As the era of stay at home orders dwindles (sort of), there is one quick binge you should indulge yourself in while you theoretically still have the time, “Los Espookys.” For most, the only recognizable face in the HBO series is co-creator Fred Armisen, but it features a number of rising comedy stars including the other creators of the show, Ana Fabrega and Julio Torres. But if you haven’t caught it yet, well, they sort of get it.
“Hopefully, someone connects with it, but we’re definitely not catering to an audience or pandering to the audience,” Torres says. “And the show has so many asks from the audience. It’s like, O.K., well, it is a Latinx show. It’s also mostly in Spanish with subtitles, but O.K. Also, it is a completely obtuse and abstract regardless of the language. And the people that like the show just walked every step of the way with it. And I’m really happy about that because I am very aware that we’re fortunate that we get to do a show where the cultural, or ethnic, or minority that are the people on the show doesn’t dictate what the show is about.”
What the show is about specifically is a bunch of friends who are major horror fans that stage all sorts of “real horror” interventions for incredulously naive clients. It’s a strange gig, but as the season goes on they get impressively better at it. Along the way, Renaldo (Bernardo Velasco) juggles the insane requests of each client, Andre (Torres) has to deal with an arranged marriage to Juan Carlos (José Pablo Minor) he has no interest in, Tati (Fabrega) has more part-time jobs than you can imagine, and Ursula (Cassandra Ciangherotti), just wants to make sure they get paid.
And then there is that one time they got the American Ambassador to their fictional Latin American nation stuck in a magic mirror, but we digress…
Torres, a former staff writer on “Saturday Night Live” and star of a recent comedy special on HBO, and Fabrega, who was a regular on “At Home with Amy Sedaris,” jumped on the phone in early May to revisit the first season of “Los Espookys” and detail the stop of production due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Please note: There are minor spoilers for the first season discussed below as if spoilers even matter for “Los Espookys.”
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The Playlist: Where did the idea to do the show first come from?
Ana Fabrega: Fred approached us with the seed of an idea that a show initially in Mexico with friends that love horror and do horror gigs together and then we developed it from there.
Julio Torres: He had this seed of an idea that he wanted a show set in, at the time it was Mexico City, a Spanish language show about a group of friends that would do horror prosthetic makeup. And that sort of became the jumping-off point for the three of us to develop the show and turn it into what you ended up seeing.
The Playlist: At what point did you realize it was just going to be six episodes and that you’d be shooting in Chile?
Julio Torres: We always knew it was six episodes, right?
Ana Fabrega: Yeah. Well, once it got picked up to series, it was six episodes and we wound up being in Chile, because for the pilot, initially, we wanted to shoot it in Mexico City because the show was originally set in Mexico City. And then we wound up not being able to shoot there, and we were looking for places that we could cheat to look like Mexico City. And for a bunch of different reasons we wound up with Chile. and then when we decided to show was no longer set in Mexico City, we just stayed in Chile because we had such a nice time there working on the pilot.
Julio Torres: Yeah, it was sort of like a very like creatively fortunate thing that we wound up in Chile and decided to scrap having it set anywhere specific. Because when we opened up to the idea of, “Oh, this is set in an imagined place,” then the show became the sort of like obtuse and abstract things that it wanted to be from the beginning. We ended up grateful for the fact that we’re far away in a place that we could make look like anything.
The Playlist: The show has such a unique tone, and it’s very funny. But obviously, if you’ve never seen a show like this before, it takes some getting used to. Were you guys nervous while you were shooting it about what HBO was going to think when they saw the first episode or even the dailies coming in?
Ana Fabrega: I think that by the time we were shooting, they’d read the script, they knew what they were in for. I was mostly worried when we were editing. I would have moments of like, “Is anyone going to think this is funny other than us?”
Julio Torres: Yeah.
Ana Fabrega: Yeah. But then it was like, “Well, I don’t care. If nobody likes it, I like it. I had fun. I’m proud of it.”
Julio Torres: Yeah, I mean, basically the spirit that connects Fred, Ana and I, well, we do what we want to do, what we like to do. And hopefully, someone connects with it, but we’re definitely not catering to an audience or pandering to the audience. And the show has so many asks from the audience. It’s like, O.K., well, it is a Latinx show. It’s also mostly in Spanish with subtitles, but O.K. Also, it is a completely obtuse and abstract regardless of the language. And the people that like the show just walked every step of the way with it. And I’m really happy about that because I am very aware that we’re fortunate that we get to do a show where the cultural, or ethnic, or minority that are the people on the show doesn’t dictate what the show is about.
