Grab your hairspray, blazer and murder weapon of choice: the Spanish teen drama and Netflix hit 'Elite' will return to our screens on the 13th March for its third season. One of the most controversial storylines of the show's second season amongst all of the drama, deceit and death was the incestuous relationship that emerged between half-siblings Lu (Danna Paola) and Valerio (Jorge López). Despite the dark themes and taboo nature of that plot, the two actors knocked it out of the park with their performances and were eager to tell us more about what we can expect from their characters in the upcoming season, from whether they feel responsible to represent serious issues sensitively to why a Lu/Valerio spin-off would be a "dream" for them.
Love them or hate them, people responded strongly to the storyline shared by Lu and Valerio last season, with the reception for their portrayals coming back overwhelmingly positive. "We honestly didn't expect it", says Paola. In fact, López admits that the taboo storyline had people across the production fearing the worst: "I think that everyone - the crew, the screenwriters, us - were scared of that bond and the overall story that we had to tell". The Chilean actor goes on to say, however, that he was comforted and pleasantly surprised by the compassion with which the party animal and wild card Valerio was received. "People understand his vulnerability and they connect with what that character is expressing", López explains. "It's like in the end the antihero becomes a sort of hero because we understand his interior world".
When it comes to the sensitive issues discussed in 'Elite' such as drug consumption and toxic relationships, Danna Paola states that the cast "know our responsibility" and takes it seriously as "even though ['Elite'] is fictional and it's a thriller, everything's based on true facts". For his part, López believes that it's his job as an actor to open up a space for empathy with characters going through such dark situations. "We want to encourage empathy", the actor explains, "so that bit by bit they stop judging. I include myself in that".
Will season three encourage fans to start empathising with the complex Montesinos siblings or will a spin-off be required to achieve such a feat? Both Paola and López were hugely enthusiastic about the idea of their characters finding their way back onto the screen for a spin-off. "We've thought a lot about it", says Paola. "It's a dream". She goes on to explain that thanks to the extensive rehearsals she and López spent discussing their respective and mutual backstories, there's a lot of unseen material revolving around their characters: "As much as it was a complicated story to tell and to construct, there's a lot more to tell", she says. "A lot that hasn't been told nor seen", adds López.
Las Encinas meets Riverdale
If a Lu/Valerio spin-off isn't in the cards, perhaps we could settle for a different type of crossover instead with another of Netflix's most successful teen dramas: 'Riverdale'. Fans (and Danna Paola) went crazy after seeing the photos posted to Jorge López's Instagram account in which he poses alongside 'Riverdale' star K.J. Apa. Danna Paola confesses that she's a "big fan" of 'Riverdale' and was "in shock" after seeing her on-screen half-brother stood alongside the one and only Archie Andrews. The combination of her surprise and Jorge López's answer unfortunately seem to confirm that a 'Riverdale'/'Elite' crossover won't be happening any time soon. "We were working on a project in L.A.", explains López. "You'll see that shortly. I can't say much about it".
What both actors could say and were eager to highlight, however, was that the third season of 'Elite' will hit Netflix on the 13th March. "The 13th March! On your screen. We'll be there", says López. "In your house!"
