Entertainment Weeklyâs Best of Summer TV 2017
[For their sudsy sequel to William Shakespeareâs Romeo and Juliet, ABC and Shondaland tried to get as authentic as possible--which meant eschewing the customary soundstage and hitting the road to find the perfect Renaissance-era settings. âItâs the most amazing thing about the show,â says executive producer Heather Mitchell of the showâs commitment to shooting the entire seven-episode series on location. âYou canât even say that about Game of Thrones.â A cathedral in Salamanca, Spain, built in the 1200s hosted key scenes including the wedding of Romeo (Lucien Laviscount) and Juliet (Clara Rugaard). A breathtaking gazebo located a few hours outside of Madrid was used for a lunch shared by Romeoâs cousin Benvolio (Wade Briggs) and Julietâs cousin Rosaline (Lashana Lynch). Based on Melinda Taubâs 2013 YA book of the same name, the show also features Buffy the Vampire Slayerâs Anthony Head as Julietâs father, Lord Silvestro Capulet.
Filming in public was mostly a dream for the cast and crew, who spent about five months in 2016 shooting across Europe--except when Reign heartthrob Torrance Coombs showed up to play Julietâs suitor Count Paris. âWe didnât realize that heâs a major teen idol in Spain,â admits Mitchell. âWhen we shot in Salamanca, there were throngs of teenage girls screaming like they just saw the Beatles.â -- Lynette Rice]
