Followers of Amar es para siempre on Antena 3 will remember her as Laura, Ortegas’ youngest daughter, but Deputy Velila, born in Madrid in 1995, had already made her TV debut three years earlier with the series Anclados. After that came Cathedral of the Sea, Hospital del Valle, and Yreal on Playz. A groundbreaking horror and action project would serve as the vehicle to bring Antonia to life. Garcia! Sherry from HBO Max is based on a wholly existing homonymous comic, and it becomes a stage for testing physical endurance. The result is elegant.
Antonia is a journalism intern presented with a life changing research topic. It is not every day that a super agent created by Franco materializes in an unfamiliar Spain and is resurrected sixty years later.
What adventures she undergoes!
Madness, we did not always know what we were doing.
In Garcia! there is action, there is comedy, there is drama. There is a bit of everything. The series blends action, adventure, and political intrigue, and as the chapters unfold it shifts from a sequence of punches to something more emotional while keeping its adventurous spirit.
Do you have your own action scenes?
More than before. Several moments were not planned, yet they felt feasible and worthy of a shot. Naturally there are limits like explosions where one sails through the air, but with guidance from two experts who played Garcia and Antonia, the actors learned to position themselves and to throw precisely.
Was physical preparation necessary?
Yes, though not as an extreme body transformation for Antonia. The character’s body is hers to command, and the stamina to endure long shoots mattered. The bridge hang scenes demanded a resilient stomach and steadiness throughout the long takes.
If you do not have a strong stomach, Antonia will hold up when she hangs from the bridge
There were also virtual reality sequences. Was it complicated?
Two special effects houses, El Ranchito and Lanspost, recreated the moment when Antonia reaches the Valley of the Fallen and steps into the basilica. The La Piedad statue was reconstructed in 3D. The work was impressive because filming happened on an abandoned highway.
As with Yrreal, it is challenging to capture a very specific aesthetic.
Having a real partner in front helps, but many moments require repeated performances because in audiovisual work the camera can mislead. Some sequences are shot in short pieces with the two actors performing separately, yet the overall scene comes together in editing.
Was it your idea that Antonia speaks so fast?
During casting I did not know the project was based on a comic. The initial thought was that the character would speak rapidly and episodes would be long. The offer came with the expectation of a fast talking role. It did raise concerns, and at times there were thoughts to slow down. My aim was to keep the rhythm natural, which sometimes meant rapping to nail the cadence before filming began. The fear was not being understood.
Did you know it was a comic before auditioning?
No, not at first. Information was scarce and I felt overwhelmed. The first cast to second cast gap was rapid, and a quick cafe search yielded some details. The character in the comic is different from the one created for the screen. The adaptation was drier, tougher in tone.
Antonia is clumsy, a complete disaster sometimes, yet deeply affectionate.
What stood out during production was the humor in clumsiness, which allowed a different shade of the character. The team pushed to perfect running scenes; they even sought a coach to help the actor master the gait. The result was an unconventional, not easily noticed heroine who remains grounded in humanity. Evidence of this shows in every frame.
Finally, there is no classic sexual tension between the leads. Their bond reads as fraternal, and Antonia never becomes sexualized, even in scenes with her partner. The narrative keeps a respectful tone around relationships.
I told my father not to be jealous because Emilio Gutiérrez Caba is the best imaginary father they could have given me
García reveals a world where phones, oat milk, and same sex marriage are part of daily life. It is fascinating to watch how a character navigates a society that is evolving rapidly. Antonia starts by judging her father’s past but gradually understands the roots of these changes. In season one there is a sense of coming of age, and the arc hints at more to come as she matures from child to young woman.
Working with Emilio Gutiérrez Caba is a great pleasure. The entire cast delivers, and the presence of a familiar face alongside new collaborators adds depth. Emilio’s performance is among the most impressive in the project, earning sincere admiration from the team.
Were the production team aware that they were pursuing something different?
Initially they were unsure. The project felt ambitious, perhaps even mythical. The goal was a tone that could sit between superhero spectacle and comic book honesty, balancing the fantastical with realism. The result seems to have hit that balance.
I already contemplate a second season Garcia and Antonia must continue the adventures.