Daniel Anglès: "One day the tap was turned on and now I think: 'Why was it so hard for you to cry?'"

Sant Joan DespíDaniel Anglès (Barcelona, ​​1975) is a restless and always active mind. In December he premiered a new production of Blood brothers, one of the musicals of his life, since it was one of the first he worked on, and now he is already immersed in the new edition ofEuphoria, he talent show from 3Cat. In the fourth season he is the director of Euphoria Space – the new window for exclusive digital content from the program, such as workshops, intimate concerts and encounters with ejephorics– and none of the coaches.

You've just started the fourth season ofEuphoriaHave you noticed that contestants in the auditions come with learned tricks?

— They've definitely learned a lot. I haven't seen it so much as if they were using tricks, because that sounds like cheating, but rather as them having a very clear understanding of the tools they need to do what the program asks of them. This leads to much more prepared contestants, who aren't just trying their luck. Most of them are people who have trained, who have studied, who have a strong will behind them. We noticed it in the casting process, we noticed it in the first rehearsals, and also with the first studio tests.

During the auditions, we saw people who had tried to get on the show more than once. Does saying no to these people break your heart a little?

— Yes, that's obvious. But it's also true that some people have made it onto the show on their third try. I really admire determination. I believe much more in determination than in passion, because passion has bigger ups and downs. It's heartbreaking to say no to people, in general. I've done a lot of castings and worked as a casting director many times, and I have to say it's a very difficult part of the job. In fact, when I started doing auditions, I had a really hard time. I would direct auditions in Paris and Madrid and come home completely devastated. Then, one day I learned to shift my mindset: don't think about the people you've said no to, because their lives haven't changed, and think about the people you've said yes to, whose lives have changed. I always try to explain that when you say no to someone at an audition, you're telling them they don't fit what you're looking for; you're not saying they're not good enough or talented. It's not a pass/fail exam.

Do you feel responsible for the future of the contestants?

— I'm very happy because I've maintained a connection with many of them. It's true that you often develop a kind of "parent syndrome," you feel a bit responsible for them. And you see some of them doing things and you think, "Oh, this video," "Oh, this song." You'd still give your opinion and try to contribute, but with age you end up learning that the important thing is to be there. I love it when one of them calls me to ask me something. I've been lucky enough to maintain a professional relationship with many of them; Triquell and Elena Escorcia are in Blood brothersFor example. What I want is for them to be happy. When they ask me, "Who's made it big?", I say the question is, "Who's happy?" That's what matters.

What do you envy about the new generations?

— I made my theater debut at 18, in 1994. For me, at that time, coming out as gay was incredibly difficult. I come from a generation where, in acting school, they'd tell you, "Above all, don't be effeminate," or "If you're gay, you won't get straight roles." We had no role models. When I see current generations who can watch shows where teenagers naturally come out of the closet, or who can act freely on set and feel who they want to be, I'm both envious and happy. It fills me with absolute joy. And then, they have access to knowledge that I also envy.

Do you think that Euphoria Has it used education to showcase diversity?

— During the first season, I received so many private messages on Instagram! When I think about it, I get emotional. I remember one from a young man who told me that something that happened on the show had led to a really nice conversation with his mother. That Instagram message alone gives me value for the whole season because there are so many realities where certain things can be incredibly surprising.

You begin Euphoria, have Blood brothers Now showing...

— I'm a multitasker: right now I have The invisible thread in Madrid and Barcelona, Blood brothersI manage the Condal Theatre; I run my school, Aulas Artes Escénicas; I'm working on two translations of new theatrical texts; I collaborate on a radio program... I have many things going on at the same time, but because I love everything I do so much that when projects come my way that excite me, it's hard for me to say no.

Don't you ever rest?

— My rest is active. I tried yoga and thought it was awful. Then I discovered active meditation. I have my outlets, the most powerful of which is playing games. escape rooms. I'm a huge fan and I love them because they demand my full attention: I can only think about where the next track is, and all other projects fade away. When I come out after an hour, my brain has shifted into overdrive.

How many times have you had to educate people who say that musicals are ridiculous or unbearable?

— When someone tells me they don't like musicals, I always ask, "Do you like music?" If they say yes, I ask them what kind of music they like and recommend this musical or that one. It's just that you haven't seen the right musical yet, and it will resonate with you. It's true that it's a genre that gets a lot of labels, like frivolous, but it can be many different things: it can be profound, it can be controversial, it can be politically charged. Singing amplifies the emotions. If you like music, I'm sure there's a musical out there you'll enjoy.

In an interview you explained that, as a result of your parents' separation, you were unable to cry for a long time.

— And now I cry in a way... One day the floodgates opened, and now I think, "Why was it so hard for you to do something so healthy?" Now, sometimes, I get home and say, "Honey, I feel like crying today. Let's put on one of those tearjerker movies." Or I put on... Beastly dateFrom 3Cat, which I really enjoy. I put on an episode and cry from beginning to end, and it makes me feel really good.

What's the last show or musical that made you cry?

Just a few days ago I went to see a performance ofThe invisible thread And I cried again. It's very curious because it's a show we conceived for a family audience, to reach children, but we've managed to reach the child in all of us. It's a performance that speaks to my inner child, surely to that child who didn't cry, and who, suddenly, opens all the floodgates.