Chris Evangelou has starred in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen, Devils, Eastenders and more. His latest project is the new Disney+/Hulu series La Maquina. He stopped by with us to chat about it.
Hi Chris, Thanks for taking the time to chat with us. You’ve got a new series coming out called La Maquina which will be hitting Disney+/Hulu soon. You play Harry Felix; can you tell us about him? Do you see any of yourself in him?
Harry Felix is a confident rising star in the sport of boxing. He’s already world champion but this fight is to unify the titles. Harry is a skillful, talented fighter, a little bit of a showboater but has the skill to back it up. There was a little bit of me in Harry Felix I suppose, not the cockiness but definitely the fighting style and confidence.
What appealed about the script?
The story was different to most boxing films/shows that I’ve seen. It had a lot of heart, soul and strong relationships between the characters. I loved that my role was seen as the final boss, thee man to beat.
How did you find working with director Gabriel Ripstein?
Not only is Gabriel a great director but was so welcoming to me. He really knew how to get the best out of my acting and performance. We have remained friends to this day and I would love to work with him again one day.
How did you prepare for the role of Harry? Did it require any special preparations, like physical training or research?
Training for this role was just like a training camp for a fight. I took it just as serious. I had to diet the whole time I was in Mexico City, I trained 3 times a day: Morning cardio, rehearsals, which was all boxing and boxing training then later in the day I weight trained. It was tough but
was worth it after I saw the outcome.
How do you approach building a character from scratch, especially if it’s far removed from your personal experiences?
Great question. It takes a lot of experience to create a whole new character, one that is far removed from the actors personal experiences. I would start with writing a diary of who I am, my past, how I grew up, favourite music, sport, likes, don’t likes etc I would build a life around my
character. This would help me when it comes to decisions about my character and this choices.
Were there any unexpected challenges during filming, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenge was having t show Gael the fight sequence in the ring on the day of shooting, in front of a full arena of fans and crew. We had three full shoot days and each take was more tiring than the last. All credit to Gael for training as hard as he did and focusing the
whole time we shot.
Having worked in movies and television; do you have a preference, or do you enjoy both?
I love both to be honest. There are a few differences, TV works a little faster, fewer takes for example. Film, depending on the budget, can feel like you’re a part of a huge project I.e. The Gentlemen by Guy Ritchie.
What was the most rewarding part of working on La Maquina?
Being a part of the premieres and seeing your work on the big screen, I loved every minute.
Are there any actors you particularly admire or draw inspiration from?
Tom Hardy is my favourite actor, not just his work but also his life and struggles. I also admire Robert Downy Jr, I think he is one of the most talented and natural actors out there.
What would you like audiences to take away from the show?
I want people to see more than the boxing, I want people to see the human side of my
character, the emotion and the pain.
Thanks very much and all the best with the series.
Thank you