The Madrid performer and the character ‘Rober’ cross paths 20 years later in the series born of the Un Paso Adelante project
It seems as if the years never pass him by. Two decades later, Miguel Ángel Muñoz (Madrid, 1983) meets one of his most iconic characters, Rober. The one he starred with, sang and danced on the small screen in Un Paso Adelante (UPA). The series that revolutionized television and mobilized authentic masses returns to television rebranded as UPANext (Atres Player). Of course, despite the project’s embryo feeding off its predecessor and the bet going in the same direction, the protagonists insist it’s not a reunion. “It’s a new series, with new faces. I would not like to see the same,” says the actor.
– Why do you strive to mark distances between the two series?
– Because I never liked sequels; UPA Next is not a reunion. If it were to be a comeback, Pablo Puyol or Natalia Millán should be among them. Yes, there are Mónica Cruz or Beatriz Luengo. I kept in touch with all my colleagues from then. But that has already been seen, it has already been told. Now it’s time to present something new. Twenty years have passed, I wouldn’t want to see the same. Of course, tracing some historical figures seems like a good idea for the most nostalgic of followers. It’s a spin-off (series derivative) in a way, as ‘Aida’ was from ‘Seven Lives’.
– When the project was approved, were you excited to revive a character you marked or did you think that door should be closed?
“It was very difficult for me to make the decision. On a personal level, as well as professionally, I had a lot of respect for the success we achieved. UPA was ahead of its time and revolutionized the industry, creating a wide range of performing arts projects on the Gran Vía that were previously scarce, which is why, until I read the fifth chapter, I did not say yes. In the series I come from Miami with the aim of finding the best talents to perform UPA Dance, the musical group, I work at the Carmen Arranz dance school –the same one from UPA–, but from there a new series starts, a different way.
– You can’t deny that you would feel a kind of ‘déjà vu’ when you set foot on the academy again.
– I felt it when one day we all had dinner with Lola Herrera (she will play the role of school principal again). It was a very nostalgic scene that gave me goosebumps. It was also impressive to step onto the set and relive memories of every corner.
– How did you like the character? Does he retain that bit of arrogance from back then?
-It has evolved into the new age, and so it should be. It is true that we must not lose the essence of ‘Tito Rober’, because otherwise the nostalgic viewer could be disappointed, but at the same time we must be very aware of the limits of society. Not even half of the character from twenty years ago could now be broadcast. It is true that this is his identity, but it suits us that positive references are created in a youth series.
– Aren’t you afraid they will confuse the person with the character?
– I face the role with the same illusion from then. I’ve had so much fun with it and now I’m having so much fun with it. At 18, I had no preconceptions or doubts about what I was doing, whether my character would like me or not. And now more of the same, because I’m not afraid of people confusing the person with the character. And that makes me feel very calm.
– He had to learn to dance to get into the first casting. How has the preparation been now?
– I lied to get in. He was the only one who was neither a dancer nor a singer. I had been an actor for eight years and I wanted to go to the United States to do an acting academy to do what my character would later do. Every shoot was a learning moment for me. So now I’m injured (laughs). I swim daily to stay in shape. Because there is of course a nod to the ‘Rober’ who danced back then.
– Do you feel like you’re almost playing a ‘godfather’ role, alongside Mónica Cruz and Beatriz Luengo, for the new generation of actors in the series?
– That they can have us as a reference excites me. It is very nice that they ask us how it went, clarify doubts about the history of the series… We are a family that wants to launch through a fiction some values in the society of effort, of fighting for a goal in a healthy way.
– Are you in the best moment of your career?
– I always try to think that it is so, but it is true that it can. Next week I’ll be premiering ‘Daddy Daughter Trip’, but I’m also still touring with ‘The Co-pilot’s Syndrome’ and directing ‘100 Days With Tata’.
– Today he also receives the Festival Prize.
– Life amazes me all the time, it makes me very enthusiastic because people from my environment also come to live with me.
– Do you still carry your children’s pillow everywhere you go?
– Yes, I brought it to Vitoria, otherwise I can’t sleep (laughs).
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
