Alejandro Chabán & Andrés Parra- ¿Qué pasa cuando la molestia supera el miedo? | CHABÁN Podcast

In a new episode of the Chabán Podcast, Alejandro Chabán welcomes one of the most influential Spanish-speaking actors: Andrés Parra, renowned for his impressive ability to transform himself and for roles that have left their mark on Latin American culture. Although many know him for portraying iconic figures like Pablo Escobar, today's conversation focuses on another equally powerful facet: his emotional world, his personal struggles, and his relationship with his own body. Alejandro begins by thanking him for being there and emphasizing that behind the artist, there is always a human being with internal battles. Andrés smiles and nods. "Food has been with me through the most difficult times and also the happiest," he confesses. He explains that, from a very young age, he developed a complex relationship with food, which he would even describe as an emotional addiction. "You don't always eat because you're hungry. Sometimes you eat to silence something, to fill a void you don't know how to name." Alejandro, who has also struggled with being overweight, listens with empathy and shares how food can become a refuge, an escape, or a momentary illusion of control. They both agree that the root of the problem is almost always emotional: unhealed wounds, external expectations, social pressures, or a deep need to feel enough. Andrés describes how, at the height of his fame after playing Pablo Escobar, his body and emotions overwhelmed him. “That character was psychologically demanding. And the more pressure I felt, the more I used food to regulate what I didn't know how to handle.” At that time, the public only saw the success; no one imagined how difficult it was to deal with the emotional burden of the character and the weight he gained in the process. Alejandro asks him how he managed to break that cycle. Andrés takes a deep breath before answering: “First, I had to accept it: I was using food like others use alcohol or any other addiction. Then I asked for help. Therapy, nutrition, exercise… but above all, working on my mindset. Without that, nothing was going to change.” Both discuss the importance of talking about these topics openly, especially within the Hispanic community, where emotional silence is often normalized. The conversation flows to their careers, where Andrés acknowledges that, ironically, the characters who have most impacted the public have also deeply affected him. Playing Escobar, for example, meant exploring the darkness of humanity from within. “Those roles transform you, but they also confront you with your own shadows.” Alejandro closes the episode by highlighting the value of showing vulnerability and sharing these stories that inspire others to seek help and take action. Andrés, with genuine humility, expresses his gratitude for the opportunity and leaves a final message: “The burden isn’t just on the body. It’s in the mind, in the heart. And we can all learn to let it go.”