When you first dive into the cast of In Her Place (or El lugar de la otra for the Spanish speakers), you might expect a standard true-crime lineup. You know the drill: the stoic detective, the weeping widow, the "crazy" killer. But Maite Alberdi’s 2024 Netflix film isn't really interested in the blood and guts of the 1955 murder that rocked Chile. Instead, it’s a weirdly beautiful, almost voyeuristic look at two women whose lives collide in the most unexpected way.
The story is based on the real-life crime of writer María Carolina Geel, who shot her lover at the Hotel Crillón. Honestly, the movie is more about the vibe than the violence. It centers on Mercedes, a shy, overworked legal secretary who basically becomes obsessed with the killer's life. It's about that feeling of wanting to step into someone else's shoes just to breathe their air.
The Leading Ladies: Elisa Zulueta and Francisca Lewin
The entire movie rests on the shoulders of these two, and they’re incredible.
Elisa Zulueta plays Mercedes. You probably recognize Zulueta from La Torre de Mabel or her theater work, but here she’s totally different. She’s "mousy." She’s the person you ignore in the hallway. Mercedes is a paralegal for the judge handling Geel's case. She’s got two rowdy sons and a husband who doesn't really see her. When she starts visiting the incarcerated writer's apartment to pick up clothes or paperwork, she starts living a double life. Zulueta plays this with such a quiet, flickering intensity that you almost forget she’s "stealing" a life.
On the other side, you have Francisca Lewin as María Carolina Geel. Geel was a real person—a famous author. Lewin has to play her as both a cold-blooded killer and a glamorous, intellectual icon. It’s a tough balance. She’s the woman who shot her lover, Roberto Pumarino, five times in a crowded tea room. Yet, in Lewin's hands, she’s not a monster; she’s an enigma.
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The Men of the Court and the Home
While the women are the heart of the film, the supporting cast of In Her Place fills out the stifling, patriarchal world of 1950s Santiago.
- Marcial Tagle as Aliro Veloso: He’s the judge. Tagle is a veteran of Chilean TV (you might know him from Casado con Hijos), and he brings a certain weary authority to the role. He’s not a villain, just a man of his time who relies on Mercedes for everything while barely acknowledging her existence.
- Pablo Macaya as Efraín García: Efraín is Mercedes’ husband. He’s a photographer, but he’s... well, he's kind of a mess. He’s not mean, just oblivious. He represents the domestic cage Mercedes is trying to escape.
- Gabriel Urzúa as Domingo: Urzúa is a rising star in Chile right now, and his presence adds a layer of modern energy to this period piece.
A Deep Look at the Full Cast List
If you're looking for the specific names of the actors who brought this 1955 scandal back to life, here is the breakdown of the primary players.
The Main Players:
- Mercedes: Elisa Zulueta
- María Carolina Geel: Francisca Lewin
- Judge Aliro Veloso: Marcial Tagle
- Efraín (The Husband): Pablo Macaya
- Domingo: Gabriel Urzúa
The Supporting Ensemble:
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- Luis Malaquías Concha: Cristián Carvajal
- René Cárdenas: Néstor Cantillana (A standout as Geel’s seductive friend)
- Roberto Pumarino (The Victim): Nicolás Saavedra
- Benjamín Montero: Pablo Schwarz
- Matilde Ladrón de Guevara: Natalia Valdebenito
The film also features Mariana Loyola as Cora Danyau and Francisco Pérez-Bannen as Pedro Echeverría. It’s basically a "who’s who" of Chilean acting royalty. Even the smaller roles, like Teresita Reyes as Madre Anunciación, feel lived-in and real.
Why This Cast Choice Works So Well
Maite Alberdi is a documentary filmmaker by trade (The Mole Agent, The Eternal Memory). This is her first big fiction feature. Because of that, she chose a cast that feels grounded. There’s no "Hollywood" overacting here.
When Mercedes (Zulueta) tries on Geel's expensive perfume or sleeps in her bed, it doesn't feel like a thriller. It feels like a woman finally finding a room of her own. The chemistry—or rather, the spiritual connection—between Zulueta and Lewin is what makes the movie stick in your head long after the credits roll. They never even have that many scenes together, but their presence haunts each other.
The movie actually represented Chile at the Oscars and the Goya Awards in 2025. It won the Forqué Award for Best Latin American Film, and Elisa Zulueta rightfully took home a Caleuche Award for her performance. People are noticing.
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The True Story Behind the Characters
It’s easy to forget that the cast of In Her Place is portraying people who actually lived. María Carolina Geel (born Georgina Silva Jiménez) was a massive deal in the 50s. She wrote Cárcel de mujeres (Women’s Prison) while she was actually in jail for the murder.
The film is based on the book The Murderers (or Las Homicidas) by Alia Trabucco Zerán. It’s a fascinating read if you want to know the "real" facts. The movie takes some liberties—Mercedes is a fictionalized lens for us to view the case—but the essence of the scandal is all there. The judge in the real case was indeed Aliro Veloso, and the murder at the Hotel Crillón happened exactly as described.
What You Should Do Next
If you’ve watched the movie and found yourself googling the actors, you’ve probably realized how deep the Chilean film industry goes. It's worth exploring.
- Watch 'The Mole Agent': Since you liked the director’s style, check out her Oscar-nominated documentary. It has the same DNA of watching people in private moments.
- Check out 'Casado con Hijos': If you want to see Marcial Tagle (the judge) in a completely different, hilarious light, find clips of this Chilean sitcom.
- Read 'Las Homicidas': If the true-crime element of María Carolina Geel fascinates you, Alia Trabucco Zerán’s book provides the historical context the movie leaves out.
- Look for Francisca Lewin’s older work: She’s been a staple in Chilean teleseries for years. Seeing her transition from a TV star to this heavy, dramatic role is pretty impressive.
The cast of In Her Place managed to take a 70-year-old murder and make it feel like a modern conversation about identity and freedom. It’s not just about who pulled the trigger; it’s about who got to watch.
Next Steps:
To fully appreciate the performances, try watching the film with the original Spanish audio. The nuances in Elisa Zulueta's voice—moving from a whisper at home to a more confident tone in Geel's apartment—are a masterclass in character development that subtitles sometimes miss. Additionally, research the "Hotel Crillón" murders; Geel wasn't the only writer to shoot someone there, which adds a bizarre layer of irony to the whole story.