After a notable gap of four decades since its last film adaptation, Bill Condon’s Kiss of the Spider Woman has made its debut at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, receiving favorable reviews from critics. Condon took the helm as both writer and director for this new version, drawing inspiration not only from Manuel Puig’s original novel but also from Terrence McNally, John Kander, and Fred Ebb’s acclaimed stage play. His commitment to authenticity shines through as he collaborates closely with his cast and crew, ensuring the story’s Argentinian backdrop and Latin American themes resonate with veracity.
The narrative centers on Luis Molina, a gay hairdresser, and Valentin Arregui Paz, a Marxist, who find themselves imprisoned in Argentina during the tumultuous Dirty War of 1981, albeit for differing reasons. To cope with their shared trauma, the duo engages in discussions and fantasies about classic films featuring a glamorous actress, Ingrid Luna. Diego Luna, known for his role in Andor, and Tonatiuh from Carry-On headline the cast as Valentin and Luis, with Jennifer Lopez embodying Ingrid alongside other talents such as Tony Dovolani, Josefina Scaglione, Bruno Bichir, and Aline Mayagoitia.
During the Sundance premiere, ScreenRant had the opportunity to interview Tonatiuh, Aline Mayagoitia, and Bill Condon, who shared their insights about the film’s significance. Mayagoitia highlighted a personal connection to the original stage play, while Tonatiuh discussed his camaraderie with Luna throughout the filming process. Condon emphasized the importance of capturing the genuine experiences of individuals analogous to the characters portrayed in the film.
Tonatiuh Reflects on His Experience as “A Gift”
“…Diego Luna’s so charming, how can you not fall in love?”
Tonatiuh, a seasoned actor with roles in Promised Land and Vida, considers his participation in Kiss of the Spider Woman among his most significant achievements, especially following the success of Netflix’s Carry-On. Reflecting on his experience, he described the film as “a gift”and expressed his admiration for the collaborative process with Luna. Their relationship was meticulously crafted, with every scene contributing to the emotional depth of their characters.
Tonatiuh: Honestly, it was a gift. I love it. It was a hard, hard job, but, man, it was an absolute gift to be able to show three different iterations of the same person. Well, we shot two films, right? There’s the musical component, and there was also the prison component. So the musical side, [our characters] had conflicts, because we were both vying for Aurora’s love. But on the prison side, the first scene, the first moment when we lock eyes as Molina and Valentin is the first time that we ever said any words to each other. And Bill gifted us — we shot everything in sequence, so we built that relationship, scene by scene, trauma by trauma. So, by the end of it, we were just locked in and bonded. And also, Diego Luna’s so charming, how can you not fall in love?
Mayagoitia’s Lifelong Connection to Kiss of the Spider Woman
“It just started a great chain of events for me to connect with that book.”
Like Tonatiuh, Mayagoitia views her role in Kiss of the Spider Woman as pivotal in her career, especially following her appearance in Max’s romantic comedy series Love Life. In discussing her journey to the Sundance premiere, she remarked on the miracle it took to bring such a film to life, emphasizing its significance in the realm of cinema.
Aline Mayagoitia: Oh my god, I feel like a movie like this is a miracle to get made. So, I think it’s a testament to the magic of Diego Luna and Jennifer Lopez that this could get made. And it’s a movie about the magic of cinema. I mean, truly, it’s about two people that find themselves in a horrible situation, and through the magic of narrative and storytelling and fantasy and escapism, they get to fall in love with each other.
So, to be a part of that, I’m the target audience for this movie. It’s a queer, Latino revolutionary musical. I would be a fan of this no matter what.[Chuckles] I’m the world’s biggest Bill Condon fan, because I think Chicago and Dreamgirls are the best movie musicals ever. So, to be a part of this and to have been there on set, God, was the best eight days of my life, honestly.
With the film amalgamating various sources, including Puig’s novel and the stage play, Mayagoitia immersed herself in these works to grasp the essence of Kiss of the Spider Woman. She also recounted a charming anecdote from her family history, noting that her mother attended the original musical while pregnant with her, thus instilling a deep connection to the score.
Aline Mayagoitia: So, I went back, and I read the original novel, which I actually had only read in English, but I went back and read it in Spanish. What’s really amazing about the novel is it’s really dialogue. It’s just two characters talking, and it’s kind of like a screenplay. So I think it’s very dialectical in that way that they just have these debates about these three movies, that are real movies also. So then, going through and doing all the research and looking at those movies, one of them actually is a Nazi film that they talk about, and they have a whole debate about the propaganda-ness of that. So, I just found that so rich. And I’ve been really reading more Latin American literature and trying to connect with my roots.
It just started a great chain of events for me to connect with that book. It’s so beautiful, highly recommend to anyone. Manuel Puig, fierce. And then, actually, my mom, when she was pregnant with me, she saw the original musical in 1994, so I literally feel like the Kander and Ebb music is like in my DNA. Actually, my mom cut her hair like Chita Rivera based off of that musical, we were just obsessed with it. So, for me, this score and these songs and the iconic white outfit that Chita wears on the Tony Awards now adapted to be Jennifer. It’s everything I love rolled into one.
Considering the film’s Argentinian context and Latin American cast, there are questions about the language of the dialogue. Mayagoitia confirmed her scenes will be in English, but hinted at potential Spanish dialogue in the scenes between Luis and Valentin:
Aline Mayagoitia: Yeah, well, the movie within the movie that I’m a part of is in English, but you’re gonna have to wait and see about the other timeline that Diego and Tonatiuh are in.
Condon’s Commitment to Authenticity
“…I was always looking to my collaborators…”
Recognizing the deep roots of Kiss of the Spider Woman in Hispanic and Latin culture, director Bill Condon acknowledged that bringing this story to the screen posed significant challenges. However, his collaboration with his team proved vital in ensuring authenticity, particularly given that many had personal connections to the experiences depicted in Puig’s narrative.
Bill Condon: It was a challenge. There was a lot of research, and also I was always looking to my collaborators, starting with the actors. But, we made most of the movie in Uruguay, so I was surrounded by people who had relatives who’d been affected by the stories that are told in the novel. So it was, I think for me, talking to as many people as possible, researching and also making people into collaborators.
The film Kiss of the Spider Woman premiered on January 26 and is currently engaged in a bidding war for a U. S.distribution deal.
Source: ScreenRant Plus
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