Omar Ayuso is the recipient of the GAY TIMES en ESPAÑOL Honour for LGBTQ+ Visibility at GAY TIMES Honours 2022.
The actor is best known for his role as Omar Shanaa on the hit Spanish drama Elité.
The 24-year-old’s character was popular amongst fans, especially for his on-screen relationship with Áron Piper (Ander).
In an interview with GAY TIMES, Ayuso said that playing Omar “changed my life, both personally and professionally.”
The series has also been praised for its LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
Netflix renewed the teen drama for a seventh season ahead of the release of season six.
Ayuso has confirmed he will be reprising his role, which was a welcome surprise for fans.
He also stated: “I left after season five because I needed to stop, get some air, and look elsewhere. They suggested that I return and I agreed. I’ve come back from another personal place, I’m enjoying working on this series more than ever.”
There has been a lot of buzz surrounding the return of the beloved character. When asked about the trajectory of Omar across season seven, Ayuso quipped: “If I told you anything, Netflix would fire me outright.”
The star also made his mainstream directorial debut this year with the short film Matar a la Madre. The inspiration for the film was his grandmother.
“Along with acting, directing has always been my great passion. I was studying film at university when I did the casting for Elité.”
He opened up about the public’s response to the feature: “I really don’t know, people only tell me good things about the short. The bad opinions are not being shared with me. I only read them on Twitter, and although I try not to give them too much credit, they still affect me just the same.”
He added that he’s gained more confidence and security as a director.
“Both are my great loves, and I want to continue growing in both careers. They are vessels of communication. Being an actor has helped me become a better director, and being a director offers me many tools as an actor.”
It means a lot to Ayuso that he’s receiving the GAY TIMES en ESPAÑOL Honour for LGBTQ+ Visibility.
“The fact that my existence and work inspire and contribute to transforming the LGBTQ+ reality is truly exciting. I am very grateful for this recognition. We continue the fight!”
GAY TIMES Honours sponsored by Meta Quest celebrates the individuals and organisations who have had a profound effect on the lives of LGBTQ+ people over the past 12 months.
This year’s star-studded line-up of performers included Tove Lo, Cat Burns, Grag Queen, Kai-Isaiah Jamal and Keanan, as well as a DJ set from Princess Julia.
The new digital edition of GAY TIMES magazine spotlights this year’s winners and is available to read now on the GAY TIMES app, Apple News +, Readly and Flipster.
To follow all of the action from GAY TIMES Honours sponsored by Meta Quest, check out our Instagram @GAYTIMES. For the latest winners, performances and special moments from the night click here.
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