Miguel Arce, from “Al fondo hay sitio” to Netflix: what did he spend his reality salary on, why he no longer works in Peru and more

A Miguel Arce, the title of “exchico reality” does not please him. Despite the fact that a large number of Peruvians remember him for his continuous participation in programs such as “Combate” or “Esto es Guerra”, and he certainly loves these projects, he prefers to be recognized for his facet as an actor. Reasons are not lacking either, since in the last six years he has worked to make his way in the competitive artistic world of Mexico, achieving sporadic appearances in Televisa productions.

His participation in the third season of the Netflix series, “Mother there are only two”, is probably one of his greatest successes. In Peru and other countries in the region, it reached the top 10 most viewed series on the platform streaming, giving him international exposure and great media coverage. Although his character does not have much prominence, he is still excited by the opportunity he had to work with great actresses such as Ludwika Paleta (“Carrusel”, “María la del barrio”) and Paulina Goto (“Mis XV”, “My heart is yours).

“They are super professional and good actresses. For me it was a luxury to be with them, since as people they are also excellent human beings. There was a good atmosphere and not only with them, but with the entire production team. Later I found out that the production company has had very successful projects [a nivel internacional] and open doors there, that they know you, it is very important”, comments Arce in an interview with Trade.

But his experience as an actor dates back to 2004, when he was barely 19 years old and participated in the soap opera “Besos robados”, together with Stephany Cayo. By then he was a young man so shy that he stuttered; and for this very reason he undertook to take acting classes. Although these first steps had to be paused due to a car accident that almost ended his life, “left me in a coma for four days, I lost my memory for two weeks”, he recalled.

Only at the age of 26 did television give him his second great opportunity, becoming ‘Thor’ (Lucas Boggio) from “Al Fondo Hay Sitio”. From then on, his presence on the small screen was constant, enjoying national success with “Combate” and “Esto Es Guerra”, until his subsequent descent from the television podium after passing through Latina, a channel that, he affirms, “behaved very wrong” with him and ended up in bad relationships.

But she is not the only one with whom she had disagreements. “Most of the producers give it to me because I don’t have much patience, and I have always ended up saying what I think, very politely and with a lot of courtesy, but the producers in Peru like to control things and you don’t say anything, [quieren] that you are like a puppet and I am not like that”, he assures.

That future and a legal problem [y mediático] With his ex-partner, the Argentine model Julieta Rodríguez, he made Arce pack his bags and go to Miami to “clear his mind”. The only thing he knew at that time is that he did not intend to continue working in Peru, and that he had to start over even though he considered that he was in his “best moment”.

For being the cradle of Latin American entertainment, Mexico was his chosen country to settle. He began appearing at castings there, although he comments that he was quickly discarded due to his Lima accent, so he began to practice his neutral accent. In his rough mental count, he went to close to two hundred auditions, landing the role in only five.

When asked if his privileges as a tall, attractive, straight white man helped him a bit in landing those roles, he answers with a resounding no. “Most of my roles have been gay. In Peru, for example, when miniseries became fashionable, they told me there were no roles for me. ‘We need people who look native’ they told me, because the series was going there. And I understand, it’s not that they’re discriminating against me, I just don’t fit the profile”.

Unlike our country, he considers that Mexico is a more competitive country, and there were plenty of men like him, so it is more difficult to stand out among foreigners who “speak Spanish even better” than him. Even so, he has obtained participation in recognized programs such as “La Rosa de Guadalupe” or “Como dice el dicho.” He tells that, more than luck, it was a combination of many factors: “For me luck is a mix between being in the right place at the right time and staying as prepared as possible. The only two variables that you can control is the place and the preparation; but you have to be patient and wait”.

And if Arce can afford to “wait”, it is because the profits obtained as part of his work in reality shows he knew how to invest in real estate that allowed him to live without going through difficulties or hardships during his first years in the country. Thanks to this, for now he enjoys the popularity and good reception of the third season of “Mother there are only two”, and He tells us that he has already signed a contract to participate in an upcoming blockbusteralthough wait until the filming is advanced to reveal more details.

He affirms that he would love to get involved in more soap operas, but he fears being stuck in the genre, so he is confident that his professional future lies in television programs. streaming. One of the few reasons that would bring him back to Peruvian productions is his encouragement to be closer to his father and his family; but in general, Miguel Arce is today an actor destined to carve out a career aimed at international audiences; so we can deduce that he still has a long way to go in front of the cameras.