Long before reinvention became a fashionable language in entertainment, África Zavala had already been living it. She entered television at a young age, in an industry where women were often expected to embody an almost unattainable ideal — polished, composed, immaculate, and emotionally impenetrable. Yet even at the height of her success, there was something quietly subversive in her presence: a refusal to harden, a refusal to become distant, and a refusal to let visibility erase her humanity.
While her career was built through characters marked by heartbreak, sacrifice, and intensity, her own evolution unfolded far beyond the screen. Under relentless public scrutiny, criticism, beauty expectations and the exhausting architecture of perfection, Zavala learned that survival was never merely professional. To remain soft without becoming fragile. To remain visible without becoming performative. To grow without abandoning herself.
Now, shaped by motherhood, time, and a sharper understanding of what truly matters, she speaks from a place of emotional lucidity about identity, beauty, vulnerability and the invisible weight of always being observed. Because some women are remembered for the roles they played. Others for what they protected while playing them.
"When you are exposed to criticism, expectations, and public opinion, you learn that the most important thing is not losing yourself in what others think"
 |
| Photo: Italia Padilla |
You entered television at a very young age, in an industry that tends to accelerate everything: image, maturity, expectations. When was the first moment you realized that being an actress was not only about “performing,” but also about learning how to emotionally survive in this industry?
África Zavala: From the moment you begin this career, you realize it’s not only about acting: there are so many things that carry weight, and you have to understand very clearly that rejection is never personal. If you didn’t get the role, it’s because you didn’t fit the profile they were looking for, and that’s all. Even so, you start doubting yourself: “Am I doing this right? Am I doing it wrong?” It’s a career that constantly makes you question yourself, that gives you many “no’s,” and puts you under everyone’s scrutiny all the time: whether you’re doing well or badly, whether people like you or not, whether they enjoy your performances or not. The key is learning not to take anything personally. Throughout my career, I’ve always tried to give my best without getting too carried away by either praise or criticism, because both extremes can affect you deeply. I’ve always tried to stay responsible, continue learning, and never believe I know everything.
Your characters almost always carry a lot of intensity, but outside the screen you project a very calm and reserved presence. How do you balance public exposure with the artistic life you lead?
África: I’ve always tried to build my career without scandals and I think I’ve achieved that. I prefer people talking about my work rather than my personal life. I’m a calm person, and I completely understand that the media has questions to ask, so I always try to answer with kindness and respect, because I respect their work just as they respect ours. So far, I’ve managed to maintain that balance, and I hope I can continue doing so because the relationship I’ve built with the media, my fans, and everything surrounding my work has been very beautiful. I’ve always tried to connect with everyone through kindness, love, and respect.
In "Corazón de Marruecos", your new character leaves everything behind to rebuild her identity somewhere else. What moved you the most about this idea of having to “start over” in order to survive?
África: Exactly that, having to start over in order to rebuild yourself. I think it’s something everyone experiences at some point in life: wanting a fresh start, wanting to grow through certain situations. That’s precisely what my character goes through, and I love it. While researching for the role, I even found a real person who is exactly like my character: she arrived in Mexico, opened her eyes to a new life, loved what she saw, and decided to rebuild herself there. She loves Mexico, just like my character, who discovered it through the telenovelas she watched with her mother. It’s something very beautiful that, in one way or another, many people have experienced at some point, and that was what attracted me the most to the role.
How did this project come into your life, and what can we expect from this new leading role?
África: At that moment, I actually had three different projects on the table, sometimes everything arrived at once. But this one captivated me from the very beginning. The moment I learned the story and read the script, I immediately said yes. I love challenges, and this character is definitely one. The story also celebrates women: it’s about a strong, brave woman who moves forward and stands on her own, and that always inspires me. Every chapter I read made me want the next one; I couldn’t stop. We’re going to have locations in Morocco, which is incredible. It’s a very special project, and I hope people enjoy it as much as we’re enjoying making it. I hope all the love, passion, and soul we’re putting into it can be felt on screen.
