How Jim Carrey influenced Acapulco actor Rafael Cebrian's Hector (Exclusive)

Acapulco, the bi-lingual comedy on Apple TV+, is a story primarily told through the perspective of Maximo, played by Eugenio Derbez in the present-day narrative and Enrique Arrizon in the 80s flashbacks.

Among the many characters in the show is the highly flamboyant and colorful Hector. Initially at odds with Maximo, viewers have come to the realization that Hector is not as shallow as he seems in Acapulco Season 3.

Recently, Rafael Cebrián, the man who plays Hector, spoke to Sportskeeda about the three-dimensional nature of his character and also how comedy legend Jim Carrey influenced his extremely outlandish performance.

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Acapulco has no villain, feels Rafael Cebrián

When Sportskeeda asked Rafael Cebrián whether his character, who begins as an antagonist to Maximo, is the villain of the show, the actor disagreed:

"Personally, I don't think there's a villain in Acapulco and that's what I love about the show. Everyone wears their heart on their sleeve. There's no malintent in any of the characters. That I think is the beauty of the show."

The Acapulco star mentioned how everyone was just doing their part to get ahead in life, without a malicious agenda.

"Everyone is trying to do good. Everyone is trying to fight for themselves without really screwing anyone else. I understand what you mean about Hector being kind of this lovable idiot, lovable jerk in Season 1 and Season 2. He's kind of like an obstacle for Maximo to get what he wants," Rafael Cebrián continued.

While Hector begins as a flamboyant, almost cartoonish, one dimensional character, soon enough we see that there is much more to him. Cebrian felt that this was a joy to portray:

"But in regards to exploring the different sides of Hector through these three seasons of Acapulco, that was such a beautiful challenge for me as an actor. And I got to give that to the creator Austin Winsberg and the writers for believing in me and trusting me so I could make of this character a full 3D character."

Of course, showing the vulnerable side of Hector in Acapulco Season 3 was no easy feat. But it was a challenge that Rafael Cebrián relished immensely:

"Living breathing human being that has an inner tragedy. I don't know. It's not everyday that as an actor you get to play characters that are so rich and have so many layers. So, it was beautiful. It was also nerve racking. But it has been one of the challenges of my life and truly one of the most beautiful gifts of my career."

When asked about his comedy heroes, Cebrián immediately names Eugenio Derbez, the star of the series. But keen-eyed Ace Ventura fans may spot a deeper similarity:

"First of all, Eugenio Derbez, I grew up with him. So he's one of my comedy heroes. Jim Carrey. I mean the actors that made me want to become an actor are Anthony Hopkins, Will Smith, Jim Carrey."

And who's responsible for the Grease-y swagger? John Travolta of course:

"So, I think there's a lot of Jim Carrey in Hector, Also, a little bit of that Travolta strut around the pool."

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Acapulco is streaming on Apple TV+ and stars Eugenio Derbez, Camila Perez, Enrique Arrizon, Jessica Collins, among others. Stay tuned for more coverage from the show.