Laughter, Bergson said, punishes monotony; it exists to denounce the mechanization of life. A body that stumbles or a crazy idea are contradictions without rhythm, small illogical tragedies. And so we laugh. María León (Seville, 1984) is there to agree with the philosopher. She also has some contradiction. Her best and most award-winning roles are dramas, but, for that perhaps to punish the routine, most of the time we see her in a comedy. Now, hers is the star of The Wish List , the new film by Álvaro Díaz Lorenzowhich opens tomorrow. It is dramatic, since it deals with cancer, but without giving up laughter. And there, in the paradox, and together with Victoria Abril ("When they told me that I would act with her, I got my ass Coca Cola", he says) and Silvia Alonso, it is María León in her most Bergsonian expression.

What is the first thing you have done after quarantine: go to the field. I needed to go outside to vent. Of course, before I went to see the family that I have in Madrid. Has this strange time served you for anything? The truth is that I have not stopped. I was so overwhelmed with the possibility of being overwhelmed that I started doing everything. I have not stopped playing sports, cooking and even given me time to take care of a small garden. Everything has grown for me, and now that it's over, or so we hope, will it make us better to have seen the cliff so closely? Upside down. I think people are going to be more scared and more selfish. At the moment, we can not even touch. It is all too puzzling. You see very worried people and people who behave as if nothing had happened. Now he presents a film that lives on its own precipice, cancer ... Yes, and something has to do with one thing. And there perhaps is the teaching: every tragedy, enormous as it is, also has its hopeful side. There is always hope. It sounds corny, but it is so. (Laughs) What has impressed you most about dealing with a disease that still carries so many taboos? The taboo is the result of misinformation. The problem is also the concept of beauty that we have given ourselves. Beauty cannot depend on having or not having hair. That must be ended.

Dani Rovira's gesture of announcing her cancer was very brave and necessary

María LeónThe problem then is the pressure of a society obsessed with youth, with beauty ... A breast cancer is much more common than it seems. And it should be displayed. You are not less of a woman and you are less alive for not having a breast. Beauty is not in a chest. Beauty is in other things. The woman's body is still beautiful with one less breast. We talked about women's cancer, but in your previous film, Los Japan, you worked with Dani Rovira who announced that he was suffering from it in the middle of the pandemic ... We are so used to see Dani laugh that it seems that nothing bad can happen to him. It seems that she is not human. And that's why it affected people so much that Dani publicly recognized her illness. She was very brave, very human and even very necessary what she did. I am sure that it will overcome it. What cancer would you like to eradicate from society beyond cancer itself? The confrontation this one in which we live. We should be able to unite. And we must fight for public health and culture, for example. Despite your long and awarded career (Concha de Plata y Goya), you don't see as many leading roles. Is it more difficult for a woman to be the main interpreter? Little by little things change. There are more and more options for actresses. Or at least that's what I want to think. The trend to pay attention only to men must be reversed. This is not a women's fight; it is everyone's fight. Equality benefits us all. On the other hand, in the face of the advances of which she speaks, the reaction against is becoming more present and more heard ... The voices against are science fiction of a bad screenwriter. It makes noise to make noise. I like to listen to everyone and all opinions. But many times what you hear is just kicks that just want to destroy everything. It scares me a lot.

We must end the confrontation and fight for health and culture

María LeónThe awards come to you for dramatic roles, and yet you insist on comedy ... It is what it is. I imagine they are life's contradictions or that they don't take me seriously enough. But what I won't do is complain. He has an artist brother and a military brother ... I can't admire my brother Paco more as an artist. Seeing him gives me hope in this profession. And I hope there is reciprocity (laughs). And the other ... because each one has its own. Even if you do not understand why the other likes the lemon polo, freedom consists in respecting the tastes of each ...

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

Know more

  • movie theater
  • culture

Clothes hanging We go with Clint Eastwood to World War II

The Oscars and the Bafta are delayed by the coronavirus

CultureThe recommendations of José Ángel Mañas: the autobiography of Malcolm X, Bob Dylan, Black Mirror ...

See links of interest

  • Last News
  • English translator
  • TV programming
  • Quixote
  • Work calendar
  • Daily horoscope
  • Santander League Ranking
  • League calendar
  • TV Movies
  • Themes
  • Arsenal - Norwich City
  • Bournemouth - Newcastle United
  • Everton - Leicester City
  • Alavés - Granada CF
  • Valencia CF - Athletic Club