Ernesto refuses to face reality. His wife has left him, and he insists on keeping his chin up to continue clinging to a chimera. Gorka Otxoa (San Sebastián, 1979) premieres Neither with you nor without me, a comedy directed by María Ruiz, with Manuela Vellés, Cristina Maisonnave, and Iván Sánchez as co-stars. “The first stage of grief is denial, and this man is deeply in it. Even when the divorce papers arrive, he says Laura still loves him, that she will realize it, and that this is a minor crisis.”
All for a friend
Ernesto (Gorka Otxoa) has Rober (Adrián Lastra) by his side, whose friendship cornerstone revolves around “with balls”
Fortunately, he has Rober (Adrián Lastra) by his side, whose friendship cornerstone revolves around “with balls” and who devises a foolproof plan to get him out of the slump. “Rober suffers a lot seeing Ernesto suffer, and all he wants is to see him happy. Although they have nothing in common, they share a lifelong friendship. And it’s cool that they love each other so much despite being so different. It’s a beautiful relationship.” And Gorka keeps his Donosti crew, the lifelong friends: “Since Ikastola, with whom I travel and go to see Real Sociedad and share recipes. As a Basque, the crew and friendship are crucial.”
I have friends since Ikastola, with whom I go to see Real Sociedad and share recipes. As a Basque, the crew and friendship are crucial
Gorka Otxoa
Psychologist and actor
In Neither with you nor without me, Ernesto (Gorka) chases his ex, refusing to throw in the towel. “When I was younger, maybe I stretched things out convinced they would end, but life, experiences, and screwing up several times make you learn. I would move on to the next stage and phase before my character; in that sense, I’m more pragmatic than getting stuck in toxic relationships or situations that lead nowhere.” The ex, Laura, is played by Cristina Maisonnave, his real-life partner. The question of how much truth there is in the arguments we see in the film is on the table.
When I was younger, maybe I stretched things out convinced they would end, but life, experiences, and screwing up several times make you learn
“(Laughs) Although these characters have nothing to do with us, it helped us interpret those moments when they review what their relationship was, and you can tell there is still love.” With Manuela Vellés, he tries to make his ex jealous. With her, he stars in a very sexy scene on the balcony of a house on a cliff: “(Laughs) That sequence is cool. As a Basque, I don’t feel very sexy dancing; the hips don’t move much in my ‘Basqueness.’ But the sequence is very hot.”
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As a Basque, I don’t feel very sexy dancing; the hips don’t move much in my ‘Basqueness’
The psychological consultations in Donosti lost a talent, but the acting world gained a versatile artist. For a time, he was two people at once: “At 18, I was doubting whether to study Dramatic Arts, whether to move to Madrid or Barcelona, and in the end, I decided it wasn’t the time and that I wanted to study Psychology. In the afternoons, I attended theater school in Donosti for three years. And I was called for Goenkale (ETB). I was finishing my degree while working on a series that was a brutal school, the military service of acting (laughs).” Fame came with the famous sketch show Vaya semanita and from there to national TV. “My degree contributes a lot because in the acting profession there is quite a bit of psychology. In fact, I did acting and psychology workshops, and many exercises were identical.”
My degree contributes a lot (…). In fact, I did acting and psychology workshops, and many exercises were identical
The role that has given him the most exposure is Santi, in Machos Alfa. He admits it suits him quite well: “I already had a bit of Santi in me, I came ‘sanctified,’ but I have delved deeper, for example, into micro-machismos I wasn’t aware of. The whole team has also learned a lot about new ways of experiencing sexuality and relationships that we didn’t know about or harsh worlds like incel. I already came a bit deconstructed from home; with my inconsistencies, doubts, and fears, but at least trying to raise awareness, which I think is the first and most important step.”
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