The secrets of Angelique Boyer, Scarlet Gruber and Brando Peniche about ‘Doménica Montero’

The new Univision and ViX drama Doménica Montero arrives with a mix of romance, betrayal, and redemption—reviving one of Latin America’s most beloved telenovela classics for the digital age.

Starring Angelique Boyer and Marcus Ornellas, the series brings back the fierce emotional beats of earlier versions while introducing a world shaped by smartphones, social media, and nonstop scrutiny. And every gripping drama needs its villains: this time, Scarlet Gruber and Brandon Peniche bring the heat as Kiara and Genaro.

The cast opened up to AS USA Latino about the pressure of revisiting such an iconic story, the emotional toll of their roles, and the unexpected lessons they took with them.

Angelique Boyer: stepping into Doménica’s rise, fall, and reinvention

For Angelique Boyer—known to U.S. audiences for hits like Teresa and El Amor Invencible—playing Doménica was unlike anything she had done before.

This time, the scenes were filmed in chronological order, giving Boyer the rare chance to experience her character’s emotional unraveling in real time.

“It was the character’s real timeline,” Boyer said. “Those negative emotions can take you to the bottom… but they also force you to know yourself… to rebuild without losing who you are.”

Boyer says Doménica’s journey reminded her why emotional support systems matter.

“It’s where we come from, it’s our family, those values like the land, like our essence, like the past, that can reconnect us and lead us back down a path of good,” she explained. “And obviously, trusting the people around us, like our family, to ask for help and to lean on positive people.”

Scarlet Gruber: why playing a villain can be the most fun

Scarlet Gruber dove deep into Kiara’s psychology, tracing every wound and insecurity back to childhood.

“I’m extremely intense with my preparation,” she said. “Kiara suffered a great deal of envy from a very young age because she lacked attention, and that’s where the mark of abandonment from her upbringing is evident.”

Gruber believes villains shouldn’t be flat or predictable.

“I’m a big fan of justifying my villains, humanizing them so they have this light side and this dark side that all human beings have,” she said. “Kiara’s actions stem from pain and lack. That makes her extremely interesting as much as you can hate her, you’ll also love because you’ll have fun and laugh a lot with her.”

Brandon Peniche: breaking the ‘good guy’ mold after 10 years

For the first time in a decade, Brandon Peniche returns to an antagonist role—something he welcomed after years of being typecast as the nice guy.

“Well, look, it was something I really appreciated because, as you rightly say, I wanted to break that mold,” Peniche shared. “I hope you like Genaro. He’s bad—really bad—but also kind of charming.”

“So, something really beautiful came out of it, something I cherished a lot, something I had endless fun with,” he added.

Peniche says the role reminded him why he loves acting in the first place.

The challenge of bringing a classic into 2025

Because Doménica Montero has been adapted several times—including the 1978 version of the same name, adapted from the 1972 Venezuelan classic La Doña, ‘La Dueña’ in 1995, and the 2010 hit Soy Tu Dueña—expectations were high from the moment the reboot was announced.

Boyer hopes audiences will approach it with fresh eyes.

“It’s a totally updated story with a social mirror anyone can relate to,” she said.

Peniche agrees: “It’s one of TV’s most beloved classics, remastered with a current sensibility... It’s very easy to watch and doesn’t feel forced at all.”

Social media, Wi-Fi and a story set in the digital era

One major twist in the new version: the constant presence of the internet.

“It’s terrible they have internet,” Boyer joked. “The internet only adds to the story and the conflicts, so that’s really cool,” Gruber added.

Filming outdoors: beautiful… and brutal

Shooting in open fields brought stunning landscapes—and plenty of challenges.

“Scenes in the countryside are complicated by several factors, starting with the sun and the weather. Getting to those locations also requires a lot of effort,” Boyer admitted. “Not just for us, but for the entire team, for all the staff, so we’re the last ones who should complain.”

When and where to watch Doménica Montero

Doménica Montero premieres December 8 on Univision at 9 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT.It will also stream on ViX starting December 19, and arrive in Mexico next year.

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