May 1
Out Actor-Screenwriter Julio Torres' Next Deep Dive into Surreal Strangeness
Kilian Melloy READ TIME: 1 MIN.
"Los Espookys" and "Problemista" star and writer Julio Torres is about to do it again: The former "SNL" writer is set to premiere a surreal new comedy called "Fantasmas" on HBO next month.
"The six-episode series stars Torres as a fictional version of himself, following him as he navigates a dreamlike New York and searches for a lost earring shaped like a tiny gold oyster," Entertainment Weekly reported on the series, the title of which is Spanish for "ghosts" or "phantoms."
Torres writes and directs, as well as stars in the new comedy.
"Throughout the search," EW continued, "he encounters a whole city's worth of strange characters, and the result is a surreal, introspective deep dive into questions of purpose, meaning, and the nature of reality."
In comments to EW, Torres described the upcoming series as "a show of vignettes," and suggested he would serve as a sort of "master of ceremonies" for a showcase of talented guest stars that reportedly is set to include Kim Petras, Ziwe, and "Euphoria" actor Alexa Demie.
Torres' previous HBO comedy, "Los Espookys," a supernatural-tinged comedy, featured LGBTQ+ characters; his recent feature film, "Problemista," is a highly stylized and surreal satire of the U.S. immigration system that co-stars Tilda Swinton.
A press release from HBO noted that the upcoming show – consisting of what the release called "introspective, often eerie comedic stories" – will air new episodes weekly following its premiere in June.
Kilian Melloy serves as EDGE Media Network's Associate Arts Editor and Staff Contributor. His professional memberships include the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association, the Boston Online Film Critics Association, The Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, and the Boston Theater Critics Association's Elliot Norton Awards Committee.
