An interview with Vidal Sancho (The Spaniard)

"I was told we would only need one take"

Where are you from, where do you live and how did you become an actor in Seachd?

[Vidal] I am from Bilbao but I currently live in London. When I heard from my Agent that SEACHD was interested in me for the part of the Spaniard, I was taken in by both the part and the type of project straight away: at that time I had just finished working with Shekkar Kapur in The Golden Age and Alfonso Cuarón in Children of Men, and SEACHD seemed to be something completely different from what I had been doing; also SEACHD was going to be the first feature film ever done in Gaelic -   truly a piece of history.

Was it strange to act when neither of you understood a word each other were saying?

[Vidal] Indeed :) I have never been in such a situation where I literally don't understand a thing of what the other Actors are saying. However, this time that worked very well as it helped me in playing the part, as the whole story between the Spaniard and the prisoner was based on continuous misunderstandings...

How easy was it to submerge yourself in the sea off the coast of Skye?

[Vidal] Gosh! [Ed.] - that was hard!  I was so scared of playing those scenes, you cannot imagine. People need to know that it was cold outside, very windy, the sea up in Scotland is freezing and that I had to submerge inside the water almost naked!

Does storytelling matter?

[Vidal] Yes, it does. What excites me is always the story and the discovery of the characters reaction and emotional dialogue/challenge. Having a Spanish background, we have a great tradition in storytelling and performance and it has been very exciting to explore and expand this medium at SEACHD.

What was the best thing about making Seachd?

[Vidal] I would mention a couple of things: SEACHD is a fantastic project, a very special piece that I am very proudly a part of. Also, it has been a unique, great personal experience to be in the Isle of Sky and meet some of the people who live up there, they are great.

What was the worst thing?

[Vidal] Regarding the scene in which I had to submerge in the sea, I was told we would only need one take. However, when I got out Simon (the Director) said that we had to repeat because of this, that and the other... I was shivering and felt so cold I thought I was going to die (thank God I didn't ;). 

Can you tell us anything little known about the making of Seachd?

[Vidal] Debbie our make-up artist does reiki, we used to queue to have our reiki session during breaks. The food at the local pub where we used to go for dinner is amazing (mmm... I do miss that!).

What do you think the future of SEACHD is? What are your expectations?

[Vidal] I do believe SEACHD is going to be a great success, one of the most outstanding films this year: it is emotionally and brilliantly clever and I am sure it will capture the audience's heart.

Would you work with us again - even though we dunked you in the icey seas of Scotland twice in a row?

[Vidal] I'd love to; it's been great to work with a group of such dedicated, professional people.