Leidis Díaz has proven herself to be an actress with many resources, capable of moving from the deepest drama to hilarious, almost comedic situations and always emerging successfully. She is also an intelligent, cultured, and sensitive young woman, qualities that open the door to other areas of the arts. She has been missed on the small screen, has she not? The good news is that she will be back soon.

Tell us about the soap opera you just finished filming. What is your character like?

The title of the soap opera is Ojo de agua and it is co–directed by Alberto Luberta, José Víctor Herrera, and Humberto Hernández. My character’s name is Roxy, a mother who dreams of celebrating her daughter’s fifteenth birthday because they are very humble people and she was unable to celebrate her own fifteenth. So she holds on to the illusion of fulfilling that dream, in a way, through her daughter. There is a very charming relationship between her and her husband, which becomes somewhat, let’s say, fractured when another character arrives, one of the antagonists in the soap opera. They become, in a way, the refreshing storyline within the series. From there, many conflicts and situations unfold. She is always trying to do the possible and the impossible to gather the money needed to celebrate her daughter’s fifteenth birthday.

Meanwhile, we also see you on television hosting La Majomía. How much does this work give you?

I will be honest with you: La Majomía is a job I enjoy tremendously because it allows me to be close to another of my passions, music, and to get to know more about all those artists I admire and who are also part of my daily playlist—or my life playlist in terms of music. I learn a little more from the experiences of those musicians who already have a full career and trajectory, and that is why I enjoy it so, so much. It is a job I have grown to love deeply. I already feel part of the creative process within La Majomía*, and I hope more seasons can be made so I can continue enjoying it.

For example, as an anecdote, I can tell you that my daughter loves a show that was like a children’s programming guide or something like that, but the theme song was by Toques del Río. It was very funny because I had to be in last season’s episode dedicated to Toques del Río, and I told Zeney: My daughter is a huge fan of yours. Do you think you could say something to her in a short video? And they played the song she likes, the one that says “ponte la chancleta que nos vamos de fiesta.” They played it for her, and Isabel went crazy when she saw it. Those are the kinds of beautiful things that happen on La Majomía*. In that case, I was grateful to make her happy and to be happy myself, not only as a musician, because I have been able to sing, which I love, but also as a presenter, which is another thing I have come to enjoy a lot lately and with which I feel very comfortable.

I am extremely grateful to Alain Finalé, its director, and to those who, in the second season, invited me to be part of the program. I never thought I would enjoy it so much. It was quite a challenge because I had never worked as a television host before. My first official work as a TV presenter has been with La Majomía*, and I have truly felt very good with the entire team and the energy of everyone involved. I was happy to work once again with Frank Pedroso, as well as with the new hosts who joined this time, Yosander Estévez and Belinda Guerra. We have worked together wonderfully, just as we did before with Ernesto Casanova and Paula Gutiérrez. We are a family when it comes to work, and that is also great because that energy is reflected in the program.

Do you currently have any theater projects?

Yes, I do have projects: I am considering an offer to perform in Hubert de Blanck’s production of Dangerous Liaisons, with a very, very, very good character. I love it; I am still thinking it over, but I believe it will be worthwhile, and it is one of the proposals I have on the table. In addition, I also have a proposal for a monologue about the life of “La Señora Sentimiento,” Elena Burke. We are working on the scheduling so the two projects do not overlap, because I am truly very interested in that project about Elena Burke, especially because it unites my passions—singing and acting. We will see what happens. Those are the things that are currently in the works.

What would be, let’s say, the dream role for Leidis Díaz?

I would love to work in film, and I would love to play a role in which I could sing and dance. I am not sure if it would be a musical film or something similar, but it would have to include my two passions. In the case of theater, the challenge is much greater. I think I like everything. I enjoy roles that force me out of my comfort zone. Those are my dream roles, the ones that make me study, work hard, and move away from who I am in order to become someone else, although there will always be a bit of me in them, because it is impossible to separate the two completely. But I would love to play a role that represents a major challenge for me. That would be my dream role, whether in television, film, or theater.

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff