenia Baglietto: I wouldn't choose, I want to do all three! [laughs] Why not, if I can combine them and in the end I think that an actor and an actress feeds on everything they do and learns from everything they do. So no, I don't want to choose Mario, don't make me choose, I don't want to. I want to do everything and anything that comes out. Really, I think that in this case, to get involved is to say that I want to do all three things because if I have the opportunity, I learn something different from each one and it contributes something to my profession. So I want to be able to continue having the opportunity to do the three things.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Talking about theatre, let's talk about it because you have a life closely linked to theatre, so much so that you have directed theatre projects such as "Thirteen and Tuesday", "My last unstable night" and together with Lander "Niños dejad de joder con la pelota" and recently "Amor y humor"... How would you describe yourself as a director?
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, there is something that happens to me, that when I see on stage, I see very clearly what I would like to see. In fact, I'm often critical of what I see because I give it my version, which isn't right, because I say no because this is someone else's version, nothing happens and it's absolutely respectable, that's all I need. But I look at it and I say "I would do it like this, I would put it like this and so on", you know? I build something else, so that's why I also like directing, because it allows me to build things in my own way. That's why I've also allowed myself to direct and to have the freedom to choose. It's true that directing is a lot of work because in the end the director is the person who always has to make the last decision and that's not easy, because you have a lot of people in the team, people working who may not agree with what you decide, but the director's word is always the last one. I like to be in charge a little! [Laughs].
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): But of course for you as an actress, directing has also helped you to grow as an actress, I suppose, hasn't it?
Ylenia Baglietto: Yes, yes, besides, when you're outside you see everything much more easily than you would as an actress or as an actor. So I think it's very interesting to put yourself outside, to put yourself outside and then also learn what you can do when you're inside. So yes, everything helps.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And more specifically, one of the works you have done together with Lander is "Amor y Humor". What challenges did you face? Tell me a little bit about this play?
Ylenia Baglietto: Yes, well, "Amor y Humor" is based a bit on our lives and then we pay homage to culture. We go through different poems in history, we talk about different artists, we pay homage to culture, but we focus a little bit on our personal lives. Some of it is true and some of it might not be. So we wrote the text, the majority of the text was written by Lander and then I also made my contributions. When it came to directing it, we did it between the two of us.
Working with Lander is wonderful because we understand each other perfectly, we both know what we want to say, so we make a good team. It's like I always have the initial idea, he develops it and then I finish perfecting it. We got along very well, very well. It was very well received, we were at the Euskalduna theatre in Bilbao for several days and then we did several performances outside and people loved it. In the end it's a musical, we also have a live pianist, Naiel Ibarrola, who is also a friend, and we sing songs live. So people like it a lot because you combine all the arts, it was very interesting.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): What I do find interesting, because there are several actors and actresses who have told me about it, is the fact that you are also a writer, right?
Ylenia Baglietto: Yes, I'm not afraid of anything, I throw myself into everything. Then it's true that in some things you can be better, in others you can be worse. You can dedicate yourself to some things, others not so much, but why not take the plunge, why not try, why not investigate, I mean, I don't think you have to be afraid, and when you're not afraid, you achieve things...
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And well, one of those things that you have achieved, and this is what we are going to talk about a little bit after these projects, you got a project at the National Drama Centre called 'Los últimos Gondra', well, what does it mean for an actress to join the National Drama Centre?
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, I had already worked with the Centro Dramático Nacional a few years ago, with the play "Linda Vista" we did a co-production with the CDN, but for me it is an absolute pleasure to be back here in Madrid. To also have the opportunity to do "Los últimos Gondra", which is a theatre trilogy, I had never done a trilogy in theatre, well, not even in film! [laughs]. But it's true that suddenly in theatre, a trilogy that is not usually the norm, so being part of the Gondra family is an absolute pride and a privilege for me. And also, I have to say that we are not only going to do "Los últimos Gondra", but we are going to revive "Los Gondra" which is the first part, "Los otros Gondra" which is the second part and we are going to mount "Los últimos Gondra" which is the third part. So from Monday to Thursday we will be doing "Los últimos Gondra" which is the third part, on Fridays "Los Gondra" which is the first part, on Saturdays "Los otros Gondra" which is the second part and on Sundays again, the third part. So it's going to be, it's going to be six weeks?
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): You're going to have to register in Madrid now, eh?
Ylenia Baglietto: [Laughs] I wish, come on, I'm happy. Come on, please, life, give it to me, give it to me.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And tell us a bit about the "Los Gondra" trilogy for people who don't know it, tell us a bit about what it's about?
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, it's based on the history of the Gondra family and it's about the Basque conflict. It's a little bit about the Basque conflict, well not a little bit, a lot, from the experiences of that family. Borja Ortiz de Gondra is the author and Josep María Mestres is the director. We are fifteen actors, I'm not going to name them all because right now it's like an eternal list, but we're a great team and I'm happy because the truth is that I've got on really well with my colleagues and with the director and the author too. So for me it's a pleasure to be part of this project.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Would you recommend it to everyone to go and see it?
