‘Brand New Cherry Flavor’ Creators on Making of the Show

Brand New Cherry Flavor brought novelist Todd Grimson's work to screens throughout the world and gave audiences an inside look into the grim and gritty side of showbiz, albeit with a generous punch of supernatural fantasy. 

The series was adapted from Grimson's novel of the same name, but the cinematic rendition was not a complete recreation. Instead, some parts of the book were taken as they were, some expanded, and others added. 

On that note, the creators of the Netflix limited series, Nick Antosca and Lenore Zion, had a chat with Screenrant where they discussed their fascination with the original artwork, the selection of cast members, and the boundaries they'd pushed in pursuit of creating art about the creation of art. 

A Stunning Work of Art

Right from the get-go, Antosca began dishing out his admiration for Grimson's work. The creator said that he first read the book sometime around 2008 or 2009, and with every page, he was stunned by the storytelling. 

He confessed the book had a unique blend of genres, satire, and a great lead character. The story was apparently so appealing that when Antosca met Zion years later during their time together on Channel Zero, he sent her a copy. 

Much like Antosca, Zion was also taken aback by the unpredictability of the narrative. She added, 

The thing that I love about the book more than anything, really, is that you have no idea what's coming next every time you turn the page. And that's remarkably hard to accomplish. Todd Grimson's a fantastic writer.

The Creators Gush over the Cast

The series features Rosa Salazar as the protagonist Lisa Nova, while Eric Lange plays the sinister producer Lou Burke. After being mistreated by Burke, Nova resorted to the dark arts with the supernaturally powerful Boro, played by Catherine Keener, backing her. 

During their interview, the creators couldn't help but swoon over the amazing cast. Starting with Salazar, Antosca shared that she channeled her intensity and powerful, chaotic, & creative energy into her character. 

At the same time, Zion praised the Alita: Battle Angel star for her dedication and willingness to go above and beyond to get the shot right. 

"She is committed - and she also has a great sense of comic timing, by the way," Zion said of Salazar. 

Deliberately Set in the 90s

As for the objectively terrible yet sympathetic character Burke, the team decided to go with Lange because of his charisma and likability. The creators argued that if Burke was perceived as anything other than human, the narrative became very two-dimensional. 

Zion also added that Lange's portrayal of Burke helped enrich the entire storyline. 

Last but not least, the creators candidly appreciated Keener's genius and continued to shower her with compliments. Zion revealed that most of the clothes that Keener's character wore throughout the series were actually picked out by Keener herself. 

Later on in the interview, Antosca admitted that they deliberately decided to keep the story in its original timeline, i.e., the 90's, because they did not want to have screens and streaming platforms, which made being a filmmaker easier. 

He also admitted to having queer writers in the writers' room to ensure that bi Nova from the novel got carried over to the movie.