Flavio Medina puts it bluntly: “My character could be in prison alongside Epstein and Diddy … Alfredo is a predator like the ones we see on the news.” This isn’t an empty declaration or a commercial provocation. In the second season of Isla Brava, the Mexican actor embodies a man who manipulates, corrupts, and destroys lives with the cold-bloodedness of real-life predators. And he does so consciously aware that he’s dissecting one of the darkest figures of our time: the charismatic aggressor who knows how to hide behind a social mask.
“He returns from the dead. He was, yes, missing and a fugitive from justice, and he returns with a whole strategy and all the weapons to be clean, to have a clean soul and to continue… being himself,” Flavio explains about Alfredo Suárez in an interview with ENSTARZ and Latin Times , a man accused of financial and sexual crimes who manages to disappear from the radar to return, more dangerous than ever in the second season of the VIX series .
“He also returns to regain the love of his family. He returns to discover love, true love for him, with the character of Ludwika. And he returns… he thinks he’s returning stronger than ever, but he’s weaker than ever,” he reflects.
For Medina, playing Alfredo was like holding up a mirror to the worst of our society. “I particularly remember a scene where Alfredo recounts what happened to his wife and brother, wearing a giant mask… because he’s completely lying. That happens a lot these days, doesn’t it? We hear testimonies that are lies. Alfredo could be in the same prison as Diddy or Epstein,” he states bluntly.
At the other extreme is Camila Soler, played by a sharper-than-ever Ludwika Paleta. “I’ve never played a character like this before. She’s a woman deeply committed to her passion, which is journalism, to finding the truth, to going to the bitter end, even risking her own life to achieve justice,” she explains. Paleta sees in Camila one of those women who refuse to give up in the face of corrupt power: “I greatly admire journalists who dare, seek the truth, and go all the way. They are very admirable, very brave, and Camila is a woman who possesses that courage.”
The shoot, which took them to Madrid for three months, was an experience of contrasts. “We’d finish our shifts and all go out to dinner together,” Flavio recalls. Ludwika agrees: “Especially when we finished our calls, Flavio and I would go out to lunch or dinner with the other crew members. We all lived close together, so it was very nice.”
They shared the routine with actors such as Osvaldo Benavides, Bárbara López, Fernando Ciangherotti, Daniela Schmidt, Lourdes Reyes, and Juan Martín Jáuregui, who round out the solid cast. “Working with beloved and talented actors is always a joy,” says Ludwika. “I’ve worked with Flavio and Osvaldo before, and we’re also friends, but I also met many others, like Bárbara, with whom I shared the show for the first time. We had a great time.”
But during filming, the emotional tension was constant. Each scene required her to descend into the grayest areas of the human soul. Ludwika sums up: “Camila has this nature of seeking out who did the wrong and making them pay.”
Both actors agree that Isla Brava reflects very current issues: the abuse of power, media manipulation, and institutional cover-up. In that sense, Alfredo Suárez isn’t just a fictional character: he’s a reflection of the white-collar predator we’ve all seen in the headlines.
Their connection off the set has made it easier to bring this tension to life on screen. They’ve worked together in theater and maintain a warm connection that contrasts with the darkness of their characters. Flavio, who is concluding his season at the Cabaret del Teatro de los Insurgentes, admits that returning to the theater reminded him of his original passion. The actor also has other projects in the works, although for now he’s keeping them secret: “There are some other series, but you know you can’t talk about anything until you get the green light,” he assures.
Ludwika, for her part, is celebrating the film debut of her son Nicolás , whom she directs and stars with in the film Después, due out in November. “Nicolás is doing incredibly well; he’s working hard. We made this film together, and it was very natural to work with him. I’m happy to see him grow and that he’s doing so well,” she says. The actress also plans to continue exploring comedy, a genre where she feels equally comfortable and challenged.
But as the lights go out, Alfredo Suárez continues to stalk. And Camila Soler continues to seek justice. That is the essence of Isla Brava: a portrait of how dark we can be and the courage of those who dare to fight it.