‘Tachycardic, addictive and raw”. This is how the actor born in Lugo and based in Madrid Xoan Fórneas defines the new Netflix medical drama series called “Respira”, in which he has shared hours of work with Najwa Nimri, Blanca Suárez, or Manu Ríos, giving life to the character Quique.
According to the Galician, this is not the only project that has kept him busy during the last few months, but another one that you will find out by reading the interview we did with him, as well as his next projects and other personal and professional curiosities.
Hey Xoan, how are you? Back to the routine, we guess. Summer is over…
Yes, that’s right. I’m back but I’m looking forward to the new season and all the things to come. I am very grateful and happy for what is happening to me on a professional level, although on a personal side, I still have a long way to go. But I’m not giving up, I’m very stubborn and I know I’m going to be able to do it all.
Sure you do, positivity first and foremost! Did you have a “Brat” summer?
No, I haven’t. I could only go to the beach one day and it just started raining, so no brat at all.
A new Netflix series in which you have participated, “Respira”, has recently been released. Tell us a little about it and your character Quique.
“Respira” is Netflix’s first hospital drama in Spain. Through my character, Quique, it touches on a delicate but necessary subject, the impact of drugs in certain environments, in this case, the gay scene.
Quique is a first-year anesthesia resident, but his nightlife takes its toll on him. What seems like a love story with Óscar, surrounded by parties and hedonism, ends up revealing a much deeper problem that affects many people today: drug abuse in environments such as “chills”. I don’t want to contribute to creating new stigmas, but I believe that voices are needed to make this reality, which is costing the health and lives of many people, more visible. And all this has its roots in the social repression that the collective has suffered for so many years, so it is time to talk about it.
How did you prepare for your role?
I spent a lot of time with a surgeon friend of mine who, after the pandemic, ended up leaving medicine. The scenes he lived through were so hard and terrifying that seeing him give up helped me to humanize him and to understand that, to play Quique, I had to go beyond his work in the hospital. Quique is defined by many more things than being an anesthetist.
As for the creation of the role, the scriptwriters had already embroidered it in the script and my challenge was to make it my own, putting my stamp on it and using everything in my power to bring it to life in an authentic way. I wanted it to connect deeply with the audience, to make them feel close and real. In addition, three medical professionals gave us an intensive course and accompanied us during the rehearsals and the filming of the medical and surgical interventions.
In what way did you connect most with Quique?
Quique is a boy who struggles to control his life, but it always seems to end in chaos. That feeling of trying to do things right and, despite your best efforts, everything falling apart, was very close to me. In a chaotic environment, sometimes you can only move forward as best you can. I think that sooner or later, we all find ourselves in a situation like that.
The cast of the series also includes several well-known actors such as Najwa Nimri and Blanca Suarez and other popular ones like Manu Ríos. What was the experience of working with them like?
It was an incredible experience. It created such a close atmosphere that you forgot about names and careers. The humility and good vibes with which we worked made everything flow naturally. I learned a lot from all of them. And what can I say about the technical team, some of the best. Their professionalism and talent made each scene shine as it should.
Speaking of actors, how would you define yourself as one? Do you remember the moment when you first felt interested in the profession?
When I have to play a role, I like to play characters that are far away from me. Although I always leave something personal in them, the more I can imagine and build on the script, the more comfortable I feel.
My interest in acting started very early when I was 3 years old. I loved dressing up and inventing characters while walking around the countryside around my grandparents’ house in my village in Lugo. I was that typical kid in horror films who seems to talk to ghosts (laughs). Now, when I look back, I realize that I was a bit like that.
What is the best and worst thing about being an actor?
The best thing, without a doubt, is the continuous opportunity to meet new people and discover incredible talents. Always learning something new.
As for the worst thing, I would say you have to be careful who you surround yourself with. In a field where euphoria and social life are the norm, it’s important to keep your mental health in balance. There are far more outlandish fictions outside of fiction, and that can be dangerous if you’re not clear about who you are and your values.
Are you afraid of popularity?
