After a fight with Televisa, William Levy risks his role in "La Tempestad."
According to "Basta!" Levy abandoned the set of the novela because the studio did not allow a nephew of the Cuban actor to visit the set. Levy left the set angered because the studio said his nephew was underage.
The newspaper later revealed that producer Salvador Mejia called in legal support to verify that the telenovela superstar had violated his contract and could be punished economically for his actions.
However, the consequences for Levy's actions did not end there. According to the TV show "Formula Espectacular," a meeting between the company and producers ensued. The main topic of discussion was the possibility of firing Levy from the telenovela and replacing him. According to "Formula Espectacular" reporter Flor Rubio, writer Liliana Abud demanded Levy's immediate dismissal because Levy has not been respectful of her work and constantly resorts to only following his own directions on set.
Furthermore, the reports indicate that Abud even suggested that Argentine telenovela star Sebastian Rulli become Levy's replacement. Rulli has been the star of such telenovelas as "Teresa," "Amores Verdaderos," "Cuando Me Enamoro," "Un Gancho al Corazon," and "Pasion." He even landed four episodes on the popular "Ugly Betty" series back in 2006.
Levy's dismissal in the series would not be a new phenomenon. A number of actors have also faced the same reality. In 2002, "Siempre Te Amare" protagonist Fernando Carrillo was replaced by Arturo Peniche; in that series, Carrillo's character was killed off to make way for Peniche's new protagonist. In 2004, Edith Gonzalez's pregnancy forced her out of "Mujer de Madera" with Ana Patricia Rojo as her replacement. In this case, the studio wrote in a fire that disfigured the protagonist's face to justify the "new look." Telemundo's 2006 series "Marina" saw Manolo Cardona replace Mauricio Ochmann as the male protagonist after Ochmann fell into drug problems; the libretto was not altered and no excuse was given for the change in look.
Levy 's girlfriend Elizabeth Gutierrez also recently made an early exit from Telemundo's "El Rostro de la Venganza" that forced script changes. At the time rumors circulated that Levy was unhappy with his girlfriend's involvement in sex scenes. However the rumors were never confirmed.
"La Tempestad" airs in the US in July on Univision.
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