One of 2021’s most pleasant surprises was the Apple TV+ series, Acapulco. From its 1980s setting to its narrator that conjured up all of my Jane the Virgin nostalgia, I was utterly charmed by it. Season 2 kicks off this week, and I can say that there’s no sophomore slump in sight. The writers have managed to build on everything set up in the first season and raised the stakes now that we are invested in these characters.
Ahead of Acapulco‘s Season 2 premiere, I got to chat with series stars Enrique Arrizon (Young Maximo) and Fernando Carsa (Memo) about their upcoming storylines. They shared a bit about how their off-screen friendship is reflected in the friendship between their characters, Maximo’s self-doubt as he tries to move up the ranks at Las Colinas, and Memo’s confidence this year as he navigates work, love, and friendship.
Acapulco Season 2 kicks off Friday, October 21, 2022, with two episodes. New episodes will be released every Friday through December 16.
First, I have to say that your on-screen friendship has to be one of my favorite friendships on TV.
Fernando: What we have in real life is very similar, if not even bigger than what you see on screen. Enrique and I are very close, and we love each other as if we were brothers. So we’re very happy that the love, friendship, and trust can be seen through the screen and are being passed on to our audiences. That means a lot.
Enrique, there is a lot of inner conflict with Maximo this season. Although his intentions are never selfish, he’s questioning his motives. Can you share a bit about exploring your character’s self-doubt?
Enrique: You said it perfectly. That’s why you root for him. At his core, it’s all about love — love for himself, his family, his friends, and Julia or whoever. He has deep values, but it’s very easy to get lost. Fortunately, he has his best friend, Memo, working with him, supporting him, and giving him the best advice. He has a mentor, Don Pablo. He has a lot of reasons to come back to everything in 1985, to face the truth and face reality. Things are not going as he thought with Julia and Chad, or with Hector the Protector. But Maximo has to keep going and face it.
Memo has so much going on in Season 2, and there’s a confidence that he embraces. What can you share about how your character has grown since the first season?
Fernando: Memo gets to fulfill more dreams than he did in the first season. That leads him to gain the reassurance that he is capable of doing this job and working at the resort. He’s earned his position as pool boy, which was his biggest dream. If we dig a bit deeper into what that means as a plus-size actor and someone who has been plus-sized my whole life, we don’t get characters like this. Usually, we’re portrayed as the butt of every joke, or as people who do not have a good relationship with their bodies or how they look. Or they’re depressed, sad, or have a weird relationship with food.
It means a lot to me that the writers are allowing this character to show up and be like, “This is what I can do. This is the way I look. I’m gonna rock those short pink shorts and you’re gonna love my legs. And all the girls in the pool are gonna fall in love with me.” It’s such an important message and I feel proud to be the vehicle to share that message. I’m excited about what’s to come, and very happy for audiences to see it. Hopefully, they’ll gain the inspiration to not give up and carry themselves with pride and self-love, and make their dreams come true by being truly who they are.
Images Courtesy of Apple TV+
