Most television series only have to deal with one spoken language — maybe two or three. 1899 is a different story. The new mystery thriller from the creators of Dark juggles up to seven different languages in a given episode. They’re not just showing off: The series is set on a ship heading to America, and the cast is made up of actors from the four corners of the world, playing immigrants on their way to a new home. Above, you can check out a featurette spotlighting the series’ focus on language. 

An International Cast

The series’ multicultural cast is central. “It came from [creators] Bo and Jantje that they wanted to have a truly international cast,” says casting director Lucy Bevan in the video.

For German showrunners Jantje Friese and Baran bo Odar, shooting a series with so many separate languages wasn’t always easy, but it felt necessary. “On some days, I have to listen to Cantonese all day,” bo Odar says. “And I have no clue what they’re saying, but I can actually tell what they’re saying by rehearsing a lot.” 

What is 1899’s “Original” Language?

While data shows most users around the world enjoy watching dubbed versions, the showrunners’ commitment to original language was crucial.  As seen in the video, the difficulties of the language barrier also brought the team closer together. Cast members play translation guessing games with one another, and assistants cue in actors that may have missed a line in another language. The entire complicated process makes for performances that reflect the real-life experience of an immigrant crossing to America, surrounded by unfamiliar voices.

“We ended up casting out of England, Germany, Norway, Iceland, France, Hong Kong, Spain, Poland, Portugal,” Bevan says.

“Did you say Denmark?” her fellow casting director Emily Brockmann chimes in. It’s easy to forget a country when you’re working from nearly a dozen of them.

1899 is streaming on Netflix right now.