KB ENTREVISTAS / INTERVIEWS

¿Nos puedes platicar algo de tu experiencia sobre la escena que apareces con los astros del fútbol europeo como Beckham, Zidane o Raúl?

KB “Primero que nada, a la gente le llama muchísimo la atención al ir a ver la película y lo segundo, y más importante, es que a la historia le da un tono realista. En películas que me gustan mucho de fútbol, se manejaba a Beckham y salía él de lejos, nosotros podemos decir que lo tenemos a él y otros más. Eso le da a la historia un toque de realidad que no ves mucho, tú como espectador ves la película y dices que sí es cierto porque el que sí es futbolista, se acercó y le dijo algo al personaje. En la segunda...ni se diga, ahí ya salen todos los galácticos”.

¿Cuándo estabas trabajando con ellos, qué sentiste?

KB “Te soy sincero, cuando yo leí el guión, me dije...¿a poco si va a venir una escena conmigo? Y luego, empecé a ver que estaba la FIFA en la película, y dije...bueno, a lo mejor si viene, me entiendes? En la prensa en Inglaterra, empezaron a desmentir que fuera a aparecre en la cinta y sí...llegaron a hacer las escenas y pensé que era muy padre para la gente que asistirá a ver la película”.

¿Te involucraste en el guión?

KB “Sí, fíjate que algo de lo que me considero muy afortunado es que alguien como Danny Cannon, viniendo de CSI y un par de películas de Hollywood exitosas, tomara en cuenta mi opinión. Me preguntaba qué tenía yo que decir o por qué crees tú que debe llevar un escapulario el personaje y no otra cosa. Yo le contestaba que porque era algo más mexicano, que era lógico que la abuelita le hubiera dado uno y lo conectáramos con el gol, etc., etc. El poder aportar, se me hizo una generosidad tremenda por parte del director. Creo que es importante, sino el actor se vuelve como un muñeco, nosotros también podemos aportar y somos creativos. Eso me encantó”.

¿Hubo muchos cambios en la produccion, hasta de directores. Tambien se dijo que Diego Luna seria el protagonista de Gol...sabes que fue lo que paso?

KB “Mira no sé bien, lo que yo tengo entendido es que hubo cambios en cuanto el director (corrieron a winterbottom) y cuando llegó Danny, cambió al equipo y le dio la tarjeta roja a Diego (osea lo corrio). Hace más de dos años, fue cuando había otro director, porque luego la película paró durante un año. Ese otro director, tenía una onda más documental. La gente metida en el proyecto, dijeron que querían algo más como de historia. Hubo diferencias creativas y por eso, ya no se hizo con ese director.

Yo deduzco que al entrar Danny y traer a todo su “crew” (equipo) pues cambiaron las cosas, no estuve ahí y no se decirte con certeza, pero creo que fue lo que pasó.”.

En cuanto a la promoción, por qué motivo, no se encuentra información actualizada sobre la cinta en sitios estadounidenses, como sitios de periódicos y aquellos especializados en cine. Todos deseamos que tengas éxito y me llamó la atención que siendo una película de Disney, no tenga una fuerte promoción en EUA a estas fechas.

KB “Quizá sea porque el estreno en EUA está planeado para el año que entra porque en el momento en que Disney entró había otras películas de deportes en puerta. A ellos les parece una muy buena fecha en Febrero o Marzo. Va a abrir primero en el resto del mundo, Europa, Asia...la acaban de comprar para Japón durísimo, y en América Latina. Entonces, ahí va a abrir primero, como es de fútbol me imagino que quieren manejar el que pegue en el resto del mundo y luego sacarla en EUA, cosa que no es común porque suelen lanzarlas primero ahí y después, en los demás países”.

¿Cuál es tu equipo favorito?

“Nunca he sido muy pambolero pero ahora que vi jugar al Real Madrid en el Bernabeu, cuando hicimos las escenas para esta película, me quedé con los ojos cuadrados. El Real Madrid es mi equipo favorito...la verdad”.

¿En la segunda cinta, vas a interactuar más con los galácticos?

