Before "Revenge," there was "Vingança"

As we not-so patiently wait for Diogo's episode of "Revenge" on September 29th, I thought we could continue our look back at his previous "revenge" series, "Vingança."  In this 2007 series that was inspired by the classic novel "The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas, Diogo played "Santiago Medina."  

(image courtesy of SIC)

Our dear friend Lou da Gama was kind enough to write an awesome, detailed synopsis for us of "Vingança," so that we might know more of Santiago's saga in the epic series....

(Click the "Read More" link below to read the rest....)

"Santiago Medina is a charismatic young man possessing all the attributes desired for a happy, fulfilling and successful life - he is intelligent and has just been offered a prestigious job in the European Commission as a lawyer; he is brimming with enthusiasm for having become engaged to Laura, the woman of his life; he has a close relationship with his beloved father, Horácio, a rightful lawyer; he is a fencing champion; and he has a best friend and fencing mate, Rodrigo Lacerda, whom he fully trusts.

However, Santiago’s happiness arouses the envy of those around him, including of Rodrigo who is secretly in love with Laura. The two friends prepare to travel to Morocco, where they are going to compete in an international fencing championship.

Just before Santiago travels to Morocco, his father confides to him that he suspects that in 1976 Rodrigo’s father, Alberto Lacerda, was responsible for a series of crimes involving child and organ trafficking. Santiago’s father is looking for the evidence of those crimes to report them to the police. Concerned about Rodrigo, Santiago hides this information from him.

What Santiago doesn’t know is that Alberto found out that Santiago’s father knows about his crimes. In despair, Alberto convinces his son, Rodrigo, to murder Santiago in Morocco. Moved by envy, his loyalty to his family and his obsession with Laura, Rodrigo agrees.

In Morocco, instead of killing Santiago with his own hands, Rodrigo engages two thugs to simulate a mugging and kill Santiago. 

But, Santiago ends up stabbing one of the thugs in self-defense. The two friends are imprisoned. Soon after, Rodrigo is freed. But, he comes back to Morocco, and to the great shock of Santiago, not to free him but to watch Santiago being shot by the one of the Moroccan thugs he had hired, while in Lisbon, Santiago’s father is assassinated under the orders of Alberto.

Santiago survives and is cloistered in a fetid cell infested with rats, where he has to eat bugs to stay alive, not knowing that Laura was pregnant when he left. 

Convinced that Santiago is dead, Rodrigo convinces a very frail Laura, who had just tried to kill herself when finding out about Santiago’s death, to marry him and let him raise her baby with Santiago as his own child.

After some years in prison, when the only things he wants is to die, Santiago becomes friends with an old man named Ulisses, a Portuguese art smuggler and collector, who revives Santiago’s desire to live. Ulisses makes him understand that he was the victim of a trap set by Rodrigo and his father, and that Rodrigo always loved Laura. This realization sows in Santiago a desire for revenge. Ulisses also entrusts to Santiago a secret – somewhere on the Portuguese coast Ulisses hid a treasure. He shows Santiago the map to the treasure and encourages him to use it to accomplish his revenge plan.

A fire breaks out at the prison allowing the escape of Santiago but killing Ulisses. Santiago manages to come back to Lisbon and finds the treasure. 

When spying on Laura for the first time after his return, a gently child approaches him and asks him why he has such sad eyes and names him the “mister of the sorrowful eyes”. Santiago soon realizes that this child is the son of Laura.

With the help of group of loyal collaborators he begins his plan to take revenge on those who betrayed him and transformed 10 years of his life into a torment. However, his pursuit of revenge ends up becoming a pursuit of justice partly driven by the realization that the crimes perpetrated by the family Lacerda have made many victim besides him, but mostly driven by the rekindling of his love for Laura and the discovery that the child who calls him “the mister of the sorrowful eyes” is not Rodrigo’s son but his own." (Obrigada Lou for this wonderful synopsis!  So appreciated.)

As you can see, "Vingança" was full of complex twists and turns.  But through it all, the heart of the series was the love story between "Santiago" and "Laura."  

"Laura," the heroine of "Vingança" and love of Santiago's life, was brilliantly played by actress Lúcia Moniz.  You may recognize her from the teaser for the short film Diogo wrote and directed, "Break."  Or you may recognize her from when she surprised Diogo during an interview.  Or you may recognize her from the film "Love Actually" in what to me, is the best part/scene of the movie.  

You can see a beautiful montage of the "Santiago" and "Laura" love story below, set to perfectly haunting music by the band Anjos, who provided much of the amazing music of "Vingança."  There's no translation needed to see why this couple was the heart that drove "Vingança" and won over so many hearts in the process. 

(video courtesy of fan Uitha/YouTube)

But even with all the angst and turmoil, there were some fun moments in "Vingança" too... and Diogo discussed filming one of them is this behind the scenes interview he did with SIC.  The awesome Liliana was kind enough to translate this very fun clip for us, which can be found right below the video.

(video courtesy of fan FicaaSaber/YouTube)

Diogo Morgado (DM): Today is a very special day! I am completely… look I can almost do a handstand! [And he does one!] It’s a different day for Santiago… it’s a completely different day, he is going to travel with his kid, people!!! It’s the first day that he is going to sail in this wonderful boat as you can see… It’s full but quickly we can get rid of them with a simple kick! It’s an amazing day! "Matias" [his son on the series] is going to have an entire day with Santiago!

Afonso Maló (AM):  I am a little excited to go on a yacht!

Sofia/interviewer: Do you prefer to shoot outdoors like today, or indoors?

AM: Ehhhh It depends… If it was like this every day… No! It could be a little boring. But some days it’s cool.

(…)

AM: He is [Diogo Morgado] a spectacular guy, a joker and so much fun!

DM: He [Afonso Maló] likes wrestling… and sometimes I am his puppet, so he can practice his wrestling moves… that’s why he likes me! I am his dummy!

(…)

[Afonso is sleeping] DM: Is it for this that I rented a boat??!!  Is it?? You want to go on a boat… and you end up sleeping?? Uhhh??!!  You are a son of the other guy I am sure! You are not my son! A son of mine does not sleep like that!

AM: Sleeeepy here!

Sofia: Do you get seasick?

AM: I take a pill that they gave me… and… the script girl said to me that the best trick is to put a band aid in my belly button…

DM: They gave me some kind of pill that I think I already lost… but as I am used to sailing, I think I won’t get seasick, but… as I cannot say that things won't happen, and since you guys are here I might get sick… just for a change…

(…)

DM: These days are also good to breathe for a while. For instance, yesterday I had 24 indoor scenes, scenes with crying, violence, strong and not so strong scenes, but the emphasis was on the intense. These scenes and even more with Matias and Santiago all relaxed and free make us breathe deeply and give us encouragement! (Obrigada to Liliana for another great translation!)

_______

There are no English subtitles unfortunately, but you can see all of "Vingança" on UithaV's amazing YouTube channel.

And don't forget, the season premiere of ABC's hit drama "Revenge" in which Diogo will appear as "Dr. Jorge Velez" airs exactly two months from today... which seems a lot farther away than it actually is.  :)

--Sara

Tweet