Welcome To Eden star Dariam Coco sits down to talk with our contributing editor Nikola Bajovic about her career and roles in Welcome To Eden and La Casa De Papel, diversity and representation, role models, upcoming project and much more. Spanish actress also posed for an exclusive feature captured by fashion photographer Carlos Teixeira, and video directed by Squid, with styling, creative direction, and production from Ana Carolina Gonzalez Bortot. In charge of art direction was Phoebe Evans, with set design from Lucia Cordero. Hair styling and makeup are work of beauty artist Sergio Ovejero.
For the session Dariam, who is best known for her roles in Money Heist (2017), Welcome to Eden (2022) and Unfinished Affairs (2022), is wearing selected pieces from Ermanno Scervino, Peter Sposito, Issey Miyake, Emilio Pucci, Escorpion, and Lola Casademunt.
Read our exclusive interview with Dariam + see more of the story below:
Can you tell us a little bit about your background? When did you know that you wanted to act? Tell us about the start of your career
My name is Dariam Coco, and I am from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. But I have been living in Madrid for 10 years. On my father’s side, I have Equatorial Guinean roots. My grandmother and the entire family belonged to the Bubi tribe, and my grandfather was from Nigeria. On my mother’s side, my grandmother was from Lanzarote, and my grandfather was from Cambados, Galicia.
It was not something specific that happened. I gradually realized that I really liked acting and that through it, I was able to break free from blocks that were deeply ingrained in my way of living, and that fulfilled me, something that didn’t happen with journalism, the career I was studying at that time.
Who have you looked up to, and who/what have you been inspired by in your journey to becoming an actress and how have they been important?
When I think about my role models, I would say they are the women in my family, particularly my grandmother. She was from Equatorial Guinea, and her life story inspires me greatly because it is very, very different from what we usually encounter. She had to migrate, face the challenge of leaving her family behind, and start a new life in a foreign country. That is truly admirable. I have learned so much from her, and she has brought a lot of value to my life.
I also feel the guilt she experienced when she left her country during politically challenging times. I believe her greatest strength was facing the unknown and following her heart, beyond fear. Being close to her has given me strength and security, and I have learned special values and a unique way of life. I am extremely grateful for the experiences that have allowed me to have a much more open mind.
Can you tell us a little bit more about your role in the Bienvenidos a Eden?
Well, my character in Eden is quite peculiar because she has always been very lonely. I think you must feel a lot of deficiencies and have a set of characteristics in your personality to end up in a cult and feel the need to find a community to identify with. When she arrives in Eden, a quite interesting journey begins. I would say that the part I like the most is the evolution she shows from the moment she arrives in Eden. I would highlight the development as a woman and the empowerment she experiences. Although I believe that to fully see the development, a continuation would be necessary.
I am a very observant person, and participating with such talented actors shows you different ways of interpreting and experiencing a film shoot. From each of my colleagues, I take away a different learning experience, both in terms of acting and on a personal level. That is something that enriches me.
What advice would you give to aspiring actors and actresses who are just starting out in the industry?
I believe that one of the most rewarding aspects of being an actress is the opportunity to serve as an inspiration for girls and boys who aspire to pursue the same path. Many have reached out to me, both from the Canary Islands and other places, asking about my journey and how I have built a career like the one I am currently forging. I truly love that, especially because we feel the lack of representation in the Canary Islands.
Whenever I can, I offer them advice, even though I am still learning myself. It would have been wonderful to receive guidance when I was starting out, as this career can be quite challenging. It’s a profession that can easily distract you. It is beautiful, but it can also lead you astray from the essence of acting. It’s important not to forget that this is just another job and not to get lost in ego.
Being kind to oneself and having patience are crucial. It is truly gratifying to feel that you can inspire others.
What diverse narratives do you wish to tell with the new projects you will embark upon?
Whenever the focus is on a different place than what we are used to, I will feel comfortable with the narrative being told. What’s important to me is that it offers a different perspective.
What would you tell young performers and viewers struggling to find roles they relate to?
I would tell them the same thing I tell myself: to do what feels right in their hearts, to respect their feelings, to have patience and not give up even when things get tough, if that’s what they truly feel.
Considering the international success of La Casa De Papel, how does it feel to be part of a show that has pioneered the dispersion of different stories and people into mainstream media?
My experience on La Casa de Papel was very enriching. My role didn’t have a significant weight in terms of importance since I wasn’t a main character, and I didn’t have to develop a complex persona. It was something very specific, but thanks to that, I could focus on absorbing everything happening around me and learning from what I was witnessing.
We were filming for a month in Panama, and it was very exciting. The first person I informed was my mother since I always call her before an audition.
At that time, La Casa de Papel was a phenomenon, and it still is, but at that moment, it was very present. I was fortunate to live with Úrsula and another actress, and I felt that I could learn a lot from them. Úrsula is an actress with many years of experience in the industry, and she was very generous with us. That whole experience taught me a great deal. That’s what I would undoubtedly highlight from the filming.
I believe that projects like this have contributed to being more open internationally, and it’s very enriching because they don’t focus solely on one culture or type of person; instead, they represent a broader diversity.
As someone who is a successful writer, and actress, what are the biggest challenges you have faced thus far in your career and what are the moments of hope that have helped you to overcome them?
At the point I am at, the biggest challenges have been adapting to the work pace. Working continuously for three months to then have (with luck) the following four months off, and having patience with certain aspects of the profession that need to change. The moments of hope that help me are the ones that show me there are people who want to change these things and, therefore, they are already changing.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell her not to make herself small, to be herself even if people don’t like it or are bothered by it.
Social Media has become one of the most direct ways to communicate directly with your audience, what are the most significant things you want to express?
I don’t have an intention to give a message or convey ideas. I seek to find ways to express myself, so that others can see who I am, and if my way of living or my values can be helpful to someone, I will feel happy about it.
How do you feel that creative industries can help in diversifying our media and encouraging both acceptance and curiosity towards others?
I believe that art has a power that we should not waste, as long as it remains true to ourselves. Throughout history, for better or for worse, a collective imagination has been built through art. There are things that we may not fully grasp in our daily lives, but we can come to understand them through a film or experience a new emotion through a painting or a song. Art continuously constructs and deconstructs.
What message of hope would you offer to ambitious youth towards reaching their goals?
I don’t know if it’s hopeful, but I would tell them not to obsess over their goals and to be more sincere than ambitious.
If you had to change one thing about your industry what would it be?
Inequalities. It’s something that is being fought against in various aspects, but there is still a long way to go in that regard.
What is next for Dariam Coco?
I hope for much more work. Right now, I’m looking forward to the premiere at the end of the year of an international series that I filmed last year in Mexico, with an incredible cast, and in a few weeks, I’m returning to the Canary Islands to shoot another one. I am very grateful for the moment I am experiencing.
Follow Dariam Coco on Instragram – @dariamcoco
Photographer: Carlos Teixeira
Stylist, Creative Director, Producer: Ana Carolina Gonzalez Bortot
Art Director: Phoebe Evans
Director & DP: Squid
Set Designer: Lucia Cordero
Hair & Makeup Artist: Sergio Ovejero
Talent: Dariam Coco at Cram Talent
Assistant Photographer: Tiago Mulhmann
Assistant Stylist: Aaron Diaz Rossi
Beauty Assistant: Manuel Repila Galache
Studio: Master Pro Studio
Video: Full white look by Emilio Pucci / Black dress by Ermanno Scervino / Bone dress by Issey Miyake / Black & White look by Peter Sposito / Orange look – Orange sequin pants by Escorpion, Sheer orange dress by Lola Casademunt
