Cuban telenovela: Ray Cruz advances that "Igor is going to have very complicated things"

October 3, 2023

Cuban actor Rayssel Cruz, better known as Ray Cruz, has left an indelible mark on Cuban television thanks to his talent and acting versatility.

Born on June 24, Ray is an artist who has managed to make his way in the entertainment industry despite facing various adversities along his path.

With the popular Cuban actor who won us over as Professor Manuel from the telenovela Entrega, we spoke about his performance in the drama that currently occupies the prime time slot on Cuban Television: El derecho de soñar.

—You participate in the two stages that this telenovela recreates, but let's start with Gaspar de Santelices. How did you face the challenge of characterizing a character who is part of the real history of radio, cinema, and television in Cuba?

—It was very complicated, since there are still people who knew him and that's always a challenge, but I looked at images, I read about him and I also added a bit from my own personal harvest: a bit of imagination and, above all, creating that feeling that every time he appeared, everyone would know he was going to predict something. María Valero's anecdote was real, but he did it to more people, they called him a sorcerer, and those were details that helped me when characterizing him.

—Then you take on Igor, who probably the only point of connection he has with Gaspar is the profession of actor. How complex was it to represent two different characters within the same project?

—Really, it wasn't very complex, because being two different eras, two such different characters, honestly I didn't have trouble with that, plus we always had the support of Luberta, Fiallo and Yailín Coppola in acting direction. The only thing in common between them was having the same radio project, but the fact of assuming both characters was never something I saw as an obstacle.

—So far, the story of Igor and Daniela keeps us intrigued. Some viewers already look at him poorly. Anything to say in his favor? (Without spoilers, of course).

—Igor has many people like that, with the intrigue of what happened with Daniela, and it's true that some viewers have looked at him poorly... What I can say about it is that I always try with my characters that, when they have something good, they also have something bad, because I believe that all human beings have positive and negative aspects. Igor is going to have very complicated things, I won't say good or bad, very complicated, but on the other hand, he always helps Pascual and María Luisa, he has a wonderful relationship with his wife and stepdaughter, at the radio they respect him a lot, he's an excellent actor, that is, he has very good things too. That's why, until you get to the point where you know what happened with Daniela, he's a character you can't define as good or bad...

—Indeed, Igor has us doubting because of the mystery of what happened with Daniela. What feedback have you had from the public?

—People on the street all the time have asked me the same thing: what did he do to Daniela, and I can't spoil it; of course, things happened in the past and, like any telenovela, it will be revealed at its point.

—What new projects are keeping Ray Cruz busy right now?

—I just finished, two months ago, the second season of Al habla con los muertos, under the direction of Alberto Luberta and Amilcar Salatti; of course, with Yaremis Pérez and Yailín Coppola; Carlos Gonzalvo, Mentepollo, who is also now taking on a leading role; Carlos Luis González... Plus, I finished the third and final season of Calendario, a wonderful character that Magda González gave me. I'm very happy with that work, I don't know how it turned out, but I'm very pleased because it has nothing to do with what I've done so far, I think it's one of the most difficult characters I've interpreted so far in my career.

"Right now, I'm doing performances of Fátima y el Parque de la Fraternidad, a play directed by me and Claudia Zaldívar, which is a one-person show, a monologue where I play the character of Fátima. Really, we just finished a season at the Casona de Línea, but it was very successful and we're going to start visiting provinces: we'll be in Matanzas, Cienfuegos, San José de las Lajas... in many provinces they're waiting for us. For now, those are the projects I'm working on".