KB “En la primera, los vimos en unas escenas...en la segunda, a mi personaje lo transfieren al Real Madrid y los vamos a ver todo el tiempo. Vamos a ver cómo fue, qué pasó, y cómo este chavo cambia, porque le llega dinero, popularidad, etc. He tenido la idea de salir con los brasileños que son tremendos, Rolando es el más bromista y ya tendremos oportunidad de irnos por ahí de fiesta. Y el filmar en los partidos, es una sensación increíble, muy difícil de explicar”.

1. ¿Ves alguna similitud entre tu historia personal y la de Santiago, el personaje al que darás vida en la película?

Por supuesto, somos parecidos. Ambos tenemos sueños y aspiraciones que perseguimos, aunque lo que amo de la actuación es que puedes interpretar a alguien que es completamente diferente a ti. Es fantástico cuando logras hacer el papel de un personaje que reacciona en diferentes formas, y logras hacerlo convincente – de eso se trata la actuación.

2. ¿Cómo afrontas el papel de Santiago, sabiendo como se desarrollará su vida a lo largo de la trilogía?

Veo al personaje en tres escenarios distintos. La primera película muestra a un chico simple de Los Ángeles que intenta seguir su sueño de ser un jugador profesional. la segunda le muestra viviendo ese sueño, y en la tercera le ves volviendo a lo básico. Las tres películas retratan la carrera de un jugador de fútbol y cómo reacciona como persona ante su cambiante vida.

3. ¿Crees que la historia de esta película va más allá del mundo del fútbol?

Así es, esta película es grandiosa porque no es solamente sobre fútbol, sino la historia de un chico que sigue sus sueños. La película muestra verdaderamente cómo es ser un futbolista. No es lo que ves en la TV, revistas y periódicos, no es todo sobre qué ropa usas y que auto conduces, sino un trabajo muy duro. Admiro a cualquiera que tenga el talento para ser un jugador de fútbol profesional

4. ¿Que tal te llevas con el balón?

Bueno, he mejorado… ¡Mis tiros libres se han vuelto bastante buenos! La película tiene algunas escenas de fútbol fantásticas con coreografías, y de mi parte intento hacerlo lo mejor posible, pero si buscas buen fútbol, debes ver a los profesionales en la película, como Alan Shearer, Jermaine Jenas y Kieron Dyer. Ha sido fantástico trabajar con tantos jugadores talentosos, para ellos puede resultar fácil pero a mí me ha llevado meses de entrenamiento el poder apenas emular sus movimientos.

5. ¿Cómo te has entrenado para mejorar esos aspectos?

Tuve tres meses de entrenamiento básico e intensivo con entrenadores, coreógrafos y preparadores físicos – ha sido una gran oportunidad de probar algo nuevo como actor. Habría sido aburrido de haber sido un gran jugador desde el principio, lo he visto como un desafío y creo que lo he hecho bien.

6. ¿Has tenido lesiones durante la filmación de la película?

Si, ¡he tenido muchas lesiones!. Mi cuerpo no está habituado a esto y por ello he tenido fracturas por tensión en mis dos tobillos, lo que significó no hacer nada por tres semanas. Me he roto la nariz en una escena pero Danny (el director) lo ha usado en la película – ¡así que ha quedado muy realista!. Por supuesto que también he tenido lesiones musculares de todo tipo, pero me he divertido tanto jugando que no me ha importado.

7. ¿Quién ha sido el mejor jugador de fútbol del reparto?

El reparto están todos los jugadores del Newcastle, Chelsea y Liverpool, por mencionar algunos pocos, y ha sido maravilloso verles en acción. Entre los actores, diría que Alessandro (Nivola) ha sido el mejor.

8. ¿Y el peor jugador?

¿Es malo si digo que yo? ¡He mejorado muchísimo pero nunca seré tan bueno como Beckham!

9. ¿Quién es tu jugador favorito de toda la historia y porqué?

¿Por donde comienzo? Mi equipo es el Real Madrid, y admiro a Beckham, Zidane y Raúl, quienes están todos en la película. También Ronaldinho me parece un jugador fantástico.

