Eva Longoria is like fine wine; she only gets better with time. It’s been 20 years since we saw her on Wisteria Lane as Gaby Solis, but if you saw her in her newest series, you’d think no time had passed between both shows.
In the six-part series Land of Women, which is loosely based on an old Spanish novel Longoria portrays Gala, a high-society New Yorker whose life is turned upside down when two men approach Gala at her wine launch party, stating that her husband owes them 15 million dollars. Within 24 hours, Gala sells her jewelry, packs her bags, and picks up her mother and teenage daughter to flee to her mother’s hometown in northern Spain, where Gala’s mother vowed never to return. The women hope to make a fresh start, but their family secrets are soon exposed as gossip spreads throughout the small town.
The Knockturnal asked what inspired her to do this project, she explained that she wanted to shoot in Spain. Her experience living there gave her the desire to go back and take on the challenge of acting in Spanish, which Longoria had never done before.
When asked what message she would like the audience to receive, Longoria responded, “You know, I think a big lesson for Gala in the six-episode journey is that she’s enough, and she has a lot of strength that she never knew she had because she never had to use it or she never had to find it within herself. And now she’s put in a position where she has to protect her family, provide for her family, and she comes out thinking, ‘Oh, I could do that. I never knew I could do that.’ So I think I encourage women to find the strength in themselves, to find their worth and Pa’delante!”
Longoria’s vision included creating this series in both English and Spanish, which is rare to find in a series streaming in America. This truly adds value to the series. The show is available to watch in both languages, with subtitles provided for the non-primary language.
I spoke with Victoria Bauza, who portrays Longoria’s daughter Kate. She shared that working in Spain and acting alongside Longoria was a wonderful and unforgettable experience for her. Her character undergoes significant changes in her life, many of which the LGBTQ community can relate to. This brings refreshing visibility and understanding to an important topic. Kate is a rebellious teenager and has had to leave her girlfriend, Maggie, behind.
The Knockturnal got to speak with Santiago Cabrera who plays “Amat” Longoria’s love interest he told me his favorite scene was when Gala accidentally runs him off the road, causing them to crash and Amat to lose all his grapes he was transporting. He said having all three actresses with him on the tractor and being able to drive through the beautiful scenery made him forget he was working. Amat is initially furious but then inexplicably drawn to Gala. What unfolds next? Well your just going to have to watch to find out.
Land of Women is available for streaming on Apple TV+
