“Cuéntame cómo pasó” & “From Dusk till Dawn” actress Alicia Sanz tackled “The Five Question Challenge.” (Photo property of Bernardo Doral)
By: Jacob Elyachar, jakes-take.com
It is a privilege to welcome actress Alicia Sanz to Jake’s Take!
The Ceuta, Spain native began her career as a student at the Dramatic Center of Ceuta. After landing her first lead role at the age of eight-years-old, Alicia continued on her journey in the acting world.
Since 2010, Ms. Sanz appeared in multiple television series on several major Spanish television networks including Antena 3’s Amar es para siempre & Bandolera.
More recently, she joined the cast of long-running Spanish television historical dramedy: Cuéntame cómo pasó. After her massive success in Spain, Ms. Sanz ventured to Los Angeles with hopes to break into the American acting world. Ms. Sanz exclusively shared with me that she was cast in the popular Robert Rodriguez-directed Netflix series: From Dust till Dawn.
In this edition of The Five Question Challenge, Alicia talked about her character on Cuéntame cómo pasó and the challenges that she faces while establishing an acting career in the United States.
Jacob Elyachar: When did you get interested in acting? How did that passion evolve into the desire of having a career in the entertainment industry?
Alicia Sanz: I remember when I was five-years-old. I was watching TV with my mom and I started telling her: “Mom, I want to be inside the TV, I want to be there.” When I was six-years-old, I started with dancing class and a few years later I started going to acting classes in Ceuta.
JE: You recently made your debut on “Cuéntame cómo pasó.” What attracted you to this show?
AS: I wanted to play an intriguing character. This was a challenging role for me. My character, Melek, is an Arabian girl, so I had to speak Arabic and transform my Spanish accent to turn into a Spanish-Arabian accent.
JE: Could you please describe your character on “Cuéntame cómo pasó” to my readers?
AS: Melek is the daughters of one of the biggest crime bosses in Marbella, Spain. For those who have not watched Cuéntame cómo pasó, the show is set in the 1980s and during that time…there was a huge event in Marbella. Celebrated singer-actress Lola Flores’ daugther was getting married and everyone wanted to watch the ceremony. Melek was very curious about the wedding and went to see it. At the wedding, she met Toni Alcantara, one of Cuéntame’s leads. They fell in love, but my bodyguard tried to separate me from him and he got his wish. However, I was asked back to the show. I just finished a multi-week stint in Spain, where I spent the past few weeks in Spain filming more episodes.
JE: What are some of the challenges that you face as you establish a career in the United States? How have you overcome them?
AS: I have been coming back and forth for two years. But, this is the first time I came with my Visa01 and to live here permanently. The principal challenge for me is the accent and the language. It’s not my first tongue, so sometimes it is difficult. I have a dialect coach, Esther Carporale, and an acting coach Billy O’Leary, and they both help me with my accent.
JE: If you had the chance to meet with aspiring actors who want to enter the entertainment industry, what advice would you share with them?
AS: I would encourage them to keep trying. If they really feel that is their passion and what makes them happy the most I would keep trying and studying. I think it is really important to go to an acting school and to read the old writers. I also believe that you should to have as much tools as you can, SO you can use them when the opportunity comes.
To learn more about Alicia, visit her website: http://www.aliciasanz.com/
You can also connect with Alicia on social media! Visit her Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages!
