We have been fans of Hemky Madera since we watched him on USA’s Queen of the South playing Pote Gálvez, a loyal sicario, enforcer, and in his own way someone who became a beloved character everytime he was on screen! Beyond that character, we have enjoyed seeing him in Netflix’s The Lincoln Lawyer, Spider-Man: Homecoming and more! We’re excited for him to be in The Mandalorian as he continues from S3 by bringing Commander Barre, an imperial warlord to Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu which is in theaters now! In addition, fans of HBO’s Euphoria are enjoying his role as DEA agent, Jiminez! We sat down with Hemky to talk about his passion for acting, how he approaches playing his diverse characters, what he looks for in his roles and more! ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you realize that you wanted to be an actor? HEMKY MADERA: Honestly, I think storytelling found me before I fully understood what acting even was. I remember being about five years old, sitting on the floor in front of my parents’ bed, watching On the Waterfront. There’s that famous scene with the glove between Marlon Brando (The Godfather franchise, Apocalypse Now, A Streetcar Named Desire) and Eva Marie Saint (North by Northwest, Raintree County, All Fall Down) and I remember turning to my parents and saying, “She can’t leave without her glove.” I was completely locked into that moment emotionally. Then I pointed at the screen and said, “I want to do what he does.” At the time, I didn’t even know that was called acting. I just knew I was feeling something powerful and wanted to be part of creating moments like that for people. Growing up, I was always drawn to movies and performances that made people feel something. I loved the idea of disappearing into another world for two hours and connecting emotionally with characters. Once I got on stage and later in front of a camera, I knew this was what I wanted to dedicate my life to. There’s something to dedicate my life to. There’s something incredibly fulfilling about stepping into someone else’s shoes and bringing their story to life. AM: When it comes to approaching the characters that you play, what is your creative process in connecting with them? I remember the first time that I saw you was in Weeds and of course, your role in Queen of the South was so good as Pote, and enjoyed seeing your in Perry Mason! HM: Thank you, I really appreciate that. Every character starts with understanding their truth. I try not to judge them. I look at where they come from, what they fear, what they love, and what they’re protecting. Once I understand their emotional core, everything else starts to fall into place. The physicality, the voice, the energy. With someone like Pote, there was so much heart underneath the toughness. That’s what I connected to the most. I always try to find the humanity in every role because that’s what makes characters relatable and real. AM: What do you look for when it comes to deciding on whether you are interested in a script/project? HM: For me, it always starts with the story and the people behind it. I want to work on projects that move me emotionally or challenge me creatively. I look for characters that have layers and projects that say something meaningful. And honestly, the energy of the people involved matters a lot too. Film and television are such collaborative experiences, so being around passionate, good-hearted creatives makes all the difference. AM: What can you tell us about your role in Euphoria and why did you want to be part of this project? HM: Euphoria is one of those shows that really pushed television storytell-
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