With her role as Tokyo in the Netflix hit Money Heist, Úrsula Corberó rose to fame. Now she talks with 20 Minuten about her latest project, The Day of the Jackal.
Úrsula Corberó, in your new series, you play a woman named Nuria who only realizes after many years of marriage that her husband is a hitman. Could your current partner keep such a big secret from you?
I don’t think so. It probably depends on how good my partner is at lying. When I read the script, I was shocked that Nuria didn’t suspect anything. She’s very trusting, which I find nice—but that’s not really like me.
Did you take on this role to learn to be more trusting?
No. I like to analyze and control everything. I mainly took the role because I really wanted to work with Eddie Redmayne. For me, it was also an opportunity to play a very different character, someone who initially appears somewhat weak but is very honest and decent. In Spain, I usually play super ambitious characters.
I watched the first three episodes of The Day of the Jackal…
…I think the series gets even better after that!
Because you’re on screen more often?
Exactly! I had to tell everyone that at the premieres in London and New York, where only the first episode was shown, and I barely appear in it… Being part of these international productions was very unusual for me.
In what way?
I’m still trying to improve my English. Sometimes it’s really frustrating and exhausting because I can’t fully be myself. When I want to make a joke during a conversation, I often miss the right moment because I have to think of the words first. I rack my brain when I speak English.
In the series, you speak both English and your native language…
…Well, actually, I speak in a completely different dialect. Nuria is from Cádiz in southern Spain, while I’m from Barcelona, where we struggle to understand people from Cádiz. They have a different pronunciation and entirely different vocabulary. The English-speaking producers didn’t initially realize how big the difference was.
On Instagram, almost no one in Spain has as many followers as you. The Spanish magazine Hola! calls you “our star in Hollywood.” Why are people in Spain so proud of you?
Wow, you’d have to ask them! But I feel loved and confident in my homeland. People support me.
You had your breakthrough with your role in the Netflix megahit Money Heist. Has the Spanish film industry benefited from the fact that watching foreign-language content with subtitles has become normal in the streaming era?
Hmm, although my voice in Money Heist was dubbed into countless languages. But streaming platforms have certainly changed things. Before Netflix, you had to go through Hollywood to achieve international success. Money Heist was the first Spanish show to succeed beyond national and language borders—and with a modest budget. That encouraged filmmakers in Spain and other countries to believe in themselves. In Spain, hardly anyone dared to make action films before because it was considered the specialty of the Americans. That changed with Money Heist.
In the past two years, you’ve starred in four series and two films, including one alongside Kevin Hart. He’s known as a workaholic because, despite his success, he’s afraid of losing everything. Do you fill up your schedule for a similar reason?
No, but I have been working a lot lately and giving it my all. I go through phases where I push myself for practically a whole year without breaks. But I had to learn to listen to myself more. Now, I really, really need a break. I’m going to say no to everything because I’m no good without energy. I love my job, but I also love my family, my boyfriend, and my home. After this interview, I’m going on vacation.
The series «The Day of the Jackal» is available as of November 7 exclusively on Sky Show.
