[TELENOVELAS: US-COLOMBIA] Doña Barbara, the maneater

Edith González: Watch out, she's a man eater
The Mexican actress spoke with Peopleenespañol.com about her daughter, her challenging role, and her co-star Christian Meier from Colombia, where she's shooting the soap Doña Bárbara, which premieres Monday on Telemundo

Mexican actress Edith González is ready to take on Doña Bárbara. Inspired by the novel written by Venezuelan actor Rómulo Gallegos, the drama unfold this Monday August 4 at 9 PM eastern standard time.

Before even asking if she minded being compared to María Félix in the film version of Doña Bárbara (1943), the 42-year-old actress said, “there's always going to be comparisons," but she has faith in her performance. Also, she clarified that María Félix served as a mentor. “Although it doesn't sound very modest, I will say that Félix loved me a lot. I know she would be applauding me, cause she helped me out so much in my life."

According to the actress, her turn as Doña Bárbara –a heroin who is raped at a tender age and vows to avenge her enemies, and is eventually deemed a "man eater"–is not typical of the roles she's used to playing. “Doña Bárbara is seen as this great savior," she say. “I see her more as daring and reckless, and that's why she takes on that element of being uncivilized and doing whatever she wants ot do."

Nevertheless, Santos Luzardo, played by Peruvian Christian Meier, longs to tame her with love. González describes their relationship as one where opposites attract. The civilized versus the savage," she says.

And how is it working with Meier? “It sucks!” jokes the actress. “He's like James Bond; he doesn't sweat, doesn't get bitten by mosquitos, and his hair always looks amazing. It's incredibly humbling for me as a woman. I sweat and my hair ends up looking like a mess. It frustrates me a little.”

It also frustrates her to be away from her daughter, Constanza, 4, who's in Mexico while she's been shooting in Colombia. Although she plan on bringing to Colombia soon, she says they communicate on video over the internet.

“We talk to each other on Skype. Yesterday we talked for 45 minutes, and she drew me little things and showed them to me on screen. It makes the distance a little bit easier to handle," she says.

After this project, her schedule is completely booked for next year. She's been offered a role to star in the film Obsesión, produced by Osvaldo Ríos' Riverside Entertainment Group. In that film she'll form part of a love triangle along with Ríos and Adamari López. She'll also co-host alongside Juan Ferrara, in an a concert where tenor Plácido Domingo will sing in the ruins of Chichén Itzá in October. And, as if she didn't have enough on her plate already, she'll also star in a play in Mexico.