Romanian Characters in American TV Series: Stefania Vaduva Popescu in Grimm (Seasons 2&3)
About
Genre: Supernatural drama, Occult detective fiction, Police procedural
Created by: Stephen Carpenter, David Greenwalt & Jim Kouf
Seasons: 6
Episodes: 112
Synopsis
Character: Stefania Vaduva Popescu
The series focuses on Nick Burkhardt, a homicide investigator in the Portland Police Department. His aunt Marie reveals to him that he comes from a line of guardians known as Grimms, who have to protect our world from the Wesen (German word meaning creatures). The Wesen have an apparent human form, but they transform into monsters on various occasions, a process known in the show as "woge".
The character I wish to focus on is that of Stefania Vaduva Popescu, a Romanian Gypsy known as the Queen of the Schwarzwald gypsies. In the series, she acts as a sort of magical counselor for Adalind Schade, a pregnant Hexenbiest (one of the show's Wesen). Stefania appeared in three episodes in the second seasons, and four in the third season.
Her nemesis in the series is Frau Pech, another Hexenbiest which bring Adalind to Stefania in order to help her regain her powers. However, Stefania and Adalind try to devise a plan to sacrifice Pech and use her heart to help Adalind regain her powers. Frau Pech catches on to the plan and tries to fool Stefania, but she knew it all along and has her son Miguel kill her. She then removes her heart and calls Adalind up to perform the ritual. However, it is revealed that Stefania was also plotting to steal Adalind's baby.
Personal Opinion
I believe that the way this character was constructed is very problematic due to the fact that she is both Romanian and a Gypsy. Besides the obvious play on the magical gypsy witch trope, the show also reveals Stefania to be shady and two-faced. She gradually betrays everyone she comes in contact with in order to pursue her own interests. Unfortunately, Romanians (and Romanian Gypsies) are generally stereotyped with these negative traits in Western media. However, one trope that the show manages to avoid is to create the image of Romanians equals Gypsies. Stefania's heritage is very clearly explained.
