Catalan artist Anna Marchessi, born in Sitges about thirty years ago, rejects borders. She has never accepted limits, a fact shaped by a lifelong journey with cerebral palsy. She studied two programs, took part in Erasmus, pursued screenwriting, and now makes her acting debut twice over. Both paths converge on the same source material: Cristina Morales’s novel Lectura fácil. On one side, she premieres in the Movistar Plus series Fácil, written and directed by Anna R. Costa. On the other, she performs at the National Drama Center. The theatrical adaptation by Albert San Juan will move to Teatre Lliure in April.
How did the beginnings in the audiovisual field unfold for her?
She studied Audio-Visual Communication and after completing the degree earned a master in screenwriting. While hunting for internships, she sent her resume to many producers; two replied, one small and Diagonal. She interviewed a principal from the university who remembered her. That connection helped her overcome a hurdle that can feel insurmountable. She relocated from Barcelona to Madrid to begin Love is Forever. A period of change was exactly what she needed after a serious surgery, entering a new chapter of life as an adventure.
Does she relish challenges?
She constantly seeks new experiences. In a one day drama, the screenwriter’s role is intense and demanding, with tight deadlines that push everything forward the day before. This pressure fueled growth while she also pursued acting studies. The interest in acting had always lingered, but this is where she took it seriously.
Now she is shaping her own project. What does it involve?
She earned a place at a Film Academy Residences where she is developing a semi-autobiographical series with Ingride Santos. This is a dream project, and her mentor Borja Cobeaga opened doors that illuminated her path into film and color on screen.
Did she read Lectura fácil back then, and did she expect it to matter so deeply?
She jokes that she must secure a place for Cristina Morales when the time comes. In truth, she hadn’t read the book until Alberto San Juan asked for the play. The series, however, was kept separate during development by Anna R. Costa to avoid conditioning the project.
Why does the Morales novel feel so significant?
It reveals how societal systems constrain everyone. The resonance is broad. The story isn’t about disability alone; it critiques how systems oppress people across the board, and it invites empathy rather than labeling. The series emphasizes listening and ensuring no voices are silenced, including women and women with intellectual disabilities.
There is a notable focus on rules and how each character relates to them.
Patri, the character she plays, trusts rules as a perceived path to freedom. He is restless yet suppresses desires, convinced that fitting into the system means becoming another sheep in the herd. For him, freedom hinges on a sheltered flat, a paradox that highlights how what freedom means varies for each person, especially for those who live in what feels like a personal prison.
Is the concept of freedom challenged?
Some may find the view radical, yet the system appears built for a specific segment of society—talented, affluent, cis, straight men. Everything that works for them pushes others to surrender more in order to be part of it. For disabled protagonists, the process is harsher, demanding greater adaptation from a reality that often shows little willingness to listen. The series places emphasis on empathy and listening, ensuring there are no silent voices, whether they are women or women with intellectual disabilities.
When heroes are involved, another layer appears: they are poor, without independent resources or a supportive family.
They face discrimination tied to poverty, disability, and gender. Seeing all these factors together can be startling, prompting reflection on one’s own privileged position and a broader realization that everyone faces rough patches.
Did she feel discrimination herself?
She believes each character carries a distinct life with its own ups and downs and fights in their own way. The overarching theme remains the struggle to fit into a system that often doesn’t accommodate everyone. There are always multiple levels. Women, LGBTQI+ individuals, and people of color face additional pressures, and a woman with a disability must adapt to a system that rarely adapts for her. That ongoing struggle is a central thread of the narrative.
A few years back, Campeones became a box office hit. How does that compare to a series like Fácil?
They reflect very different creative visions from two directors with unique worldviews. Campeones offered opportunities for many performers with disabilities and broadened visibility. Yet the power of Fácil lies in its ideology and its choice to center the experiences and perspectives of the heroes themselves, presenting their desires and feelings directly. Watching the series feels unfiltered; the barriers are not tagged as obstacles but simply part of living. Disability is not treated as a separate category; it is woven into the fabric of women’s lives and daily existence.