8 Facts about La Casa De Papel to Celebrate the Launch of Part 5 Volume 2

Images courtesy of Netflix

The day has finally come. Money Heist, otherwise known as La Casa De Papel, launches its final season today, bringing the chapter to a close. Gripping audiences from all walks of life worldwide, La Casa De Papel has become a huge international phenomenon, and to say that fans will be bittersweet about seeing it end is an understatement. But we’re not asking you to let go. Not yet. From the horses’ mouths, here are some facts about La Casa De Papel, as the cast and show runners share their experiences, memories, and approaches leading up to the finale. Join us and la banda one more time, and make sure you catch La Casa De Papel Part 5 Volume 2 starting today on Netflix!


1) There’s “More”

LA CASA DE PAPEL (L to R) AHIKAR AZCONA as MATÍAS, BELÉN CUESTA as MANILA, MIGUEL HERRÁN as RÍO, ITZIAR ITUÑO as LISBOA, RODRIGO DE LA SERNA as PALERMO in episode 08 of LA CASA DE PAPEL. Cr. TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX © 2021

When prompted about what the finale would be like, Úrsula Corberó (Tokyo) revealed that there would be “more”. There’s more blood, more grit, more hate… Also, there’s an understanding that the cast and crew know that the whole thing is about to come to an end, so in terms of energy, there’s a really strong engagement. While Volume 1 is more warlike, Volume 2 is way more emotional. Jaime Lorente (Denver) also felt like this final season was the most challenging, as the action had to be filled with emotions as well, so it was all very intense. Patrick Criado (Rafael) also added that in this final season, the characters are at their limits.

2) La Casa De Papel Started Off Almost Experimental

MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 30: Press conference of “La Casa De Papel” Part 5 presented by Netflix at Palacio de Vista Alegre on November 30, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images for Netflix)

None of the cast or crew really expected the show to blow up and be the phenomenon it is today, as it’s very difficult to predict these things. In fact, it started off almost like an experiment, with the thought behind it being “let’s check this thing out, let’s see what ends up happening”. Well, what ended up happening is a show that many people fell in love with, and a global fanbase that can’t wait for the launch of the finale today.

3) Sharing Úrsula Corberó’s Favourite Scene

Image courtesy of Netflix

Úrsula revealed that her favourite scene is in Part 1, Episode 6. It’s a long take of a street dance party, where her character Tokyo sneaks out of the house along with Río, Nairobi, and Denver. For Úrsula, she thinks that this is the scene where they are become friends, so it’s symbolic and meaningful–therefore her favourite scene.

4) Grieving Years Ago

LA CASA DE PAPEL (L to R) ÁLVARO MORTE as PROFESOR in episode 09 of LA CASA DE PAPEL. Cr. TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX © 2021

The leader of the group, El Profesor is the mastermind behind the heists, always has a couple of backup plans up his sleeve, and luck seems to always be on his side. Not to mention that he probably has his own fanbase separate from the whole Money Heist universe. When asked about going into the finale, Álvaro Morte, who plays The Professor, shares that he had already went through the grieving process of saying goodbye to his character when they finished the second season way back when. The Professor was a character who gave lots to Álvaro Morte, and one he really loved. With the following seasons, Álvaro Morte felt that it was a second chance, so he was content but sad with this (final) finale.

5) A Successful Theory?

LA CASA DE PAPEL (L to R) HOVIK KEUCHKERIAN as BOGOTÁ, ÚRSULA CORBERÓ as TOKIO, RODRIGO DE LA SERNA as PALERMO, ITZIAR ITUÑO as LISBOA, MIGUEL HERRÁN as RÍO, JAIME LORENTE as DENVER in episode 02 of LA CASA DE PAPEL. Cr. TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX © 2020

When something is as big as this is, it inevitably prompts the question why, or how? Again, there’s probably no definitive answer, but Najwa Nimri (Inspectora Sierra) shares that part of the success of the show is probably this: while you’re trying to bring down your opponent, in the course of doing that you discover yourself. It’s introspective, and everybody loves a good self-discovery story, so we’ll take her word for it!

6) Underwear from Set

LA CASA DE PAPEL (L to R) RODRIGO DE LA SERNA as PALERMO, ITZIAR ITUÑO as LISBOA, JAIME LORENTE as DENVER, BELÉN CUESTA as MANILA in episode 02 of LA CASA DE PAPEL. Cr. TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX © 2020

We think that this may be the most important fact of all: Miguel Herrán (Río) revealed that his has a lot of underwear from La Casa De Papel. The reason is because he always shows up to set in a tracksuit with nothing underneath, so he has to request for socks and underwear all the time. He basically ends up with all things Punto Blanco. Not a bad deal, to be honest.

7) Approaching the End

POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR PART 4 & PART 5 VOLUME 1

LA CASA DE PAPEL (L to R) RODRIGO DE LA SERNA as PALERMO, JENNIFER MIRANDA as ARANTXA ARTECHE in episode 09 of LA CASA DE PAPEL. Cr. TAMARA ARRANZ/NETFLIX © 2021

Showrunner Álex Pina mentioned that they were under lots of pressure trying to come up with a finale befitting of what the show had become. They actually had a pre-designed finale, but it was so bad because that ending was out of tune with the plausibility of the show. They kept filming without a definitive ending, and every day was a countdown. In the end, they wrote more than 30 versions of the ending before discovering something that was right, and he says that it could be a controversial ending that causes a variety of emotions in the viewer. A fan also sent them a letter saying how much they loved the show, but if they end up killing somebody like Tokyo and Nairobi again, they wish that “you would have diarrhoea for seven years”. Hell hath no fury like a fan scorned.

8) The Football Theory

MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 30: Press conference of “La Casa De Papel” Part 5 presented by Netflix at Palacio de Vista Alegre on November 30, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images for Netflix)

The question was bounced around again: how did Money Heist come to gain its gigantic fanbase? There’s a theory that was suggested, and we think it interesting: the soccer/football theory. In Spain (where La Casa De Papel is native), football is an important thing, and there are some qualities in the show that have a lot to do with football. There are two teams, a referee, an anthem… there are so many different “football” metaphors, and the similarities between football and the show could be one reason or contributing factor to its fanbase. It certainly seems plausible!

And that’s all we have today, which we hope makes for a light-hearted yet meaningful read for all you fans out there. *starts playing Bella Ciao* It’s been a ride, and we’ll catch you with la banda on La Casa De Papel Part 5 Volume 2!