C. Tangana speaks through a new chapter that mixes music with acting. What captivates him most is the moment when a phase shifts, when a career takes a turn, or when novelty itself becomes a job. He made his acting debut in One Year, One Night, Isaki Lacuesta’s film about the Bataclan tragedy. The Madrid-born artist, now 32, has grown far beyond being a rapper and takes on a modest role in the Catalan director’s most ambitious project, opening this Friday. Pucho, the friendly nickname for Anton Álvarez, is part of a cast that includes Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Noémie Merlant, Natalia de Molina, Enric Auquer, among others.
Lacuesta, at 47, has long followed artists rooted in music and has kept a keen eye on Tangana. “When I saw his music videos and his performances, I wanted to film him. I sensed acting talent,” the director notes in conversation. Then came a moment when his potential became evident: the day he performed the song Un Veneno on Operación Triunfo. “They expected a trap for modernity, but he delivered a bolero-like piece with a poised, sensitive, and fair performance that surprised everyone,” Lacuesta explains.
Tangana’s screen moment was memorable for both music and theater. He stepped off a stage without a formal goodbye, a moment that online communities at first saw as drugged rather than a definitive artistic choice. “On the internet, people claimed he looked altered, yet to me it felt like a strong, genuine performance,” the filmmaker recalls.
After One Year, One Night gained momentum, Lacuesta found himself missing a lead actor to portray the hero’s brother. “I left the wish hanging—working with Tangana,” he recalls. Then a new video dropped, and it seemed Tangana bore a resemblance to Nahuel Pérez physically. So a call was made, and the artist agreed to participate. He appears in scenes set in a mountain town near Madrid, where the character of Nahuel Pérez lives. The director emphasizes Tangana’s long-standing love for cinema and his desire to absorb the world through film. Lacuesta also recalls a similar collaboration with Albert Pla, noting Tangana’s curiosity about the technical aspects, even asking about the lenses used during shooting.
Cross Roads
Tangana remains among the newest musicians who venture onto the screen, a trend that has been gathering pace. Not long ago, Ayax returned to cinema in Paco León’s Rainbow after his debut in Hasta el Cielo (2020). The route from screen to music is increasingly crowded: Jaime Lorente, Aron Piper, Dora Postigo, and Jedet, who leads the Veneno series and has released a new album after several singles, all blend acting with musical pursuits.
For Lacuesta, Tangana’s screen journey doesn’t stop here. “I’m convinced there will be more films,” the director suggests. He also speaks to the broader pattern of crossovers between cinema and music: musicians bring discipline and fearlessness before an audience, while actors often welcome the challenge of performing in front of crowds. Tangana’s career embodies this fusion, signaling a new era where familiar talents extend beyond one medium and into others.