Few films manage to weave together history, culture, and humanity as beautifully as Los Frikis, a story that sheds light on the punk subculture in 1990s Cuba and the radical sacrifices of a group of individuals who injected themselves with HIV as a means of reclaiming autonomy in a society that sought to suppress their identity. Directed by Mike and Tyler Green, Los Frikis is a deeply moving film that captures the raw spirit of rebellion, brotherhood, and survival against the odds.
In this exclusive interview, I had the privilege of speaking with the film’s talented leads, Hector Medina (Viva, Sergio & Sergei) and newcomer Eros De La Puente, whose portrayals of two brothers navigating a turbulent cultural and emotional landscape have been widely praised. Medina, who brings a wealth of experience and intensity to his role, reflects on how the music, costumes, and defiant spirit of Cuban punk shaped his character and informed his performance. Meanwhile, De La Puente, in his feature film debut, opens up about the challenges and triumphs of stepping into a role so emotionally charged and deeply rooted in historical context.
From their connections to the subject matter to the behind-the-scenes magic that brought pivotal moments to life, Hector and Eros offer a fascinating glimpse into the making of Los Frikis. Here’s the interview in which we delve into their creative journeys, the power of punk, and the deeply emotional moments that define this extraordinary film.
A still from ‘Los Frikis’ (Photo Credit: Lord Miller)
Aayush Sharma: Congratulations to the team for the success of ‘Los Frikis’—it is such a beautiful and heart-touching story. My first question, Eros, is about your character, who idolizes his brother, Paco, but undergoes a complex emotional journey throughout the film. As a first-time actor working on your debut movie, how did you approach portraying your character’s evolving perception of his brother throughout the story?
Eros De La Puente: I think what allowed me to be ready was to be very present. Like, even if I wasn’t acting in that moment, even if I didn’t have that scene, I was there watching my brother’s scene or every, you know, like, just to be aware of what he’s doing so that then it would be easier for me to be sort of like his little brother, because I’m serving this guy, and I’m following this guy. So I would say that was a big step, and not just as a character, like Gustavo and Paco, but I think that everything was planned out beautifully because then he was like my older actor brother. He has way more experience than me, and he was this guy that’s guiding me through the journey. So we kind of went—like, we did exactly the same thing that happened in the movie outside of the movie, you know. I think the process of, like, me trying to be Paco in a weird way or trying to find myself through Paco just happened. Just happened as a byproduct of our amazing relationship. We’re like two others.
Aayush Sharma: Hector, the punk subculture plays a significant role in shaping your character’s identity. How did the music, costumes, and cultural elements of punk influence and inform your portrayal of him?
Hector Medina: Well, the Rock and Roll Spirit helped me a lot. I mean, being always looking for freedom. And the Cuban tropical punk from Cuba, there is a special band. I mean, to be a punk in Cuba in those times was really hard. And those people were so, so brave. Brave. In Cuba, at that moment, listening to American music was prohibited. To have long hair, was a prohibition. To think differently, was a prohibition. So that and that spirit from the Cuban tropical punk, inspired me a lot. Just being made me be. Being a while, be angry, hungry, and wild. Those are two things that help me a lot.
Hector Medina as Paco in ‘Los Frikis’ (Photo Credit: Lord Miller)
Aayush Sharma: Hector, you were born in the late 1980s, and this story is set in the 1990s, meaning you were growing up in real life during the time these events were unfolding in Cuba. While growing up, did you hear stories about the lost freakies and people who injected themselves with HIV? Also, did your perception of these individuals change while working on this film?
Hector Medina: Yes, yes. I, I was born in 1989. I remember when I saw the first freaky, I was like five, six years old, and my aunt told me, “Don’t, don’t look at him. Don’t look at him.” Yeah, dd, people, and crazy people. But I was so interested in this, these people that they were so different in, mean, in a, in a communist country, tropical country. Imagine that. That look was so different—long hair, the clothes that they wore. The first time that I saw an electric guitar, the sound, was so different. And then at 13 years, I met Helson, who is alive right now. I think he is the last freaky, the last, the only people who are alive, the only Friki who injected themselves with HIV, who is alive. And I met him at that time, and he was so nice, so kind, always protecting the job, the young guys in the place, because I used to go to this place, where they only put rock and roll music, and it was like a paradise in the middle of my town. It was a different culture, different people. I mean, I fell in love, with those people and so, and got engaged with this story.
Aayush Sharma: Eros, this is your first film as an actor, and before this, you were working on a short film. Now, here you are in this incredible film, which, if people don’t know, has been nominated for 6 awards at the Latino Entertainment Film Awards—congratulations on that! As an actor working on your first feature film, how was the experience for you?
Eros De La Puente: It was extremely hard at first because I was getting used to all these new things, and I had to be very prepared when it came to knowing my character. Before that, I used to do theater, where everything happens in order, but with a movie, it’s shot out of sequence. So, I had to know exactly where my character was at every point in the movie. That was definitely a challenge. But once I had all that knowledge and was fully prepared, getting on set felt like the best thing ever. My knowledge and research met Hector’s research and everyone else’s research, and it all came together. We created this magic on set that made me feel like the most comfortable guy in the world. All the fear disappeared. I wasn’t even thinking anymore—I was just present in the moment, reacting to Hector, reacting to Adria, and responding to every little thing on set. It eventually became so much easier to do.
Eros de la Puente and Adria Arjona in a still from ‘Los Frikis’ (Photo Credit: Lord Miller)
Aayush Sharma: The last scene, where your character tells your brother that he doesn’t have AIDS, is incredibly powerful. The camaraderie and the deep bond we see between the two of you at that moment are truly moving. Can you take us through that scene? How did you approach it, and what were the emotions like while delivering those dialogues and shooting that scene?
Hector Medina: Oh, I love that scene in Los Frikis. Also, that scene was my casting. Oh, when I did that scene, the day after, Mike and Tyler, the directors, called me and said, “You got the job.” And that scene, from the first day in the movie, I was holding all my emotions just for that day. It was an amazing experience to do that scene with Mike and Tyler together because we built the character together. They wanted to get to a point where I could cry and laugh at the same time. We had to make an amazing last scene because it is the last scene, and we had to make sure it worked, or the movie wouldn’t. That day was so happy because we did it well.
Eros De La Puente: I think we did well. And I just remember that day—it was such a stressful but also beautiful day because we had this beautiful moment before going to shoot the scene. We were together, talking—no, not really talking, I’ll correct myself—just sitting next to each other in silence. Why did I just be in there? You know, we were just sitting next to each other in silence, without talking. And then we went on set, and we did the scene. And we just felt this weird, sort of invisible thread connecting us. And it was beautiful.
‘Los Frikis’ is coming soon to streaming.
