After appearing in just two films, 'The Good Boss' and 'The Grandmother', Almudena Amor has dazzled both critics and audience with her mysterious and magnetic charisma. A love at first sight that’s been missing from Spanish cinema for some time. Just a few days before the Goya Awards —she’s been nominated for Best New Actress—, we spent a morning with her and can confirm that this won’t be a fleeting romance.
When Julio, The Good Boss’ leading role played by Javier Bardem, sets his eyes on Liliana, embodied by Almudena Amor (Madrid, 1994), he’s already surrendered himself to her charms. At this very moment, a similar feeling comes over the audience. This ethereal being with a piercing gaze needs no further introduction to Spanish cinema. We meet up with her at 8 y Medio, a bookshop in the centre of Madrid which is a cult classic among film buffs.
Almudena admits to having different feelings about being called a “rising star” depending on the day and, without brushing it off, she zeroes in on what really matters. “I’m pleased that people say that I’m a rising star, because that means that they like my work, but I’m just someone who’s learning, and I still have a long way to go. Hopefully, I have many years ahead of me to continue growing as an actress.”.
“I’m pleased that people say that I’m a rising star, because that means that they like my work, but I’m just someone who’s learning”
Her acting in The Good Boss has earnt her a nomination for the Goya Award for Best New Actress, and she confesses that the first thing she did when she found out was call her mother, who couldn’t hold back her tears. Just a few minutes with Almudena are enough to realise that she’s not shallow and, after stating the obvious, that this is a dream come true, she digs deeper. “I don’t think that whoever wins is the best, in the end, it’s subjective and not always fair, but I do believe that awards are good because they help your work go further afield.”
The root of a dream
Almudena’s journey until this sweet moment has been long, and she hasn’t taken any shortcuts. In fact, she studied Advertising and started working in the field, until one night, during a casual conversation at the entrance of a bar, her suspicions that this wasn’t her true passion were confirmed. “A guy asked me what I did, and I asked him ‘What do you think?’. ‘You look like an actress’, he replied. The next day I spoke to my parents and told them I was going to study acting.”
Almudena herself invites us to delve into that impulse for acting, and we join her on a journey into her past in search of the root. This is how we find out that when she was 14 or 15, she chose an optional theatre class and discovered a whole new world. “I was quite a shy girl, and I’d never performed in public. I learnt a lot about myself. And then I never really stopped, because at university I would audition for castings and participate in adverts or music videos.”
“My grandmas have been role models of incredible perseverance and struggle. They both wanted to be actresses but couldn't be because of the era”
When we ask her who she thinks is behind her success, we finally get to the heart of the matter. “My family have always supported me [gets emotional]. My grandmothers have been role models of incredible perseverance and struggle. They both also wanted to become actresses but were unable to because of the era. I think that somehow they’ve passed it down to me and I’m eternally grateful to them.”
Almudena’s serious demeanour instantly softens when she smiles, especially the way she squints her eyes until they almost disappear. Describing the place she escapes to when she needs to unwind brings this kind of smile to her face: Lagartera (Toledo). “It has a strong artistic tradition, and, during busy periods, I love going there and spending time with my grandmother, my aunts, their friends, the neighbours, they’re people that inspire me and that I find authentic.”
The Amor method
When we talk about Almudena Amor, we’re not talking about a child prodigy, rather a girl with a lot of determination. “My resolve is influenced by the passion I feel for this work.” And, talking about acting, we get a glimpse of the Amor method. “I work on my characters with empathy and intuition, looking for traits I share with them. The beauty of this work is that it allows you to understand people better and gives you the chance to get to know yourself more.”
As she gradually feels more relaxed —she shifts into a more comfortable position with her feet up—, she admits that she struggles to define talent, but gives it a go. “Talent has to stir something up in others, it’s completely linked to arousing an emotion, a feeling.” When we ask her to let us in on her main talent, her lively eyes give us a clue. “Curiosity, which leads me to explore: I love taking analogue photos, I do contemporary dance, sing, and record at home [she even admits that she can see herself singing].”
“I work on my characters with empathy and intuition, looking for traits I share with them”
“I believe that the most important thing about acting is to be relaxed,” says Almudena. And it seems that the same can be said of interviews, because she dares to tell us about one of her few quirks. “I use my hands a lot, they connect me to another realm. Before filming, I focus on certain movements that help me relax and let go of myself”.
Passion for cinema
Almudena is passionate about film. While she walks around the bookshop, she eagerly tells us that she recently saw Cría cuervos, confesses her fondness for Wong Kar-wai, and recommends the late playwright Sarah Kane’s Complete Plays. We openly ask her which character she would’ve liked to play. “Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, Catherine Deneuve in Belle de Jour, Juliette Binoche in Bad Blood… When you love film so much, it’s hard to choose.”
Fernando León de Aranoa and Paco Plaza have been her mentors in the film industry. “I’ve been incredibly lucky. Those were my first projects, and they instilled confidence and calm in me.” In The Good Boss, Almudena shares screen time with Javier Bardem, an experience that strengthens her resolve. “I was amazed by his work because, with each take, no matter how many times we’d shot it, he was bold enough to try something new. Witnessing that is a delight and the best learning experience.”
“Sharing a film with strangers is a beautiful ritual; when the lights go out, sound surrounds you, the big screen”
Film, and specifically cinemas, are falling on tough times because of the pandemic, but Almudena seems optimistic about her future and puts her romantic spin on it. “Sharing a film with strangers is a beautiful ritual; when the lights go out, sound surrounds you, the big screen... It’s an unbeatable experience. Everyone loves it, right? Long live film and cinemas!” And with this closing statement we end the interview, and there’s no better person than her, a rising star, to make this plea.
