CubaSí interviewed young Cuban actor Carlos Solar, whose character is always hampering private worker Rebeca in her purpose to right the concrete factory in the soap opera Asuntos Pendientes. But, as we told Carlos, the fact that Gerardo brings out our worst feelings towards his character is —in many regards— a very good sign.

—Tell us about Asuntos Pendientes. How did you get to the character of Gerardo?

—Asuntos Pendientes came to me at a time when I really wanted to work, in the middle of a pandemic, living abroad and with no action for a long time. Yía suggested my name and they told her that I was living abroad. But she insisted: write to him and try, maybe he's interested. They contacted me by WhatsApp and that was it. The soap opera is finally on TV.

—I remember you had worked with Yía before: she was your sister-in-law in the soap opera En tiempos de amar. How was your work with her and Alicia, both excellent actresses?

—I worked with Yía in the soap opera En tiempos de amar. That time, Elena was the evil character, which she played phenomenally. We then made a music video for which she recommended me. Now that I think about it, this is the second project where she has come first and put my name out there to work. Hopefully we can meet again in other projects. She is a wonderful and special woman, impossible not to love and admire.

“I had also worked with Alicia in other projects, but we had not had text scenes together. That big girl is also spectacular, a nice and good human being. I owe my reel forays on social networks to her, since she is the teacher and main precursor of this phenomenon in the country. I will be always happy to engage in works with both of them.

—Before the soap opera was broadcasted, you said in an interview that your character would not be very popular. Have you already had any anecdote with the public?

"So far, none rough. They say: hey, look, the villain in the soap opera. What I did not picture in my mind was the negative impact the character has had. I say this because of the comments I read on social networks and in discussion groups about the soap opera. I have read horrors about Gerardo.”

—What are the advantages and disadvantages of playing negative characters?

—The negative characters are always very grateful and remain in the memory of the viewers. The downside may be that, at times, someone may reject or judge the actor by association with what he or she is portraying on screen. The advantage, it gives the opportunity to release your demons. We all have our yin and our yang, but we have to behave at our best to be better human beings. But through a character, being able to get your dark side out, it's liberating. I'm not saying just for Gerardo, but thinking about negative characters in general.

—However, so far Gerardo has his virtues: he is a good father, for example. Is he a totally negative character? How did you assume it when characterizing and defending it in front of the camera?

-Very good question. I always thought not to play the bad, bad, very bad guy in soap operas, and the director agreed, he also saw it that way. He wanted him to be human, to have those two sides that I was talking about. But the dark side of him consumed him and hence led him to ruin. He is a man who truly loves his children, even though he is doing it wrong. In short, a man who, more than evil, is a human being who makes mistakes and makes very bad decisions in his life.

—Doesn't the man reverse his male-chauvinism? What can you tell us?

—Male-chauvinism is still very so fierce in Cuba. Gerardo is a bad example of this. Life will charge each of his bad decisions. It is what I can anticipate.

Beyond Gerardo...

—How and when did you get into acting?

—I came to acting by chance when I was in my first year at the University. My brother enrolled in a workshop at the then Gran Teatro de La Habana, which I ended up going to.

—I read that you started doing theater for children. Was it useful to you?

—Doing theater for children was, in a way, my school, and it gave me the opportunity to be part of television as well. My first experience on TV was with a character I played in the theater called Don Potoco, in the series for children named La Casa de Don Polilla.

—You have already ventured quite a bit into television and you have also made movies. If you were to choose one, what would it be your pick?

—Cinema, no doubts about it. It is the one I identify the most with and it has a special magic, even more than theater, which is a temple for several of my colleagues.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff