Telemundo Internacional announced at a press conference held
in Cannes, France, that the well-known Mexican actress Aracely Arambula will
play the leading role in the new telenovela based on Victor Hugo’s classic work
Les Miserables, to be produced by Telemundo in 2014. The Venezuelan screenwriter Valentina Parraga
- writer for Telemundo's ratings successes La Reina del Sur (The Queen of the
South) and La Patrona (The Return) heads the adaptation of this new
mega-production by Telemundo Studios.
Arambula had a resounding success in the leading role in La
Patrona --a story that mirrors the famous novel The Count of Monte Cristo-- in
which she embodied Gabriela Suarez, a woman seeking justice from those who
robbed her of what she loved most. Now, the Mexican actress returns in another
grand production, the first Spanish-language telenovela based on the epic
French drama.
"We are very proud of this project, which is another
brilliant production that will carry our brand, and we anticipate it will have
excellent results," stated Marcos Santana, President of Telemundo
Internacional. “Telemundo is the only Spanish-language company that leads in
this type of melodrama-genre offer for international markets,” he added.
Valentina Parraga adapted La Patrona - Telemundo's #1 novela
at 9pm - as well as the powerful action drama La Reina del Sur - Telemundo's
highest rated novela ever - based on the book by Arturo Perez-Reverte, both of
which regularly beat English language programs and broke existing records for
Telemundo’s Spanish-language television broadcasts in the United States, as
well as other international broadcasts.
"This Les Miserables adaptation is in pre-production
and will be filmed entirely in Mexico – a country which will provide sceneries
for this story that cannot be found anywhere else," said Joshua Mintz,
Executive VP of Fiction Programming and General Manager of Telemundo Studios.
"Soon, we look forward to announcing the full cast of this production, as
well as the directors, producers and team members that will have a part in its
success," shared Mintz.
Aracely Arambula was the special guest at the press
conference that took place during Mipcom 2013. At this event, the actress
shared with the international media her experiences as the leading actress in
La Patrona, stressing the satisfaction that playing this role afforded her and
the great challenge she is now taking on with Los Miserables.
Known for her powerful performances, Arambula will now bring
to life another courageous woman who must persevere and hide until she can
prove her innocence to her family and her pursuer, whom she is too good-hearted
to hate. Set in a modern context, the story depicts situations that take place
in contemporary society, and like Victor Hugo’s epic work, highlights social
injustice as well as the eternal struggle between good and evil.
