Diogo on "Querida Júlia" today

 

(screencaps from "Querida Júlia")

Diogo appeared on SIC's "Querida Júlia" today, and the wonderful Liliana again kindly translated the awesome interview for us, found right under the link to the video.  (You made need flash to watch this video.)

Click here to see Diogo on "Querida Júlia"  

Júlia Pinheiro: We almost didn't have you! You are so busy! Hello Diogo, Good Morning, god morning, good morning!
Diogo Morgado: Thank you, good morning!

(Click the "Read More" link below to read the rest....)

JP: How is that stuff of having all the world looking at you?!
DM: Hahaha… It’s strange…
JP: Does it give you chills in the belly?!
DM: Yes! Among other things, yes it does. It’s an amazing feeling, I don´t know…. Even more with this role the responsibility is overwhelming, that the best is not to think about it. Now, obviously, after the work is done I am realizing how important it is, and it touched so many people, right?!...
JP: It is a unique role, right?!
DM: Yes, It is.
JP: Probably, in the way your career expectations were… [Diogo laughs] Never crossed your mind to do the role of Jesus Christ…
DM: [Laughing] To be honest Júlia… I never had much career expectations… So, today I still get surprised to do what I do. And I am so much grateful to the ones who give me work, because it’s one of those things… as I love so much what I do… and there is that sentence that says: “When we choose to do something we love we don’t need to work a day in our life”… I think I never worked in my life! So I just get surprised…
JP: But you had no career expectations?!
DM: No Júlia. Seriously, no.  
JP: This deserves applause. This is the true thing… Not faking here! He says this perfectly convinced…. You didn’t have?!
DM: No.
JP: Not even from one point?! Beginning is hard, but then there’s a moment we know…
DM: This is a very cyclic life, right? And Júlia knows that better than anyone, so… 
JP: It is, it is…
DM: We are only as good as the last thing we did, and this is how it goes. We live the moment so much, what is new, so the volatility of all this is huge.
JP: Now, astoundingly, to a man that had not many expectations, who thinks that in the end it is nice to pay him for what he does, that he would do it almost for free [they laugh], the truth is that your career is absolutely amazing! Of course this role gave you much visibility…
DM: Of course.
JP: But how did you end up in this role? This was an audition?
DM: Yes in a usual way. I understand that this is something that may be difficult for the Portuguese to realize, I get that, even from questions people ask, like “But who do you know?!” There’s this mentality of the “godparent”… the recommendation from someone important, or “he has a great agent!”… It’s not like that. A thing that I think is that in the United States diplomacy is big. We can be in a room with 500 hundred people, for 3 hours, but all those people will get the opportunity to show what they do. And that is a thing that pleases me in the United States and in its market. In my case it was like that, I did an audition that went well! 
JP: An audition that went really well! In your case, your appearance helped… 
DM: I have no idea and I hope not!
JP: No, but, that’s nothing to do with the fact that you are very handsome, you are!
DM: Ohhh. Thank you so much!
JP: It has to do with your presence, you have this lightness, if you want…
DM: Okay.
JP: There’s something really good in your eyes that defined the physical type of the one we have in our minds of Jesus Christ. Ohh that look you are doing now!! Do not make me the look of Jesus Christ!!!
DM: No…no…
JP: Nothing to do with that thing of “Hot Jesus” that I know really bothers you… 
DM: Doesn’t bother, but it is frustrating. A little frustrating. 
JP: Not that way, the role was not done in that way… naturally.
DM: And it was the last thing that ever crossed my mind when I was doing it. So many other important things to talk about and that defined my experience in this project… besides that!
JP: But you didn´t get mad, when my American colleague, Miss Oprah, said you were  Hot Jesus… You made a little smile that I saw!
DM: Well then… well that part… 
JP: It was also your role…
DM: That is not a bad thing… it’s not unpleasant…
JP: But I know that there are other dimensions to this role that you like to explore. 
DM: Yes… yes.
JP: There is no doubt that your expressions, the way you grabbed this is definitive, you are nominated for an Emmy award…
DM: Pré-Nominated!
JP: Pre-nominated… Moreover it’s today, right?
