For years you have been Nekane of Goenkale in the Basque Country. Has Raquel Murillo replaced the Chief Constable now? Or are you still Nekane here?

I'm still Nekane in Basque places. The other day we went to Ondarro to go for a walk, and people said, “Nekane Beitia!” In semi-detached places like Basauri, many people have met me now, “I didn’t know you were a Basauri, I didn’t know there was an actor in Basauri”... and I had lived my whole life in Goenkal. Now some are asking for pictures.

In fact, The Paper House has been a tremendous success, hasn't it? Especially since they uploaded it to Netflix.

Oh, that's terrible. They are beginning to see in the world. I don’t like social media very much, but they advised me to open my Instagram account. I had few followers telling the truth, I wouldn't make it to a thousand. And then, every day, a thousand more, no more. I was so scared! Thank goodness you’re in your place and you said, “well, that’s happening in the world but I’m here, Basaurin cheating, and that’s it.” It has acquired a very large dimension.

Did you expect that?

At least I don't. The last chapter was broadcast on Antena 3, and then we were told that the series had been bought by Netflix and would be seen around the world. Well, let's see what happens. It started well in Italy, and in France. Then there was a boom in Turkey, and now it’s been huge in Latin America. If any job opportunities arise in the Argentine region or...

Would you like it?

I would, for a short time, for a couple of months, then come back here. We live very well here.

Nekane Beitia and Raquel Murillo have similarities, don't they? That might have made it easier for you...

Oh, yeah, yeah. Two female police officers. It was Nekane who had this command capability. Raquel's life is turned upside down, and she's a battered woman. In his work he tries not to lose his authority but his life is turned upside down. It also happened to Nekane Beitia. So I was a little bit prepared in this regard, because they are similar profiles. When I was called to Kastin, I got a little lazy about whether I was going to get back into something similar... But then I realized that there was another approach that was completely different when it came to working. The characters were very elaborate; in terms of script, Goenkale was a series that was made every day, which meant that everything was done very lightly. The paper house was very thoughtful. The character had more than one side. It took this complexity over Goenkal's time, as we had been there for 13 years. The two projects were different.

How long have you been in Madrid?

- Six months. I went with the idea that there would be eight, and when I was told that there would be six, I gladly took the news home two months earlier. It is not easy to leave the house. You do it and you enjoy it. When you are there, the body is made. Besides, I had a hard time deciding to go to The Paper House. I had some projects in the theater and I had to leave some here. I walked with my doubts, the representative told me that he understood me but that it would be worth it, that the project seemed very good and that I had to do it. I don’t regret attending: it was hard but I don’t regret it.

The boycott attempt that took place on the eve of the premiere of the series might have done more good in the end than harm to the series, wouldn’t it?

To the series, I think so. Many people opposed the boycott, and only because of that, at least in the Basque Country, many saw that first chapter for supporting it. A lot of people have told me that they don’t even see Antena 3, but when they heard about the boycott they saw the series and then they were hooked. I think something similar is going to happen in Spain. But for me, it was hard.

Maybe you expected it.

Yeah, because I've seen other cases. In a very short time there were those of Obispo Sánchez, of Miren Castañaga, against the Faith of Etarras... I was waiting. And it happened. But even then, when it arrived, I was very angry. I was advised to remain silent so as not to get involved in the controversy, but that costs a lot.The ones in the product were very good, but the ones in the chain... I had a call from the chain, asking if I had ever made a statement against the victims, and if I was affiliated or sympathetic to the Reunion. I told him that I thought the way I wanted. If they had any problems with my interpretation, I would then be distressed, but I had every right in life to think what I wanted. I thought it was very serious that you asked me that. “I understand, of course,” he told me, “it’s happened to us before, I don’t know if you’ll meet an actor from the Basque Country, Miren Gaztelañaga...” “How could I not know? He’s my friend.” So I told them, “And I know very well what the A3Media release was about. If you do the same to me, you know that I will go out everywhere denouncing this.” And they remained silent until today. I’ve noticed that later for the promotion and things like that, even though I’m the protagonist, I haven’t been called. The representative was asking if something had happened, if there was a problem, why I wasn’t in the interviews and some press conferences... They said it was because they decided it was so, and you can’t prove anything. But I think it's very obvious. I also met Willy Toledo. At ETB he came out in our defense, I got his phone to thank him, and we met at Lavapies. A very nice guy. He explained to me how things work, he hasn’t been working for eight years, he’s been offered in Argentina, Mexico, but nothing in Spain. He has his own company, Teatro del Barrio, but not for movies or TV shows... and he's an amazing actor. It is very serious, but this is what we are facing, the direct heritage of Francoism.

