Final Thoughts

Throughout the past few weeks, we have had the privilege to skype with various well-known telenovela writers, directors, and actors. First, thanks Dr. A for recruiting such talented people for us to interact with! It was such a pleasure to be able to speak with everyone and get their opinion and point of view. Each person has a different perspective depending on what they do for the telenovela. The actors have their own lives and have to manage, oftentimes, multiple roles. Some characters even play different characters/personalities within the same telenovela. I also wondered what it was really like to be an actor/actress, not that I ever wanted to be on myself, but how other navigated it as a professional career. It is very difficult to be an artist and to pursue something that you truly are passionate about. I feel as if every person that we spoke to was truly passionate about what they did, and that alone was really inspiring.

It was such a pleasure to be able to talk to Leonardo Patron since he is so well-known and has worked on so many productions. I was really struck by the impression that he made, especially with the number of books that he owned. When we watched the final episode of Cosita Rica, I realized that his brain works in a totally different way that most! Everything was so meta and broke every barrier between the audience, the characters, and the plot. I think it’s really cool how he was able to do such a non-traditional ending to such a famous telenovela. It was also really interesting how he was one of the first writers to create an Asperger’s character. The ending of La Mujer Perfecta also broke the “fourth wall”. I hope he continues writing and I look forward to his next production.

Talking to the actors was really interesting, too. You realize that these people are pursuing their passion, but also have to think about everyday things like figuring out their next project. Some actors are hyper sensationalized that we forget they are everyday people. Carlota Sousa had an interesting background since her family was involved in politics. The actor’s futures are uncertain, especially in Venezuela, when they don’t know what their next project will be. Venezuela has only produced one telenovela this year, which means the actors, writers, and producers have to seek other countries for work. If this pattern continues, the future of Venezuela production will be unknown and much of the talent will have left the country seeking better opportunities. I hope that the political situation improves in the next few years for the daily lives of its citizens, but also to to preserve the rich culture and talent of the country.