With the symbol of Zorro

Written by Juan Carlos Perez-Duthie/Special El Nuevo Dia

The Puerto Rican actor has already joined the production of the TV drama “Zorro: The Sword and the Rose”, in which he plays the role of the father and the mentor for the masked hero in the 19th century.

Rios needs to remodel his body to play Alejandro de la Vega, as this person is supposed to be 55 years old.

Miami ? Zorro acts as if he is cutting it up with his sword. Gipsy Kings, the popular group in London, England, will supply music for this new type of drama, which is the story of the legendary hero of Hispanic world and has been played by such actors as Tyrone Power, Guy Williams and Antonio Banderas.

The animation production BKN International AG is also preparing the animation series “Zorro: Generation Z” for 2007.

Also, the production of “Zorro: The Sword and the Rose (El Zorro: La espada y la rosa)”, the spectacular TV drama co-produced by Sony Pictures Television International, Telemundo, and Columbia RTI, has recently started in Columbia, in which the Peruvian actor Christian Meier (“La Tormenta”) will act as Zorro.

Osvaldo Rios said, “I would like to bring nobility suitable for my country, as well as to talk to the people of the country that I carry on my back and foster in my heart.”

Osvaldo Rios will make his mark on the role as the father and mentor of Zorro and as the only Puerto Rican actor in this TV drama to be broadcast at the beginning of 2007, the script for which was written by Humberto “Kiko” Olivieri (“Prisionera”, “La Tormenta”).

Rios shared his passion for his new adventure with El Nuevo Dia, before he left for Columbia on Sunday, and before he said good-bye to his family and his partner, Ivelin Giro who is also an actress, packed his stuff and locked the doors of his apartments in Puerto Rico and in Miami.

“It is very symbolic to me to leave on November 19th, because that day Puerto Rico was discovered, and it is not a coincidence that I leave for Columbia to rediscover my carrier,” said the actor, who became an international star over 10 years ago due to TV dramas produced in his country.

As he has signed a confidentiality agreement, Rios could not talk a lot about “Zorro: The Sword and the Rose” (one of the few program shot all in HDTV (high-resolution digital television) in the Hispanic market), but he started to talk about his role, Alejandro de la Vega.

“It is an honor for me to receive an offer to be in this program. They were looking for the main cast members, and offered me the role, which Anthony Hopkins played in the movie “The Mask of Zorro (1998)”. It is the key person of the story and is the indispensable role. He used to be a soldier of the Spanish Royal Army when he was young, and has very strong ethical beliefs, and was not only strong but is also is worthy of admiration.”

For Rios, this role is not the stereotypical handsome guy he always played in his acting career, which means it will be a turning point in his growth.

“Personally, this role symbolizes something very big to me, because I am going to play such an old man for the first time,” he looks back on his career. “I always played the age between 33 and 35, but he is 55 and I started to grow a beard, dyed my hair, and am going to behave and act however physically necessary for this role, having the strength, energy and vitality needed for the General.”

Strength, energy, and vitality are definitely necessary for Rios, because the actor Rios needs to show his talent in fencing and horseback riding, to change his accent, and in this case, he needs to learn the manners of the 19th century.