#Soleria

Part 1

It seems like ages since her audition for a role on the new Netflix Original Series “Amor”, but Juliana remembers the day vividly. She had tossed and turned all night, nervous energy coursing through her veins, and she hadn’t fallen asleep until almost dawn.

Needless to say, she had overslept on probably the most important day in her life. So, on an empty stomach, she’d rushed downtown to the studio and arrived in the nick of time, feeling a lot less composed than she had planned to be.

Miraculously, she had nailed her audition and landed her first major starring role as Sofia Chavez on Alejandro Rodriguez’s new Netflix show. The series, set in Mexico, follows the adventures of two girls who - despite their different backgrounds - find a deeper connection than either of them could have anticipated. And even though they both try to fight it, growing emotions – and sizzling attraction – keeps drawing them closer together.

She’d been instantly fascinated by the script, the mix of intriguing characters, fluid style, and genre blending – all supported by a fine measure of wit and humor. She’d accepted the role without a second thought, but what she couldn’t have foreseen was the attention it brought her.

Her agent had been hesitant about taking the role, unsure whether it would benefit her career. She feared that her role would be frowned upon in a traditional country as Mexico, but Juliana had dismissed Alejandra’s concerns. It made her even more determined to take the role, to make a difference by telling an important story about love regardless of gender, an unconditional love that shouldn’t need justification.

Over the past few weeks she’d been asked countless times how she felt at the prospect of kissing a girl, and her friends had teased her mercilessly about it. Frankly, she didn’t understand the fuss. If she kissed a guy on-screen, then she didn’t see why she couldn’t kiss a girl. It’s just acting.

She does worry, though, about one import aspect of the production. The episodes will be shot in order and the actors do not receive their script until a week or so before they will be shot, so Juliana has no idea what her character’s fate will be.

It’s something she’s never done before and she won’t be able to prepare herself the way she usually does. She won’t be aware for what might come her characters’ way, and portraying Sofia will undoubtedly push her to the limit of her improvisation skills.

Their talented and young director, Alejandro, wants to create something authentic, the way life is like. She remembers his exact words: “You don’t know when you’ll fall in love, you can’t anticipate the future. In life, you have to improvise. It’s part of the magic.”

It’s a huge leap of faith, but it’s a leap worth taking. She chooses to trusts in Alejandro’s artistic skills and vision, and she’s fiercely determined to repay his trust.

And now, nearly two months later, she’s finally meeting the rest of the cast at the first episode table read. It’s the first time they get to see whether the episode will work. And for a brand new show, it’s make-or-break. Nobody can tell if the cast members have chemistry, or if they can pull off the dialogue that’s been worked over by the writers. No matter how brilliant the script is, a bad actor will still ruin it.

Juliana releases a shaky sigh, feeling a wave of nervous energy shudder through her. She’s never been one to panic, always cool-headed and steady even under pressure, and even now she somehow manages to keep her composure, but she has never felt so unlike herself before.