Marta Balaga HBO Max’s period drama “Spy/Master” is more John le Carré than Ian Fleming, state its creators. Following Victor Godeanu, a high-ranking officer in Romania’s secret service, advisor to president Nicolae Ceaușescu – and a spy – who decides to defect in 1978. “As a child, I used to watch James Bond, which is a very cartoony version of espionage.
It was something we really wanted to avoid. We wanted it to feel real,” says Kirsten Peters. Adina Sădeanu adds: “John le Carré’s novels, for example ‘A Perfect Spy,’ are so complex.
These characters run away from their own humanity. I have always wondered: How do they live? How do they wake up in the morning, after saying so many lies?” For Sădeanu, her journalistic background – as well as Romanian roots – came in handy as well. “Over the years, I met many people working in intelligence.
They weren’t these ‘James Bond’ types, with an exception of maybe one guy. It helped me understand the way they hide.” Their stoic hero is played by Alec Secăreanu.
Read more on variety.com