The following is an interview with executive producers Hakan Kousetta (Top of the Lake: China Girl) and Jamie Laurenson (Top of the Lake) regarding the recent launch of their series, The New Legends of Monkey, on Netflix. In this interview, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief Barbra Dillon chats with Kousetta and Laurenson about the inspiration behind the series, what they hope that audiences will take away from the show, and more!
Barbra Dillon, Fanbase Press Editor-in-Chief: Congratulations on the recent release of the 10-part series, The New Legends of Monkey, on Netflix! As executive producer of the series, what inspired you to bring this concept to the screen?
Hakan Kousetta and Jamie Laurenson: Thank you. As parents of young children, we wanted to make a show that our daughters and sons would enjoy – something that had thrills and spills and some good laughs along the way. We wanted also to try to tell a fantasy story that also had something to say to kids about how to be yourself in the world that can throw so many challenges and obstacles in your direction.
BD: You have quite a talented cast and crew working on the production! What can you share with us regarding the production process of the episodes, from initial casting to post-production?
HK and JL: Gerard Johnson who directed the opening episodes and set the tone for the series always had a clear desire to make a show that paid tribute to some of the great kid’s films and shows of the ’80s and ’90s – that thought process shaped many of our decisions in production from finding a young and athletically talented cast of diverse actors, to costume, color, music, and fight choreography.
BD: What do you hope that viewers will take away from The New Legends of Monkey?
HK and JL: That they have fun and maybe remember to look out for their mates. But mainly that they have fun.
BD: What makes Netflix the perfect home for the series, and do you have plans to expand the series into further seasons?
HK and JL: No one other than Netflix would have supported making a show with this ambition for a family audience. If the world wants more of Tripitaka, Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy, we’ve got lots of stories we’d love to share.
BD: Are there any other upcoming films or projects that you would care to share with our readers?
HK and JL: We have nothing else like TNLOM on our slate, but we’re working on a number of very different show, a comedy with with Nick Hornby, and an enthralling period drama with Andrew Haigh.
BD: Lastly, what would you like to tell fans who want to learn more about The New Legends of Monkey?
HK and JL: TNLOM is inspired by a 16th-century Chinese story called “The Journey to the West;” it’s a story that has been retold in many forms and languages, but the original book is a great place to go if you want to know what the inspiration was for our characters.
