Sebastian Gutierrez Carla Gugino
A new crime thriller series is coming to Peacock on November 17.
“Leopard Skin” kicks off with a criminal gang seeking refuge in a secluded beachside estate after a failed jewelry heist. The estate is home to two women, Alba (Carla Gugino) and Batty (Gaite Jansen), who live together in isolation.
The story becomes more complicated after two dinner guests arrive at the estate. Max, a TV producer, and his girlfriend Maru arrive at the home and appear to be completely clueless about the events that took place earlier that evening.
The eight-episode series follows a dynamic cast of characters through a high-stakes hostage situation. With each episode, the tension grows as the characters become more and more desperate. Murderous secrets, coldhearted betrayals, and shocking desires are revealed as the characters’ true colors come to light.
Heavy had the chance to chat with “Leopard Skin” star and executive producer Carla Gugino about the upcoming series.
Here’s what you need to know:
How Did Carla Get Involved With ‘Leopard Skin?’
In our exclusive interview, Carla told us how she got involved with the series and detailed how the cast and crew navigated filming amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
She told us, “The way that this came about for me was that [Director] Sebastian Gutierrez…he said [to me], ‘What if I could create something where we could film with a small enough group that once we got there…[it] could be conducive to being in one place where once everyone tested negative, nobody left and we just stayed and filmed the entire time.’ And that is what we did. So that is how it came to me.”
“I think it would have been interesting to shoot, and fun and beautiful to shoot, in a gorgeous location if it was something that was just a silly comedy or something,” she added. “But what made it the most profound experience that it was, and I think what makes the show very unique and as strong as it is, is the fact that we had a show that required all of us creatively and we were also in an environment that was so conducive to creativity.”
Carla Discuss Her ‘Leopard Skin’ Character
In “Leopard Skin,” Carla plays a woman named Alba whose personal background and relationship with her housemate Batty is wrapped in mystery at the start of the series.
We spoke to Carla about what drew her to the role of Alba and to the show in general.
“You know, one of the main themes is identity. And that’s always curious and interesting to me at this point in my life,” she told us. “And also just that these, you know, these women bonding over the specter of this very powerful man who is since dead but [he] still really affects them. And they’re sort of untangling themselves from being perceived as a reflection of him…and so that was really intriguing to me.”
“I just had never gotten to play a woman like Alba,” she added. “A woman who sort of so fearlessly goes into her shadow to hopefully come out into the light. So I found that to be a really, really interesting journey as an actor.”
Carla also shared the most challenging part of taking on the role of Alba.
“I think the most challenging thing with Alba [is]… she does some things that are pretty intense,” Carla revealed.
“I think one of the main challenges [is] always not to judge your character because we all see ourselves as the protagonists of our own story and as as a hero of our own story,” she said. “I don’t think she actually even behaves from a place that is out of cruelty, but she is in a position where she is given a certain kind of autonomy and power by Batty [and] she is unsure how far she can go with [it] or what parts of her need[s] that.”
“I think that it’s an interesting thing to explore and a scary thing and therefore, a challenging thing,” she said. “If you were in an environment with a person that adores you, and would do anything for you, what would you ask? And if you weren’t being watched, how would you behave? And so one of the things with this that I love is that it does go deep into the shadow. And ultimately, the show ends and comes to a place of like real deep belief in humanity.”
Carla on Working With a Predominantly Female Cast
The cast of “Leopard Skin” is predominantly female. In the past, there has been a lack of representation in the crime thriller genre but recently, with the emergence of series like “Killing Eve” and “The Sinner,” there has been more female representation in the crime thriller space.
We spoke to Carla about the importance of female representation in the thriller genre and her experience working with a predominantly female cast.
“Well, it’s interesting because I would say that “Jett,” which I also did with Sebastian Gutierrez, and Gentry White, and Gaite Jansen… That was a true crime thriller like straight up,” she said. “The lead character I played named Jet was much more like what you would characteristically have seen, you know, a young Clint Eastwood in, or a Matt Damon in. So, that one was really interesting to play with those preconceived notions.”
Carla then explained that while “Leopard Skin” certainly has crime thriller elements, it is, at its heart, a character piece.
“This has crime elements to it, but this really is also just such a character piece,” she said. “I think in this particular case, it’s absolutely an exploration of [the] female psyche in a lot of ways, and that that’s probably the more pertinent, appropriate kind of, you know, reference point for it.”
“I also think we just rarely have ever gotten to have, you know, a predominantly female cast exploring these issues together,” she added. “Women, you know, [are] oftentimes in a piece in reference to a male character.”
“So for me, I think the significant thing about [“Leopard Skin”] is that within a really entertaining piece where the stakes are really high and there is action and there are all of those things, you’re also really like unpacking a story within a story within a story where you get to the heart of it, which is ultimately about love and identity and self-discovery,” she told us. “That’s really interesting to me because I don’t think that we can be the most fully realized women without accepting our shadow. And that also needs to be included in storytelling.”
Carla on What Viewers Can Expect From ‘Leopard Skin?’
In our interview, we asked Carla what viewers can expect from “Leopard Skin.”
“Well, I think what’s cool about this piece is you cannot expect where it’s going to go,” she said. “Everyone who I have talked to who has seen it, has said, ‘I had no idea where it was going.’ And that’s always a good thing.”
“It’s got some real thriller elements…for people who love a good thriller,” she added. “And then it has again, this family of women who ultimately kind of find themselves coming together and realizing how they have perhaps lived in the shadow of this man and are now figuring out who they are. And you also have the most beautiful location ever.”
Watch the EXTENDED interview HERE.