At close range it gives off a star-like aura. Smiling and approachable, she greets us on the bustling terrace of the Sitges hotel hosting the 56th fantastic film festival. She hasn’t had time to eat, she says, but she immediately turns to find a quiet corner where she can chat without rushing and contents herself with nibbling on some French fries.
Originally from Madrid, she grew up in Alicante and returned to the capital to study Architecture, but soon changed course. From a presenter and actress of high-audience series in the pre-platform era, she went on to become a prestigious performer in films such as The Sea Inside, The Orphanage, Julia’s Eyes, Perfect Strangers or the recent Phenomenas. At 58 years old, in great shape, she added another genre title, La ermita de Carlota Pereda, which made an impact with her debut, Cerdita. And Eva rolls
They call her scream queen…
I love the ‘scream queen’, although without excluding other roles. In this profession there is a lot of labeling. Lately I say that I have all the labels at home and I am choosing: “this one is good for me today, that one is good tomorrow.”
In 2021 he received the honorary award in Sitges for his career. He now adds ‘The Hermitage’ to titles like ‘The Orphanage’, ‘You Will Not Sleep’, ‘The Pact’. He likes the genre…
This festival is very rich, its audience is very cinephile, unorthodox, very open. I love the genre, yes, it allows brutal creative freedom. It is a vehicle to serve serious and deep themes in a more attractive way than with a drama.
Like the mother-daughter conflict that her character and that of the girl, the debutante Maia Zaitegi, addresses in ‘The Hermitage’.
In fact, beyond the legend and mystery, what you are left with from the film is the relationship between mothers and daughters. In the case of my character, with an unresolved problem with his mother, there is something that moves you to discover what happened. As for the girl, her mother wants to protect her from her pain by keeping her away from her, and at certain ages that is worse, because it prevents the opportunity to say goodbye to her.
Has that issue removed you?
Yes, in some way it stirs us all. They are complex and wonderful relationships, who hasn’t had some unfinished business? The film makes you think about whether it is worth not resolving certain conflicts.
What kind of daughter and mother have you been?
It is very curious. I always thought that she had been very good, but my brothers told me: “You were crazy!” Everyone has their own emotional memory. My childhood was very happy. In fact, when I started in the profession I thought: “I don’t know if I can dedicate myself to this.” When you are very young you think that if your childhood has not been traumatic, you have nothing to tell.
Life denies you later…
Exactly, there is no need to go ahead and create problems, which already come on their own. As a mother it is curious, because in certain situations with my daughters there is like a light bulb that turns on and you say: “Now I understand my parents.” We try to avoid setbacks for our children, although in reality they teach you more than achievements.
She was determined… She married when she was 20 years old.
Yes it was, yes. I remember one day I asked my mother: “But: why did you let me get married at that age?” “Look, Belén, there was no one to stop you,” she responded. Then she didn’t understand it, now I not only understand that position but I respect it. I just tell my daughters: “I’m here for whatever you need.”
In ‘La ermita’ he reunited with Carlota Pereda, the director.
We know each other since Journalists. She was a script for the series and we got along wonderfully. I have been very excited to meet her again and see what she has achieved in this time with Cerdita, her debut film, a powerful mix of genres and social denunciation.
His new film addresses questions of faith, of the afterlife. Are you a believer?
For me it is an intermittent relationship. I’m interested in the topic, it doesn’t mean that I believe it, but I like to think about it. I am from a generation raised in the Catholic faith, and it seemed normal to you. Regarding life after death, there are very dramatic stages of life [in 1997 she lost her one-year-old daughter to a heart ailment] when you need to believe in something, you hold on to that. It “works” for people who believe. In reality, what you do is seek your healing in people, love, values. At the end of the day it all comes down to that.
Any paranormal experiences? The typical adolescent ouija?
Who hasn’t done it? At a certain age you want to break the rules, feel bad, trying to create your personality. I’m not a total disbeliever, I don’t think I have to be one hundred percent. There are moments when the universe makes coincidences: why was it here at this precise moment? And unfortunately I have very loved ones who are no longer here and sometimes I feel them with me.
How do you define this stage of your life?