"The story also celebrates women: it’s about a strong, brave woman who moves forward and stands on her own, and that always inspires me"
You grew up in a television era where leading actresses had to appear almost untouchable. Today, audiences seem to look for women who are more imperfect, contradictory, and human. Do you feel that change is happening in front of the cameras?
África: Yes, I think that idea of the “untouchable woman” has changed enormously, even on social media. Speaking for myself, I’ve always tried to show myself exactly as I am. I’ve never believed I’m above anyone else, nor have I thought this profession is more valuable than any other. We work in an industry where everyone sees us, but that doesn’t make us more or less important than anyone else. I’ve always believed we’re all equal, and I’ve refused to project myself as someone unreachable. Even in interviews, I’m naturally cheerful and spontaneous; I’ve never tried to pretend to be someone I’m not.
Along the way, I remember people telling me many times: “If you keep being like this, you won’t make it; you have to behave differently.” I fought against that idea and proved that África, exactly as she is, could still get where she is today. And I think that’s also what we now see in telenovelas: strong women, imperfect women, unique women. We all have something special, and our differences don’t make us less; on the contrary, we should discover what makes us unique and use it to our advantage.
Emotionally speaking, what interests you the most to explore as an actress today?
África: Everything. I want to find characters that push me out of my comfort zone, that make me experience emotions and stories I may not have lived yet. I want every role to feel like a challenge. That’s what I’m always searching for in every new project.
Motherhood tends to reorganize everything: priorities, fears, even the way silence is experienced. What changed inside you after becoming a mother in a way that people outside cannot really perceive?
África: You change tremendously. Life becomes completely different, and your priorities shift. My son is everything to me; he’s the person I think about every moment of the day. If I’m going to do something, the first thing I ask myself is whether it will be good for him, whether he’ll be okay. I wish the world were better so he could grow up in a better place. You become much more sensitive to everything, and your heart is always focused on that little person. I love my work, but the most important thing for me is that my son is okay. Even when you’re away from your child, part of you is always looking back toward them.
It’s a kind of sensitivity that only parents can truly understand: that overwhelming love and the desire for everything to be perfect for them. You even want to change things within yourself that you wouldn’t want your child to experience.
You try to become a better person in order to become a better mother because being a parent is incredibly difficult. Nobody teaches you how to do it, but you’re always trying to give your very best.
Is there something about fame and exposure that you understand in a completely different way today compared to the woman who first began working in television?
África: Over time... I’ve learned, like I said before, not to believe too much in either the good or the bad things people say. If you let yourself get carried away by everything happening outside, you can become very sad or overly euphoric simply because of what you read, and that’s not healthy. What I’ve learned is to stay focused on doing my work as well as possible without allowing outside opinions to move me too much.
.JPG) |
| Photo: Italia Padilla |
We’ve spoken a lot about how audiences now seek humanity and contradiction. In practice, how do you work to maintain your essence and your “real marks,” both physically and emotionally, in an industry still so seduced by filters and artificial perfection?
África: We’re living in a time where social media constantly shows the prettiest side of everything — edited photos, filters, perfection — and that can make both young people and adults wonder why their own lives don’t look like what they see online. It’s a delicate moment. I try to do both: sometimes I use filters, sometimes I don’t, so people can also see reality. There are days when I feel bloated and use a filter, and there are days when I feel great and post myself exactly as I am. I try to maintain balance and avoid falling into either extreme.
I also enjoy sharing simple things, like a sunrise or a cup of coffee, because those are things we can all have and that genuinely bring happiness. I look for that balance especially because many young girls follow me, and I want to set a good example for them.
If you could go back now and have a brief conversation with the little girl who debuted on television years ago, what would you tell her about what truly matters in this journey?
África: I would tell her not to let other people’s opinions affect her so much and to always keep moving forward, learning, and growing. Although I also believe that everything we go through helps shape who we become. Everything people told me back then — that I was too young, too inexperienced, that I couldn’t have a leading role so soon — helped form me and pushed me to become better. Those experiences taught me to keep trying and never give up.
So I would simply hug her and say: “Keep going. Enjoy what you do exactly the way you do it. Don’t let yourself get carried away by so much noise.” Because in the end, everything we live through is what brings us to where we are today.
New comments are not allowed.