There’s a good chance that anyone who regularly uses Netflix will have come across a Spanish show called La Casa de Papel. However, many people know it from its English title of Money Heist. The crime drama has become one of the streaming giant’s biggest hits around the world, becoming popular in different countries despite the fact that it originally aired in Spanish.
Ever since the series first appeared on Netflix, it has grown in popularity and won accolades that include an Emmy in 2018. It is arguably the most successful foreign-language television show in the world and continues to attract new fans every single season. Of course, with its roots in Spain, most fans know very little about the making of the series or the behind the scenes secrets that make it possible.
15 It Was Originally Called Los Desahuciados
Many people will know that Money Heist is actually called La Casa de Papel in its native language of Spanish. But this was not the first name of the show. In the early stages of production, it was called Los Desahuciados, which translates as The Outcasts, a nod to the gang all being outcasts in society to some degree.
14 The City Codenames Came About From A T-Shirt
When the writers were coming up with a system to give each of the thieves a codename, they considered a variety of options. Fans of the show will know they eventually settled on using city names. The reason for this, according to showrunner Alex Pina, is that someone in the office wore a t-shirt that had Tokyo written on it, inspiring the use of cities.
13 The 2008 Financial Crash Played A Part In Its Creation
Running through Money Heist is an anti-establishment sentiment. There’s an idea about not trusting governments and protesting against central organizations such as banks because of the control they have over people’s lives. Much of this came from the 2008 financial crisis that badly affected the vast majority of countries around the world.
12 Nairobi Was Not In The First Script
Nairobi has been one of the most important characters in Money Heist and has played a central role in the story. Yet, she was not actually in the initial story and was not present in the first draft of the script. She was added later when the writers wanted another character to expand the gang.
11 Everything In The First Season Was Shot In Madrid
Everything shown in the first season of Money Heist was shot in Madrid. While later seasons have moved away to more exotic locations, the budget of the series meant the crew had to get creative for early episodes. This meant using CGI and disguised sets to recreate environments not found in Spain.
10 The Show Was Almost Canceled
La Casa de Papel as it is known in its native Spain was almost canceled after just one season. The series premiered on the Antena network but saw its ratings plummet after a few episodes had aired. Luckily, Netflix acquired the rights to the show and have been funding it ever since.
9 The Crew Did A Lot Of Research To Be As Accurate As Possible
The documentary series Money Heist: The Phenomenon explained how the crew did lots of research to authentically portray the action on screen. This included hiring metal workers and expert divers so that they could learn how to properly melt gold and design the underwater areas correctly.
8 Newspaper Printing Machines Were Used For The Fake Money
Money Heist often looks authentic and the reason behind this is that the crew does a lot of research and work to get things as genuine as possible. One such example is with the printing presses in the mint that print off money. These are real-life machines but are actually used to print newspapers and were simply converted for filming.
7 Bella Ciao Was Chosen Because One Of The Writers Used It As Hype Music
The Italian protest song “Bella Ciao” is part of the fabric of Money Heist along with the distinctive masks and the color red. Yet, it was only chosen because one of the writers used it as music to hype himself up while trying to come up with new ideas. He thought it would be the perfect choice after listening to it one day.
6 Some Of The Shots Are Incredibly Hard To Pull Off
There are some elaborate shots in Money Heist that require the cast and crew to get creative. One of the most difficult to pull off was when the crew drops money from the sky to cause a distraction. Real money would simply not behave as the director wanted and the weather changed constantly, forcing hundreds of extras to be shepherded around to film the action.
5 The Creators Wanted To Fuse Together Actions Films And Social Movies
Alex Pina explained that when creating Money Heist, the writers wanted to mix together the genres of action and social films together. This was because action movies were too often seen to be shallow while social films were too boring and bogged down with messages. By combining the best of both worlds, they hoped to be able to be exciting but impactful at the same time.
4 The Masks Worn By The Robbers Are Now Popular Around The World
According to The Guardian, the masks worn in Money Heist by the various criminals have become popular in real life. In fact, the paper reported instances of protestors using the same masks in Puerto Rico while a French group used them during a genuine robbery.
3 It Is Netflix’s Most-Watched Non-English Language Show
Money Heist has risen to become one of Netflix’s most popular shows. In fact, it now holds the record for being the most-watched television series on the streaming service that is not in the English language. Few other dubbed or subtitled shows have come anywhere near its success.
2 The Actors Are Constantly Surprised By The Actions Of Their Characters
Úrsula Corberó has explained that the characters can seem unpredictable and surprising, even for those on the show. While she would argue with writers about what her characters might do in other productions, she has come to accept the evolutions of her part in Money Heist, saying, “All the characters, especially the Professor, still have many things to show.”
1 The Writers Craft Scripts On The Fly
Some of the writers for the show have explained that they do not plan out everything in the scripts in advance. Many of the smaller details are written alongside filming for the series, allowing the scriptwriters to change things on the fly or incorporate ideas from the actors and crew on set.