Very happy on a personal level and with my daughters. They have become independent, although perhaps I see them more than before, they come home a lot. And I love placing myself in an observer’s place with them. It’s hard for me, because I have a lot of control, but I stop myself. We want to avoid unpleasantness for our children, but in reality they must experience it. I am here to help, but I try not to live life for them.
And sentimentally?
Now I don’t have a partner. I’m alone? Not at all. I have very good friends, a wonderful family, with whom we have overcome bad times, and I am very happy with my present work at 58 years old. Furthermore, we have evolved a lot.
In what sense?
Sometimes, without realizing it, I say phrases like: “That boy helps his partner a lot” and my daughters scold me, of course, although I didn’t really want to express that. My mother told us: “Whatever you do, be independent, financially and emotionally.” I remind my daughters: “Everything that you see as something natural has been achieved with a lot of effort. “Don’t let your guard down, there’s still a long way to go.”
Have you had to stop when you face bullying attitudes?
It hasn’t happened to me in a while, also because you gain experience and have an attitude in which they are not confused. When I was younger, if your character is open, good vibes were confused with other things. We fought it in silence. Sometimes you even thought: maybe I was too nice. Horrible phrases like that that I still hear from some girls. The problem persists, but today it is shared and you do not feel that the blame lies with you but with education.
How does she get along with herself?
I am very passionate and when I do something I give it one hundred percent and I enjoy it. I prefer to do things with joy, with enthusiasm. Curiosity has allowed me to do things that at first seemed unconscious.
What would you change about yourself?
The defect is in the virtue, and I think it should slow down a little. If you are so passionate, sometimes you don’t leave space for people close to you to express themselves; or they try to act like me, thinking it’s the key to success.
It took a lot for them to believe in you.
Yes, it was difficult. I seem very confident, but then I felt the opposite and what I did was work three times as hard as the others. Insecurity did not stop me. Many actors use the enneagram to get to know ourselves better and to study the character’s personality. I am a 6 and one of my traits is insecurity. The good thing is that when you know yourself you work more on those things that you know hold you back.
Does the rise of women in production and direction translate into better roles or a different approach to issues such as motherhood?
There will be equality when it does not matter whether it is a man or a woman who directs or produces, but it still matters. That we are talking about this shows that there is still a long way to go. In the end, the things that fiction reflects had already happened before, but they were not told. Now she says calmly: “I don’t want to be a mother”, before she didn’t express herself like that. It’s not my case, I always wanted to be. When I was 6 years old I told my mother. “Mom, I think it’s better that I have children now. This is how you educate them, I don’t know and I see that you are doing it very well” (she laughs).
How does it stand with the passage of time?
At the time I took it badly. At 45 years old I was scared. I had fewer projects. And I got a role as a grandmother, in Ismael. I said to myself, okay, well, I play grandma, great. Then you get younger roles, great. We actors are for that.
Pressured by the image?
Women are very exposed, yes. I take good care of myself, but also for mental health. Sports are part of my life. My mother was a ballet teacher, and my sister and I studied classical and Spanish. She was ahead of her time and she educated us to feed ourselves well. But look, getting older means I’m alive. I wouldn’t go back at 20, no way. That uncertainty…! Everything affects you more, the good is great, the bad plunges you into misery.
He was the target of criticism for alleged aesthetic touches. Do certain comments hurt you? does it relativize?
There is constructive criticism, which makes you improve. But if they get into personal issues without knowing me, I don’t care exactly. Look, what I have done is have presbyopia surgery and it has given me life! I like driving at night and now it’s an advantage. They are advances in medicine that must be taken advantage of.
How is the news going? Disappointed in politicians?
It’s our future, it worries me, of course. Generalizing is complicated. Whoever leads a country has all the spotlights, for better and worse. If it is already difficult to manage the home, what will it be like to do so in such a diverse country. But I don’t like to express my ideas on this topic, it is part of my private life. Only if injustices are committed against defenseless children, that’s where I come in.
What is missing from your life?
Good question. I would say nothing. I am worried about the future of my daughters, of the generations to come. It is strange, and new technologies have introduced a universe that cannot be prohibited, but you have to know how to manage. The issue of sex and pornography, for example, is alarming, there is no way to limit it, so education is essential there.