10. ¿Cuál es tu equipo favorito?

Real Madrid y ahora por supuesto, Newcastle. Me ha encantado la ciudad, su gente y su fútbol.

11. ¿Ha sido un desafío complacer a los aficionados de fútbol tanto como a los de las películas?

Sin duda, porque queríamos hacerlo realista, y creo que hemos tenido éxito; tuvimos con nosotros a algunos de los mejores jugadores profesionales del mundo y ayudándonos a que se viera tal cual es. No obstante, para mi la película es más sobre Santiago como persona. Quería asegurarme de expresar bien las emociones del personaje y hacerlo creíble – si el público simpatiza con Santiago creerán en la historia y en el fútbol.

12. ¿Cuál ha sido el momento que más has disfrutado durante la filmación de Goal!?

No puedo elegir uno, es fantástico trabajar cuando disfrutas lo que haces. ha sido fantástico trabajar con un equipo apasionado por lo que hace y que se ha esforzado mucho para hacer una gran película. Amo la actuación y este es mi sueño hecho realidad.

- You’ve just got back from Barcelona where you were shooting an Adidas commercial with David Beckham, what was that like?

(laughs) That’s meant to be confidential but it seems everyone already knows about it. Adidas has been really supportive as have a load of big companies for the film so it’s really a tie-in for the film’s advertising campaign.

- As this is the first film to be backed by the FA, did that come with any constrictions?

Not really, they were very supportive giving us access to the stadiums and matches as well as the players. We used footage from actual matches and we couldn’t have done that with out their help.

- Before getting the part, were you a big football fan?

No not really. I had to train for several months to become the character. It was a beautiful transisition but also painful. I broke both my ankles and my nose, but it helped me to become the character.


- This is your first really big movie, are you nervous about how it will be received by audiences?

No, I’m not nervous. We showed the film to audiences in France and they loved it which was surprising as we thought they wouldn’t as its set in England. Also the premieres in Newcastle and London went really well. I think audiences love it because the story is more than just about football.


- What was it like training with the actual players? Were they easy to work with?

Working with the players made the whole experience more real. They were really great especially when they had to play against us actors.


- So if we put you on the pitch for a professional game, how would you fare?

(laughs) Not well at all. I’m an actor, not a footballer. I’d be rubbish against all those guys.

- Was your character always going to play for Newcastle United? No chance of playing at Anfield?

(laughs) You never know. In Goal 2, my character moves to Spain to play for Real Madrid so you never know.


- You speak 3 languages (English, Spanish, and German) fluently, but did you have any problems understanding the Geordie accent?

(laughs) It took a couple of weeks to get into it, but now I’m used to it. It’s a beautiful accent and they’re really friendly people.

- Was it hard to make the move from sunny L.A. to rain drenched Newcastle?

Actually it’s great not to shoot a film in LA. Newcastle has its own charm and it was great to work there even if we were shooting lots of scenes in the cold.

- Football is generally a hard subject to make a film about, what makes Goal! so different?

The thing about Goal! is that it’s not just about football even if it does have great match scenes and sequences. It’s more about the story and it has messages that all ages can relate to. Even women who have seen it, love it which I was surprised about.

- The film is all about achieving your dreams, what dream do you aim to achieve?

Well, everyone has dreams. My dreams are simpler than Santiago’s (his character in the film). I just want to work lots, play different characters and make the audiences really feel and care when they watch the film. Oh and stay healthy.


- You’re also an accomplished violin player; did you find a way to weave any of your playing into the film?

(laughs) No I didn’t. As a kid, I was much more into classical music than football. I started playing the violin at six and finished when I was sixteen. I was always much more into the arts than football which is why I took the role as it’s something really different.


- Goal! is the first part of a trilogy, what can we expect from Goal 2 and 3?

Well Goal! is all about getting the dream and how good it feels. In Goal 2! which we’re filming now,, Santiago moves to Spain and it deals with becoming a big star showing the good and bad ways. It shows what happens to a person who comes from a simple beginning when they get all this money and fame like many footballers today. Goal 3! Is set during the 2006 World Cup so we’re going to be filming in during the tournament and it’s all about how Santiago gets there.


