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Allende's 'Spirits' Soars in Spanish Adaptation
28 Apr
Summary
- Alfonso Herrera finds deep connection speaking his mother tongue.
- The House of the Spirits series is the first Spanish adaptation.
- The series was filmed in Chile with Ibero American talent.
Alfonso Herrera discusses the profound impact of speaking his native Spanish in the new Amazon Prime Video adaptation of Isabel Allende's "The House of the Spirits." He notes that his therapist encouraged him to express deep emotions in Spanish, highlighting the powerful link between language and identity. This sentiment is central to the series, which is the first Spanish-language screen adaptation of the seminal 1982 novel. The series aims to offer a more authentic cultural and emotional connection than previous adaptations.
Filmed entirely in Chile, the series features Ibero American talent, a detail Herrera believes gives it a distinct DNA. The story is a multigenerational tale steeped in magical realism, set in an unnamed Latin American country resembling Chile throughout the 20th century. Herrera portrays Esteban, a determined landowner embodying patriarchal ideals and authoritarianism, which he relates to Latin American political systems rife with injustice and social polarization.
