Being in one of the most highly-rated shows on Netflix doesn’t guarantee happiness, and this was the case for Élite‘s Omar Ayuso.
The actor and director was only 20-years-old when Élite first came out catapulting the young actor to fame around the world. Élite was lauded for its diverse representation of the LGBTQ+ community, with Ayuso playing one of its longest running characters–his namesake Omar.
In real life, Omar struggled with grasping the fame that accompanied his craft. In an interview with Vanity Fair Spain in 2021, Omar juggled with the idea of quitting acting after falling into depression. After starring in a huge campaign for Calvin Klein at the time, Omar didn’t even get to see the huge billboard he was in, telling the magazine that he was in bed with depression. Asked if he felt sorry for himself about the situation, the young actor explains that what he went through helped him to become who he is today:
“No, because I understand myself. I understand what was happening to me. Thanks to that whole process and how I managed it, I am now where I am.”
When Omar left Élite, it felt like leaving a toxic relationship and this led to his depression. So when he was asked to return for the final two seasons, Omar felt that he was coming home–to a place where he felt safe and protected; where he could return to acting “little by little.” The Élite set was now his safe space. His return helped him to finally find the peace he was looking for, telling Vanity Fair Spain:
“I am an ‘Elite’ boy and now I can proudly say it”
Ayuso is now looking forward to future acting projects like his new Disney+ series–Yo, Adicto, which tackles addiction, and is based on filmmaker Javier Giner’s book. The series will be premiering at the San Sebastian Film Festival next month.
Sources: Vanity Fair Spain