​Academy Award nominated actor​ ​Demián Bichir​ returns to the big screen as ‘Bob The Mexican’ in Quentin Tarantino‘s powerful epic “The Hateful Eight.” The film, shot in 70mm, is now playing in both 70mm and digital format nationwide. We spoke with the talented actor about his latest role and his thrill of starring in a ‘Tarantino movie.’ Bichir comes from a well-known Mexican theatrical family. ​His​ ​​father is theater director​ ​Alejandro Bichir and mother ​Maricruz Nájera is an actress​.​ Brothers Odiseo Bichir and Bruno Bichir, are also well known actors.

​Demián​ ​began acting as a child and established a solid career starring in Mexican soap operas and films. Fame arrived for his roles in​ ​the record-breaking​ ​spanish-language films “Sexo, Pudor y Lágrimas” and “Sin Noticias de Dios.” In the U.S. he is best known for his role as Detective Marco Ruiz in the FX television drama  series “The Bridge.”​ ​Bichir ​garnered worldwide acclaim in 2011 when​ ​he received an Academy Award​ ​nomination​ ​for Best Actor ​ ​in the small independent​ “​A Better Life.​”​ He​ ​followed with ​co-​starring roles in “Dom Hemingway” and “Machete Kills.” Next on the schedule for release in 2016 are “The Good Kids” opposite Ashley Judd and Zoey Deutch and the labor of love “Refugio,”​ ​a film Bichir wrote, produced​ and stars in.

HOMBRE: How would you describe this film? ​
Demián Bichir: If you had to define the genre you would say it’s a Tarantino movie. And if stores selling videos still existed there should be a section marked as Tarantino movies. It’s a very peculiar movie-making style. It’s unique. You can’t say it’s only a Western, or an Action movie, it’s a Tarantino movie.

H: What can you tell us about the story?
DB: Imagine what can happen in a small cabin in the mountains, in the middle of the snow, where various elements and emotions come together, and then you put them all in a pressure cooker and you wait for everything to explode. This is what happens in this Tarantino movie. It’s a group of characters that arrives to this microcosm where nothing is what it seems.

H: Tell us about your character ‘Bob the Mexican’
DB: Bob the Mexican is a renaissance man in a lot of ways. He can do many things. Of course he knows about horses, he knows about carriages, he can cook, he can play the piano, he’s an artist, he’s basically a renaissance man of that period – and of course – he has surprises too. Nobody is who it seems. H: How did you come into the film?
DB: I had the opportunity to work with Robert Rodriguez in “Machete Kills” and he continuously mentioned that I seemed like a Tarantino type of actor. I said to him that it would be a good idea for him to comment it to Quentin (laughs). Tell him what you think about me, I said. And he said, “Of course, I already told him.” And that he told Quentin he should meet me. Then we met at a dinner. Quentin said to me, “I’ve been in a ​Demián Bichir marathon over the past 2 weeks. I’ve seen everything you’ve done. I’m writing this new version of (“The Hateful Eight”) script and I would like to send it to you when it’s ready.” I told him of course, I would love to read it. I said I’ve been a fan of his work for many years and when he’s ready I’ll be ready to audition and to read for him. And he said, there would be no need, “If you like the script it’s yours.”

H: How was it working with Tarantino?
DB: You hear a lot of things about a lot of people. I can tell you he’s great. Since he’s a director who’s acted he knows  how to work with actors. He’s a generous man, he’s a very loving man. I know few directors who like their actors as much as he does. He’s a free man, he’s a genius in many ways. His scripts are impeccable. His framing is formidable, his camera work is unique, and one would not take as many risks as actor if you don’t find a director like this. You can’t do it alone.

The cast of The Hateful Eight includes Kurt Russell, Samuel Jackson, Jennfer Jason Leigh, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, Walton Goggins. Bruce Dern and Demain Bichir

H: How was it working with this array of very accomplished actors?
DB: I’ve seen all this actors work in the movies. I’ve been a fan of them, and suddenly you’re in the same room with them. That’s a dream for any actor. One dreams of working with the best actors and the best directors and then you have to forget who they are. Because if that’s on your mind you stay in your room dying of fear. You can only deliver your best work if you find actors who are also generous, actors that set up the plays so you can deliver. And that just confirms what has happened for many years, the great artists they’re always the most down to earth the most humble and the most noble. The cast of “The Hateful Eight” is like that.

Demian Bichir – all images exclusively photographed for HOMBRE by John Hong