As sudden as it might seem, Llobell, a Zimbabwean Spanish actress based in London, has actually had a while to acclimate to the prospect. As with so many productions in TV and film, Foundation took longer to complete due to COVID-19. Additionally, the journey to securing her position as Gaal was a lengthy and arduous one: “I had three auditions. I had the first one with the casting director. The second was a recall with David Goyer and Rupert Sanders, who directed the first episode. And then, we had a five-day test week. It was five days of auditions every day—me and five other girls going up for my role. It was pretty intense, but it was a really wonderful thing to see because we’re all young actresses of colour, which I think you don’t get to see or be around very often. As intense as it was, it was also pretty beautiful to be amongst all those women,” Llobell says. From start to finish, the process has taken around two years, which is more than enough time to wait and ruminate. “As much as, obviously, I’m not prepared for what’s coming, I think I’m ready for everyone to see it. And hopefully, there’ll be positive feedback,” she adds.
