Overview

• Merlo says his Aquí No Hay Quien Viva character helped families accept LGTBIQ+ representation through the normalizing power of comedy.
• He recalls Mauri, an openly gay prime-time journalist from 2003 to 2006, becoming a touchstone in Spanish television.
• The actor says he initially rejected the role multiple times and finally accepted after a follow-up call from José Luis Moreno during a period of financial strain.
• He alleges he faced an informal television veto for about a decade after leaving for El Internado and declining to join La que se avecina, claiming Moreno held influence.
• Merlo says he returned to TV after confirming Moreno’s departure from the production and has since completed eight seasons on La que se avecina, with outlets reporting his remarks as his account.