The Playlist: This was your guys’ first show as producers. How hard was it for both of you to be acting, writing and basically producing the show at the same time?
Ana Fabrega: I think once we were shooting, there were times it felt a little challenging because you’re acting in the scene, but you’re like also need to talk to wardrobe for like a different scene that’ll be shooting with somebody else. I feel like the mind’s always racing, and you’re trying to think of what’s coming next. And sometimes it can be a little hard to just focus on what you need to do if you’re performing. But I think we eventually found a good groove. I don’t know how you feel, Julio, but when we were working on season two, I didn’t feel that same sort of stress as I did the first time because I felt like, “O.K., I know how to juggle these plates now.”
Julio Torres: That’s how I felt, but because of my goddamn wig, I think that the writing, producing part of it, to me, is heaven. I love. That’s where I think I thrive. And then throwing in the acting into it, that was very challenging. And I’ve gotten better at it, but that was the biggest challenge for me. My least favorite thing is to be like on the hair and makeup chair when something’s happening on set. I hate that. It was just like, “Can you just glue a face on me or something instead of going through all this?” But yeah. I feel like that was the part that took a little getting used to. But now, I hope I’m better.
The Playlist: Had you both of you always planned on playing members of the Los Espookys, the team, even from the beginning?
Ana Fabrega: Yeah.
The Playlist: How did you find Cassandra and Bernardo?
Ana Fabrega: Our director on season one, Fernando Frias, he had worked with Bernardo as a casting director and as an acting coach before. And so, he helped us narrow it down and also helped us when we were leveraging different Ursula options. We took his advice, and I think he had a really good instinct[s]. He felt strongly that these two were the best options of the ones that we had. And we’re so lucky that we have them because they’re great.
Julio Torres: We truly had never met them before, and that was sort of like a new, interesting exercise for me to learn is how to assess potential through [auditions], which I’d never really had to do before. But I think we’re very lucky with it.
The Playlist: Obviously, the show is surreal and farcical in a way, but were the characters inspired by anyone you know?
Ana Fabrega: I think that on paper before we had shot anything, it really felt like a bit of a blank canvas. This could really go any direction. And then after working with Fernando and Cassandra, the characters became a lot more concrete and defined in easier to write in season two.
Julio Torres: There was an unexpected sweetness that Bernardo brought to Fernando, and then there was sort of a measured calm that we didn’t expect that Cassandra [brought] to Ursula that we embraced.
The Playlist: Both of your characters have sort of amazing costumes throughout the first season, was that always a priority for you? Ana, was wearing like J Lo’s Versace outfit one of the greatest moments of your life?
Ana Fabrega: Yeah, I stopped acting after we shot that. It’ll never get it any better than that. [Laughs.] Well, our wardrobe designer, Muriel, is really amazing and like I think Andres’ costumes because he’s rich, were [always] going to be a little extravagant. But [costume designer] Muriel Parra, I think, brought a whole different element to it that I think when Leo saw it, felt like, “Oh” yes.” And then together they just dreamed up his closet. And then the outfits for Tati, it started as a joke that we ended up embracing and using the rest of the season. I knew from the beginning that’s what I wanted my character to look like. But like the J Lo Dress or when she’s dressing up like a flapper, that kind of thing, was more just like the idea of this person whose only references are movies and who really takes every situation very literally. And all her references are the most, I don’t know, obvious things, so there’s no nuance.
Julio Torres: Tati’s a very first thought sort of person, and I think that her wardrobe really reflects that, that she is someone who hasn’t quite found herself yet, ergo the tee shirts that she wears are from some bin, which is great. And then on sort of the polar opposite side, where the costuming is just so purposeful and he’s like this little prince. Even the smaller characters are just outfitted to a point that it’s just like they all turn into these very memorable Halloween costumes.
The Playlist: The sixth episode of the first season had a number cliffhangers or unresolved plotlines, like the American ambassador and her reflection now with her in the real world. And it looks like for those of us who haven’t seen clear, or we haven’t seen season two, that someone is out to make Cassandra a newscaster. Was there anything you learned from the reaction of the show from the audience, through social media or whatever, that made you think, “O.K., we need to not even care about these when we move forward, or we’re going to stick to our original plan.” Did anything change in that respect before shooting season two?
Ana Fabrega: I don’t think so. I mean, I think when we were writing, at the time some of those cliffhangers were things that seemed interesting to us. And then when we came back to work on season two, we were like, “Actually, this isn’t really fun to us anymore. Let’s just scrap it.” So I don’t really know.
