In honour of the 15th anniversary of Guillermo Del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth, CineMania talked with Ivana Baquero about the impact the film had in her life, how it changed and her career so far.
Muse of the fantasy genre and LGBT+ icon, we spoke with the actress who played Ofelia on the 15th anniversary of Guillermo del Toro's film.
On October 11, 2006, the cinema was filled with horror and fantasy with the arrival in Spanish cinemas of El Laberinto del Fauno, directed by Guillermo del Toro. Released in the United States as Pan's Labyrinth - in honor of the god of Greek mythology - the film received up to 6 Oscar nominations, winning up to three golden statuettes. In its extensive journey through the awards season, the name of Ivana Baquero would reach the praise of all. The 12-year-old girl thus obtained the Goya for best new actress, instantly becoming the second youngest interpreter to obtain it.
15 years later, Baquero lives between Spain and the United States and continues to triumph in the North American market. "It was absolutely magical. I had no faith on the Goya win, and the moment my name was called I began to understand the magnitude of what was coming. I think it took me years to fully absorb the impact the film had so much in the industry as in my own life. "
Baquero played little Ophelia in the fairy tale set in the Civil War, a role for which many people still remember the actress. "To this day it continues to open doors for me, so I have not felt pigeonholed at all. Quite the contrary, I've always felt very fortunate to have been part of what is now a classic for many."
THE MOST VIOLENT FAIRY TALES
"From Guillermo Del Toro I learned that, indeed, Disney stories are sweetened adaptations of what are actually tremendously violent stories," says the actress about her collaboration with the filmmaker. "An example is the original work of Cinderella by the Brothers Grimm, in which one of the stepsisters amputates her toes to fit the glass shoe, and then they end up blind after being attacked by a group of birds that they gouge out their eyes, imagine!"
A shoot with the usual and iconic monsters of the Mexican director, who never terrified the young actress. Despite her young age, she had already become an expert in horror and fantasy genres, after her first roles in films by Paco Plaza (Romasanta: The Beast Hunting, 2004) and Jaume Balagueró (Frágiles, 2005), regular collaborators and creators of the REC franchise.
"I was already used to shooting genre films and working with monsters, animatronics, prosthetics, etc. I think the Labyrinth was already my sixth film," reveals the interpreter. "My favorite thing in life (and it's still my driving force!) is being on a set, so I really enjoyed it. I absorbed everything like a sponge, and I had a lot of fun with all my colleagues (humans, and creatures!) ".
A SPECIAL BOND WITH HER CAST MATES
Baquero still fondly remembers the shoot and her co-stars (Maribel Verdú, Sergi López and Ariadna Gil), with whom she shares "a very special bond." In addition, she especially remembers Doug Jones, the international star behind the characters of the Faun and the Pal Man, two roles with an added difficulty...
"Doug Jones is a sweetheart, one of the sweetest people I've ever met. His work was really admirable because Doug didn't speak Spanish, but he had to learn the whole script in Spanish without fully understanding what he was saying. That takes a tremendous effort. Luckily we shared English, so we rehearsed a lot ", reveals the young actress who combined the filming with her studies at an American school, an education that would open many future doors for her.
AN LGBT+ ICON AND REGULAR SERIES
After her success in the role of Ofelia, the offers would not stop raining down on the artist, who at age 14 received her first Hollywood role as the daughter of Kevin Costner in The New Daughter (La Otra Hija, in Spain). Her leap into the pool opened the ban for her participation in other international productions, with which would come The Other Me, by Isabel Coixet (starring Sophie Turner, the eternal Sansa Stark), Feedback or her recent project Black Friday.
Between 2016 and 2017, Baquero moved to New Zealand to shoot the international fiction The Shannara Chronicles. There she rode horses, prepared action sequences and learned to fight with daggers. The character of Eretria also became an LGBT+ icon for viewers, who lived her relationships with Lyria and Wil as if they were their own. "Without a doubt, it is one of those projects that mark a before and after in your career and in your life, playing an LGBT+ character was tremendously enriching, and frankly, educational. I am proud of the impact that Eretria has come to have" .
Her triumph outside of Spain would cause her signing in the Spanish production of Netflix's Alta Mar, which made Baquero momentarily return to his native home. So she entered again in the small Spanish screens as Eva Villanueva until 2020.
Currently, her participation in the horror movie Black Friday, which opens in theaters next November, where we will see the actress in the role of Marnie. "This is a tribute to the horror movies of the 80s, like The Goonies, etc. The cast is hilarious (Devon Sawa, Bruce Campbell, Michael Jai White, Ryan Lee ...) and I hope that those who cheer up, enjoy a lot and get carried away by the madness that is Black Friday. "
At 27, Baquero has shown that the magic of cinema is still present in her impetus towards the new challenges that are presented before her. There is no doubt that Ofelia far exceeded all three faun tests.
(c) Interview by CineMania.
Translation by Ivana Baquero Italia.
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