DM: I think so… I think so… 
JP: So today we get to know if you and Al Pacino… 
DM: We are going to be in the same room!!!
JP: That probably has happened before to you…
DM: No… With him… not yet…
JP: But you are going to get excited! 
DM: Yes I will. Very excited!
JP: And to get Nominated…
DM : Then I will pinch myself day and night! 
JP: Look, let’s look at one of the most remarkable moments of the series and that we are going to try to…
DM: To dissect it!
JP: Exactly! See if you can explain to me how does it feel…
[Scene from the crucifixion of Jesus – The Bible Series -- Diogo gets emotional, in deep thoght, near tears.] 
JP: This affects you… this affects you a lot… 
[Diogo nods his head agreeing.]
JP: Why?
DM: …I think that… I think that… It’s the pinnacle of the human condition. I think that it’s the most extraordinary story ever told… and… those were very hard days for me… You guys were right at the wound…  You are being mean to me… You are being mean…
JP: No…. no… That is not the intention at all. Most of all, is to show here a part that showed the dramatic intensity of the role, and most of all, to show the most complicated physical and emotional aspects in that. I didn't imagine it would get to you in such a strong way… so sorry! Sorry if in any way we made you feel uncomfortable. 
DM: No…
JP: But… this has to be a strong emotional charge…
DM: Yes it is. I… I always search… The purpose of the actor is to search the truth in things, right? And what happened with this series was that there was a mountain of questions that at a time in our lives we all do… ummm that I had to do a little ahead of my time. I had to get to the bottom…
JP: You had to do that at the same time you were doing the role, is that it?
DM: Yes. And that is something… I discovered something about religion that confuses me, that is this sense of having to belong to a certain club/ team, like “are you from Sporting or from Benfica (soccer teams), are you Catholic or Protestant, are you a Jehovah's Witness," or …. I think that this is something totally aside.  I think that faith, and what we believe in and religion if we want to put it that way, is something extremely personal. It’s extremely personal. It should be shared only with those we know who can contribute to enlightenment. And I get that with this series, because the story of Jesus is so fascinating, and Jesus Himself is in fact able to establish that personal relationship with people. It’s not an idol from the masses, not a rock star, He talks with each one in a different way. And that is what I think is the most fascinating thing.  And for me it was the hardest thing.
JP: There were hard days… why?
DM: There were 3 days…
JP: To this scene?
DM: Yes. Exclusively for this scene. They were days of extreme physical exhaustion.  Where we realize that we can do much more than we think we are able to, and that there are things inside us that motivate us that we didn´t know before, probably out of fear of getting there. I think that that gave me more will and more appreciation for what I do. The wonderful job I have. And that it is in fact a privilege. 
JP: Diogo… in fact I imagine that this can be emotionally exhausting… ummm this role… I think it’s a breakout one. I just realized that it is. Now… it seems they want you… I am asking, is it confirmed the sequel?... 
DM: No. It is not confirmed. 
JP: There is some information in the press…
DM: There’s that possibility, but this is something that does not repeat itself. 
JP: But would you do the sequel… assuming that you were asked… 
DM: I don´t know Júlia. Honestly… I don´t know. 
JP: It’s hard, right?
DM: Yes it is.  
[silence]
JP: Even with all this exposure… it’s hard.
DM: Yes.
JP: Truth is, that you already shot another movie…
DM: Yes I shot two movies, curiously before the series, but as they are from independent [film] companies, they take longer to get out. One of them will be out in a month and a half, and those roles are completely different. "Red Butterfly" is a huge drama, very underground in the streets of New York, three friends that survive drugs and crime, and the other one [Born to Race: Fast Track], it’s a Top Gun with cars. 
JP: Hahaha, completely different things!
DM:  Completely different! 
JP: Meanwhile that will show your wide range. 
DM: I hope so…
JP: In "Ambição" you are a bastard! 
DM: I am having so much fun! Tremendous fun! 
JP: You are so bad… so bad!
DM: But have you seen it?!
JP: I did, I saw some footage…
DM: It’s so bad isn’t it? He is so bad!
JP: You are a little bastard! 
