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Juan Pablo Shuk, 60: “For a Colombian actor, not playing a drug trafficker is a relief”

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Colombian actor Juan Pablo Shuk said the abundance of drug-trafficking stories in Colombian film and television made playing such roles increasingly repetitive.
  • He described his role in Los internacionales, a series based on real events surrounding Colombian criminals in Argentina during the 2001 financial crisis, as a welcome change.
  • Shuk also discussed discovering that some people from the story had lived near his home and his initial intimidation at working with Cecilia Roth.

Juan Pablo Shuk has played characters in productions including Pasión de Gavilanes, Sin tetas no hay paraíso, Escobar. El patrón del mal and Narcos. But after years of Colombian productions built around drug trafficking, the actor says a different kind of criminal story felt like a relief.

“In recent decades there has been an overabundance of series, films and soap operas about drug traffickers,” Shuk told Tiempo Argentino. He said the trend created a steady stream of recurring characters and situations, expanding from major traffickers to their relatives and supporting figures connected to that world.

In recent decades there has been an overabundance of series, films and soap operas about drug traffickers.

· Juan Pablo ShukThe actor described the dominance of drug-trafficking stories in Colombian audiovisual productions.

At first, he recalled, the formula was entertaining because it offered colorful characters. It also generated substantial work for Colombian actors. Over time, however, the repetition began to wear thin. “At this point, for a Colombian actor, it is a relief not to play a drug trafficker. At least that is how I feel,” he said.

At first it was entertaining because they offered colorful characters.

· Juan Pablo ShukShuk recalled why the genre initially appealed to audiences and actors.

That was one reason Los internacionales attracted him. The series, starring Shuk alongside Cecilia Roth, follows a group of Colombian criminals who travel to Buenos Aires during the 2001 crisis to steal the savings people had withdrawn from banks during the corralito. Shuk plays Fausto Montalbán, one of the central characters.

The production draws on La conexión Bogotá, a book by Argentine journalist Nahuel Gallota, and fictionalizes the story of a gang that operated in Buenos Aires during that period. Shuk said he had not known the story beforehand. After reading the book, he was surprised to learn that some of the gang members had lived only a few blocks from his home in Colombia, giving the project a personal connection. He also accepted the role partly because he could work with Roth, although her reputation initially intimidated him.

At this point, for a Colombian actor, it is a relief not to play a drug trafficker. At least that is how I feel.

· Juan Pablo ShukHe explained why Los internacionales appealed to him as a departure from the familiar formula.
About this summary

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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