Sílvia Bel: "I have spent my life working and I have nothing"

Actress Sílvia Bel (Barcelona, 1970) discovered the “artistic bug” at a very young age. She came from a humble family: “At home they were very poor, they were republicans and had lost the war.” Her father had started working in a factory at just 14 years old and had always had a great intellectual curiosity: “He had always wanted to go to university, but he didn't have the opportunity due to life circumstances.” For this reason, he placed many hopes in his two daughters and wished they would study a university degree. Although initially she didn't quite fit in at home, Bel decided to study dramatic art at the Institut del Teatre.

“My parents didn't have a large purchasing power, I knew I would have to pay for my degree myself,” she explains in statements to Empreses. She combined her studies with jobs as a waitress and teacher, until her final year when she obtained a scholarship to start working at the Science Museum.

Her beginnings in the world of acting were not easy, but over time she found her place: “I feel fortunate because I have been able to make a living and I haven't lacked anything living from this profession.” However, job instability has been a constant: “We work and go to unemployment. We work and go to unemployment. That's how our job is. In fact, my daughter still remembers the number she had at unemployment from the hours we spent waiting in line when we went to pick her up.” The last few years have been an exception within this instability. Since 2017, she has been playing Marta Ramis in the series Com si fos ahir, on TV3: “It’s a kind of parenthesis in this life I’ve led”.

Bel always assumed that dedicating herself to a vocational job meant giving up certain material comforts: “I always thought that the price to pay for working in a job you are passionate about was not to expect to get rich.” “It's tough because it depends on being called and opportunities arising,” she explains, but it also allows her a lifestyle she values: “I wouldn't have seen myself working eight hours in an office”.

And although there were moments of not knowing "if the next day the fridge could be filled or not", she assures that, little by little, things turned out. When she earned more money, she saved it thinking about the more difficult stages. "I adapted very well to this situation. I accepted that things were like this". And she adds: "I preferred to have the certainty that I was worth it for myself and that I didn't need anyone to come to my financial rescue to be able to continue. Above all, taking into account that I separated with a very young daughter and that, therefore, I had to move forward". Bel has prioritized freedom and economic independence over a higher standard of living that could have overwhelmed her. This philosophy is also reflected in her material decisions: "I didn't buy houses, apartments, or anything. I only bought a van. I've spent my life working and I have nothing. I have some savings, not much either".

You don't work for free

In her career, she has not prioritized the best-paid projects: “It is a balance between what you desire and what you consider will fulfill you artistically. But you don't work for the love of art. You don't work for free.” The actress maintains that acting, like any other profession, must be remunerated with dignity. In her case, the weight of the economic aspect when choosing a project has varied depending on her vital and personal moment. Nevertheless, she assures that she cherishes all the roles she has played: “I have loved all the characters I have played and I have taken a piece of life from all of them.”

Currently, after a long career in the sector, Bel has her sights set on cinema: “Also on theater, which has been my life. Whenever a project that excites me is presented to me, I will be there. And I am grateful for all these years on the series, it has been very well received by the public and has given me a lot of joy.” Her parents look back with pride: “They are very happy that I have dedicated myself to this and that I have done well.” And she highlights the unconditional support they have always given her: “I have always found them in the front row on opening night.”