The Black Ball has become the film par excellence of the last week. The new project by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi has arrived in theaters with a cast packed with familiar names, including Penélope Cruz, Glenn Close and Guitarricadelafuente, who makes his acting debut. But beyond its most recognizable faces, the film has also served to discover new talents.
One of the great revelations is Milo Quifes, a 24-year-old young actor who debuts in cinema with one of the leading roles. He plays Carlos, a Granada-born man whose request to become a partner in a casino is rejected because of his homosexuality. His story, set in 1932, is one of the three that structure the film, which resurrects Federico García Lorca’s unfinished work.
The most surprising thing about his arrival to the project is that he didn’t even imagine he would end up playing one of his main characters. Quifes presented himself to the casting thinking they were looking for extras and that it could be an opportunity to get a job. What he didn’t know is that he was about to live an experience that would change his life, especially because he was coming after going through a very difficult personal period.
From an extras casting to a leading role
It all began with an Instagram call. Quifes showed up without high expectations, convinced that they were looking for young Andalusians to be extras. However, he kept progressing through the various tests until the fifth, where he met Los Javis. Gradually, that opportunity that seemed destined to be just a one-off job became something much more important.
Milo Quifes as Carlos in The Black Ball
After one of the tests, the actor left convinced that he hadn’t been chosen. The nerves and the feeling of not having lived up to the mark made him think that the opportunity had ended. However, the directors wanted to keep counting on him and finally they offered him the role of Carlos.
A very difficult personal period
The opportunity arrived at a moment especially difficult for the actor. «The Javis found me. I was coming from a very bad time. I would go out onto the street because I had to work; otherwise I couldn’t afford to eat, but it was very hard for me to go out», he has recounted. His words reflect the difficulties he was going through before joining a film that would end up marking a turning point in his life.
The contrast with his current situation is evident. «Right now I am living the life I never imagined», he has acknowledged. Quifes has also expressed his wish to live up to the trust that the directors placed in him. An opportunity that, in addition to opening the doors to cinema, has allowed him to discover a new facet of himself.
Before debuting on the big screen, Quifes had studied Biology in Granada, although he also felt an interest in writing. In 2024 he published Ultravioleta, his first novel, in which he explores love between two men. Literature and acting are part of a path he has been building while finding his own path.
Milo Quifes as Carlos in The Black Ball
His arrival to The Black Ball has also been a personal learning experience. During rehearsals, Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi helped him understand the emotions of Carlos and explore the reasons behind his pain. «They act a bit like psychologists so that you understand where your pain comes from», he explained.
The actor has acknowledged that the process allowed him to discover aspects of himself that he did not know. «It makes me recognize the wound I have and then I heal it», he said about a job that has led him to evolve as an actor as well as personally. He has also highlighted the trust the directors place in their actors and their ability to anticipate their needs.
Quifes’s film debut has arrived accompanied by a experience he will hardly forget. The actor has highlighted the working environment that Los Javis created and the way they supported the crew during filming. «Los Javis are so intelligent that they anticipate what you’re thinking», he stated.
