"I Have Never Felt Rivalry Towards Another Colleague"

While answering questions, Anna Castillo takes the opportunity to do her nails. "I want to have some time to take a nap because my body is very wise, and when I'm very nervous, it has the ability to do a little 'reset'," she says. The nerves are due to the premiere of 'Her Majesty', which takes place a few hours after this interview. In the series, released on Prime Video, she plays Princess Pilar, an irresponsible and frivolous girl who is forced to take charge of the crown after a scandal involving her father, King Alfonso XIV. Castillo speaks quickly, without a hint of pretence, with the same naturalness with which she approaches any character, bringing truth and light to it. She reigns on screens for a reason.

-She enjoys food immensely, so she will practice the Sunday vermouth.

-I love it, yes. My parents are great advocates of Sunday vermouth. I don't do it all the time, but when I can and feel like it, 100%.

-She won't be able to do much because she never stops working. What makes her choose a project?

-Above all, it has a lot to do with the character. Obviously, it has to be part of a project that aligns with my values, but when the character is interesting, regardless of type or genre, when it excites me, when I feel a bit of vertigo and eagerness, it's usually a yes.

-That's why she chose the character of Pilar in 'Her Majesty'.

-Of course. And because when you read a project you want to watch as a viewer, you also really want to do it as an actress because you believe in it.

-As a child, did she prefer to be an actress over a princess?

-Princess, lawyer... I wanted to be everything, so the best decision was to be an actress and be able to touch all bases.

-How does she feel about Princess Leonor?

-I like her a lot. She seems nice, doesn't she? And she prepares a lot, is very formal, but also goes out partying and hooks up with the guy she likes.

-They share that public exposure.

-Yes, but I think the point and focus are different because the Royal Family consists of people who represent an entire country, so the responsibility they have is light years away from what is expected of an artist. It's true that, although it's not my case, because there are other much more famous figures, in the end, you share some of that exposure, and that makes you very vulnerable.

-Queen Letizia is very fond of cinema.

-I love it. I think Letizia, apart from being an exceptional journalist and communicator, is a very cultured woman who supports the arts, so I like her. I'm interested, yes.

-She has declared herself "proudly bisexual". Will there come a day when, if a member of the royal family is homosexual or bisexual, they can say it publicly?

-I don't know, I hope so. It would make me very happy because I believe that the representation of the LGTBI community in people who have a platform and so much exposure is always a step forward towards a right and well-being for the community.

-I don't know if she sees herself when encountering some previous work.

-On platforms, it has happened that, suddenly, I say "Oh, look, this movie of mine is here!", but I don't watch it because it makes me a bit embarrassed. I watch the movies when I make them, and that's it, and there's something healthy about letting go of the character because you have to get into another one, leaving the character in the place it belongs and at the time it belongs. Sometimes it has made me very happy to see myself again, but it also embarrasses me because I think it's fine where it is.

-And how does she see that Anna in her early works?

-Well, look, I recently watched 'Ghost Graduation', which I hadn't seen for at least ten or twelve years, and it made me very tender. I realize how unaware I was of everything, but also how much I enjoyed it from a very healthy place.

-Did that lack of awareness give her more freedom, less fear?

-Yes, yes, although I think that, when it comes to working, I'm lucky to still be a fairly free person with little judgment. For me, that's one of the keys to enjoying this job, but at that time, it was even greater.

-This year, the Goya for Best Film was 'ex aequo'. With whom would she like to share it, if that were the case?

-With any of my actress friends: with Greta Fernández, Macarena García, Belén Cuesta, Claudia Traisac... not only would I not mind, but it would make me tremendously happy, it would be like a lifelong story.

-Is there no rivalry among actresses of her generation?

-I have never felt rivalry directly towards anyone. When there's a project you want to do and can't because a colleague is doing it, it makes you sad, angry, but that's never against your colleague, but against an illusion, an expectation you had. With my friends, I feel that friendship, love, and camaraderie are above all. And I don't say it naively, I say it truly, because this is a long-term profession, and the important thing is also the people who accompany you throughout this journey. I'm lucky that many of my colleagues are also my friends.