Isak Férriz: "I have a really hard time when I'm the center of attention and I don't have a script behind me."

BarcelonaIsak Férriz (Andorra la Vella, 1979) is a familiar face on television, although he has managed to maintain a degree of anonymity. The actor stars in the Netflix miniseries. City of Shadows, one thriller Set in Barcelona, the series centers on a series of murders of prominent figures in the city, which take place in various buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí. The production also marks the final project of actress Verónica Echegui. before dying this August from cancer.

City of Shadows It adapts a series of crime novels, a genre that works very well on streaming platforms. Why do we love murder mystery series so much?

— I'm more fascinated by the phenomenon we've been seeing lately with the true crimeCrime novels are an escape into darkness, territories we don't explore as much in our daily lives. I quite enjoy crime novels, although I wasn't familiar with Aro Sáinz de Maza's series, and I devoured it in one sitting. I was fascinated by the social commentary behind the four novels and how the character of Milo always strives for the better, which I think is quite important in these times.

You're from Andorra, but your family is from Barcelona and you've lived in the city for a long time. Have you also seen the transformation of Barcelona that the series talks about?

— Of course! My grandmother had a stall at the Barceloneta market, and I still remember eating with my feet in the sand at the beach bars. And from when I moved here, I have very fond memories of the Rambla del Raval, of a day when I was looking for the legendary Bar Aurora. afterAnd I found six demolished blocks. Barcelona is a city that keeps rebuilding itself in the name of modernity and progress, and to open itself up to tourism. And that's what we've ultimately become: the other day I was walking along Avinyó Street and Ferran Street and I was horrified by the number of shops catering exclusively to tourists, which are repeated every 100 meters. You can't do this with cultural spaces: if you ask to open a cultural space, it must be more than 500 meters from another one. What I really like about the series is that the Barcelona of yesteryear is treated with nostalgia. This doesn't mean that any past time was better, but there was a city identity back then that only remains in some areas. If we don't consider what kind of city we want, we'll end up becoming a stage set, like many globalized cities due to voracious tourism.

Your character, Milo, uses the concept of "the victims of Barcelona." Who are the victims of Barcelona right now?

— Right now, everyone in Barcelona is feeling the pinch because of how high rental prices are. I think the real victims in Barcelona, and in the globalized world, are those of us who rent and dedicate a very high percentage of our salary to paying that rent.

This series is the last work Verónica Echegui did before her death. What memories do you have of filming with her?

— We're still reeling from the news. She left a huge void in the acting world because she was such a unique actress. Since she joined the project, her character [Sub-Inspector Rebeca Garrido] grew so much; she's the character that evolved the most from the novel. It's a great shame that she won't be able to see the result of her work.

You've done a lot of work in television and theater, but you still seem to blend in quite easily on the street. Is that right?

— Absolutely, but in a way, it's intentional. I don't like people knowing Isak Férriz as a brand. I do the necessary promotions for my work, but I try to avoid TV shows and competitions, and my Instagram is private. I'm very protective of my privacy, and I like going to the park with my son without being recognized. Besides, I don't handle public recognition very well. Being the center of attention when I have a script is wonderful, but when I don't, it's awful; I have a really hard time. I also believe that actors are actors, not celebrities. The less known you are, the easier it is for your characters to be believable.

Many people still remember you as Martín, the tattoo artist who had a love story with Bea Segura in the first season of QuotesWas it an important project in your career?

— I had a fantastic time playing Martín; it was a turning point in my career because it was a time when I was unemployed, right after the economic crisis. It was a fantastic character, quite similar to my own personality. It's a role that reminds me of many migrants who come to Catalonia and take Catalan courses, and I think they're... QuotesThere are so many migrants who haven't been here long and they recognize me. It's very curious.

Quotes It was a turning point, but when did you realize you could make a living as an actor?

— Making a living solely from acting... I'm also an editor, and I've spent many years making all kinds of videos, always trying not to stray too far from that world. Our career is very unstable, and until I was 38, the constant in my life was working and hustling, working and hustling. And finding and juggling other odd jobs. Stability arrived right with the birth of my son and the premiere of... Giants [Enrique Urbizu's series for Movistar Plus+, from 2018]. Since then, I can consider myself part of the incredibly fortunate 7% of the profession who can live exclusively from acting.

Has having a child changed your perspective on the world?

— When you have a child, you realize many things, especially when they leave your bubble and you release them into the jungle of society, encountering other families with whom you don't necessarily agree ideologically or politically. It's very complicated. It's a job that requires rolling up your sleeves and trying every day to guide them, but not to overprotect them, because that can be counterproductive. Raising a child in today's chaotic society is an enormous challenge.