Sara Diego: “My parents have instilled in me to take things with a sense of humor”

BarcelonaSara Diego (Madrid, 1996) is an actress. Many of you know her as Carla from Com si fos ahir (TV3). We can see her in the theater in Primera llei de Newton, until October 4th at La Villarroel. In April she will return with Dones de ràdio. And in between we can follow her on the tour of Loop. Between Madrid and Barcelona. “I was born in Madrid and lived there until I was 3 years old. Then in Terrassa, in Barcelona, in between back in Madrid again... I have been to five different schools. My childhood has always been very much on the move”. And how did you experience it as a child? “When I was in third grade, my mother (Rosa Boladeras) got a series in Madrid and I had to go there with my brother, who had just been born. It affected me a lot, because it is the age when you have your group of friends”. And now as an adult, how do you see it? “It has given me great ease in adapting to places, in meeting new people. The fact of having been to five different schools means you can start over and be someone else”.

She studied at the Maria Montessori Italian School. “I went there until I was 13, both here and in Madrid. It is a small school, not elitist at all, very familiar, with all kinds of people. I arrived there at 3 years old and I learned a new language there. I had to look at people a lot, observe the teachers, imitate, to understand, to adapt... And that has also helped me a lot to define who I am and my way of being”.

Her parents are the actors Gabino Diego and Rosa Boladeras. “I have always lived with that. Seeing my father being congratulated for his work, or people asking for autographs. But, above all, seeing them on stage. Not so much seeing them as well-known people, but seeing them working on it, preparing a role, loving the craft and how passionate they are about the work. You get the urge, you say I want that too. We share the love for this job”.

Her parents separated when Sara was three years old. “I don't remember them together. I was one of the first to travel by plane alone from a young age on the air bridge. And later with the AVE I was already traveling alone from the age of 15. This thing of traveling, of moving around, has always been with me”.

When she was asked as a child what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would say: “Artist. I have teamwork in my blood. I really like being with people, since I was little, since I've been back and forth so much, I like the family that is created in the theater.” And how did you get into theater? “I've always liked everything that has to do with expression, drawing, dancing... At 10 years old I started taking theater classes, but I didn't have an agent until I was 18”.

She has two younger siblings. “I am the big sister only on my mother's side. I am 12 years apart from my sister and 8 from my brother. I have taken care of them a lot like a mommy.” They are also artists. “Yes. She is also an actress, and he has studied music production. I would love to do a play with my family: my grandma, my father, my mother, my sister, and have my brother do the sound... It would be a dream.”

I read that your mother told you to become dentists. “It's a joke she makes. Since we are actors, she says: ‘Gosh, couldn't you have been dentists? It’s always good to have a dentist around.’” Humor, a family trait. “My parents have instilled in me a great deal about taking things with a sense of humor. I believe it's something that saves my life; it makes my problems smaller, because if I take them with a sense of humor, everything transforms a little.”

She chose her own path. “I did the performing arts high school diploma, but it was very hard for me, I repeated a year. When I finished, I didn't want to lock myself in a school from seven in the morning to seven in the evening, it scared me... So I took courses, workshops, a bit à la carte... Then I did a play at Flyhard, one at Lliure, and now I am working in this.”