By Hanna Rantala
LONDON (Reuters) – Fans of Spanish series “Elite” and South Africa’s “Blood & Water” will be treated to an international storyline in the next instalments that sees two characters from the popular Netflix shows cross, creators said.
“Blood & Water” It-girl Fikile, played by Khosi Ngema, will arrive at the exclusive Madrid school of Las Encinas in season 7 of “Elite”, while Ivan (Andre Lamoglia) from the Spanish teen series will appear at Cape Town’s prestigious Parkhurst College when “Blood & Water” returns for its fourth instalment in 2024.
The exchange gave a boost to cast, creators and characters, said “Blood & Water” creative producer Nosipho Dumisa-Ngoasheng.
“We’re always looking for what stories are going to have the most drama, the most dramatic impact, emotional impact and really challenge our characters in their emotional journeys. We like to put them through the wringer and so we thought, what better way to do that,” she said.
Both shows being set in the world of private schools made writing the crossover scenes easier, said “Elite” co-showrunner and writer Jaime Vaca.
Season 7 sees the return of former student Omar, who struggles to find peace from past events and discovers he is not alone in his suffering.
“It has the ‘Elite’ DNA but with a theme that is current and necessary, that surrounds and frames the entire season, which is mental health,” said Vaca.
“As someone who has also experienced mental health issues, there is a lot of me in this season. This is one I am especially proud of and curious to see how it’s received.”
“Elite” Season 7 starts streaming on Oct. 20.
(Reporting by Hanna Rantala; Additional reporting by Miguel Gutierrez in Madrid; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