DM: He is like [expresses with is hands meaning despicable] but at the same time I am trying to give him something special. Like that situation when someone falls and we laugh? Then we feel bad for laughing… At some point, the things he says are so bad, that makes you laugh, then you think like: “Why am I laughing at something so bad??!!” I am trying to take the character that way.
JP: From what I saw, I loved it! All the physical aspects of the character takes us out of what you did before, the hair is different, always in a starched suit… and so annoying it hurts! [They laugh.] I think audiences will take that! A villain!
DM: I hope so! I use to say that he is not a villain because he is not skilled enough! But in his head he thinks he is.
JP: He is really bad.
DM: Yes. In fact not a god guy!
JP: Let’s see Diogo in "Ambição," not so far from now…
DM: It’s close… Just a sneeze and we are there!
JP: Diogo, the way things are , this explosion around you, has to challenge you as to what are your routines, your comfort, managing your family… how is that?! You live here now. 
DM: I live where I am. 
JP: Yes. Then, imagine you are shooting somewhere else… 
DM: Yes. But I am convinced that I will always live here. 
JP: Are you?
DM: Always. Always. I am Portuguese, I grew up here, my roots are here and I think that without roots we are nothing! It’s what defines us. For some reason, there is something in this genesis that makes us get where we got. We have to be faithful to that. Obviously I can go out to work, and then I am back!
JP: Is the fame intoxicating? Does that part make you unsettled? That is crazy!
DM: It is crazy. It’s an interesting to analyze craziness, and very dangerous to be involved with. Dangerous because at some time we have to be very focused in what we want from our behavior… I can tell you that 2 weeks after I did "The Bible," - I don´t know if I should say this, but it’s okay -  I was offered a role in a big production to be the Devil. 
JP: The Devil??!!
DM: Yes. Obviously a person thinks like: "Wait… this is not about my abilities as an actor, this is about the controversy that it would bring…"
JP: Artistic reasons are a bit skewed there…
DM: Most of the time. Sometimes it’s just the artistic skills, other times… There’s a machine there with too many equations. 
JP: I imagine that it must be complicated.
DM: Sometimes it is.
JP: And as you say, you need to be focused. But I was looking for the man, Diogo as a father, as a husband, the middle of all that… does your family go with you?
DM: Yes! 
JP: Always?
DM: Almost always. They don’t go when I am shooting, because I don´t want to be worried, and I know that they if they are here with the family, they are okay. If I am not shooting they are with me. 
JP: All with you all the time.
DM: Always.
JP: That gives you a great background. You need that.
DM: Yes.
JP: Well I really hope… I didn’t have the chance to talk to you until now…
DM: But there’s a reason for that!
JP: I know. You were out.
DM: Not only that. And I think that this is important so people get to understand… I think that we have so many good things as Portuguese, but we fail at making things for better or for worse. Something that goes relatively well, Portuguese say: "He is the One! The best!" If anything goes wrong… "We say: Bad!"
JP: A disgrace!
DM: And I think that there is a middle ground, to put things in their real scale. Maybe I could have come sooner and I didn’t because I think that this is the ideal timing. People got to see the job and they can now reflect on it in a different way. 
JP: And I am loving this. Talking to you. You took a little break but you got here just in time! Let’s be aware of the news about the Emmy nomination, that our Diogo Morgado is pre-selected. I might get to go and see you there, one of our novelas is there too, so the Portuguese that will be in that room, are going to scream a lot! 
DM: Like a carnival!
JP: It will be great to see you next to Michael Douglas and others…. People I don’t even want to to know [sarcastic]… But our Dioguinho is there and that’s what is sooo good! A round of applause to Diogo Morgado!
DM: Thank you!
JP: Thank you so much! (Obrigada to Liliana as always, for another great translation!)

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Just a reminder that it's actually tomorrow at 5:40am Los Angeles time/13:40h in Portugal, when the 65th Primetime Emmy Award nominations will be announced live.  Fingers crossed!  

--Sara

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