- The World Cup? But which team will your character be playing for?

(laughs)I’m not sure yet, they’re still writing it.

- Word is that you’re a big Transformers fan – any plans to vie for a part in Spielberg and Michael Bay’s live action film version?

He’s making one? Wow, well I’ve been a Transformers fan since I was a kid so you never know!

There's something of the deer-trapped-in-the-headlights look about Kuno Becker as we meet him at the end of the first major press day in his career, but he's nonetheless keen to talk about Goal!, a film which promises to open many doors for the 27-year-old Mexican. In the film he plays Santiago Munez, a similarly deer-in-the-headlights young man who finds himself thrust into the cut-throat world of professional football at Newcastle United.

How much did you know about football going in?

I played in school when I was a kid, but I didn't want to be a football star. I didn't want to be a football player professionally. It was very interesting for me to be able to play this character because of that; it's very different for me. And that's really what I want to do as an actor; I want to try to change.

I read the script and I thought it was beautiful. The most important thing about this script was that I knew the story was more important than the football. I mean I love football now, but it's much more about the story. Everybody can watch this film and everybody will like the film, I think, because of the story.

Were you nervous that, as not a professional yourself, the football would be hard to do and to make look convincing?

I wasn't nervous, but I was sure training hard. I wanted to make it believable. We have a lot of football scenes. It's about the story but if you don't have believable football scenes it's going to take the audience out of the story and they're not going to buy it.

It was important to train and I did train. I put a lot of months, a lot of hours a day of training. I broke my ankles, I broke my nose, a lot of muscle injuries, it was crazy. But it's worth it, I think, it's there and I hope people will like it. We'll see what happens.

Santiago's very-much the fish-out-of-water, coming from a quiet life in LA and being thrust straight in with Newcastle United; does that reflect on your own experience, leading a big film like this for the first time?

I guess there's a lot about Santiago and me that are similar. I think it's very interesting to think about that, for me. We're living this adventure. It's obviously a different one, but it's about a dream, about achieving something, and in a way the response of the audience for this movie has been great, so I'm really happy, and if he's getting something in the film it's also a great thing. So I guess, in that way, I feel the same as him. But at the same time, I feel very different. Football is not my life; I don't want to be a football star. The most important thing is that, as similar as we are in many ways, we're also different in others. That notion really intrigued me, and made me really want to do it.

How did you get on with Danny Cannon?

He was great. The most important part of working with him, for me, was that he let me do things. He let me be creative, which is great for me. This side of the job, the creative actor side of the job, is important. Most directors just tell you what to do from their point of view but Danny was open for me to change a couple of things, a couple of lines here and there, and change the story, which is a big thing. I was extremely grateful he put that trust in me.

Are you looking forward to starting the sequel?

It's going to be really great. It's turning into a whole big adventure for this guy, and how he gets to be a big football star. In the second one it's about him becoming very, very famous and getting all these things that come with the fame and the money they get, and the desire and the people.

It's going to be interesting to see what happens to this very simple guy who gets all these things and to see how he changes or how he doesn't change or what happens. It's going to be nice.

I understand you'll be playing the World Cup in number three.

Yeah, in the third film we're going to shoot that one in Germany during the world cup, so it's going to be interesting.

I don't know which team I'll be playing for yet! *laughs* But it's going to be cool!

Surrounded by free champagne and more meat pies than you could shake a stick at, Edward Vaughan-Hughes caught up with the gorgeous Kuno Becker at the Manchester premiere of Goal! while the Film Editor Rowan Woods valiantly held the dictaphone and desperately tried not to swoon.

Are you nervous about how a nation of football fans will respond to Goal!?

People’s response to the film has been great. I’m not a huge football fan, but I loved it because of the story. One of the great things about it is that all kinds of people will enjoy it – even women, which I didn’t think was going to happen, because it’s not just about football, it’s about the story and I think that’s great. We do have great football scenes, but this is football from a different point of view, from the inside, about the people, the feelings, the relationships – everything.

