We first met Demián Bichir four years ago, when he was in New York with his then-girlfriend, who we were photographing for our premiere issue of Corduroy. Though he is a major movie and television star in his native Mexico, Bichir was happy to stay on the sidelines that day four years ago, preferring to let his girlfriend be the focus of the shoot. Still, we were charmed by his charismatic personality and genuineness, and — without knowing much about his career — asked to also snap a few quick portraits of him later that day. He happily obliged.

Fast forward to 2012 and Bichir is earning raves for his role in last year’s Chris Weitz-directed, “A Better Life” – a film that follows an undocumented immigrant as he struggles to provide for his son amongst the harsh realities of day-to-day life in East L.A. The highlight for Bichir came when he was nominated for a SAG Award, alongside George Clooney, Leonard DiCaprio and Brad Pitt. As he told The Los Angeles Times recently, “This is my fellow peers voting, and that makes me immensely proud.”

We’re thrilled for him too and will be rooting for the underdog when the SAG Awards are presented later this month. In the meantime, we thought it would be nice to look back at our interview with Bichir, which we ran after we caught up with him for Issue #5 of Corduroy…

In his native Mexico, Demián Bichir is a superstar. With films like the record-breaking, Sex, Shame and Tears under his belt, his household-name-status among Mexicans hasn’t quelled his desire to establish himself as a creative force North of the border. With a high profile role in the cult-smash Weeds, and a blistering turn as polarizing icon Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbegh’s guerilla epic CHE, Bichir is on the road to ensuring that his status as a superstar won’t be contained by mere georgraphy.

Built like a leading man, with a grecian frame, smouldering eyes, and raw masculinity oozing from his fingertips, it would be easy for Bichir to rely solely on his looks. Instead, it’s a delicate sensitivity and passion for his craft, that drives him forward. Having grown up in a family where the arts–and especially the theatre–were always front and center, the actor discovered his destiny at an early age. “It helped a lot that my parents were in love with theater,” he says. “My father was a theater director and my mother an actress, and we spoke about that always at home. The fact that they loved art in general, that goes to the genes. Even if you don’t want it, it’s there.”

Like most teenage boys growing up in Mexico, Bichir harboured aspirations of playing soccer for the national team – aspirations that quickly melted away under the hot lights of the theater. “I realized everytime I stepped onto the stage that it was just a great feeling–like scoring a goal,” he says. “It was like a drug. You’re there forever, you’re hooked.”

That’s not to say that Bichir discriminates. After holding is own opposite Benicio Del Toro in CHE, his film career is in full swing. But like many actors, it’s not about the medium for Bichir; It’s about the project. It’s about the director, the cast, the script and most importantly–the character. And whether he’s working in Mexico, the United States, Spain, or China, it is his artistic sensibilities that guide him. According to Bichir, it’s our innate ability to feel emotion through art that makes us unique. “As humans, we’re always in touch with that part of ourselves,” he muses. “It’s everywhere. It’s in us.”

- Daniel Barna

(originally published in Corduroy Issue #5 / photograph by Peter Ash Lee)

When we interviewed actor Jason Ritter for Issue 4 of Corduroy, we immediately hit it off. His easy-going nature and sense of humour made us quickly feel like old friends and we appreciated how he’s managed to find some levity in his often too-serious and overly-stressful profession. This is all to say we weren’t surprised when Ritter’s latest endeavour popped up on our radar this week. The actor has teamed up with LA rockers, Army Navy, on a brilliant new music video that offers an absurd and hilarious take on romance and relationships.

The video, for the song, “Ode to Janice Melt,” is from Army Navy’s sophomore album, “The Last Place.” Released in July, the album was produced by Adam Lasus (Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Yo La Tengo) and is a rollicking romp of shining guitars and bittersweet lyrics, made even sweeter by lead singer Justin Kennedy’s earnest voice. The band embarks on a U.S. tour next month. In the meantime, check out their video for “Ode to Janice Melt,” starring Corduroy fave Jason Ritter, below:

Corduroy #9 is available now at most major bookstores across North America and select shops internationally. You can also order online using the link at right.

Good news for those of you wanting to complete your Corduroy collections: a small number of back issues are available again for purchase. You can order our latest issues HERE but we also have copies of Issue 2, Issue 3, Issue 4 and Issue 5 available for purchase through paypal. Each issue costs $12 U.S. for North American orders and $25 U.S. for international customers (shipping and taxes included). For more information or to place a back issue order, send us an email at info@corduroymag.com. And thanks to everyone for their continued encouragement and support! We have so much fun putting this magazine together and can’t wait till you see what we have coming up next!

It’s the first sunny day in Los Angeles in four days. Rain and mist have pounded the pavement like a door-to-door salesman, their drops hitting windshields like fists on front doors, ceaseless and without end in sight. Fortunately, Julia Ormond has been away, and she has brought the sun with her upon her return.

Ormond is punctual as she enters through the front door of a café in Brentwood, easy with her footing and innocuously graceful. The actress, touted at the onset of her career as the next Audrey Hepburn, is unfathomably beautiful, dressed casually in white pants and a rather ratty old gray t-shirt. A few snags run from its front pocket like ladders in tights. It’s clear she intends to wear this t-shirt till its death; wasteful isn’t in her nature.

The air is brittle, even inside, and Ormond sips a large, steaming cappuccino. The tables around are empty and the speakers murmur some classical variation that runs beneath the conversation, filling in only sparse pauses. Ormond can chat, and often takes off, running away with her words, her thoughts a child on a wild goose chase in the most wonderfully excited manner.

And such is Ormond’s approach to all aspects of her life — whether personal, political, or professional; that is, she is engaged wholeheartedly, displaying a wonderful tendency to look at all things with a fine tooth comb, to really observe and interpret that which goes on around her.

It’s what first won our hearts as she played opposite Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall. She went on to woo audiences with her grace and gusto in projects such as First Knight, Sabrina, and most recently, in the critically acclaimed HBO miniseries, Temple Grandin. In short, Ormond has remained a veritable force in a profession where career casualties stack as high as dailies.

(Text: Arianna Schioldager / Photos: Peter Ash Lee)

- To read the full article, pick up Issue 8 of Corduroy, available on newsstands or through our online button above right.