http://www.hispaniconline.com/HispanicMag/2009_10-11/LatinForum-FilmTV.htm
Peruvian heartthrob Christian Meier leaves telenovelas behind in his quest to make it big in film
October 2009
Having recently moved to Los Angeles to focus on a film career, Christian Meier —known as the George Clooney of Latin America—is ready for his close-up.
Star of numerous telenovelas—including a recent turn as the legendary Zorro—Meier has long been a heartthrob to legions of adoring fans. But he is determined to leave the small screen behind for crossover dreams in Hollywood. “I’m not sure what the next step will be,” he says. “The only thing I can assure you is I won’t be seen in another telenovela.”
Technically, Meier broke into Hollywood with a 1993 debut in Watchers III by cult film director Roger Corman. That effort was followed in the Latin cinema with No le digas a nadie five years later. In 2000, he starred in Cuidad de M, and last year snagged the title role in Valentino y el clan del can. Meier raised his profile further in 2005 in La mujer de mi hermano. But most of his work has been in telenovelas that have made him a household name.
Growing up in Peru, Meier was no stranger to the spotlight. His mother, Gladys Zender became Peru’s first Miss Universe in 1957, and his father, Antonio Meier, is the mayor of the San Isidro district of Lima. His starring role in a toothpaste commercial at 13 marked his official entry into acting, a gig followed two years later with a Coca-Cola commercial.
He recalls being fixated in his youth with foreign cinema, admiring the work of Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. But it was Day-Lewis’ turn as a quadriplegic in the movie My left Foot that helped Meier realize an actor’s potential to touch an audience emotionally. Until then, Meier had viewed acting as simply a job with some nice perks along the way.
Already a staple on telenovelas, his personal paradigm fully shifted when he took on the role as the conniving and bisexual anti-hero in No le digas a nadie in 1998. The risky character appealed to him for its potential to spotlight him as a “serious” thespian. “It was not the leading role, but a very important role.”
Meier imbued his character with a sinister, ever-present grin that was inspired by mime Marcel Marceau’s portrayal of a man who is unable to remove a mask that represents laughter. Meier’s mental and physical preparation paid off: “The movie was not a blockbuster, but for the first time the critics started to say I was a good actor.”
Having already achieved name recognition throughout Latin America, Meier, the father of three children, this year launched a cologne sold via catalog in his native Peru as well as in Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Guatemala, Bolivia, Chile and El Salvador. He hints at future fashion items bearing his name, but offers no details.
It is in acting on which Meier pins his hopes. Clearly, the telenovela chapter of his life appears closed. “I think I’ve filled my quota of melodrama. Maybe the names and characters change, but it’s always the same thing,” he says. “I respect the novela format, but I need to do something else. I’m feeling more committed to my acting.”
Source: http://www.hispaniconline.com/HispanicMag/2009_10-11/LatinForum-FilmTV.htm
