Apple TV Plus’ Acapulco finally returns for season 2 on Oct. 21, in which we’ll see present-day Máximo (Eugenio Derbez) return to Acapulco to make peace with the passing of Don Pablo (Damián Alcázar). But we’ll also get a chance to dive into 1985, which finds Máximo (Enrique Arrizon) is not only dealing with the upheaval of Las Colinas, but also unexpected problems at home and a possible new love interest, causing conflicting feelings for Julia (Camila Perez). He also has to deal with snooping gossip host Fabian Solares, played by Bayardo de Murguia.
Ahead of the season 2 premiere, De Murguia spoke with LA Confidential about joining Acapulco, his role in the new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign and his love for Los Angeles.
We see you as Fabian Solares, a new character, in season 2. What is his place in the world of Acapulco?
Fabian Solares is the host of Espetacular, which is a celebrity gossip magazine and TV show. And so in the season, you get introduced to him and what he is all about is trying to get all the gossip from all the stars that stay at Las Colinas, the resort in Acapulco. He's like a Perez Hilton figure, so he tries to do everything that he can to try to get gossip and because of that he creates a relationship with Máximo, the main character. I also took inspiration from Walter Mercado, which is a figure that I grew up with. On camera, he's super flamboyant. He's very chauvinistic and really funny, and I have this cool hair and look that makes me feel like George Michael in Wham!. And then, in person, he's just always trying to see what he can do to put himself forward.
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You wrote such kind words about the cast and crew on Instagram. What was your experience like on set?
We filmed four months in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and we all lived in the same hotel and then we also shot at the same hotel. You're basically living where you were working. When I watched the first season, I could tell that there's a lot of chemistry between everybody and it's such a large ensemble show. And then me coming on as a guest for the season, I immediately clicked with everyone. And what's really cool is that everyone is bilingual. And so you are laughing and having so much fun speaking in both languages. The cast and crew is both from L.A. and from Mexico City and all parts of Mexico, so to me as a Mexican American, it was a great experience to work with people who are so talented in both languages and just really being able to play in both languages, which was really cool. Most of my scenes were with Enrique Arrizon, who plays Máximo, and also with Jessica Collins and Damián Alcazar, who is an actor that I've looked up to growing up.
It was just really cool to be able to just play with everybody and work and push myself as an artist in both languages because this is the first bigger thing that I've done in acting in Spanish, which I'm very proud of.
You’re also a new character in the upcoming campaign of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Is your approach to voiceover work for video games different from film and TV?
Call of Duty was a cool way to explore a different medium of acting, especially with motion capture and performance capture. You're wearing a suit that basically gets all your movement. You have a camera in front of you that gets your facial expressions. And so it was really fun to be able to explore because you basically have your own little theater troupe.
I learned how to speak English by playing video games and watching cartoons. So when I worked on Call of Duty, on the inside, I was like a little kid having so much fun.
What can you tell us about this new character?
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare. And so in this storyline, you get to go to Mexico and get introduced to two Mexican soldiers. One of which is Alejandro Vargas and then his right-hand man, it's me: Rodolfo Parra. And so you spend some time with the existing characters in Call of Duty and then with the new characters in Mexico trying to find a terrorist and what is going on and figuring out what this guy's relationship is and why he's in Mexico. There's a few missions within the game that take place in Mexico. And there's an awesome mission called “Borderline,” I believe, where the two Mexican soldiers cross the border from Mexico into the U.S. chasing someone. And it's awesome. Almost the entire dialogue is in Spanish too. You get to feel, as a player, what it's like to go into a foreign land and not understand anything, so I'm very excited for that.
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You’ve previously said there was never a plan B for you when it came to acting. How has that mindset shaped your approach to your career?
My family emigrated from Mexico, and when I decided that I wanted to pursue acting, they didn't really have a guideline for navigating everything other than what they could teach me, which is be a good person, don't have an ego, don't be don't be a jerk and work as hard as you can. So when I decided to move to Los Angeles, there was no plan B.
I've never really had that safety net, and still don't. So, in a way, that influences my choices in being able to not be afraid of taking a leap and to really be focused on the elements that I can control and try to let go of the elements that I can't control… You got to take the shot when you can appropriately.
Motorcycles are a big part of your life. How is riding a part of your life?
When I was 17, I got my first motorcycle. It's like a form of independence because within motorcycles and motorcycle culture, if you want to leave and go for a ride, you go for a ride. It’s always you and your bike for the most part, unless you're with a crew. So for me in Los Angeles, it’s very therapeutic and a chance to get away, to think about things, to enjoy the city more, especially on two wheels. If you go for a ride, you go up the coast or you go into the Malibu mountains or even just riding around the city, it's a way to reflect and think and enjoy and notice the city a lot more. I also recommend it as one of the best ways to get to know L.A. is to ride around on the bike. That's one of the best things that you can do.
When people ask like, “Hey, who's your mentor?” that taught you how to do whatever, make drinks or do this, I always say the entire city was my mentor because I learned from everybody that I've come across, both as an actor and just in general. Los Angeles is one of my favorite places and the place that I call home.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Photography by: Rene Hernandez
