Helena Antonio is an award-winning Actress who is going to appear in a new movie titled "Sunburn" in 2018. Having grown up in both Italy and Spain, Helena had the opportunity to study acting under skilled teachers including John Strasberg and Macarena Pombo. After being featured in the "I Need Spain" campaign, directed by Julio Medem, she knew she wanted to work in films.
Helena speaks several languages and has appeared in both Spanish and Italian television shows. In 2015, she moved to the United Kingdom where she performed in many commercials and other screen projects.
Her role as the mysterious and alluring character of Lucia in “Sunburn” is her most exciting part to date since the movie is a thriller and her first English-language movie. After filming the movie she shaking worked on a comedy series for the ITV channel called “Action Team.” She is also partaking in a Spanish Campaign (SGT) to rally against abusing alcohol and drugs.
Helena recently discussed her career as an actress via an exclusive interview.
Acting roles and working in television
Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you discover your passion for acting and what kinds of roles do you most seek?
Helena Antonio (HA): I've always been a very artistic person; I did love painting, drawing, writing and dancing.
I started acting at school when I was thirteen, and I immediately enjoyed it. In the following years, I studied acting with John Strasberg, Macarena Pombo, Ivana Chubbock, etc. I feel I like any kind of complex roles, and extreme ones sometimes. Strong women with a fragile side, characters with a few layers to read.
MM: What was it like to break into the entertainment industry in Europe?
HA: I felt very grateful first of all. And also, when I started working more constantly I felt it was the result of this hard job that was finally paying off.
MM: You grew up in both Italy and Spain, so are the television/entertainment industries in those countries very similar or different from one another?
HA: I'd say they are pretty similar between them, with of course some different details.
It feels like in both countries something new and fresh is coming. I’d be very happy to be part of this new wave.
MM: How does the entertainment scene in the UK differ from the scenes in Spain and Italy?
HA: The UK scene is very different. Based on my own experience, everything is much faster; you have to be multi-skilled and prepared to compete every day as the level is very high.
Movie characters and film genres
MM: You play a character named “Lucia” in the feature film “Sunburn.” So, what is she like and how did you prepare for the role?
HA: Lucia is the heart of the movie, and she's an alluring woman, a caring nurse, a desperate and also an unpredictable human being. I thought a lot about her, I read the script again and again, I tried different approaches, and she finally appeared in all her shades and clarity.
MM: What most appealed to you about the script, do you have a favorite scene, and what was the filming process like?
HA: I really loved my character from the very beginning, and I also liked the mystery around the story, everything was very subtle, and also the reference to a previous film: "Misery." I like the first time Lucia meets Mike and the different moments when she visits him after he starts feeling unwell. The filming process was pretty smooth... and intense! Pre-production took very long and was very accurate. Filming in less than one month was hard, but I'm very proud of the final result and very thrilled about the “Sunburn” release.
MM: You have starred in thrillers, comedies, etc., but do you have a favorite genre?
HA: I genuinely like everything I've done, thriller, drama, horror, comedy, sci-fi, etc.; I’m very keen to try something new for me, as fantasy/adventure film. In general, I feel myself close to psychological thrillers and dramas.
MM: What other especially interesting characters have you played and what kinds of characters would you like to portray in the future, and what’s next?
HA: I played a variety of characters such as a homeless young woman (Hana), a very joyful and funny life lover (Rosa), a dangerous and robust character (Judith). I love having the chance to approach very different human beings. I'd love to portray roles with several shades; that makes them interesting to me. I just finished an important campaign for DGT in Spain, and I'm filming a new thriller film, "Heckle," playing Laura, a character desperately in love with her ex-husband and really capable of everything for him.
