Álex De La Iglesia is an underrated horror filmmaker who often melds horror and comedy is beautifully dark ways. Similar to other Spanish-language directors like Guillermo Del Toro, Demián Rugna, Gigi Saul Guerrero, and more, De La Iglesia knows how to make something deeply terrifying that also somehow brings a smile to your face. Such is the case in his hit HBO horror series, 30 Coins, which is now premiering in its second season.
Read the full synopsis:
In the upcoming second season of 30 Coins, most of the people of Pedraza have lost their minds and are confined to a psychiatric hospital. Elena lies in a Madrid hospital bed in a coma; Paco, shattered by remorse, tries to take care of her. As the horror intensifies around them, our group of heroes must face a new enemy—someone so perverse that even the devil fears him. But what about Father Vergara? Has he died along with his archenemy, Cardinal Santoro (Manolo Santoro)? Where do they hide, the tortured souls?
Dread Central spoke with De La Iglesia about what to expect from season 2, directing Paul Giamatti, and more!
Dread Central: Was there anything you learned from the first season that helped you shape/film/create season two?
Alex De La Iglesia: We have the plot written through three seasons. In this season, everything is a mess on purpose. My favorite trilogy is Back to the Future. The first film is the thesis, establishing everything. The second is the antithesis – there is more action and the plot advances more quickly—it’s more fast-paced. In the third one, you come back to the beginning.
DC: This cast is incredible and now you’re adding Paul Giamatti to the mix. What was it like directing him and adding an American actor to the cast?
ADLI: It was necessary. It was impossible to avoid that Barbrow is someone who lives in a big city. The character is similar to Elon Musk or L. Ron Hubbard or Steve Jobs. He’s a billionaire who wants to reset the world. The things we are imagining now become reality.
DC: Can you tease what’s in store for Father Vergara?? Eduard is such an incredible actor and watching his work in the first season was incredible. This leads to my second question…
How did you work with Eduard to shape Father Vergara? Did he bring any major character developments to the table?
ADLI: I am very inflexible when it comes to scripts. I don’t like changing the dialogue, but Eduard is the owner of the character, so I respect that. We have a dialogue between each other thinking about the direction of the character and what he thinks in a particular sequence. Same thing with Giamatti. When you have an amazing actor, it would be rude to try to impose your own vision. It would be like telling a professional athlete how to run or jump.
DC: I am also obsessed with Macarena Gómez and love her as a villain. This is similar to my previous question, but what was it like collaborating with her to create her character across these two seasons?
ADLI: The beautiful thing about Macarena is that in the first season, you could sense that she’s an ambitious person. In season two, we said, go be ambitious. Do the things you feel your character should be doing.
DC: What are you most excited for viewers to experience in season two of 30 Coins?
ADLI: The end of the season. I hope the audience is going to think, what can happen next? What happens is very unexpected so I can’t wait to see the audience’s reaction.
DC: What’s the scariest horror movie you’ve ever seen?
ADLI: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Categorized: Interviews
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