The cast and creators of Amazon Prime’s upcoming Carnival Row gathered at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday afternoon to give a glimpse of the series, including two character-introduction clips.
Orlando Bloom stars as a human, Philo, and Cara Delevingne portrays his fay love, Vignette, in the imaginative fantasy drama, which takes place in a magical, war-torn land. “It was like stepping into the wildest part of your imagination and having it revealed before your eyes,” Bloom said of immersing himself in the world of Carnival Row.
While the environment is mystical and transporting, however, the series comments directly on our own world, with clear parallels to the refugee crisis, racial discrimination, and patriarchal oppression. (Bloom shared an anecdote about the mayor of San Diego entering the show’s Comic-Con activation only to leave in disgust after realizing, “Oh, wait, this is about refugees and migrants,” the actor said. “Boo-yah! Way to create controversy!”)
“It’s about racism and feminism and sexism and classism and spiritualism,” executive producer Marc Guggenheim said during the panel. “We kind of cover it all, and we look at all the different ways you can differentiate people and creatures in society. It’s really rich, it’s a rich world.”
“It’s kind of Dickensian,” creator Travis Beacham said, of the many layers and great scope of the show’s universe. “We’re looking at the whole of the world, the whole of society, and how one wheel moves the other.”
Watch Philo and Vignette’s introductory clips above. And keep checking EW for more coverage of San Diego Comic-Con all weekend!
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