After studying acting for "La Tempestad," William Levy and Ximena Navarrete took 16 hours on their first kissing scene.
According to el diario Basta! The Cuban actor and former Miss Universe delayed production after taking 16 hours to shoot their first kissing scene under director Monica Miguel.
While the hours were excessive and angered crew members, the directors and producers were more satisfied because Levy's accent improved and was more understandable and Navarrete showed improvement in front of the cameras.
Producer Salvador Mejia is currently under pressure because the series is delayed from the original schedule. Additionally, Mejia does not know if they will have enough episodes done for the premiere and if the series will be as successful as "Amore Verdaderos," which "La Tempestad" will replace.
The series has been in the headlines for the past months since production began. Levy and Navarrete were asked to take acting classes for their bad acting on set. The actors' lacked of chemistry and Navarrete felt uncomfortable and nervous in front of the cameras. The production team also criticized Levy for his hard-to-understand Cuban accent. After numerous appearances in American television and film, production stated that his Spanish was barely comprehensible and a complete headache.
Levy also made headlines when he revealed his new hairdo. The actor was heavily criticized by his large fanbase and he recently announced that he wanted to cut the hair because he was already uncomfortable.
The series began shooting on Wednesday, March 6th in Veracruz. "La Tempestad" also stars, Laura Carmine, Ivan Sanchez, Jessica Coch, Diana Bracho, Cesar Evora, Alfonso Herrera and Luis Manuel Avila. The series is based on the Colombian telenovela "La Tormenta" and is set to air in Mexico on May 13, 2013 on El Canal de la Estrellas.