The well-known screenwriter Mirella Papaoikonomou described how the new series “17 Threads” came about, while she mentioned the choice of Myrtos Alikakis in “Anastasia”.
The well-known screenwriter was a guest on ERT’s “Studio 4” show on Tuesday afternoon (30/01) Mirella Papaoikonomouwho wrote the script this year of the new series “17 Threads”, which started on COSMOTE TV.
“The truth is, this year is the first time I haven’t heard my name called. In other words, it was “Tsafulia’s turn”. I don’t know, it could also be a random event” said, initially, Mirella Papaoikonomou.
Speaking about how the series came about, the popular screenwriter explained: “I’m in Kythira, a friend of mine who owns a bookstore called me and gave me a book and said “you must definitely order it”. I have heard this many times. I read the book the same day and met Panos Dimakis, who was also on vacation. I told him I would do it, cheers, celebrations… All this happened within 2-3 days, I stung immediately. It was on my island, it was also a true story… No, I didn’t know the story”.
“That’s where the Odyssey begins because no one wanted it (the series). I took it from here, I took it from there… I sent it to Cosmote, to production companies, no response. Suddenly the production company stung, it went to Cosmote, it went to Tsafulias and that’s how the job was closed. I tried for two years, Panos Dimakis also tried. He thought – I imagine – that if I take it and write the first episode, it will be a disaster. The fact that they are opening doors with the name “Mirella Papaoikonomou” is a bit of an exaggeration,” said Mirella Papaoikonomou, regarding the two-year delay.
“Tsafoulias chose Panos Vlachos and I am very lucky, he is fantastic, I have never seen such a worker before” he said of the protagonist.
Mirella Papaoikonomou for the series “Anastasia”
Mirella Papaoikonomou also spoke about the series “Anastasia”, stating that “it was the most daring series I’ve written”.
As for how Myrtos Alikakis was chosen, she described: “It was a very funny story. I wrote that Anastasia is a model. Kalimeris tells me “make a video and let’s decide who will do it”. All the good girls came, tall, could be models and we made videos. The casting was always done at my house. Not at all what happens in offices. He rings the bell and a little girl enters, petite and wanted to play a roller-coaster if we had one. We shoot her in a video and she leaves. We watch the videos again and I call Giorgos “she”, and so does he. What a face that was! The next day I show Kalimeris the video with the girls, both the beautiful ones and the one with Alikaki, and I tell him “please, I want her”. He says to me “are you okay?” This is half a portion, how will the model play? Do you take responsibility?” told me. This word was decisive. “Yes” I told him.