By Leandro Infante
Danna Paola is a child prodigy who started her career as an actress when she was six and from then on she never stopped working and being part of great successful projects. She grew up in the limelight and last year she really made it with her last role in Netflix latest success, Élite. Le Banana talked with her and she told us some of her secrets.
How did your life change after Élite? Did you imagine it will be so successful?
My personal life is still the same, the only difference is that now I spend more time in Madrid. But my professional life changed a lot. People are so close to me now, they talk to me through social media, I can feel their love and it is really fantastic to see all that love. Since it first release, Élite has been the most watched series in more than 20 countries, something I had never felt before.
Your career in Mexico has always been successful. You had the leading role in many national sitcoms and Elite was your launchpad to the world, how did you get there?
It is a great story. I have an email account in my Instagram profile so that fans can email me and send me all their love. One day, I was reading all these messages and I saw that among spam emails I had an email from Netflix telling me something about Elite project and the casting process. I thought it was a little bit weird sonI told my manager about it and he confirmed the news to me. Then I forgot about it and the night before the casting I went to a party sonI didn’t have time to prepare for it so when my time came I created a very Mexican and personal “Mini Lu” because I hadn’t learnt Spanish idioms, lexicon or collocations. Just five days after the casting, they confirmed my role in the series and I had to move to Madrid to start recording.
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Nowadays you are recording the second season and the photos you share from the set do nothing but increase everybody’s expectations. What can you tell us about it?
I can’t say anything yet! The only thing I can say is, as Rosalia says, you will fall in love with the second season. There are new characters, there is more drama, and there will be stronger things regarding the script.
Do you identify with your character?
I love Lú, she is a character I really enjoy. Before I had only interpreted girls which were nice, dreamers and full of problems, but Lu is quite different and allows me to use other tools. She is a villain, but deep inside she no other thing than a vulnerable insecure girl who feels quite alone. I just identify with her in how perfectionist she is. We both look for perfection no matter what. I spent my whole life trying to do things correctly and I try to show something of that in the series.
Which is your favorite couple of the series?
Omander of course. Omar and Ander couple has me totally in love. They created this couple in a perfect way and they have achieved something incredible.
Music is your other passion and you are also successful there. Last year you launched “Happy Ending” and it is still a success, with more than 29 million views on YouTube. Are thinking of launching new singles?
I have come back to music after 5 years away. Ieft it because I wasn’t enjoying it any longer. I was like fighting against myself asking myself all the time: what’s next? It wasn’t till I changed some things in my life that I felt I Was ready to come back. “Happy ending” is the result of that inner search and I am really happy with it because it is part of Elite sound track and that is why it is so successful. I created to more songs that will be heard in the second season and that you will love!
You are always wearing the latest fashion items and clothes by international best brands, How much do you care about fashion?
Fashion is my life, how I dress shows how I feel, how I am, what I feel towards music. Fashion includes all those aspects. I don’t follow a style, I try to be myself and show that. Most of my outfits are spontaneous, I like mixing things, colors and textures.
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Which are your favorite brands or designers?
Well, now that I am interpreting Lu I have discovered skillful designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, Dsquared2, Miu Miu, and Gucci. These are just some of the brands I like. In Madrid I discovered Atelier Villalba, a group of young cool designers that I love.
How would you define your style? Do you have a muse?
My style speaks about my freedom. I like fashion but for me comfort comes first. I admire Rihanna, her style is amazing.
Do you have any favorite item or object?
Now I love hoodies and jean oversize jackets. The go well together. Black items are my favorite.
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Your makeup is always perfect, which style do you follow and which are your tips to achieve a perfect look?
Now I am playing a little bit more with makeup up. During the day I like to look natural, I just base and a little bit of illumination. When it comes to the red carpet, I try to innovate. I have a team of people that help me choose the best look: more defined lips, a little bit more of color, more powerful eyebrows.
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Do you have a facial care routine? Which are you essential products?
The best secret is to drink a lot of water. The more water you drink, there better your skin. I use a lot of masks, whenever I have some spare time, I try something new, and once a week a deeply exfoliate my face. Some years ago I used to go to sleep without removing my makeup but now I Know it is very important to remove it. My essentials are moisturizing serums by Esteé Lauder, and Dior and Lancôme creams. At night I use Chanel patches and some products by Clinique.
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You are really active in social media, which one is your favorite and why?
I like being connected and knowing what is happening around me, that’s why I am always really active in social media. I also have my “detox” moments when I don’t use them. I love Instagram, I find everything si need there and it is constantly updated. Besides, it allows you to express yourself and share it with people.
If you had to choose 5 Instagram accounts to follow, which ones would you choose?
I follow a lot of fashion magazines, celebs, food blogs and other inspirational, I couldn’t choose just five.
Do you have time for love?
Oh! What a question! Journalists love making up love stories with me. For me love is all. It is not just about one person, it is about sharing time, moments, feelings, good energy. It is about loving deeply so of course, there is always time for love and for what and who you really love.
What inspires you?
It depends. It is a wide question, in general music is what inspires me most and what gives me the energy I need.
Which are your projects for the future?
Élite and my music!
If you had to give a piece of advice to someone who drama of having a career like yours, what would you say?
Never stop. Try to achieve your dreams breaking your own barriers, and enjoy the process, because that is the most beautiful part.
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Le Banana Top 5 By Danna Paola
-A city: Madrid, but also New York.
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– A perfume: Coco Madmoiselle, by Chanel.
– A film/series: Élite, of course.
– A candy: Chocolate drive me crazy, but just in Winter.
– A song: Love on the brain, by Rihanna