‘Dynasty’ Adds Ana Brenda Contreras as “Real” Cristal for Season 2

Dynasty is recasting a key role for its second season, with an appropriately soapy twist.

Telenovela star Ana Brenda Contreras will join the drama as the “real” Cristal Flores, The CW announced during its time Monday at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour. The casting of Contreras comes on the heels of star Nathalie Kelley, who played Cristal in season one, announcing in June that she wouldn’t return.

The CW president Mark Pedowitz said he was a “little surprised Nathalie spoke of the spoiler” in an interview before the network was ready to announce anything. He added, however, that the plan to introduce a new Cristal started gestating in Dynasty‘s writers room midway through last season.

Contreras playing the “real” Cristal implies that Kelley’s character wasn’t who she claimed to be. The season one finale left Cristal inside a burning house.

“It’s a soap,” Pedowitz said of the idea behind the recasting. “It’s a wild soap. It’s like a telenovela. You do things that make sense for the moment based on where the storyline’s going. That’s really all it’s about.”

Contreras most recently starred on Por Amar Sin Ley, which aired on Univision in the U.S. She also has starred on a number of other telenovelas; Dynasty will mark the actress’ first English-language role.

The second season of Dynasty is set to bow Friday, Oct. 12, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.

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