Mireia Oriol: The catharsis of finding oneself

DECEMBER 13, 2021 → WORDS ADRIÁN GOMIS EXPÓSITO

PHOTOGRAPHY MIQUEL CABELLO
STYLING ANA CAROLINA, DANIELA PARATORE FROM DMODACREATIVE
TALENT MIREIA ORIOL
HAIR & MAKE-UP SERGIO OVEJERO
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT CLARA ALONSO
STYLING ASSISTANT PATRICIA
HAIR & MAKE-UP ASSISTANT MANU REPILA
GAFFER & ASSISTANT JAVI FG
RETOUCH STUDIOICUE

From starting her career in the modeling industry at a very young age to finding her true passion, Mireia Oriol has evolved throughout the years to find her happiness in what she loves the most: acting. Graceful for all that modeling has taught her, she is now focusing on her acting career, with really exciting projects awaiting her. 

You probably know her by her role in the television series “Las del hockey” in TV3 and Netflix, and also her incredible roles in movies like “El Pacto” with the marvelous Belén Rueda, directed by David Victori, “Tocados por el fuego” by Santiago Lapeira, or “El arte de volver” by Pedro Collantes. Irradiating talent in everything she does, she now presents the next big production she is part of: Alma, a supernatural thriller that will be coming soon to Netflix and we are sure that it will be the next blockbuster. 

Directed by Sergio S. Sánchez, scriptwriter of Lo Imposible (The Impossible) and other big productions, Alma tells the story a girl who wakes up in the hospital after having survived a bus accident in which most of her peers died without her remembering a thing about it or any of her past life. Mireia Oriol plays the main character Alma and she tells us all about it in this wonderful interview, her experience taking part in this project as well as a little bit about her personal journey.

To begin with, I would love to know a little bit about yourself and your story. Could you give me a short definition about yourself? How do you describe yourself?

It is always very difficult for me to define myself. I’ve been trying to do it so since I was nineteen and I’m still trying to figure it out. I would say I’m a deeply sensitive person, who always tries to do her best on whatever she does, what leads to being too much self-demanding sometimes. 

For me, any type of art expression comes from an innate talent that artists have from the day they are born and a feeling that keeps them alive. Acting of course is the same thing. Which is your connection with it? Like for example, when did you know that acting was your passion? 

Acting kept me afloat during a time in my life when I was very lost and confused. I had been modeling for a long time, and acting forced me to make the decision to stop doing something that didn’t make me happy and that sometimes showed the worst part of me. Even though a couple of years ago I did some acting courses, I never really believed I could be an actress. So in the end, I see it as a catharsis that happened at the right moment.

On the other hand, you also work as a model since you were sixteen if I am not mistaken. What called your attention to be a model in the first place? Could you tell me a little bit about this story? 

I started modeling at a very young age because of my cousin. She wanted to be a model and I, always admiring her, wanted to see how a fashion agency was, and there we went together. Once the agents saw me, they really encouraged me to sign with them, which I did, and that’s where my modeling career began. However, I don’t do any modeling jobs anymore, only when something comes up sporadically but always related to acting. It’s not that I regret my modeling years. I’ve learnt a lot of both positive and negative things, and it made me the person I am today, but it’s true that it’s a very difficult job and I don’t think  that people realize how difficult it is to keep your mind in good health. 

Even though you are really young, you have stared in various TV series like “Las del hockey” in TV3 and Netflix, and movies like “El Pacto” with the marvelous Belén Rueda, directed by David Victori, “Tocados por el fuego” by Santiago Lapeira, or “El arte de volver” by Pedro Collantes. How have you benefited from taking part in these incredible productions? How have they made you grow professionally and personally?  

Every single one of these productions happened at a very different time of my life. El Pacto was my first movie. I was really nervous and insecure about it. I really wanted to be there, but it was frightening at the same, but David and Belén were really two angels and they helped me a lot. I feel that what I like the most about my career is that I’ve been growing personally and professionally little by little, having the time to settle the projects down, learning to enjoy the breaks and being able to prepare for the next ones.

Not only that but you are also staring in Netflix’s next supernatural thriller named “ALMA” directed by Sergio S. Sánchez, scriptwriter of 'Lo imposible’ and others. You play the main character Alma, a girl who wakes up in the hospital after having survived a bus accident in which most of her peers died without her remembering a thing about it or her past. How was your experience working in this big project? 

It has been a very very intense experience! I’ve learned a lot, I had a great time working with Sergio, Kike, the crew, Yas, the actors, some of them having become very close friends. It was a very magical and special project for all of us and we all put our soul in it, never better said, but it’s true it was a very difficult shooting. Personally, it was a big challenge both professionally and personally for me and, honestly, I can’t wait to share it with you all! 

How difficult was it for you to embody Alma, a girl who has lost all her memories all of a sudden, with all the sorrow and bewilderment she must experience? How was that process of understanding the character?

You’ll see when you get to watch the full series, but I have to say that it is way more complicated than that. I can’t explain it too much, but I started preparing one month and a half before, doing lots of research and then I worked with my acting coach Yasmina Rincón who really helped me emotionally and physically to build the character, and with Sergio too, who apart from being the director of the series also wrote them. He has a magical sensitivity.

Forward-looking, I am sure you have a lot of ambitions and dreams you are aching to accomplish. Which is your biggest dream in your career and in your personal life?

I was writing about this the other day! I was asking myself which were my biggest dreams not professionally related. I would say I’d love to travel a lot, and always be surrounded by people I love and who love me back, and be at peace with myself. My professional dreams... I don’t know! I hope to work on fulfilling projects that make me learn more and improve my skills. One thing I know is that I would love to work in a French production. 

To conclude, what would you tell to the younger and emerging generation of actors and actresses like you that want to see their dreams coming true and working in what they are passionate about?

I would tell them to take care of themselves, not to rush, to have faith and to trust that everything happens for a reason. Take care of the people you love and those who are going to be by your side during your best and your worst times.