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The unexpected union of two outstanding talents in 'Land of Women' is triumphant. This is a matchup of iconic actresses that we didn't know we needed: Eva Longoria (Gala) and Carmen Maura (Julia) —the dream team—and now we want more.
To top it off, ‘Land of Women’ is Eva Longoria's TV comeback and her first-ever Spanish-speaking role. A mastermind by nature, Longoria relies on Mexican-American model-turned-actor and newcomer Victoria Bazúa to play her trans daughter Kate.
The result is a powerful multigenerational, women-led, bilingual project that goes beyond a mere comedy and a feel-good story, following a family on the run in Spain. This Apple TV+ series premieres on Wednesday, June 26.
“To have Eva Longoria and Carmen Maura together... I define it as having Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo on the same team. It has been a dream,” says Ramón Campos, the name behind Spanish fiction’s great TV and film successes.
CARMEN MAURA: AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE
Those who are familiar with Maura know that she is bigger than life. She has been in front of the cameras for close to half a century. The Madrid native is a legendary actress who has navigated the world of entertainment with grace and hard work. Decades of experience, international success and recognition are part of her accolades. Winner of Goya, Cesar and Cannes best actress categories, Maura’s awards are endless, making her a national and international treasure.
Maura is best known for being Pedro Almodóvar’s earliest muse, starring in his films, “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” (1988) and “Volver” (2006). In fact, Almodóvar and Maura were discovered simultaneously and became rising stars together. The movie “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” was successful not only in Europe, but also in other Spanish-speaking countries, in addition to winning international acclaimed recognition. The 78 year-old actress is an unstoppable force that loves acting.
“One of the things I appreciate most is the feeling that, “I can do whatever I want. I love it. And I've accomplished that because I’m old. I don't hide it. It is also an advantage that you can say many more things”
She is truly versatile and adapts to any role. “I am fortunate that, since I started, I have been given the most diverse roles that you can imagine, both good and bad. I was never confined to a specific role, even when I took that TV host one, which was a challenging one. However, I was fortunate to work on Pedro Almodóvar’s movie shortly after completing the TV show.”
“The first time I had the chance to interact with Carmen Maura was for ‘Land of Women.’ I didn't know her, and at first I said, 'Well, let's see.' Suddenly, she became enthusiastic about the project. Logically, Eva was involved in it, and we have since become close friends. So, it's wonderful.
Regarding the projects that Maura accepts she noted, “I'm the one who decides. Often, I make decisions before my agent, but I don't mind if the project is well-known or not. I need to like the person I'll be working with or making the movie for. The character too. I'm fine with it being from a different country. I can work in French comfortably. However, speaking well in English makes me a bit uncomfortable.” The Spanish actress candidly says,“In the United States, when I have to give a speech on a stage, I always make a long version in Spanish, a shorter one in French, and a very, very short one in English.”
Maura found her character, Julia, in 'Land of Women' captivating as she plays Longoria’s mom in the show. The location sealed the deal. A small Catalonian town in Spain, 'Figueres'—the birthplace of Salvador Dalí—caught her attention. “It was a location that I didn’t know, not even the world of the vineyards. I liked the story; it's beautiful.” Julia, to whom she gives life, “truly embraces the world. She’s a person who already felt free when she was 17; imagine her now." The opportunity to work with Longoria came through her friendship with the producer of ‘Land of Women.’ “With Eva, we are very different from each other, but we get along really well.” Maura continues, I think Eva had a great time, because she was there with the whole family. She has a lovely baby, and a wonderful husband, very nice. Everything went really well, and that area is beautiful.”
Maura just finished filming what she considers, the “most challenging role of her career,” ‘Crazy Old Lady,’ a psychological horror-thriller produced by J.A. Bayona (Society Of The Snow) and written and directed by Martín Mauregui (Carancho). “I had to memorize a lot of text. A wonderful writer and script. Great! And the role at first I said, ‘I can't do it.’ And then I convinced myself and I said good, go. And now I have arrived in Madrid completely exhausted because it has been a tough role for me. But I had a great time. And besides, it's a role that has nothing to do with ‘Land of Women,’ or any other role in my career.”
EVA LONGORIA: THE MASTERMIND
Longoria, is the executive producer of ‘Land of Women’ and easily masters the multicultural relationships necessary for the success of the show, with in-depth knowledge of relatable actors and stories. But this isn’t the first time that Longoria has used her global expertise on a project.
It is not her first rodeo. She produced numerous projects, some of which include: ‘Devious Maids,’ ‘Grand Hotel,’ ‘Telenovela,’ and ‘Gordita Chronicles.’ In 2023, Longoria made her directorial debut in the biopic ‘Flamin’ Hot;’ the story about Richard Montañez and the addictive spicy Flamin’ Hot Cheetos snack.
Longoria had been spending a lot of time in Spain and found herself daydreaming of a project that would give her the chance to film there. When she called her friend Ramón Campos, the co-creator of global hits such as ‘Velvet,’ ‘Las chicas del cable’ (Cable Girls) and ‘Gran Hotel,’ she had one comparable title in mind: “Under the Tuscan Sun” — maybe in Spain’s own wine country. Campos returned a few weeks later with Sandra Barneda’s best selling Spanish novel ‘La tierra de las mujeres’ (Land of Women).
