Hovik Keuchkerian, born in Beirut in 1972, is a multi‑talented figure whose career spans acting, poetry, comedy, and entrepreneurship. With an Armenian father and a Navarrese mother, he has built a diverse professional life, gaining prominence early after appearing alongside magician Jorge Blass, who famously mimicked Eugenio and hypnotized him. Over the years he has cultivated a robust television résumé, earning praise for series that critics described as breathtaking. From Money Robbery to Y riot gear, his onscreen presence has grown steadily. He has embodied the villain in Assassin’s Creed and now features in the Amazon Prime adaptation rooted in Juan Gómez-Jurado’s best‑selling Red Queen trilogy. The second season of The Head premiered on HBO Max, featuring a large, international cast and the signature, high‑stakes editing that Mediapro is known for. Charlie, his character, carries substantial weight in both performance and dialogue, a testament to Keuchkerian’s physical and vocal range. Standing 1.91 meters tall and weighing as much as 150 kilograms at peak—in a recent frame he shed to around 130 kilograms—he maintains a muscular presence that suits a role often shown alongside a mouse in close quarters.
How was your shoot with Blanda, the rat who accompanied you for most of ‘The Head’?
The experience was wonderful from start to finish. The shoot began with a rat on set, and the idea felt almost like a wish fulfilled. When he arrived, Blanda was there too—though in reality a clean, endearing lab mouse with a look that reminded some of a hamster. A crucial part of working with Charlie involved his bond with the animal, so the scene where Charlie places the mouse on his shoulder demanded a calm, convincing response. The animal’s behavior became a key element of the performance, and the moment worked beautifully in rehearsals and on camera.
Charlie evokes a lot of sensitivity in the audience with his boyish character, his imposing appearance and fear as you never know where it will come from.
He exists as a child within an adult frame, and even as an animal in many ways. He constantly finds himself in the shadow of his brother, a dynamic explored by the other Spanish actor in the second season, Enrique Arce, who plays a contrasting role. The story reveals a ship far from ordinary, a setting that becomes a living backdrop for their journey. Charlie’s awareness grows only gradually, and when the moment comes that changes the trajectory of the crew, he realizes the family he has found may be the closest thing to belonging he has ever known.
Was the character crafted in a special way? Charlie has a childlike personality as he doesn’t act like the rest of the team.
The approach was rooted in the same seriousness that defines all of Keuchkerian’s projects. In pre‑production, the team settled on portraying Charlie as a nine‑year‑old inside a grown body. The idea of a child’s way of perceiving the world—perhaps with a touch of stammer—added a dissonant layer that heightened the character’s authenticity. Once the director, George Dorado, affirmed: “We already have Charlie,” the path became clear and the performance found its natural rhythm.
‘The Head’ is a claustrophobic drama. Was it the same with the footage?
The burden on the performers was immense. Every movement, every staircase, every confined space carried weight. Keuchkerian recalls carrying an extraordinary amount of restraint while maintaining form, focusing on safety and precision to avoid injuring himself. While claustrophobia was a factor, the larger challenge was the physical demand—the sense of being tightly enclosed while maintaining character integrity. The crew’s days at sea, the noises, the smells, and the endurance required by those long shoots added a tangible harshness to the experience.
Did your 10 years of boxing serve to shape this character?
Boxing left a lasting imprint on the actor’s approach. If he had not spent a decade in the ring, the person would be different, and so would the performance. An actor seeks truth in every moment, and boxing provides a raw, real rhythm—the bell, the cadence, the discipline. That discipline translates into Charlie’s persistence. Beyond the art of repetition learned in the ring, the craft of building a character through consistent practice became the shared core of the process. The parallels between training and acting run deep: deliberate repetition, controlled energy, and the stamina to endure long shoots. This background informs the precision and depth of Charlie’s portrayal, echoing the resilience cultivated inside the boxing gym.