Keuchkerian states, “We were aware of our participation in the Champions League final and knew we had a chance to win“.
The first adaptation from the successful literary trilogy by Juan Gómez-Jurado, ‘Red Queen’ is set to premiere on Prime Video next Thursday, February 29. The Amazon streaming platform production stars Vicky Luengo and Hovik Keuchkerian, who portray Antonia Scott – the smartest person on the planet, and Jon Gutiérrez, a Basque policeman. The latter character serves as a squire, a kind of giant, well-dressed Sancho Panza who protects the gifted yet tormented Quixote, Antonia, as she hunts down a cunning and sinister killer.
Gómez-Jurado, at the presentation event in Madrid, confidently stated, “The series surpasses the novel. It’s something you’d want to share even with those who haven’t read the book“. He praised the entire team and emphasized the learning experience gained from adapting his best-selling novel, ‘Red Queen’. “This isn’t about egos, it’s about narrating a story effectively“, he says.
In an interview with Europa Press, the author further elaborates that the series notably excels in depicting the intricate mind of Antonia. The series delves into her mental palace, showcasing her exceptional deductive skills and her internal demons.
Gómez-Jurado reflects, “The challenge was to represent the thought process of the most intelligent person on the planet, and they have succeeded in doing so. I was unable to do this in my books as I am not a woman nor the most intelligent person in the world. This is why Antonia’s speeches in my books are abstract. However, the combination of audiovisual elements in the series enables us to see how Antonia Scott thinks“.
Amaya Muruzábal, co-writer and showrunner of the series, said that “We didn’t aim to make a pure thriller, but rather something effervescent and celebratory, because we were looking to the future. A darker phase awaits in ‘Loba Negra’. Hitchcock has been our reference“. She praises Juan’s involvement in the adaptation, describing him as a writer of great literary quality who also knows how to entertain the audience.
“THE CHAMPIONS FINAL”
Keuchkerian enthusiastically said that “Adapting Juan’s novel was like performing magic. We knew we were in the Champions League final and that we had a shot at winning“. He describes ‘Red Queen’ as a “dark” series that is very accessible to viewers. “Even though there is suffering, it isn’t as distressing as other series because everything is well balanced“, he adds.
Jon’s mission, a disgraced policeman who attempted to serve justice in his own way, is to protect Antonia Scott, the smartest woman on the planet who was molded and tortured into becoming the ‘Red Queen’ – a human computer programmed to solve crimes.
Luengo speaks of the challenge of bringing Antonia to life, a character loved by thousands of readers. “Antonia carries a lot of internal pain and this needs to be visually portrayed on the screen“, she mentions.
She recalls the journey as initially challenging but eventually fun. “Discovering Antonia’s characteristics, her gestures, her body language, her attire, was the most enjoyable part. These small details define her significantly“, she reflects.
Koldo Serra, director of five of the seven episodes, praises Vicky’s interpretation of Antonia. “Antonia’s postural changes were not filmed in chronological order, and Vicky was constantly switching between Antonia’s emotional states“, he comments.
A “MADRILEÑA” STORY
Gómez-Jurado reveals that there were 43 requests to adapt ‘Red Queen’ into a movie. However, he never considered filming the adaptation in English or relocating the plot to a major city like New York or London. “I’m from Madrid and I love this city. I was born here and my characters had to be here“, he says.
The author was heavily involved in the adaptation process, serving as an executive producer and consultant. “We wanted to create a powerful story with strong characters. Antonia and Jon are a unique pair. We aimed to produce something ambitious and high-quality“, says Maria José Rodríguez, head of original content at Amazon Prime Video in Spain.
In addition to Luengo and Keuchkerian, the cast of ‘Red Queen’ includes Andrea Trepat (Sandra), Celia Freijeiro (Carla Ortiz), Alex Brendemühl (Mentor), Nacho Fresneda (Ezequiel), Emma Suarez (Laura Trueba), José Ángel Egido (Ramon Ortiz), Karmele Larrinaga (Maritxu) and Eduardo Noriega (Jaume Soler).
