Omar Chaparro celebrates Hispanic potential as host of Platino Awards
Los Angeles, Apr 14 (EFE).- Omar Chaparro was set to host the Platino Awards in 2020 when the pandemic forced a postponement. Undeterred this year, the Mexican actor will lead the tenth annual gala, an event he believes showcases the potential of Hispanic talent.
“I think the Platino Awards are the perfect stage for us to realize who we are and what we are capable of as Hispanics and Latin figures,” Chaparro told EFE.
Chaparro was about to begin rehearsals for the seventh edition of the gala when the pandemic postponed the ceremony, which was to be held in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
“It slipped through our fingers, but we’re happy to return and even more excited because I’ll be hosting alongside Paz Vega and Carolina Gaitán,” said the actor.
Known for his portrayal of Pedro Infante in “Como caído del cielo” (As if Fallen from Heaven), Chaparro expressed great admiration for his co-hosts and revealed that his primary goal for the April 22 event in Madrid, Spain, is to have fun.
“I’m going to enjoy it; I won’t seem like a host (…) We want people to have fun and for the awards to be fast-paced, with all the necessary information, but feeling as if we were in the living room at Christmas with friends and family,” he said.
During his stay in Spain, Chaparro hopes to meet Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas, and Argentine Ricardo Darín, who is nominated this year for the film “Argentina, 1985.” “They are masters to me,” he added.
He also shared his excitement that “Bardo, Falsa crónica de unas cuantas verdades” (Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths), a film by his compatriot Alejandro González Iñárritu, has six nominations, as he identified with many aspects of the movie.
“Iñárritu mentioned he was seeking a healing process, going inward, and the same is happening to me (…) We also have a similar story, in the sense that we both moved to Los Angeles to work, and it’s not easy,” he explained.
FINDING HIMSELF
Chaparro has become one of the most important Latin celebrities of the moment, with his popularity growing in hosting programs like “¡Nailed it! México,” acting in films such as “¿Y cómo es él?” (And What Is He Like?), or singing in “Las Locuras Mías” with Joey Montana.
However, the actor has not always seen his versatility as a positive, confessing that it has led to some difficult identity issues. Now, it has driven him to create “Yo soy Omar Chaparro,” a live show combining his talents.
“My show is the result of everything I’ve experienced. I’m not a singer, actor, comedian, speaker, or radio host, so who am I? My answer is this show,” he said, with the project set to premiere in Mexico in June.
Currently, Chaparro sees himself as “the director” of his own life, and although he still has a few fields to explore as an artist, he is clear that his goal is music.
“I want to establish myself as a singer, and I know I’ve been at it for years, but I have many more ahead (…) Now I know everything is possible,” he stated.
The 48-year-old actor’s upcoming projects include a Netflix series titled “Las viudas de los jueves” (Thursday Night Widows), based on the eponymous novel by Argentine writer Claudia Piñeiro, and three films directed by Alonso Álvarez.
Regarding the responsibility of his career success, Chaparro admits he doesn’t dwell on those thoughts.
“I don’t want to question whether I deserve it or what I’ve done; instead, I’ll keep enjoying the moment because the ego is very treacherous. I’ve learned not to pay attention to it and simply be grateful,” he concluded. EFE
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