Ylenia Baglietto: Yes, of course, because in the end it touches on a subject that has been important for everyone in Spain for many years and continues to be so. So I think it's interesting to see it and hear it from the inside, how one side and the other have experienced it, because you can see both sides very clearly. So I think it's very interesting for all kinds of audiences.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And your role in the play? Tell us a little bit about what you are going to do in this trilogy.
Ylenia Baglietto: I do everything! [laughs]. I play all the characters you can imagine. In the first act of one, I play one, in the second I play another, in the third... I play a total of three, four, five, six characters. In other words, I play all the parts. But well, I'm going to play a 'borroka' for the first time in my life, Lander has played a 'borroka' about eleven times in his life... And I'm lucky that this is my first time! [laughs]. So I'm doing a little bit of research into the character too, very cool.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Well, promote a bit when people will be able to see you?
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, from 13 October we'll be at the "Sala Nieva" at the Centro Dramático Nacional, here in Madrid. It's the Valle-Inclán that's in the Plaza de Lavapiés, which has some very big yellow signs. And nothing, we'll be there from the 13th of October until the 21st of November. So there's time, time to see. And you have to get tickets fast because they're already selling out.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Ah well, you have to buy them now, I'm also telling my cameraman who is watching me that you have to buy them now. And well, going back to the audiovisual world, the truth is that I can ask you very few questions about #Maitino, because everything has been said, really everything has been asked of you and you recently had a very extensive event with something from Mexico, which was very good. Well, my question is mainly on a personal level... What would it mean to you if this project went ahead, this spin-off? More on a professional level, what opportunities could it open up for you to participate in a series like this that could have a lot of scope?
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, for me it would be to be the protagonist of a series, just for that alone, which I have never been. So, imagine, being the star of a series, I think it can open many doors, many people can see you and I think it also has a very powerful component on a personal level. Because I think this has been very strong, what all of us who are with Maitino have experienced, not only Aria and I, but the whole team. From the 'Acacias 38' team to all the fandom that has come after, all the journalists who have been there, all the people who have been there for Maitino. So I think that the Maitino movement deserves it, deserves to happen and for this spin-off to come out. Not so much on a personal level, which is also true, but for everyone behind it.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And what's more, we are at a very hot point, because the RTVE board has just changed, what would you say to them? That please, somehow they should take heed of this and do it?
Ylenia Baglietto: Yes, what I always say, that we already have the public, that's it, the difficult part is done. That we have the people who are waiting for this series to happen. So, with that, there's no need to be afraid. I've said it before, you don't have to be afraid. [Laughter].
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And one thing is clear, because there has been talk of plan B and plan C, because in the audiovisual world it is very difficult to develop projects. There are 50,000 different projects and I know that one of the ways was a play, or plans that exist. And you, this question is a bit more professional, you who have lived on both sides of the theatre, in production, directing... If a play were to be made, what challenges do you face right now in developing that play #Maitino? Of course, it's easy to say, from my point of view, because I'm also a bit involved in productions and things like that. So I wanted to know from your point of view... What challenges would you face if you really say that there is a plan B or C to go to the theatre with this play?
Ylenia Baglietto: Yeah. Well, everything would be to consider it. I mean, when you set your mind to something one way or another you always succeed. Lander and I "Amor y Humor" is our own project, we've done it all ourselves. When you want to do something, one way or another you get it. So I also say the same thing, we have the most difficult thing, which is the audience. We know that whatever venue we're in, we're going to fill it. I mean, people would come to see us, so I think that's a good way to sell your project to the venue.
Often the difficult thing is not knowing if it's going to work or not, so we at least count on people coming to see us, so I think that's an advantage at the time if we want to do a play. It's true that a lot of things were considered, including the possibility of doing a play if the spin-off didn't come out, but we're going to keep fighting for the audiovisual spin-off to come out. What if it doesn't come out? Well, we'll look at other options. But I do see it as viable, because I see everything as viable, I'm a very positive person and I believe that if you throw yourself into something and look for ways, it may not come out, but why shouldn't it?
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Well, I personally think, from what we see in the market, I think it's a very good time to bring out a story of these characteristics because I sincerely believe that there is a lot of public and a lot of people who demand it, right?
Ylenia Baglietto: Of course, of course there is. I always say it in interviews, that I have realised the absolute need to see two women in action, so it's great that these things are happening.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Well, we'll put as many candles as it takes for the spin-off to come out. And as we come to the final stretch of the interview, let's talk a little bit about other aspects of you. One is that you are a singer and I know that you want to participate or have had the intention of participating in "Tú cara me suena". Well, you are going to tell me what it would be like for you to take part in a programme like this or what you intend to do. If you would like to take part.