“Eva is extremely intelligent. She also knows herself very well and knows very well what the audience expects. It was a luxury to have her as executive producer, because that was a way to make sure I got the right thing out. She is able to give you feedback very quickly. She has a privileged brain.”
It is a big responsibility working side by side with one of the most prolific actresses of all time. Longoria noted, “It was terrifying, especially acting opposite Carmen Maura,” calling her the “Meryl Streep of Spain.” “She’s just the most respected actress. I’m such a fan and such an admirer of hers. She’s my favorite thing in the show.”
Longoria spoke about the filming and noted that her and the team’s favorite scenes to shoot were, “the scenes with my mother (played by) Carmen, and my daughter (played by) Victoria. When we were three together, it was wonderful.”
When asked what Longoria was looking for regarding this project she replied, “I watch TV right now, and it’s all dystopian futures and the world is going to end and governments are going to collapse and robots are gonna take over. It stresses me out and gives me anxiety. I want to watch something to escape. I want to see romance. I want to see beautiful backdrops. And that’s what we’re doing.”
The young Texas-born woman who came to Hollywood with the title of “Miss Corpus Christi” and two dollars in her pocket, with Mexican roots that date back 13 generations, is now a star who works tirelessly to give visibility to the Latino community, helping families and empowering women through opportunities and education. “It is still very difficult, we do not have enough representation. In the United States, Latinos make up twenty percent of the population, but in television and cinema we are five percent. It's nothing. And women even less, especially directors.”
For her latest project, Longoria returns to CNN with ‘Eva Longoria: Searching For Spain’ series, which is a continuation of the already highly successful ‘Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico’ series.
VICTORIA BAZÚA: THE NEWCOMER
When Longoria, Maura, and Bazúa share the screen, you can't help but feel drawn to their connection; there is an effortless chemistry among them. Bazúa is a young talent that grabbed Longoria’s attention right away. “She was a dream to work with, eager to learn and to be totally immersed in this experience of acting. It was such a joy to work with her,” Longoria commented.
“She was a natural. I mean, she just came on board. We saw her audition tape, and it was really impressive. She never acted before in her life. She was the character. We were looking for someone with authenticity just to the experience, and she brought so much of that to the role."
“This experience has been a roller coaster of emotions.” Bazúa started theater classes at the age of 10. But as she grew up her path turned more into modeling. “At the age of 13, I began modeling in Mexico, and it was through my modeling agency that I secured the casting for ‘Land of Women,’ which was one of the first acting roles I auditioned for. And so I got it, and the role was perfect for me. I traveled to Spain, where we spent five months filming the show. It's an incredible honor to be acting alongside Carmen and Eva.”
Beginning an acting career next to two icons is not the norm. Bazúa was loved on the set and Maura enjoyed working with her. “Victoria, she was like my granddaughter. She also reminded me very much of mine because I have a granddaughter around that age and is a sweet girl. I loved working with her. That is the truth.”
Bazúa plays Gala’s trans daughter, Kate, who is not necessarily happy with their family situation at first. The 18-year-old actress commented, “Much of the attention surrounding this character is that she is relatable. I mean, not just trans girls, but teenagers. And it is a multi-generational series that will inspire many people. And Kate's character caught my attention because I had a lot in common with her. I mean, we're both teenagers. We're trans. Kate is very artistic and sarcastic. And that's what I love about her. And I think that's what caught my attention the most.”
Like a good mother and daughter relationship, Longoria and Bazúa had a blast filming this show. “For Christmas, I remember Eva coming to my camper with a box of shoes, and saying, ‘This is your Christmas present.’ And then I opened it, but there was only one shoe. And I was like, ‘Uh, thank you! But where's the other one?’ And then she paused and turned back, ‘There was only one shoe,’ she said. ‘Oh, my god, I left the shoe in the store.’ Bazúa took the opportunity to tell Longoria to go back to the store. The missing shoe was found and the duo went on a shopping spree in Barcelona not just that day, but many times during the filming of the show.
“I've learned a lot from Carmen, but what I learned the most is that one must always stay true to herself. That I don't let myself be taken by what others think or say about me; that is something that, in itself, that I was already very conscious of, but Carmen reinforced it for me.”
With this and future roles, Bazúa is aware about the accountability that comes with the exposure. “This is an immense responsibility to be able to have this voice and visibility in my community, my communities, the trans Latino community, and teenagers in general, but I think I'm taking it slowly, without rushing, being humble and calm.”
Bazúa is ready to continue her path in acting. She dreams of taking a role in a horror film. “I love movies… I think my big dream now would be to be in a horror movie. I want to be in a thriller or a horror movie, so I get out of my comfort zone.”
CREDITS:
EVA LONGORIA | CARMEN MAURA
Coordination in Spain: MARTA GORDILLO
Producción: INÉS DOMECQ
Photos: FÉLIX VALIENTE CASAS
EVA LONGORIA | CARMEN MAURA | VICTORIA BAZÚA
Coordination in USA: Stephany Echepetelecu
CREDITS VICTORIA BAZÚA
Photo: MARCO BARL
Styling: ALETHEA ZAMMORA
Hair: LEANDRO MORENO
Makeup: BELEN SAENZ