Actor Hemky Madera from “Queen of the South” on Netflix chatted with Digital Journal’s Markos Papadatos about his latest ventures.
Madera has a prolific career in film and television, with more than 70 acting credits to his name. He most recently starred as Pote Galvez on Queen of the South, currently streaming on Netflix, and is also known for his recurring role as Ignacio on SHOWTIME’S Weeds and in HBO’s Luck with Dustin Hoffman, roles in renowned primetime shows such as The Shield and Law and Order: Criminal Intent, and numerous shows and films such as New Girl, The Good Doctor, Criminal Minds, Bosch, Brockmire, Dreaming of Julia, The Lost City, Rango, and Spiderman Homecoming.
Madera currently is filming an unannounced new show in New York, answered some questions on his career, interests, and shared about his first time recording in a music studio. You can find Hemky on Instagram here.
How and when did you realize you had a passion for acting?
When I was five years old, I was watching On the Waterfront with my parents in the Dominican Republic and the famous glove scene came up, and I remember noticing that he was trying to put the glove on so she wouldn’t leave. I turned to my parents and said, “I want to do what he does.” From that moment on, I would watch movies and reenact everything that I saw, from war movies to anything and everything, and I think that’s when I realized that it was my passion.
What drew you to the role of Pote Galvez on Queen of the South (currently streaming on Netflix)?
I originally auditioned for the role of Teresa’s father and then they brought me back for Pote, and I was fascinated from reading the script sides. Then I read the book and I saw how intensely loyal he was to Teresa in a fatherly way. Nothing romantic whatsoever, it was just like a family affair.
He started chasing her to kill her and then, because of a series of events, he became her protector, her confidant, her guide, until she became the Queen and beyond. But it was just the loyalty that he had towards her that really attracted me to do the role.
Is there a humorous or favorite story you can share from your acting career?
I have many of them, but I will go back to my first professional job, which was my first acting job ever. It was in the Dominican Republic with renowned director Alfonso Rodriguez, in Grandes Series Dominicanas; he used to do miniseries back in the Dominican Republic. Anyway, for my first job, I remember going to set and I remember we rehearsed the scene. It was like a three-page dialogue scene, so we started to roll the camera and I went boom!
We did the scene, and it was perfect. It was really good. I did not mess up my lines or anything like that. When the director Alfonso called cut, he came up to me and said, “Good job Hemky, that was great. But now, breathe. Breathe.” Because what happened was I said all my lines with one breath. I was so nervous that all I was thinking was not messing up the lines and I just spoke with one breath. We still have a huge laugh over that.
You have a prolific career in film and television with more than 70 credits. Is there a role you have not played yet but would like to someday?
I feel very blessed that I have done so many different roles and been a part of so many amazing projects. Is there a role that I would love to do and I will do someday? It’s hard to say because I have fun with all sorts of characters, from good guys to bad guys, comedic, drama. It’s just a matter of a good script and good company. And I have fun with it, but obviously, I would like to do something with loss.
Somebody dealing with a huge loss and overcoming that and dealing with that. But again, it’s very hard to pinpoint a specific role that I would like to play. I’ve been blessed enough to play so many.
Tell me something about yourself I may not know from reading about your career.
I am a goofball. I joke, I’m a prankster, I’m intense in every sense of the word. When I get something in my mind, I go for it. But at the same time, I try to have as much fun as I can, and I tried to teach my boys to do the same.
I’m just a loyal friend. I am me and I know that it kind of sounds weird, but I just try to have fun and not take myself too seriously. I make fun of myself all the time.
I learned you enjoy RV trips with your family and golfing when you’re not filming. Can you share about any favorite RV trips you’ve taken? Do you have a favorite golf course you’ve played?
Yes, we bought a motorhome last fall and it’s been amazing. We’ve gone cross country multiple times as a family. I lived in the motor home while we were filming Queen of the South in New Orleans, and that was fun. I was waking up every morning and in front of us was the lake, and it was just beautiful. It’s pretty calming and it’s very awesome, just the open road and enjoying myself. And with the family, it’s a great thing to have. I’m very blessed that we have it, and it’s a great way to travel as well as a whole family, with all the dogs and the kids. We are many, we have two kids, three dogs, and Jesse and I. So it’s a good way to travel.
Yes, I do play golf. I’ve been playing golf since I was 19 or 20. I am good. It’s like my therapy, I will say, so I call it my shrink and I enjoy playing. I am not a pro by any means, but I do enjoy playing a lot.
I would have to say my favorite course that I’ve ever played was Teeth of the Dog (Dientes Del Perro) in La Romana, the Dominican Republic, a beautiful course. But yeah, there are a lot I’ve played around the country and there are so many beautiful courses here in the States. But the Dientes Del Perro is just beautiful. Anybody that has ever played there will say the same thing; it’s just a gorgeous course.
You’re currently shooting in New York City. Any upcoming projects/roles you can talk about?
Yes, I’m currently doing a recurring role in a show for Netflix. I cannot mention much more than that, but just know that it’s with an amazing group of actors. It’s fun. It’s a pretty cool show that will be in your homes sometime next year, but yeah, it’s going to be fun.
I also went into the music studio for the first time with my wife, Jesse [singer/songwriter Jesse Lynn Madera], to record her new single “¡Hola Papi!” that just came out. I had just finished three seasons as Ignacio on Weeds and she was writing a song with a TV show in mind and wanted me to do the bridge part. It’s both a dark and silly song and a commentary on fandom.
I act in the music video with Jesse too. Eduardo Sánchez directed it. I had an amazing time working with Jesse and loved every second of it, so make sure to check out ¡Hola Papi! and the video when it’s out in November. The song is available on digital service providers by clicking here.