Ylenia Baglietto: Look, I'm going to tell you. What happened is that for three editions of ETB I did a programme in which we did weekly imitations. So I've played a lot of characters, a lot of singers, so let's say that I've already had this kind of training. It's something I'm passionate about. I love studying the character, imitating their movements, trying to imitate their voice, going out on stage to do the number, watching the video clips, looking at the gestures, everything. I love it, it's something that I find a weekly challenge, that I feel like trying to achieve. So of course, "Tú cara me suena" has all those ingredients, that's why I'm looking forward to it so much and I'd love to go on "Tú cara me suena".
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And which singer would you like to imitate, or who do you think would be better for you to imitate?
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, I've imitated Lady Gaga, Jennifer López, Shakira... But my favourite is always Liza Minnelli. I'm a huge fan of Liza and I love playing her, I love it.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Well, I think you have to give it to Atresmedia, I know people from Atresmedia, give them a chance on TV to go to "Tu cara me suena". A participation for Ylenia, please.
Ylenia Baglietto: It would be fantastic, really.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And how would you approach the show, more with humour or more with the intention of winning it?
Ylenia Baglietto: I'm very competitive, but in a very healthy way. As I come from the world of gymnastics too, as I said before, I have always worked to achieve a goal. So I'm very used to achieving, so there's something inside me that I know I'd go all out because, as you said, you can approach it from a comic side, but I don't know why I always do it from the truth and from the most concrete and the most perfect thing possible. So, I think that when you do things this way, it's because it's not so much about winning, but about surpassing yourself. I always say "give the best of myself" and when you give the best of yourself well, surely there are more chances of winning. I'm going to go all out to do my best.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Listen, we have to try to see if the gods of Atresmedia listen to us from here, positive energy and see if the opportunity arises to see you there. I think it's a programme that opens doors for anyone who takes part in it, don't you?
Ylenia Baglietto: Yes, of course. In the end it's 'Antena 3' and a lot of people see you. Of course I'm delighted.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And well, there's something else I've found out, that you're also a "cook" and you were recently on the programme "El club del tupper" and I want you to explain to me a bit about how much of a "cook" Ylenia is and to see how well you do in the kitchen.
Ylenia Baglietto: Well, the truth is that I don't know if I'm good or bad at it, but I also throw myself into it, I throw myself into everything! [laughs]. Then I don't know if I'm good at things or not, but I really like cooking, but I like to cook when I have time. On a day-to-day basis, as you're always rushing around, you do less elaborate things. But I like to suddenly take a Sunday, put on my apron and say "come on, today I'm going to make some stuffed pencas, which I love" and then I'm going to batter and fry them, which I love. I don't know, the pudding I made in the programme, I really like cooking and as Lander also likes it, we do a bit of a competition. Let's see who can make the best dish.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Hey, do you see yourself participating in 'Masterchef Celebrity'?
Ylenia Baglietto: What do you think I'm going to say, Mario? What do you think I'm going to say? I always say yes to everything, please. Well no, not everything, I also know how to say no. Thanks to life I've learnt to say no. Thanks to life that I've also learned to say no, but come on, in everything artistic...
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): The truth is that seeing you there working with the flour, making yourself some "croquetitas", that's what I see you doing...
Ylenia Baglietto: Yes, right? I can see me too. [Laughs].
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): And well, to finish the interview. Apart from this play that we have to see you in "Los últimos Gondra" of this wonderful trilogy, what other little things are you involved in? Or doesn't the theatre leave you enough time for more?
Ylenia Baglietto: I can't any more. No, no, I can't any more, yes I can, yes I can do everything. [Laughs] I have work until June next year but I can't tell you anything yet.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): OK, so you have other things but you can't tell them. Well, that's good.
Ylenia Baglietto: I have other things, but of course, the usual in this profession... Well, you'll find out, you know about my life before I do! [Laughs] -Mario Cerdeño
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Total. And if you don't, the fandom will find out all about your life and then they'll tell me "Mario, interview her, she's going to appear in such and such a place, please".
Ylenia Baglietto: Of course!
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): Well, Ylenia, the truth is that it has been a pleasure to meet you again and to be able to do something else that I really like, which is interviewing live, and it has been a pleasure and I hope we see each other again as soon as possible.
Ylenia Baglietto: It has been a pleasure for me Mario, really. I really wanted to be able to look into each other's eyes and not have a screen in between.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): It's been an honour, I admit that I'm rusty because there's no screen in between, but it's been a pleasure to get back to this with you.
Ylenia Baglietto: Of course it has.
-Mario Cerdeño (LLS): So, we'd like to say goodbye to everyone who sees the interview, and I hope they enjoy it as much as I did interviewing Ylenia.
Fuente: Los Lunes Seriéfilos
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