I am not afraid of popularity at all. This is my passion and it would be a lie to say that I don’t care if people like what I do. I get a rush every time someone connects with my work. These days, every time I go on Instagram or TikTok, I enjoy reading the nice messages they leave me, the mentions, and seeing all the comments I get. The love I’m getting from fans of the series from places like Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Italy, France, and Brazil, among others, is incredible, and they can’t imagine how much I appreciate it.
Besides “Respira”, “Escape”, a film by director Rodrigo Cortés in which you have also participated, will be released soon. Can you tell us something in advance?
Yes, it has been a pleasure that a filmmaker like Rodrigo Cortés trusted me from the very first moment, and even more so surrounded by an amazing cast. I can only tell you that I’m playing the most disconcerting and eccentric character I’ve ever been offered. His name is “Pavo Real” and he’s a prisoner. I can’t tell much more. I’m looking forward to watching it.
We’ll have to go and watch it at the cinema because it sounds great! And, as if these two projects weren’t enough, we understand that you’re currently shooting another film called ‘Antes de Nós’. You’re unstoppable! How do you find time for yourself?
I don’t have much time for myself lately. I’m very happy that Ángeles Huerta, who is a director that gives her all and who is going to give a lot to talk about, trusted me to star in “Antes de Nós”, where I play Castelao. This is my first starring role in a film and I play an iconic character in Galicia, so important that in every town there is something named after him: a statue, a square, or even a bar. We are not making a biopic, but we focus on two key moments in his life, full of death and marital crisis. Curiously, he was also a doctor who gave up medicine for the love of humanity, because he studied to please his father, but ended up being an artist.
On a personal level, I have spent months with hardly any free time and without having been able to focus enough on myself, and this has taken its toll on me, even costing me a love affair. And I’m still deeply in love, but now it’s time to heal and let time do its part. Having a job helps me a lot to cope, although, as they say, everything happens for a reason. You can’t have everything, even if from the outside everything seems perfect, the reality is always more complex.
What do you do when you want to disconnect from it all?
Disconnect? That’s my unfinished subject. However, there is one thing that always helps me… but let’s say that now I’m in a phase of forced abstinence. I suppose that this “fasting” will eventually bring something good, but for now, I prefer not to accelerate anything or put patches on my heart.
Lastly, what would you say to those who want to dedicate themselves to acting? Any advice you have been given that you would like to share with the readers?
Even though I still have a long way to go, because this is a very long career and you are always learning, I would tell them that fame is ephemeral. If you focus only on it, you will miss what matters. Social media may offer visibility, but it is not the center of true personal satisfaction. If you are passionate about acting, you have to be prepared to work hard. I left my small village in Galicia for Madrid, where being an actor seemed like a fantasy. I have struggled and studied hard, sometimes being on the verge of throwing in the towel, but the next day I got up early, wrote, composed songs, and produced short films, even if it meant ruining myself even more. I don’t stop when I have days off; by the third day, I’m already working on a project.
One piece of advice I was given that has stuck with me is: from 9 p.m. onwards, spend time enjoying your life and your people, because to tell stories, you have to live them.
Check out the complete editorial photographed by Aitor Sola in exclusive for FY! below:
Sweater. Dsquared2; Pants. Jacquemus ; Shoes. Dolce & Gabbana ; Necklace. Andrés Gallardo
Top. Jean Paul Gaultier ; Pants. Dsquared2; Boots. Calvin Klein
Total Look. Prada
Top. Rabanne ; Pants. Dsquared2
Total Look. Dior
Shirt. Dolce & Gabbana ; Blazer. Mans Concept; Pants. Mans Concept; Jewelry. Suot Studio; Glasses. Mó x Eu
Talent: Xoan Forneas @xoanforneas Photographer: Aitor Sola @a.solax
Photographer’s Assistant: Sofia Arreciado @sophie_sopha
Styling: Logga ( Maca Lopez and Juanma Feliz) @logga__
Muah: Mimi Gomez @mimigomezmuah