Juan Pablo Raba: the bad guy

A scary but discreet bastard; ruthless, but refined. This is how Juan Pablo Raba describes his sinister character in “Coyote”, a series about the border between the United States and Mexico which, according to the Colombian actor for Efe, exemplifies the fact that “the most dangerous criminals” are those who are not seen.

Raba is an expert in revealing the dark side of the world due to roles such as Gustavo Gaviria in “Narcos” (2015-2017).

We now see the faces of Michael Chiklis (“The Shield”, 2002-2008) in “Coyote”, a series that landed last week on the CBS All Access platform with Michelle MacLaren, who produced “Breaking Bad” (2008 – 2013), in the engine room.

“Coyote” focuses on Ben (Chiklis), a veteran agent of the US Border Patrol who engages in a deadly plot to help a woman in distress in Mexico.

Raba gives life to a murderer named Juan Diego, who will be Ben’s great enemy, despite the fact that, according to Latin Americans, they will soon discover that “they are not so different from each other.”

Q: Juan Diego is a bloodthirsty murderer, but also sophisticated, intelligent and methodical.

A: I am drawn to the idea that we are really moving away from a stereotype: the bastard who is a bastard in front of everyone and everyone, the bastard who behaves as such throughout his life with his wife, his children, his enemies. . ..

My perception of Juan Diego is that he is more of a businessman. Certainly, your business is not necessarily legal. But he is not the person who will take you straight and shoot you.

He organized his life very well so that it would not be seen. It strikes me that the most dangerous criminals in the world are like that. And we see them on TV, at rallies, splendid with their families …

Later, if you find out a little or when there is a scandal (…), what is underneath is rotten. That’s what draws Juan Diego’s attention: how do you make a guy you really know is dangerous, but he doesn’t behave like one.

Q: Latin Americans in the US criticize the fact that they are often attributed the role of drug traffickers, prostitutes, etc. Are you worried that you will be introduced to these types of criminal characters?

A: I reject many (smiles). I reject those that are misspelled.

I have no problem playing villains because there are villains in the world. It’s not a fantasy we invent. There are drug cartels in the world, there are people who traffic in human beings …

My job as an artist is not to judge my character. That doesn’t mean I agree with him, of course not.

But, to tell a story, it is important to be able to tell these characters, that we can show them in all their facets (…). To the extent that we all put our grain of sand and make real characters, in the end what we come to favor is the story.

Q: What was it like to compete in an almost western duel against an actor like Michael Chiklis?

A: Chiklis is a force of nature. Besides the fact that he put his body, soul and two or three years of life in this project, it is everything he expects or wants to be a star.

He is a dedicated, serious, talented, hardworking, kind and loving guy. And he’s also a tough guy when he needs to be.

What I like most about him is that he never takes this figure as a colonizer: “I’m the Hollywood gringo who comes here to teach you how to do this.”

On the contrary. He comes open-handed and mindful to learn. He wants to learn Spanish, he wants to eat what is eaten in Mexico, he wants to spend time with them. He is truly an artist and is willing to soften everything he sees permanently.

Q: Border is another character in “Coyote” and has also been a focal point of American politics in recent years. How does this series avoid the borderline clichés launched by President Donald Trump and the Republicans?

A: First of all, “Coyote” is never meant to be a political series. We tell a story that, of course, there are people who will take it to the political level, especially when we live.

Why is it important to me? I feel that sometimes television, movies and books have a magnifying glass effect: they realize that the great themes, the great paradigms of society, the great dogmas, can be told by one person.

When we focus on something as big and complex as the issue of immigration, the border, the cages, in one or two characters is a little easier to understand. Because it’s easier to put on those shoes. That’s why I think it’s so important to say it, even if there is a “reaction” (rejection), people who disagree, who criticize it …

It is a problem that has been going on for a long time and clearly will not end with this new administration. This is an ongoing issue, something that will take a long time, a lot of understanding and agreement for it to reach a human place.