Pedro Alonso: Money Heist’s global success a ‘miracle’

After four seasons and success of global proportions, Pedro Alonso has one word for the show Money Heist — a miracle.

As the Spanish heist drama originally titled as La Casa de Papel enters its last season, divided in two volumes to be released on Sept. 3 and Dec. 3, the 50-year-old actor playing the fan-favorite Berlin is just full of gratitude for all the appreciation the series has received.

Created by Alex Pina, the story follows a genius called The Professor who carries out heists with his carefully selected band of robbers — all wearing the now-iconic red jumpsuits and Salvador Dali masks and named after popular cities.

As the synopsis of the finale season goes, the gang has been shut in the Bank of Spain for over 100 hours. Their darkest moment is upon them after losing one of their own. The Professor has been held captive in his hideout by the ruthless police inspector Alicia Sierra and, for the first time, doesn’t have an escape plan. Just when it seems like nothing else could go wrong, an “enemy” much more powerful than they’ve ever faced appears in the scene — the army. With the end of the “greatest heist in history” coming, what started out as a robbery is about to turn into a war.

During a recent virtual interview with select press, including The STAR, Pedro disclosed that the phenomenal reception to the show was the least of their expectations.

Money Heist was a small-budgeted series originally catering to Spanish TV audiences only. It has since broken down cultural barriers after Netflix saved it from the brink of cancellation and acquired its global rights in 2017. The following year, 2018, the series was touted as the most-watched non-English language series and one of most-watched series overall on the streaming giant.

“At the beginning, we were doing a show for Spain. Two years later, we were kind of an unexpected phenomenon. And we were spectators of that, what is this, what is happening (laughs)? We couldn’t process that. But today we can’t deny that something tremendous happened to us. I feel that we, I don’t know how, created that kind of alignment or connection with many people, countries and cultures,” the actor reflected during the 35-minute interview where he made sure to address reporters by their names and see them on-cam.

On a more personal level, Pedro said the impact of the show reminded him why he became an actor in the first place.

“For me, it was an invitation to reinforce my intentions as an actor, my way to connect with work. I try to separate the pressure from my passion, the noise of the phenomenon from the real world. Then sometimes I have to work with people in terms of publicity... but as a work, I will do my best and say to people, okay, we receive your love, I’m going (to work) harder to the end of my intentions. Now, I can only say my thank you and appreciate this impossible miracle that happened to us,” he added.

The STAR asked Pedro if he had any theories as to why a show with such a strong Spanish identity won over foreign viewers.

He mused, “The secret to this phenomenon? If we knew it, if we (were) able to write it, we would be millionaires (laughs). How can we explain something so unexpected?”

Nevertheless, he added, he has some ideas as to the reason why.

“One is we created a TV show that originally was part of the North American culture, but we did it in a Latin, more emotional way. We do the former but execute it in a way that is more connected to our idiosyncrasies,” he began.

“Two, the fact after years of economic difficulties, we did what many people wanted to do — fighting against a system… The third probably is the pop iconography, the mask, the red clothes, that created a kind of mythology.”

As for the fourth one, he noted the aspirational aspect of the show, saying “it gives the little (one) the opportunity to put in question the big one.”

According to Pedro, the confluence of all these factors propelled by the ambition of the production crew that “we can do this, we are no one, but we are here to try, and suddenly we tried it, could be an explanation.”

“But it’s not enough to understand this brutal phenomenon around the world. It is the heart of the people that decided to feel like it’s their own project. Suddenly, the people decided to be part of our group. It’s a miracle, there’s no explanation.”

In Money Heist, Berlin is the half-brother of The Professor, who is ranked one of the best-loved and most hated characters in the series. He was introduced first as a bad guy then as an antihero who died for the sake of heist members in the second season. Reportedly due to popular demand, he was brought back into the show via flashbacks.

Pedro, who’s been hailed for capturing the perfect blend of the bad and “good” side of Berlin, recalled that even he was surprised at the turn of events for his character and wondered at first how the show was going to pull it off. “At the beginning Berlin was basically a role… playing with chaos all the time. Then suddenly there came an opportunity to continue playing the role but he was dead. We had to reinvent the role.”

He praised the writers for being able to explain how “all these impossible pieces connect” through the “travel to the past” or flashbacks. But he hinted as much that the finale season will offer a “complete map” or the “complete travel of the galaxy of my (character’s) emotions, thoughts, crises, delirium, feelings, questionable particularities.”

Even after the show takes a bow, Pedro will always be remembered for figuring in many noteworthy scenes throughout the series. These included his Season 1 moment with Alvaro Morte as The Professor, singing Bella Ciao, an old Italian protest song that the show has since popularized.

He, however, asked reporters to watch out for his “most emotional” scene in Volume 2 in December. “That puts in perspective why the role is what it is,” he explained, though careful not to give away spoilers.

“There’s something tragic (that happened)... but I was very happy because I was able to rise to the moment that was at the same time terrible for me. I was in the middle of the situation and I was smiling yet destroyed. I was astonished by my own emotion. Although sometimes, you have intuitions, I always try to prepare and anticipate what I’m going to feel (in scenes). But at that moment I was astonished by the paradoxicality and the ambivalence… the rebellious expression of the beauty of the emotions of the role, what is good and the bad. You’ll see,” he further said.

The STAR asked Pedro how his last shooting day went and was it also emotional.

He narrated: “It was tremendous. I was filming completely alone without (co-stars). The rest of the cast were far away... It was tremendous what I had to do. I remember in the morning, I was quiet and really calm, (ready to say) goodbye to the show. I was focused and did what I had to do but in the end, I don’t know if you know it but usually when (filming) ends, the crew (bursts) into an applause.

“I initially felt quiet and calm but suddenly, one of the crew gave me a letter, ‘Pedro, this is for you.’ And some people said that the letter was from Javi (Javier Gomez Santander), one of the writers of the TV show aside from Alex Pina. He’s a very, very good friend of mine, he’s really a brother.

“Once I heard that (it came from him), I began to cry. I didn’t even open the letter! But I began to cry so tremendously that I had to not make any movement because if I’d move, sit down or say something, I would be (wailing), ‘I was going to die here!’ (Laughs).’

“For four minutes, I could say nothing. Four minutes, not even one minute! I thought, what happened here (laughs)? And after that, they said, ‘You have to read it.’ So, I had to read it. In 10 minutes, I read a little note that absolutely broke my heart. OK, this is really happening. It was really a moment in my life that left me memorable situations that I won’t forget.”

Pedro further pondered on Money Heist coming to an end.

“My experience has taught me that all has a time, a time for life. I tend to don’t fight with that. I try to accept that life of art cycles. And sometimes, you anticipate one thing and the day surprises you totally,” he noted.

“For example, my role died, and when I said oh, I would like to continue with this because I was enjoying and I was happy with the crew... Suddenly there appeared a new opportunity to play a role that was dead. I couldn’t anticipate all the magical things that happened after that.”

But he has also learned to “leave things open.”

He said, “(I had the greatest) honor and privilege of doing this amazing role. It offered me an opportunity of ‘renovating’ in each season my intentions, the nuances of the role and I’m happy with that.

“It’s the end but who knows what happens in the future? I don’t think about it. I try to be focused on the present. I’m excited to see the final season because I haven’t seen it yet, and share it with all the followers around the world.”

(Money Heist Part 5 Volume 1 premieres on Netflix on Sept. 3.)