‘Girls’ Night Out’ captures the frustration, anger and pain of many women whom the system has failed to protect

We spoke with three of the protagonists of this new Disney series about the ethical and moral debate that arises in the series

They say that the cast was the first factor that pushed them to participate in ‘Girls’ night’the series of Disney+ about some friends who take justice into their own hands before the members of a pack, and it is understandable. Because it contains Maria Leon (Seville, 1984), protagonist of ‘The left-handed son’ and ‘Down there’; Leticia Dolera (Barcelona, ​​1981), actress, director and creator of ‘Perfect life’; Silvia Alonso (Salamanca, 1989), who has appeared among other series in ‘Amar es para siempre’ and Instinct’; in addition to Paula Usero (‘Love is forever’, ‘#Luimelia) and the Mexican Aislinn Derbez, who we saw in ‘The House of Flowers’. We spoke with the first three about the ethical and moral debate that arises in the series.

You are strong women, but didn’t such a strong story scare you? What encouraged you to accept the role?

María León (ML): Especially the cast. When these strong women – I loved that definition – found out who was going to be involved in this project, that was the first thing that encouraged us to embark on this adventure.

Leticia Dolera (LD): And then there is the addition of the trip of the protagonists, who face a moral and ethical debate that challenges and crosses them, which is to what extent you can or cannot take justice into your own hands and how that can turn you into a victim. That is, you can start being a victim and become an executioner and end up being an executioner by being a victim of yourself.

Because that’s what ‘Girls’ Night Out’ is about, not only a story of sisterhood, but also of taking justice into your own hands. Do they justify or defend, at least, what they do?

LD: It’s not that they think about it and have a plan, it’s that they suddenly find themselves involved in this situation that gets out of hand. And they are not, as Silvia says, the typical vengeful heroines, but normal women, like your neighbor, your cousin…, who find themselves in this situation and try to survive and help a friend, who is the one who has gotten them into trouble. she. However, the series captures the frustration, anger and pain of many women whom the system has failed to protect.

Lola, María, I had it planned a little, because she kidnaps those members of the pack. Although she didn’t know how far things would go.

ML: Exactly. Lola has a hidden anger, a pain and a fear that transforms her into what fear transforms into: the devil. That anger that she allows to develop, because she feels so much pain and so little support and protection, makes her take justice into her own hands. She needs to get the pain out and go from being a victim to an executioner.

Her character, Silvia, is a civil guard, so in this process that she has to live, the fight between the woman and the agent occurs.

Silvia Alonso (SA): Yes, yes, of course. But she just got out of a situation that has something to do with that… I don’t want to make spoilers. She is very disenchanted with justice and it is not clear to her that the system can solve a situation of this type. So, at this point, she considers making a different type of decision than the one she would have made perhaps a year before.

ML: Because these women also unite with a driving force that is to empathize and not judge the victim. They empathize with her and, knowing as they know that they are doing something that is not really like her, they decide to accompany her.

LD: In fact, I think that what María’s character wants is just to scare them.

ML Yes, and it gets out of hand.

The viewer can understand them. Because all of them, except her character, Leticia, carry a trauma that pushes them into that situation. They all want to help Lola, but, at the same time, they bring out the demons in her.

LD: But, in addition, this is an issue that affects all women, because we have all been afraid when returning home. They have all told us: “Send a message when you arrive.” On the other hand, not to our male colleagues. Nor have they practically ever been afraid of sexual assault. I wouldn’t dare say never, because there may be cases. I know men who have suffered attacks, but in childhood, not so much in adult life, although there are cases. The fact is that the structural problem is sexual violence against us. And of course it is something that goes through everyone, because it does not affect all of us.

The series talks about packs, but also about non-consent, sexist violence… A wide range of what can happen to women now.

ML: Now and always.

Yes, of course, but now you can see it more, don’t you think, María?

LD: Now they talk about it.

ML: Yes. Now they talk about it.

And is it important that it be a fiction?

ML: Yes, it is important that we can increasingly have a louder voice and represent something that, for whatever reason, is not usually represented. It is not usually given a space to be able to see it calmly without there being rejection. We have to give voice to reality. And this is a reality, tremendous, but a reality.

LD: Now as a result of the Jenny Hermoso and Rubiales case, and what has been uncovered about the constitutional and normalized machismo in the Spanish Football Federation, the hashtag #It’s over has emerged, created by the journalist Cristina Fallarás. And if you go in to read the testimonies, your blood will run cold. It’s overwhelming. And we all have stories.

What do you like most about the way your characters react? Do you empathize with them and would you do it that way?

ML: I don’t know if I would empathize with her, but what I like most is the sisterhood they have between them. Unity in this case makes them great and the courage to protect themselves, to listen to each other, humanity in general must have; between them and them. We have to unite, listen to each other more. You can have an open ear for the victim and not be so afraid to flee from where the problem is. I really like that about all the characters who, even if they don’t agree with what happens, at no time do they leave and turn their backs on Lola. They always stay listening to her.

And that the civil guard rebels to do what they feel is important, right, Silvia?

SA: It is very important. It would be good for me too, honestly, because I tend to do what is expected of me. And I’m in the process of stopping.

ML: Very good.

SA: So, yes I could say that I like this character.

And you, Leticia?

LD: The thing is, my character can’t quite decide what to do. Well, yes: support her friend, because he can’t leave her hanging, because if he’s not going to pay, it’s her. Because they are going to end up arresting her and accusing her of a lot of things: those she has done and those she has not done. What my character learns is that she can’t continue being his sister’s mother. All these renunciations that she is making on a personal and professional level to support her are becoming a cage for both of them. She learns that she has to let him fly, that her sister, and herself, must leave that nest that she has built for both of them.