Did you play football as a kid?

I played for my school but I wasn’t a huge fan, I wasn’t the best one in the team, not even close!

Did that mean you had to train quite extensively?

Yeah I spent a lot of months, and a lot of hours a day training to become Santiago. It was pretty hard. I broke my ankles and my nose. My body wasn’t used to it, so pretending to be a professional football player was tough.

You starred alongside some famous faces from the world of football: what was it like to appear with Becks and Zidane?!

It was great. They were very cool and very nice but the most important thing was that it gave us a sense of realism, which is great for the film because people are really going to believe the story with them involved, and that was our goal.

Moving swiftly on, what was it like seeing the footballers act; were some better than others? [Pepsi ad alarm bells]

No, no they just all suck!

AhHa! An admission on record! Next question…

No, no I’m just joking they were actually great, they were very natural, funny and charming and they did a great job which people are really going to enjoy.

What was it like filming during real matches?

Running onto the pitch with the crowd there was really beautiful. It’s the first time that it’s been done and again its going to give us that sense of realism that you just don’t see in films, especially football films. It was great to feel the energy of 50,000 people cheering the team – it’s like being a rock star I think, you can’t describe it.

Why did you choose Newcastle United?

Well we actually wanted Man Utd for the film but we couldn’t do it so we had to use Newcastle instead.

Well obviously…

No that’s a joke too!

Mexican hot tamale Kuno Becker plays the rags to riches footie star Santiago Munez in Goal!, the first in a soccer trilogy set to make him an international heartthrob. But breaking his ankles while auditioning almost cost him the role he says...

... When I did the audition for the film they were like, `ok we know you can act, but can you play football?' And I was like `...yeah!' So they said `ok you're going to train for 3 weeks and at the end we'll see if you can do something with the ball.' And I trained so hard that I got stress fractures in both my ankles, and the doctor said `I hate to tell you this but you're never going to be a footballer!' So the day of the trial with Danny Cannon (director) - me play football? Forget it, I was kinda walking like John Wayne! So I couldn't do it, and Danny was very disappointed and I was too, and he was like `ok, go catch your plane back to LA. Bye!'

So what happened next?

When I was leaving the pitch I thought to myself `f*ck-it, I'm already here, I've trained for 3 weeks, so I'm going to try to do something. I'd learned a few `stay with the ball' tricks, so I went back and told one of the producers `hey, why don't you go tell Danny to try get the ball from me?' And Danny came on the pitch and said `ok I'll try to get the ball from you', and he couldn't do it! Out of 5 times he got it once - and he plays football. And he was like `oh you've improved, you learned so many tricks, and fakes'. He was happy and I got the role... but I almost didn't get the part!

So I take it you weren't a football fanatic prior to Goal!?

I'm not a footballer obviously, and my body wasn't used to it - it's been hard for me; I played football in school but obviously not to this standard. When you start working with real football players and a professional team it's a whole different story; they have technique. I'm never going to be able to play like them, but we tried to get as close as we could, and there are times during that process when your body says `hey, what are you doing to me?'

So is it true you were destined to become a concert violinist?

My grandmother is a wonderful, talented pianist, and when I was 6-years-old I got into classical music and violin because all my life, since I was born I was at every classical concert in Mexico City. When I was 9 I studied violin in Salzburg, but then when I was 16 I decided I didn't want to do it for a living and I switched to acting. All my family went like `whaaaaaat?'  

What was it like having Beckham, Shearer, and Zidane doing cameos?

It was great, they were nice, easy-going, relaxed but the most important part about them doing the film for me is - that's going to make our story believable. Because most of the time, you just see doubles pretending to be whoever. In the second film we're going to have a lot more footballers - everybody from Real Madrid is going to be in it. We start principle photography in October, and the third one we're going to shoot during the World Cup - which is a big thing.

Are you ready for screaming fans... and that includes male footie fans as well as women!

