Netflix’s binge worthy series Élite has confirmed a major casting shake-up as it is set to swap one of its cast members with a star from another popular drama.
The smash hit Spanish drama series will lend footballer’s son Ivan – played by Andre Lamoglia – to South Africa’s private-school drama Blood and Water.
In the exciting swap, he will appear at Cape Town’s prestigious Parkhurst College when the teen drama returns for its fourth instalment in 2024.
Meanwhile, Blood & Water’s It-girl Fikile – played by Khosi Ngema – will arrive at Élite’s exclusive Madrid school of Las Encinas in the show’s newly-released season seven.
The exchange will give a boost to both shows’ cast, creators and characters, said Blood & Water creative producer Nosipho Dumisa-Ngoasheng.
Exciting: Netflix ‘s binge worthy series Élite has confirmed a major casting shake-up as it is set to swap one of its cast members with a star from another popular drama
Swapped: The streaming giant will lend footballer’s son Ivan – played by Andre Lamoglia – to South Africa’s Blood and Water in return for It-girl Fikile – played by Khosi Ngema
‘We’re always looking for what stories are going to have the most drama, the most dramatic impact, emotional impact and really challenge our characters in their emotional journeys.
‘We like to put them through the wringer and so we thought, what better way to do that,’ she said.
Creators said the cross-over scenes were easy to write because both Netflix shows are set in the world of private schools.
It comes after Netflix announced that Élite will come to an end after its eighth season.
The streaming giant announced the cancellation of the Spanish-language teen soap via Twitter on Wednesday, just before the seventh season dropped on Friday.
‘We are shooting the eighth season, which will be the last season of Elite,’ the show’s creator Carlos Montero added during a press conference. ‘We ended on a high note.’
‘Jaime [Vaca, co-showrunner for Season 7], Netflix and I thought it was time to end it,’ Montero explained.
‘I say this with great regret because it’s been several incredible years in which I’ve met wonderful actors, we’ve worked with all the directors we wanted to work with,’ he continued.
‘Élite changed everyone’s life, there are actors who started with us and it has been their springboard to be now world stars.
‘It is happening to this cast and it is a pride to have contributed to that and to know that they have seen us all over the world and liked it.’
Global hit: Farewell: Netflix’s highly-bingeable series Elite is coming to an end after season eight after premiering in 2018
Premiering in 2018, the show was critically praised and landed a cult following for its fictional take on three working-class teens who enroll at a wealthy private high school in Spain.
While the show had a revolving door with its cast members, recent players include Omar Ayuso, Valentina Zenere, André Lamoglia, Carmen Arrufat, Álex Pastrana, Álvaro de Juana, Ander Puig, Maribel Verdú and Anitta.
Spanish born actress Ester Exposito, who played Carla Rosón Caleruega on the series, previously said part of the worldwide draw came from the actors giving it their all in their performances.
‘We were all there when the other actors were working on their character, so we were there to see the process of every character being developed, and we all participated in it,’ she told Bello magazine.
The juicy storylines, often involving the high schooler’s sexual escapades, also added to the the show becoming a bona fide hit.