We had the good fortune of connecting with Danina Moguel and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Danina, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
I am half Serbian and half Mexican, having a double nationality and multicultural background has shaped me as a strong and courageous person. When you are sure of the path you have chosen, there is no questioning whether to continue or stop. You just move forward with resilience, devotion, passion and purpose. This is applied in life in general, each day is a blessing and a new opportunity to grow, evolve, challenge yourself in every aspect and field of life. Throughout my journey, I have learned from every downfall and mistake. Life has taught me many lessons on my path to achieving what I want and my purpose as an artist.
There is no giving up, you learn from mistakes and at the same time you become grateful, there is as much good as there is bad, at the end of the day, experiences are what shape you as an individual.
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Living in five countries led me to understand the art of acting and all I can say is that “the more life experiences an actor has, he or she will be readier to tell a story with meaning and significance”.
All this catapulted me to work alongside Serbian celebrities such as
Lazar Ristovski (‘Underground’, ‘Casino Royale’) and Nikola Djuričko (‘World War
Z’), as well as former member of the band Genesis, Steve Hackett.
I have trained in the cultural community of Mexico, Serbia, Jamaica and Hungary, bringing this baggage to the so-called mecca of cinema, where it is important to be able to express oneself with different
accents and understand all kinds of sensibilities.
I grew up and studied during most of my life in Mexico City. It was very
interesting and magical at the same time. Mexico is a country that has great wealth
full of bright colors and it is a land that intensely expresses its soul through the arts.
For me it has been the basis and principles of my career as an actress. Before
enrolling into college, I participated in high school as a co-star in a theatrical play “I Never Saw Another Butterfly” directed by Jen Jensen who competed at the Arts Festival in Austin, Texas ISAS (Independent Schools Association of the Southwest). I attended numerous workshops and courses on acting techniques, improvisation, audition perfecting, realism with great teachers from the Patricia Reyes Espíndola M & M Studio school, CasAzul Artes Escénicas Argos and many others. I filmed numerous commercials for television, my first television role was for an episode in the Capadocia series. I worked at MicroTeatro and my first cinema film was Kilometro 31 part 2.
One of the most relevant and important international project in my career is definitely my participation as a protagonist in the Discovery Channel documentary series called “Mi Adicción Mi Maldición”, a series of high didactic content and social contribution.
This project filled my heart and helped me progress as an actress, because at the time I was only 26 years old, and I had to enter the character of an addict, much older than me. For that role, I had to learn how alcohol and drug addicts behave, because the film is based on the period of her life, in which she found herself in the hell of alcohol and cocaine. Later she got out of it all. That role was mentally demanding for me, because it is not easy to express that kind of emotion.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would definitely make this a magical and culturally fulfilling trip! Serbia is rich in natural resources and ecosystem. There are plenty of mountains and rivers to visit, such as the “Tara” mountain, where believe it or not, bears still live in freedom.
The beautiful fortress “Golubac” known as one of the most beautiful fortresses located in the Danube river in the east side is aesthetically distinctive. “Drvengrad” constructed by film director Emir Kusturica is a miniature hamlet in the west of the country with streets named after pop culture icons such as Johnny Depp. “Kosmaj” is an incredible monument built in the effects of World War II, an impressive structure dedicated to the men and women who gave their lives for the Yugoslav cause during the most sad conflicts.
When in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, “Kalemegdan” is the peak to visit, a famous fortress covering the finest park in the city. It is representative of Belgrade’s cultural heritage, originally protected right after World War II, among the first officially declared cultural monuments in Serbia.
The “Temple of Saint Sava” is the main cathedral of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The church is dedicated to Saint Sava, the founder of the Serbian Orthodox Church and an important figure in medieval Serbia. The “Nikola Tesla Museum” is a must! It is a science museum located in the central area of Belgrade honoring the life and work of Nikola Tesla.
For relaxation, “Knez Mihailova” Street, is the main pedestrian and shopping area in Belgrade, and is protected by law as one of the oldest and most valuable landmarks of the city.
For the Bohemian lovers, “Skadarlija” is the place to visit to enjoy food and music and appreciate the ambience of the traditional urban architecture.
At last, for evening fun, my choice of partying would definitely be “Splavovi”. These are floating river clubs located on the Sava and Danube rivers that are built as night and day venues where you can eat well, drink and party with the choice of alternative, mainstream and national live music.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My parents have been and still are my biggest supporters throughout my life and career choices. Most of the credit goes to them. At the end of the 1980s, I was introduced to the world of entertainment since my mother before she was 30 already owned her own modeling agency. I attended castings for children for television and advertising projects. My first professional job was at age 4, for prime time campaigns of important national and transnational brands. My fascination for acting came from all of this. Having been born in Belgrade, Serbia and being the daughter of a diplomat also contributed enormously to my career choice as a professional actress. I am very fortunate because I have the legacy and the richness of speaking four languages, Spanish, French, English and Serbian. That is priceless. That kind of life and different environments shaped me as a human being and artist since I was born, we frequently moved from country to country. From an early age I began to comprehend and understand the people around me, the different expressions of emotion, gestures, and standards of life, all which led me to choose to be an actress.
Website: www.imdb.me/daninamoguel
Image Credits
Iva Red Photography Darko Duckin