Actor Eric del Castillo is nearing his 90th birthday and is still active but feels alone since almost all the actors of his generation have died. (Photo by Victor Chavez/WireImage) (Victor Chavez via Getty Images)
Shortly before his 90th birthday, Eric del Castillo continues to be active as part of the cast of the telenovela Vivir de amor, a new production by Televisa-Univisión.
His presence stands out in the footage as he is the only celebrity with more than 50 years of experience in the cast. This makes him feel strange and alien to the rest of his classmates. But not because he doesn’t value them, but because none of them belong to his generation.
The actor is grateful for the opportunity to have a job at his age and be accepted by new generations and enjoys sharing scenes with new and young talents making their way because it reminds him of his early days. He is also happy to give advice or suggestions to those who ask. “It makes me happy to see that there are so many young colleagues starting their professional lives. And it makes me happy because of the enthusiasm they bring to their characters and their careers,” he told TVyNovelas.
But not everyone is so optimistic when it comes to assessing current events. Inwardly, he is particularly sad that he was one of the last living actors of his time. Along with Armando Silvestre (97 years old), Sergio Corona (95 years old) and Alfonso Arau (91 years old), Eric del Castillo remains one of the actors who have made a distinguished name for themselves since the 1950s. In his case with just like Corona, continued screen presence. Silvestre has been retired since 2016 and Arau focused on film directing.
Del Castillo’s grief has diminished due to the deaths recorded in 2023. The deaths of Ignacio López Tarso, Andrés García and Fernando Almada caused him pain. These losses also led him to deeply reflect on the loneliness of acting in the context of older people: “It makes me sad because I no longer have any companions. I will have one or two, my friends have deserted me, I am left alone.”
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It can be said that Eric del Castillo has buried all the actors of his generation. He shared forums and stages in theater, film and television with countless celebrities who gradually left, such as Julio Alemán, Joaquín Cordero, David Reynoso and Mario Almada, luminaries with whom he established lasting professional and friendly relationships that are nostalgic today.
The loneliness he feels also extends to his companions. Leading actresses like Silvia Pinal (92 years old), María Victoria (96 years old), Queta Lavat (94 years old) and Elsa Aguirre (93 years old) are stars of their time who are still alive but not acting. None of these remain valid on the acting level.
Adding to the sadness he faces is macular degeneration, a disease that affects his vision, leaving him unable to see up close or focus on his goals. He is not at risk of blindness, but cannot carry out the activities that are essential to his life, such as reading, with which he is learning to live: “I can’t read, but I learn things by listening to them. “I also trust in the miracle of the electronic prompter.”
The situation that Eric del Castillo is experiencing is special, even extraordinary. There are only a few living celebrities from his time. They are already legends, pure history, and as a testament serves the legacy of their films or soap operas that can now be reviewed thanks to streaming platforms and technologies.
To counteract the melancholy, the first actor devotes himself fully to the work. He will do this until his body allows it. He wants to continue as he has since his first plays in 1956, his first leading roles in films and his foray into television. He left behind the leading men and villains he played and accepted not-so-bad or good-natured characters, thereby making older adults visible in the plots.