Her City View

Allan Durell plays Vice Admiral Ortega in Netflix’s La captura (Facing El Chapo), a thriller inspired by the real-life events and criminal capture.

Note: I was invited as media for the interview. However any personal views expressed are always 100% my own.

To learn more about his role, I interviewed Allan about researching a historic military role, what it's like filming on location and more.

How much historical or real-life research did you do for Ortega

Allan Durell: Because you have such a short time to prepare your your work, and the deadline for the movie is coming, here, I have to go into the internet. Right now it's a great tool where you can find a lot of things, but also, I have to go with with the real voices.

I have friends and some some relatives that have been part of the army. And so I have to rely on on my connections and to get close to real experience. To hear the voices of the people, who have been in this kind of situations.

Allan Durell: And also I was preferred by the production, I was trained, to get a proper military training.

But we have such a short time, right? So, I thank myself for doing theater where I'm always working on my on my body, try to be flexible. Try to have stamina. To be in good shape, to give this to my character.

Because, when, I read the script and knew about the story, I knew this was going to be an action movie, so I had to be on a high level, right?

Allan Durell: Also, I didn't want to make a cartoon out of this character, like a cliche of what a military guy is. So, I have to go deep. You have to become like Sherlock Holmes and try to dig for information to put pieces together. Little pieces that you can bring to the set.

It might not work for the first day, but then later on, there's the day that you can add this to the character, so you bring like this tool box, full of full of experience, right?

How did you balance movie script actions versus what real life actually happened

Allan Durell: That's a great question, because when you are in that situation, Chava Cartas, the director, he would prepare this universe, this set, that your emotions, would react to what was going on right there.

Like, the operation. Black Swan, was taking place during the evening. The whole night until the morning. So on set, we did exactly that. You know, you get tired of doing it over and over and over, and then the the morning is coming.

Allan Durell: All of those things were reacting on yourself, so I would let myself be into the right moment, to let it sink in to me to be, like, okay, I know I'm tired, but I have to go through this. Yeah, try to work on myself.

And on the other side, yes, you have this responsibility of playing this character to portray him. The leader of his Marine Corps, and to be on a pursuit of the most wanted person in the world. So, you have all these layers, but once you are in that Universe that your director provides you, it helps way, way, way more.

Filming on location, what was it like being in that environment

Allan Durell: I think the production and Chava Cartas and his whole crew. They provided us with this universe. With all these struggle that an outdoor environment can provide.

As an spectator, you might watch the movie, but then being there hours and hours under the Sun. Like, when you see the movie and thinking about those highways in the middle of nowhere on that desert.

I'm from the north, we can stand heat. We are like 45 50 degrees Celsius here most of the time, but being there. There's no shade, there's nowhere to hide. But the production provides you with everything, but you are there hours and hours, and then the night, the shooting nights.

Allan Durell: We were there for a whole week, entering that home with real explosion with real shootouts. All that taking it into your body, and then you go and relax, and go back late again the next day.

I think, for me especially, that was the best way to do this. You have to be all real. No sets at all, just the real deal with the road.

Funny or unexpected moments on set

Allan Durell: Yes, every day was a funny day, every day. Because, I think, this way we were dealing with all the stress that would come out of situation, or a movie like these.

This action movie requires of yourself, of your body, of your stamina. We were joking every day, ater every cut, everybody will tell a joke and everybody would smile. So, yeah, I was very lucky to be on set. This is a family.

Allan Durell: Chava Cartas really take cares of making the whole crew, the whole cast as a whole family. So you talk with everyone on the same level. There's no hierarchy, I'm better than you or nothing like that. Everything is in the same level.

You feel like that Sunday with your family, and there's a table with food, and everybody is just hanging around. It's a comfortable environment. I couldn't believe when I was watching a movie, that it was a serious movie. We were just joking behind the scenes.

How does it feel seeing the global Community respond to a Mexican Latin True Crime Story?

Allan Durell: I feel very happy. I feel honored to be in this project. I feel the privilege to have been not only part of the movie, but also portrayed the Army forces of my country with that respect.

And in that way. I've been receiving a lot of messages from the Army community, in my country, regarding the way that we did this movie.

That we spoke the good side, that we portray them as the good guys, as honored people. So I feel very happy about it. I just I just receive it as a gift.

What do you hope viewers take away from watching La Captura

Allan Durell: I want them to first of all, enjoy this movie, we did it with all our heart. And not only me, but that whole crew that they see, and the people behind the crew. That this is Mexico.

This is the people taking care of their situations of their conflicts. That we are not as other narratives have been trying to portray us to the world, as corrupted or as disloyal. We are good people.

Allan Durell: We are people who care for their family, who care for their partner. Who care for their work and who care for the country.

And if you watch the soccer World Cup, you saw the people having fun every every game here in Mexico. This is Mexico. This Is Us and we are taking care of our narratives now.

Allan Durell

Allan Durell is a Mexican actor and fully bilingual performer whose work spans film, television, theater and voiceover. He can currently be seen as Ortega in Netflix’s La Captura (Facing El Chapo), alongside Alfonso Herrera, Noé Hernández and Héctor Kotsifakis.

His film credits also include 108 Costuras, and he will next appear in the upcoming horror film El Infinito, alongside Sophie Alexander-Katz and Mayra Hermosillo.

Beyond the screen, Allan has an extensive theater background, with roles in productions including Federico García Lorca’s Bodas de Sangre and Wajdi Mouawad’s Litoral.

SYNOPSIS

Facing El Chapo - Official Trailer - Netflix



In Facing El Chapo, two Mexican officers must survive the final hours of their shift after crossing a ruthless cartel boss in this crime drama based on true events.

Starring: Alfonso Herrera, Noé Hernández, Héctor Kotsifakis

Learn more, visit - www.netflix.com/title/82048151