Julio Torres: Yeah. It’s not “Game of Thrones.” [Laughs.]. But I think that the people that liked the show really embrace the unexpected quality of it, and I think the kind of people that like our comedy beyond the shows sort of like the experience of it and just sort of allowing whatever can happen to happen, which makes it so fun to make and write.
The Playlist: There are certain questions that fans will want to know, like is Tati still married to Juan Carlos? Is Juan Carlos even gay?
Ana Fabrega: We do answer all these questions.
Julio Torres: Yeah. Those questions are dealt with. So, let me reassure that they’ll be left with more questions.
Ana Fabrega: Yeah.
Julio Torres: We actually touch on [whether Juan Carlos is gay] which I didn’t even realize that anyone wondered.
The Playlist: Well its because in the scene where the unexpected marriage happens, he’s frustrated, and he just does it without even thinking. You can interpret that scene in a number of ways.
Julio Torres: Yeah.
The Playlist: Why are the faces of Julio’s parents are never shown?
Julio Torres: Oh, just because it’s fun.
Ana Fabrega: Yeah, like a cartoon.
Julio Torres: To me, the thought process is that he doesn’t really feel a connection to his parents or just sort of authority figures. Like his parents might have only emailed to him. And also, like leaning on into that cartoon trope where like adults you can only see their feet like that. That sort of thing. It’s to convey that the child is playing in a whole different universe and that the parents operate in a whole different frequency. And Andres is so childlike, and he just loves to play, that I thought it would be nice to lean in on that.
The Playlist: Obviously, you’ve already shot season two, and I sort of mentioned this before, but the reaction to the show – was that important to you before moving forward?
Julio Torres: I mean, I like that people watched it…
Ana Fabrega: I agree that like we were I think both pleasantly surprised that people liked it and happy that it resonated, but I think it kind of ends there. It’s so great they like it. Maybe they’ll like the next one too.
But yeah, I think we both went into that thinking, “If nobody likes it but us, that’s fine. Hopefully, people like it, but if they don’t, that’s O.K. too.”
Julio Torres: Yeah, we’re definitely not crowd-sourcing for storylines.
The Playlist: For season two, I’m assuming you guys were able to shoot before the stay-at-home orders started, is that correct?
Ana Fabrega: Not so fast.
Julio Torres: That’s a yes and a no. Yeah, that’s a not so fast. No, We had to stop. We’re not done, and we’ll resume when we can, and when it’s safe. But no, we have work to do on season two.
The Playlist: How far were you in the middle of production?
Ana Fabrega: Yeah, like halfway done shooting.
Julio Torres: No, not even that. I think almost two-thirds. A little more than halfway. Give me that. We’re a little more than halfway.
Ana Fabrega: Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we’re about 55.2% of the way through.
The Playlist: 55.2% of the way?
Julio Torres: Yeah. Yeah, that actually sounds very accurate. Yeah.
The Playlist: And you guys were in Chile in the middle of production?
Ana Fabrega: Mm-hmm.
The Playlist: What ended it? Was it the government of Chile saying, “Hey, we’re doing stay-at-home orders”? Was it HBO saying, “Hey, we’re closing everything. Come down.”? What led to you guys deciding like, Okay, this is no longer safe. We need to head home.”?
Ana Fabrega: The cases were growing.
Julio Torres: And also it’s a very quick slippery slope from, “Oh, it’s fine. Just if you’re sick stay at home.” To, “O.K. Hand sanitizers everywhere.” To, “Uh-oh, someone’s coughing on set.” And then it just keeps snowballing so quickly, and then you realize that the risk is there and is not worth taking. And then very soon after, we decided to halt, to have them at home order, maybe like even the next day. So yeah, it was inevitable.
Ana Fabrega: Yeah. I think had we not pulled the plug when we did, someone else would have, we would have been forced to shut down within a week.
The Playlist: And is there anything you can tease when, when the season is eventually … people get to see it? Are there more guest stars?
Ana Fabrega: Well, you’ll find out if Juan Carlos is gay.
Julio Torres: I don’t think you do, Ana. I don’t think you do.
Ana Fabrega: Really?
Julio Torres: I think that [what happens poses] another question.
Ana Fabrega: Yeah.
Julio Torres: Yeah. More will be revealed. “Los Espookys” is answered with a different question. You open the door and there’s another door.
The Playlist: Here’s the most important question. While you guys were shooting season two were you guys still having fun?
Ana Fabrega: Yeah. It’s so fun.
Julio Torres: Yeah, it’s such a joy to make something that you really like with people that you really like.
Ana Fabrega: Oh no, I was just going to say that. It’s so fun in a way that made me realize how much less fun it is to do other jobs sometimes.
“Los Espookys” season one is available on HBO Go and HBO Max.
