 Aside from perfecting a Spanish accent for the film, Mexican Gael  Garcia Bernal also had to master Spanish body language. He took  flamenco lessons to help him do that. He also studied the films of  Barbara Stanwyck and Spanish camp icon Sara Montiel, as well as  Almodovars previous leading ladies, Carmen Maura and Victoria  Abril. When asked, however, if there was a particular femme fatale  he sought to emulate, Bernals response was Alain Delons sexually  ambiguous Ripley in "Plein Soleil" (1960).