Gael García Bernal
Gael García Bernal, a 30-year-old actor from Guadalajara, Mexico whose rise to stardom has made him a citizen of the world, had his big breakthrough with the film Amores Perros and keeps reaching new heights, undeterred by any barriers Hollywood may put in his path. What makes him special is that he goes against the tide and only takes the best projects, or perhaps ones in which his friends are involved. Occasionally, he has the chance to do both, as is the case with Rudo y Cursi, a Mexican film in which García Bernal stars alongside his friend and “brother,” Diego Luna.Q. Where are you living at the moment?
A. I’m in Madrid but my books are in Mexico, so that’s a clear sign of where I live.
Q. Which books are those?
A. Off the top of my head, I remember a novel by a Mexican writer, Cristina Rivera Garza, La muerte me da (Death Hits), and The Odyssey, (which) I’d never read as is, only excerpts. And it’s amazing, a wonderful journey.
Q. What was your first book?
A. As a little boy, I read whatever I could get my hands on: Asterix and the Encylopedia Britannica. I also remember Un hilito de sangre (A Trickle of Blood) by Eusebio Ruvalcaba.
Q. And what was the last book you read?
A. El libro salvaje (The Wild Book) by Juan Villoro. (It’s a) really entertaining book for young peoplethat I read on an airplane.
Q. What’s a good cure for jet lag?
A. Is there such a thing? If I’m really tired I sleep, but I read a lot and watch films.
Q. Can a love for cinema win out over books?
A. They’re two muses that open up like unknown dimensions. When you go in you get hooked; it’s as if you fly, navigate around in there. But every book is a different relationship. The bad thing is there are so many things to read and I don’t have time for all of it.
