'One Hundred Years of Solitude' stars on embodying novel's characters: A magical and surreal experience

NEW DELHI: Walking on the massive Netflix sets of "One Hundred Years of Solitude" felt like she had stumbled into a parallel universe, says actor Susana Morales, who plays young Ursula Iguaran in the streamer's ambitious adaptation of Garbriel Garcia Marquez's 1967 literary classic.

Morales stars alongside Vina Machado and Marco Gonzales, who play Pilar Ternera and young Jose Arcadio Buendia, respectively, in the eight-episode Spanish series, whose first part is currently streaming on Netflix.

The actor said she does not have the right words to describe how it felt to be acting in a story that has been such an integral part of every Colombian's life.

"It was just (like) living in a different world. Each part of the art, costumes and everything, it felt like a complete universe. It was like a parallel universe. Sometimes, it would click in our heads and we would be, 'I don't understand why I'm walking around right now'," Morales told PTI in an interview.

"Well, I feel like it was a playroom for grownups and such beauty to just discover each set," Gonzales added.

As young Ursula Iguaran and Jose Arcadio Buendia, the two actors play the central couple who set out to find a new land at the beginning of the book and establish the fictional town of Macondo where Marquez's multi-generational saga takes place.

Machado, who is such a big fan of Marquez that she can recite pages of the book from memory and has read it seven times, said she just felt lucky to be part of the experience.

"Sometimes, I would come to the sets and go: 'Oh my god, I am living on the pages of the book'. We are so happy and honoured," the actor said.

"I can phrase it in my mind all the time. Actually, when we were watching the first episode, I was saying the lines because I am like that. I am by the book. I'm very structured in my work.... That's such a magical oeuvre, such a magical book that when you have these little things and you just let it flow into your imagination," she added.

As Pilar Ternera, Machado plays a character whose fate is tied closely to the lead Buendias. She comes to Macondo to escape the man who raped her. Pilar can predict the future with the help of cards.

For decades, Marquez's novel was considered unfilmable with its century-spanning sweep, multiple characters and how the Nobel laureate intricately wove elements of magic realism with Colombian history, politics and religion.

One of the most ambitious and expensive productions in Latin American history, it took Netflix six years to translate the book to the screen. The 16-episode series, divided in two parts, was shot in Colombia with the support of the author's family.

Machado believes it was the right time for the book to be adapted for screen as they had the ability, technology, writers and actors to recreate the grandeur as well as the "little things" that make the book great.

"This was the right moment to do it and do it right," she said about Marquez's most celebrated creation that has fans in every corner of the world.

Morales said the series, which has received great reviews internationally, could come together beautifully because of the hard work and respect that every department showed to the original work.

"Our biggest effort was to be really true to the story," she said, adding that everyone worked on the series with a sense of responsibility.

Gonzales admitted that the adaptation was a big challenge for those involved.

"I feel like when something is impossible, its just sparks (something in us) as humans. And it's a challenge that we give our all because you cannot pick and choose what you will do," he added.

The actor read the book when he was 18 and re-read it again before realising that it was important to "let it go".

"Because if not, you just start recreating all these scenarios and it's fine to do it but it can take away the joy of the moment in that particular thing. I rather be there (on the sets) and enjoy and not speculate about all the things that it might be," he said.

Morales found it easy to rely on the script and the book but also to the people around her as the story takes into account "the way we are in Colombia, Latin America and the way we live in our body".

"I think all the characters surround our daily life too," she added.

Gonzales hopes that the attention that the series is receiving will, hopefully, shine a light on Colombian talent.

"Everything is built by small steps, so if we can be part of small steps for the industry to put their eyes on Colombia, to believe in our talent, and in our capacity, I just feel happy to open the door."

The series, written by Jose Rivera, Natalia Santa, Camila Bruges, Albatros Gonzalez, Maria Camila Arias and directed by Alex Garcia Lopez and Laura Mora, has been divided into two-parts and the first part premiered on December 11.

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" also stars Jesus Reyes, Claudio Catano, Diego Vasquez, Marleyda Soto, Loren Sofia, Janer Villareal, Akima and others.