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Anna Favella is the Italian beauty who stole our hearts as Luis Miguel’s mother in the incredible Netflix series starring Diego Boneta. Although her portrayal of Marcela catapulted her to international fame, the 38 year old has already had a successful European career.
Favella earned a philosophy degree in her native country and speaks four languages: Italian, Spanish, English and German. After enjoying the launch of the third and final season of ‘Luis Miguel: The Series’ in Mexico, she made the trek to Los Angeles and investigated the possibilities of continuing her career in Hollywood. This exclusive chat and fun photo shoot with HOLA! USA was on a gorgeous winter day in LA.
The talented actress acknowledged that when she was told that she was returning to the third season of the series, after being absent in the second, she felt: “Very, very happy, it was like a gift, because the fans always asked me if Marcela returned. Why wasn‘t I in the second one, they were hooked on the character,” she still says with emotion.
The joy was spread when Favella returned to the set, “Because I was reunited with my Mexican family, the same directors, producers, actors, team… So it was a beautiful flashback that I had the opportunity to live again. It was like meeting my relatives after a long time.It was a gift of life.“
Replaying a role that she already knew made things easier for her. “It was nice to meet again with Marcela, a very loved character, much admired, who already knew how to act. And to rebuild this character with Oscar Jaenada ... how wonderful!”
Regarding the issue of mistreatment of women, Favella is very aware thanks to her involvement with the character of Marcela. “Marcela was in the eighties. It is hard to imagine that half a century later few things have changed in that sense.”
The Italian actress admits that she has mixed feelings about the end of the series. “I was very happy, but now I am sad because it is the end of a cycle that lasted four or five years. Seeing everyone at the meeting, saying goodbye to them, was extremely sad. What I know is that it is a project that I will always carry in my soul, something very important to me at all levels. In addition, Marcela aroused many emotions in me, as an actress and as a person.”
On a personal level, Favella was moved by the role that demonstrated domestic violence against women, a world that she was not familiar with and a world that affected her to show solidarity with the problem, in which she is now very involved. “Marcela was a happy woman, who began her life in love, with illusions that she could have been a successful designer, who ended up locked in her home in the clutches of a terribly manipulative man, very unhappy, in the worst way she could have hoped for.”
She is struck by how very few things have changed around the issue of abuse, knowing that we are already about to enter the year 2022. “Marcela was in the eighties, it is hard to imagine that half a century later few things have changed in that sense.”
The unknown of the whereabouts of Luis Miguel‘s mother is discussed in the series, but each one draws their own conclusion, because nothing has been one hundred percent proven. We are curious to know what Favella thinks of this extraordinarily painful case for the children. “Since I began to study Marcela as a character to interpret in fiction, I decided not to pay attention to this issue,” she answers bluntly. “For me it was an interpretation, knowing the truth does not change my character at all and in my heart I trust that the police have done their job of looking for her. As an actress, I try to tell a story by giving life to a character, I focus on that.”
From the making of the first season to the third, a couple of years passed. What was different about Anna that could bring to her character? “I am definitely a new me after the pandemic. I put the post-pandemic enthusiasm into my character. This difficult time made me reconsider our life options. Either I took the path of pessimism, or that of optimism and hope. I opted for the latter and I put all that positivity into my character, because on this occasion I also played a younger Marcela, before her children were born, that happier, funnier, lighter, more naive, more in love woman of Luisito Rey, trying to rebuild the family that she lost to build her own. The most beautiful time of her life, a girl very much in love with her boyfriend, who became her husband, the father of her children. I poured all my positive energy into that character.”
We asked Favella about her plans to start her own family as well.
“If I learned something from the pandemic, it is that you cannot make plans. All of this touched me, it was a very special time for me personally, but like everyone else, the first months locked up in Italy were very hard. Now I live more in the present, day by day, without doing too many projects, enjoying the moment, and what happens tomorrow, let it be a surprise.”
While building that future step by step, the actress is happy to be in Los Angeles. “I stayed a few days here to find a manager, to see if I can do castings. I love the idea of working in Hollywood. It would be a very great opportunity. I like Los Angeles. I love the weather and ocean. I grew up on the edge of the sea and having the water nearby gives me a lot of peace, a lot of tranquility. It is not the first time I visit LA, but every time I return I think: I would love to stay a little longer, work, see what happens.“
She does not rule out the idea of moving to Los Angeles. “I would love to. I also love to travel. I always look for an excuse to move from one city to another for a little while, under the pretext of work or whatever. My dream would actually be to live here for a few months, there for a few months. Los Angeles is now definitely a good opportunity and a step forward in my career.”
Believe it or not, she still does not know Luis Miguel personally, something that she would love. “They only invited me to one of his concerts and I know he was in the scene of the first season of Baby O in Acapulco. So I suppose he would see me there, but I can‘t say I know him personally. “ And she would happily go out to dinner with him if the music idol asked her. “Of course, of course I would. At least the first time,” she confessed amused.
CREDITS:
Photos: Nunu @nunupicturesGlam: Paul Anthony @paulanthonyloveWardrobe: Iván Poshenko @posshenkoLocation: @malibusecretgarden
- Look orangeSITA @officialsita1910
- Look light green Dress- @adiba @maisonpriveepr_laHat - @gladystamezmillinery
- Look blueDress - Poshenko‘s wardrobe. Bracelet - @adira.delilah @maisonpriveepr_laRings - @androhmeda