Megan Montaner (“If I had known”): “It’s a pity that there can’t be LGBT characters in Turkey”

What if you could go back and change something that would completely upset the fate of a life? A question that arises ‘If I had known’, a series created by Ece Yörenç, the famous screenwriter of the Turkish soap opera ‘Fatmägul’, now available on Netflix. a romantic comedy of a woman who has the opportunity to redirect her life by going back 10 years e Starring Megan Montaner, Michel Noher and Miquel Fernández. A fiction that had to be shot in Spain because the Turkish government demanded that an LGBT plot be removed from history. “It is a pride that Ece and Netflix have thought of Spain in order to develop the idea”defends the actress.

Megan Montaner puts herself in the shoes of Emma, ​​a woman in her thirties disenchanted by her present and who, by a stroke of luck, will be able to change her life and start over. Miquel Fernández plays her husband Nando and Michel Noher puts himself in the shoes of Rubén, whom Emma will meet in her new life. A romantic fiction that plays in the middle past, present and future and this increases the importance of giving yourself a second chance in life.

“If I Had Known” combines various genres, comedy, drama and some touches of fantasy and science fiction. “I was drawn to it having different genres. It really has great drama behind it, but those touches feel like science fiction, go back in time and don’t reveal how it happened almost to the end, I loved it.”, underlines the actress in an interview granted to eCartelera in Madrid. “I think the final message is that you have to learn from those mistakes, that what you have lived and been through is an experience and you should learn from it”Keep it up.

“What happened in Turkey with this project is very serious”

A production that, unfortunately, had to be canceled in its original Turkey. In July 2020, The news came that Netflix had canceled the filming of this project in the Eurasian country, after the authorities had not granted the registration permissions to have a gay character., which Ece Yörenç publicly denounced. Although she was behind blockbuster shows in Turkey like “In the heart of the city” or “Sühan: Revenge and love”, the showrunner saw how the government tried to censor her project. Therefore both the creator and the streaming platform thought of the Spanish industry to develop the production.

“It is a pride that Ece and Netflix have thought of Spain to be able to develop this original idea. In Spain we have the freedom to fuck and talk without any censorship. It’s a shame it’s not the same in other places like Turkey. Also, we wanted the changes to be minimal, respecting the original spirit of the series “Montaner shares, categorically adding: “Too bad there can’t be LGBT characters in Turkey”. “What happened is something very serious. For her it was very important that the idea that she did not have did not change. That a person, in his country, cannot develop is horrible. Besides, it is a credit that he wanted keep her alive. by her side “says Fernandez.

“From our point of view, we were surprised that they banned such a plot. The level of censorship is very impressive. The weight it carries, despite this, they banned it. Imagine if it were someone with less accolades.”adds Michel Noher. Secondly, being a production made in Spain it allowed to deepen the main female character and in her desire to grow as a woman without having to stop being a mother. “Yes, it is important to show that being a mother does not mean having to give up on herself. From here, the key thing is to learn from a second chance. A woman should not leave her part of her life to be a mother It will not be easy for her, but he will fight for itMontaner points out.

“It is essential that there is more female presence in the creative part”

In this aspect, the actress stresses the importance of having more female creators behind film and television projects. “I think we’re catching up. There are more and more female characters talking about themselves in comedy or romance. It’s also because there are more and more directors, screenwriters, producers present. The creative part has a greater female presence is essential.”he argues.

In addition to having a love triangle, “If I had known” has as a background how little is known about a group of friendsrecalling the box office hit “Perfect Strangers” by Álex de la Iglesia. “We were surprised, but these things, in a group of friends, happen. Really, it’s not strange that a group of friends don’t really know each other. Yes, they have the soul of ‘Perfect Strangers'”Nobody says.

Megan Montaner, Miquel Fernández and Michel Noher lead this romantic story created by the famous Turkish screenwriter Ece Yörenç. The cast is completed by Jael Pascual, Eduardo Lloveras and Bore Buika, among others. Produced by Boomerang for Netflix, Irma Correa was commissioned to adapt this story about second chances, as she did with “Alba”, a remake of “Fatmägul”. The series was directed by Liliana Bocanegra. Available on Netflix October 28.