The Business
Pablo Azar on why acting in Spanish means no union benefits
Telenovela star Pablo Azar often plays characters who live in a world of wealth. But Azar's reality is not so glamorous. Acting jobs with Telemundo come without union protections that are standard in English-language productions. Azar says even the stars of Spanish-language productions shot in the US are often forced to work other jobs. For him, it was driving for Uber. Then, writer-director Jonas Cuarón and actor Gael García Bernal tell us about their "political horror film" Desierto.
By Kim Masters • • 29m ListenActor Pablo Azar is a star in the world of Spanish-language soap operas -- he's been in 10 of them. His telenovela characters live in a world of luxury, but Azar says working non-union jobs on Telemundo has left him without benefits or residuals. That's why he, like many other telenovela actors, has had to work outside jobs. He tells us about getting recognized by fans while driving for Uber. Then, before Jonas Cuarón worked with his father Alfonso on the award-winning Gravity, he wrote a script for a thriller set on the US-Mexico border. Now, he's brought that story to life with Desierto, Mexico's submission for the best foreign-language Oscar. He and star Gael García Bernal tell us how their genre film turned unexpectedly political in this election year.
Photo: Actor Pablo Azar
