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Mauricio Ochmann describes himself as a homebody who loves spending time with his wife, Aislinn Derbez , and his daughters. Hearing his baby girl Kailani in the background, he speaks slowly but enthusiastically. “I love Mexico City. I like the people, the neighborhoods, the food. I always have a good time. The only thing that worries me is the lack of public safety and the violence all over the country.”
Although his career as an actor has taken him to the United States, Colombia, Argentina, and many other countries, he feels at home when he returns to Mexico City and stays in La Condesa neighborhood. “A film set is almost always the same, technically speaking. Mexico, for me, has that connection with people. There’s a closeness. When I’m there, I suddenly run into people that I worked with 20 years ago. The artists, the crew, the technicians. We all become one big family.”
Mauricio tells us that his favorite activity is walking through the parks and plazas of La Condesa or going for a run and then having breakfast. “I’m a breakfast guy. I love walking through Parque España and Parque México. Then, I really like going to Ojo de Agua, a delicious café. I also like Maque, another great place for breakfast.” Walking helps him connect with nature, and when he needs inspiration, he escapes to Tepoztlán, a small town nestled in the mountains that has a pyramid with “a very beautiful energy,” 40 minutes from the city.
For a romantic date, he recommends roses and a nice dinner at a restaurant like Quintonil in the Polanco neighborhood. One of his most spectacular memories with Aislinn and his daughter Lorenza is New Year’s 2016, when they rode a hot air balloon over the Tenochtitlán pyramid ruins outside the city. Ochmann’s earliest memories of Mexico City have to do with architecture. “I grew up outside the city in the Guanajuato area and in Querétaro. My first memory is from around 13, when I reconnected with my first adoptive father. I hadn’t seen him in many years. I remember arriving at the bus station and then entering the city, the smells, its streets, San Ángel…. I had been there as a child, but [this time] it really made an impression on me.”
Mauricio knew he wanted to be an actor ever since he participated in theater productions at his school and feels very thankful to have fulfilled his dream. In his movie, Ya veremos, Mauricio showed his softer side, playing a father. “The change from a Machiavellian character to this role is welcomed with open arms. I always try to change. I don’t like being pigeonholed,” he said, adding, “This doesn’t mean I don’t play strong characters and villains—I play them when there’s a good, coherent message in the end.”
Mauricio’s 24 hours in Mexico City
“There are so many neighborhoods to visit. I love walking around Reforma. Hotel Carlota is good for canapés like octopus’s toast. I recommend the Zócalo, the city’s central plaza; the Palacio de Bellas Artes; and the various museums in Parque de Chapultepec, which is huge and even has a castle. San Ángel is beautiful. La Condesa and La Roma are not to be missed.”