I was ready a couple of years ago baby! Honestly, I really don't care - I just love my job and everything else, including that - I don't like.

You had to eat dirt many times while shooting the `fouling scenes' - painful?

It was tough, I really earned that cheque believe me, it was bad, it was the toughest thing I've ever done. Those scenes in the mud were crazy, it was so cold, everyone was tackling me - like 50/60 times an hour, and then they broke my nose! It was swollen and bleeding, but it was all rainy so you couldn't see it so much.

And Anna Friel is your love interest?

She is awesome, and we're having a great time working together. There's a beautiful relationship going on between Santiago and her character Roz; this is a story about football, but it's a story about emotion too - it's a story about everything, about goals, about dreams, about making it. That's the most important thing for me, that's what I want to see in this film.

How does an actor who has hardly ever played the game turn into a footballer? That was the task facing the star of Goal! - Kuno Becker. Fortunately he had help from ex-pro Andy Ansah, a man widely acknowledged as the best at transferring football onto the big screen.

Do you see any similarities in your own story to that of Santiago’s that you have used to bring him to life on screen?

Of course we are similar, we both have dreams and aspirations which we chase but what I love about acting is that you have the opportunity to play someone who is completely different. It is great to go to work and play a character who reacts in different ways and make it convincing – that is what being an actor is all about.

How have you approached Santiago knowing how his story will develop over the trilogy?

I see the character in different stages. The first film sees a simple guy from LA trying to follow his dreams of being a professional footballer. The second film sees him living his dream and the third film shows Santiago going back to basics. The films will chart a career of a footballer and how he reacts as a person to his changing life.

Do you think the hopes and dreams at the heart of this film will appeal beyond the world of football?

Yes this film is great because it is not just about football, it is really the story of a young boy following his dreams. The films show what is really like to be a footballer. It is not what you see on TV, in magazines and in the news, it is not all about what clothes you wear and what you drive, it really is hard work and I admire anyone who has the skill to be a great footballer.

How good are your football skills?

Well they are improving… My free kick has got quite good! The film has some great football scenes which have been choreographed and I do try my best but if you are looking for great football you want to look to the professionals in the film like Alan Shearer, Jermaine Junas and Kieron Dyer! I was so excited to be working on a film with so many great players, they make it look effortless but it took months of training for me to even come close to replicating their moves!

What additional training did you have for that aspect of your role?

I had 3 months of basic and intensive training with coaches, choreographers and trainers – it was a great opportunity to try something new as an actor. It would have been boring if I had been a great footballer from the get go, I viewed it as a challenge and I think I did well.

Did you pick up any injuries during the making of the film?

Yes I had so many injuries! My body is not used to it so I had stress fractures in both my ankles which meant I couldn’t do anything for 3 weeks! I broke my nose in one scene but Danny (the director) used that in the film – so I hope it looks realistic! Of course I also had general muscle injuries but I had so much fun shooting that I didn’t care!

Who was the best football player in the cast?

In the cast there are all the professional players for Newcastle, Liverpool and Chelsea to name a few who were amazing to watch in action. But in terms of actors I would have to say Alessandro.

Who was the worst football player in the cast?

Is it bad to say me?! I am really improving but I am never going to be as good as Beckham!

Who is your favourite all time football player and why?

Where do I begin? My team is Real Madrid so I admire Beckham, Zidane and Raul who are all in the film. Outside of that is Ronaldinho who is just a great player.

Which football team do you support?

Real Madrid and now of course Newcastle. I loved the city, the people and the game.

Did you find this movie daunting knowing that you need to please football fans as well as film fans?

Yes because we wanted to make it believable and I think we have been successful; we had some of the world’s best football professionals working on the film and helping us to make it look right. However, for me the film is more about the rise of Santiago as a man. I wanted to make sure that I expressed the characters emotions and that I made him believable – if the audience root for Santiago they will believe in the story and the football.

What was your favourite moment filming Goal! ?

I can’t pick one, it was great to go on set everyday and enjoy my work. I loved working with a team who are passionate about what they are doing and who strived to make a great film. I love acting and so this is my dream.