Diksha Sundriyal
Netflix’s Colombian thriller drama series, ‘Medusa,’ follows the story of the Hidalgo family. It begins with an explosion on a boat that has the company’s CEO, Barbara Hidalgo, lounging in it. Due to the severity of the explosion, it is believed that she has perished. However, when she returns without her memories, a can of worms is opened, which threatens to derail the entire family. With Detective Danger Carmelo, Barbara tries to get to the bottom of the truth, and that leads to many disturbing revelations about her family as well as herself. Created by Said Chamie and Claudia Sánchez, the show pokes at the idea of familial bonds and the question of identity, but there is more to it that makes it feel real.
The Fictional Hidalgos Draw Comparisons With a Real Colombian Dynasty
‘Medusa’ is an entirely fictional series written by Said Chamie and Claudia Sánchez, who have clarified that the show is not inspired by a real-life family. The idea of creating the drama surrounding the tension in the Hidalgo family started with the intention to explore the conflicting facets of memory and power and how a person can be manipulated by their own perception of self. Still, some similarities have been drawn between the Hidalgos and the Char family, which is a real-life dynasty in Colombia with deep pockets and friends in high places.
Based in Barranquilla, the Char family is one of the richest and most influential families in Colombia. Their businesses are spread across the country, ranging from banks and media firms to supermarket chains. They are also the owner of a major soccer team. Apart from this, the family is also deeply embroiled in the politics of the nation and is known to harbor major influence in Congress, with its members having even served in office on different levels. One of the family members, Alex Char, even ran for President. The rumors of the Chars being the inspiration behind the Hidalgos were also fuelled by a video posted by a lawyer named Abelardo de la Espriella, in which he spoke against the TV show for portraying the Chars in a bad light. It is believed that the video may have been a publicity stunt rather than an actual complaint from someone representing the Char family.
Despite these comparisons and the claims of inspiration, the creators of the Netflix series have vehemently denied any connection between the fictional Hidalgos and the real Chars. For them, the story is meant to represent complicated family dynamics, which is a universal theme and is not limited to one family’s conflict. Through the story, their intention is to present a realistic tale that the audience can appreciate by seeing it as a mirror that reflects some semblance of their own reality.
Barbara Hidalgo’s Conflict of Duality is Entirely Made-Up
Like the rest of the family, Barbara Hidalgo’s character in the show is also fictional. For actress Juana Acosta, the draw for the role was the opportunity to play two different people under the same name. The Barbara before the explosion is very different from the one that emerges after the explosion. Though they have the same essence, it is a Jekyll and Hyde type of situation where one is more evil while the other is trying to reform and be a good person. To represent this clash of personalities, the actress worked with the make-up and costume department to develop unique looks for both sides of her character and show the audience the remarkable change that Barbara has been through.
Another thing that Acosta and her co-actors worked on was the coastal accent required for residents of Barranquilla. Almost the entirety of the cast worked with coaches to get the musicality and rhythm of the accent and portray it as faithfully as possible. The actress also focused on highlighting the conflicts within Barbara’s personal life, especially the part about open relationships in her marriage and the gender bias in her workplace. She found the story steeped in issues like double standards and class differences, which ground the show and the characters, making them more accessible to the audience.
Read More: Medusa Ending, Explained: What Does Gabriel’s Code Mean?
