“Don’t Look Up”: this is how the scene with André Silva was made in Paracas for the new Leonardo DiCaprio movie on Netflix

It was Silva himself who gave the notice on his social networks, sharing in advance a photograph of his scene, which although brief has an important weight in history.

Directed by Adam McKay and starring some of Hollywood’s most prominent names – from Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep to the young Jennifer Lawrence and Timothée Chalamet – the film presents an allegory of how the world would react to the imminent announcement of the end of the world because of a natural event; in this case, the fall of a comet on Earth.

The answer leads us to see inconsequential political discussions, insensitive business moves based on the pure desire to make money at the cost of a tragedy, the excessive weight that celebrities have in our society and, of course, what interests the readers of this note, some small shots of Paracas, Lima, and the well-known Peruvian actor, who told us more about this shoot:

– How does the proposal for this scene come to you?

Through Tondero. They are my representatives. They informed me that there was a call for an outside film. In principle, they did not give me more details, only that it was an important project. I made the decision to do it without knowing what was coming. Days passed, they gave me the information, I knew what it was about and I was very excited. Although it is true that my participation is small, what I have been able to gather from this experience helps me a lot and strengthens my career.

– How was the filming?

It was in April of this year. Before cameras, we were three people. Two more guys and me. In addition, there was also the film crew, led by our director, Jorge Carmona. Two scenes were filmed: a slightly riskier one, which was the one that did not appear, and the one that you will see in the film.

Filming of “Don’t Look Up” in Peru. 

– What was that scene you discarded like?

In the same location, in Paracas, but very close to the sea. There was a bowling alley with people working. Suddenly, I entered the shot, talking on the phone, I saw what was happening, I was surprised and I left that space terrified. Finally, they decided on the other scene, which is also beautiful because it has a setting that seems drawn as Paracas is, we filmed inside the National Reserve, on the red beach.

-Did the shooting take a long time?

That day they summoned me at 5 in the morning to leave for Paracas. I was driving and on the way I met Jorge Carmona and his first camera assistant. We all went by caravan to the location. We started filming at 10 am and finished between 3 and 4 in the afternoon. It took its time, for the various takes we wanted to show the director. First we did the one with the boat that I was telling you about, and then the one seen in the movie. That shot started with me driving a car. When suddenly I see the meteorite and go down to see what happens. But, by editing, only the shot was left where I react to what is happening, then there is another shot behind me with the fall of the meteorite.

Scene of André Silva in “Don’t Look Up”.

– Have you already seen the final edition?

Yes, at the movies. It was a really crazy and straw experience; exciting.

-How did it feel to see you on the big screen?

I was very nervous. All the while I was thinking about when my scene would come. Plus, I really got into the story. It is a movie with great performances, it comes out with people that you have admired all your life. So I kept asking myself, ‘Am I really in this movie with them?’ As small as (the paper) is, I am part of this great project. There was a constant joy. When the scene came out, I heard a sigh, an unease in the room. There were people who knew a bit about me and recognized me, I heard them speak softly and rumored if it was me or not, because nobody knew that I was going to appear in the film. Later, when I left the series, I received congratulations. Even later, Gonzalo Molina, with whom I also work on the telenovela “Luz de Luna”, saw the film with his family and wrote to me to ask how he ended up there (laughs).

– In Peru you are a well-known actor who has played very important roles, accepting a small scene also speaks of your humility, did you have any doubts?

Yes, I knew it was an important project, but also a cameo, something small. And I said: let’s do it, always motivated to gain new experiences and I am really very happy to have sent a little blindfolded about what I was going to do, but one of the things that gave me a lot of security was knowing that Jorge Carmona, the director in charge here in Peru, was going to be present, that gave me incredible strength. If Jorge is there, I told myself: he is going to take care of me to give my best. My artistic career began with “Mystery”, in which he was also involved, so we have known each other for a long time.

– The film has a clear environmental message, does that message have an affinity with you?

Yes, indeed it is. Some call the movie a subversive comedy, because it makes you laugh, you have fun, but it has a very important background. I sympathize with that message. Unfortunately, in Peru there are not so many crusades regarding caring for the environment, although there are some specific ones that I would like to highlight, such as La marea, which campaigns for the collection of solid waste in the sea, plastic bottles and Tecnopor.

Jonah Hill, Paul Guilfoyle ,Mark Rylance, Meryl Streep in “Don’t Look Up”.

– On the other hand, you have just announced the second parts of two important projects of yours: “Luz de Luna” on TV and “Don’t tell me a spinster” in the movies, how do you feel about this advance in the return to normality for him? audiovisual sector?

Happy, I still think that this normality must be assumed with responsibility, we are not free from COVID-19 yet. It is true that there is more openness, films have begun to be released, theaters have reopened, but it is up to us to do things well so that more possibilities are opened to release films, because there is still a long list of films that have not been released, but also about filming. The TV found the mechanisms to follow with all the respective protocols, but it is necessary that the Peruvian cinema be reactivated. There was a time when more than 30 movies were made in a year. The pandemic was catastrophic for this medium, I am glad that it is being reactivated, but all with great responsibility. For now, I’m dying to release “Don’t tell me spinster 2,” because it’s a movie that people have waited a long time for and we are prepared for what’s to come.

THE DATA:

“Don’t Look Up” premieres on Friday, December 24 on Netflix. Currently, it can be seen in some movie theaters in the country. Its cast also includes figures such as Ariana Grande, Timothée Chalamet, Rob Morgan, Kate Blanchett, Ron Perlman, Melanie Lynskey, among others.

This is the official synopsis:

“Two mediocre astronomers discover that, in a few months, a meteorite will destroy the planet Earth. From that moment on, they try to warn humanity of the danger that is coming through the media.”