And given the picture, the issue doesn't seem to get any better, does it?

The opposite! He who raises his head is clean, no matter who he is, inside, in prison. It's huge, it's very serious. But what can you do about it? Shut up, don't get involved in the problems of what's going on in society and go to yourself? Or move forward despite the fear? If you're scared, you're not going ahead. If I am uncomfortable this is me: this is my profession and this is me. But we have a huge monster in front of us, and we Basques know that very well, even if some of them have noticed it now.

Many and very decent series have been made in the Basque Country for many years. What happened now?

- I don't know. It is true that the crisis has been exploited to make cuts, in addition to many. But I think it's changed the way we watch TV. We used to see generalist chains, and now these platforms have been created: Netflix, HBO... Or you can find almost any series on the net, download it and watch it in a pirate mode, when you want and as many episodes as you want. To be here now, waiting for a chapter every week... people aren't ready for that. Habits have changed and audiences have changed. How will you measure your audience online? Measurements are still being made with the audiometers, but this is no longer valid. Many more people have seen the product you’re measuring, but you can’t measure that. On the one hand there is this change. On the other hand, returning to the Basque Country, we were told when Goenkale was finished that it was a very expensive product; we had been there for years and suddenly it was expensive. The expensive one? You can’t do anything cheaper than that, so many actors, so many people... They didn’t invest anything, dressed in clothes from 10 years ago, etc. And they said it was expensive. I remember that they used to do a couple of series during the year and then two or three more in the summer... But they were disappearing and today there is no fixed bet for it. And look at how many of you have come out of here. Catch them, invest a little money in culture, not all in football, and make a powerful series. And then maybe Netflix will buy it for you and it will be made in Basque! The movie Errementari has been bought by Netflix, so this opportunity to see it in the world in Basque will exist. On large platforms like this one you can see a little light, because they buy good things and spread it to the four winds. What we need here is to invest and do, to dare, but for that we need a fixed cultural policy and I think there is no such thing.

After the premieres of Lore and Lasa and Zabala, you still did not believe that Basque cinema was in bloom, as you told us in your interview at GEURIA. Now what do you say?

Now I think it's starting to bloom. But after those two extremes, Lorea had a huge impact on him... But it was a way to start. And now he's got a little bit of a rack. Now I think that we believe or that the institutions believe that this kind of thing can be done here.

In that 2014 interview, you also mentioned that the closure of the Basauri Theatre School caused you a lot of heart pain.

When it closed, I was outside, so I didn't get so caught inside. But it was a huge loss to the village. I remember when I started school that the Social Theatre was still very old, the butaks were eating moths, there were rats... it was very old but it was ours, and that’s when I started to study. The responsibility was led by the Tarima group and it was thanks to their efforts that the school was expanded. Then the City Council took part: During the renovation of the Social Theater, the theater school moved to an empty school, and when it was renovated, the underlying part was made so that their theater school could be too much. Everything was new, everything was wonderful. I do not know very clearly what the problem was, but I do know that in the plenary all the parties voted for the closure of the school, each and every one of them. I think they were offered to return to the old building as an option, but Tarima did not accept it at all. It was a terrible mistake to close the school. People came from all over the Basque Country and the school had a high standard. In addition, a street theatre festival was held in Basauri, organized by Tarima himself, which also disappeared. We are constantly losing and losing. I had great teachers: Ramón Barea, Itziar Lazkano... When I heard that they had to close, I approached the events that were organized as a protest, but it didn’t help. And some of the people who made that decision today are sorry: at least one of them told me that this was a huge upset.

The Di-Da

An object that you really appreciate? A photo book that belonged to Amama

When I have the day off... Siesta, and then at home quietly or later to the movies

A virtue of yours? I think I know how to listen

A mistake or something? A little stubborn.

What was your last trip? To the jungle, last year, to the Amazon

And what would you like to do? To the Philippines

The book you are reading. Too Big a Heart, by Eider Rodriguez

And watching a TV show? Pictures of The OA

A song? A song? Electricity of Zea Mays

A movie or something? The Wild Tales

The virtue you admire most in others? Certainty with oneself

Where and when are you happy? Family having a coffee at home

Any historical figures you admire? By Che Guevara and Angela Davis

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