Everyone would agree that it is wrong to love criminals; But then, who doesn't love Tokyo. Tokyo, aka Silene Oliveira, is the face of Money Heist (La Casa De Papel), the show that has redefined crime drama for most fans and is now one of the most viewed on Netflix.
The woman behind that name is Úrsula Corberó, who happens to be a household face for Netflix fans thanks to her previous performance in Física o Química (Physics Or Chemistry) as the highly criticized character Ruth Gomez. Corberó's life is just as interesting as the intriguing characters she is known for. Here are some interesting things you need to know before you pick up your next Dali mask in Tokyo's name.
Updated December 13th, 2021 by Kayleigh Banks: When it comes to Money Heist, everyone knows that no character is safe so fans did go into Part 5 expecting a few more deaths and casualties. Yet, one person that they never expected to get killed off was Tokyo - one of the show's protagonists and the main narrator.
Considering how she played an instrumental part in the heists and had several great relationships with the other heist , it devastated fans that the heart of the show was essentially gone. However, fans shouldn't be disappointed as Úrsula Corberó's character did get an epic send-off and the actor has already begun gaining new projects (including a big Hollywood picture).
Succeeding Through Thick And Thin
Born Úrsula Corberó Delgado in Saint Pele De Vilamajor, Barcelona, to Pedro Corberó, a carpenter, and Esther Delgado. She doesn't descend from a family of actors, but that never limited her love for the profession. Breaking into showbiz was hard for her, though. Her family struggled, which meant that her choice of career only made that harder.
According to Europapapress, her mother, who did lots of odd jobs to keep the family alive, was forced to sacrifice her afternoons to take young Corberó to her castings in Barcelona, (which was over 60km away). She requested her boss to deduct her afternoon pay but not fire her as she trekked with her 6-year-old daughter to go for acting classes and castings. Unlike Tokyo's mother, who gave her up to the police, Corberó's mother ed her aspirations at all costs, and the two are still close.
Her Early Career
Corberó's talent was natural, which is why she has never been off the screens since she landed her first major role with Catalan TV. Netflixers have had the chance of enjoying the best of Corberó's performance, but fans of Catalan TV had the best of her early days on the screens. She started her career as Maria in the 2002 Spanish TV Show Mirall Trencat aged just 13.
She featured in three episodes, but it was enough to earn her other roles in commercials. In 2005, she got the role of Sara in the Spanish TV series Ventdelpla appearing in seven episodes until 2006. She then moved to Madrid to work for Antena TV, starting her role in Fisica o Quimica which became her breakthrough role.
She Has Catalan Roots
Catalonian independence is a sensitive topic for any Catalan citizen, and Corberó has been asked about the subject as she is one of the most famous Catalan celebrities in the world. She speaks both Catalan, Spanish, and English fluently, but she prefers to speak Spanish in public.
Her Catalan ancestry, however, didn't affect her early career as she sailed through castings, rising to fame in her teenage in Madrid. She has not publicly taken any sides so far. She said she has friends on both sides of the divide (according to El Mundo), but she tweeted condemning police brutality in of the protesters after the Catalonian Independence Referendum in 2017.
Ursula's Worst Money Heist Scene
that scene in Season 3 when the professor looks at his GPS and tells everyone, "we've crossed international waters," and everyone is celebrating? Well, it wasn't so celebrated by the cast because they were riding in high seas off the coast of Thailand, and the crew was forced to stay in winter clothes under the hot sun (via Express).
Miguel Herrán, who plays Rio, was the worst affected as he had a heat stroke. The rest of them were vomiting, but they managed to keep up the happy mood long enough to get the scene onto the screens. Corberó said she was not feeling well by the time they landed ashore.
He View On Tokyo's Love For Rio
Tokyo and Rio are in this toxic relationship that keeps jeopardizing the professor's gang, but none of them seems ready to walk out. Many fans actually like the toxic romance shared by the two, and Corberó seems as undecided about the relationship as the rest of the fans.
She confessed to her strength and bravery but believed that she needs to tone down a little on her self-confidence and let her vulnerability set in at some point. She also said that Tokyo and Rio's relationship is toxic because of Tokyo's personality. However, just like the rest of the fans, Corberó is thrilled by the 24-Year-Old Miguel Herrán's portrayal of Rio.
Her Real Life Activism
Just like Tokyo, Corberó is an activist; One that uses her giant social media following rather than guns to fight for the rights of women. She is a strong feminist who confesses that feminists have to be radical sometimes if they are to overturn the centuries of oppression that women have faced and still do. Both her mother and elder sister have been victims of gender bias, which explains her choice of activism.
Her biggest inspiration is her mother, who was forced to drop out of school because she got pregnant with Monica (Ursula's elder sister) aged just 17. Her mother faced oppression in the neighborhood and at school as she was viewed as a bad example to other girls. Her sister also struggled to feed her daughter and get a job even after graduating with good grades (via Europapapress).
Her Relationship With Miguel Herrán
To be Tokyo, Corberó had to create a good relationship with Herrán, but that doesn't mean he was her favorite co-star on the Money Heist cast. She said that she has no particular favorite co-star in Money Heist but that she enjoyed working with Rodrigo De Serna, Jaime Lorente, and of course, Miguel Herrán (via Identity Magazine). Herrán also put up a great performance of Rio, Tokyo's young and confused boyfriend.
Corberó and Herrán spiced things up when they teased fans with photos of the two of them together on their social media and on GQ Magazine. Ursula and Miguel actually kissed in a photo shared on Instagram, but it turns out they were just teasing the fans since she is in a long-term relationship with Chino Darin.
Her Love Life
Corberó's first known relationship was with her Fisica o Quimica co-star Israel Rodriguez whom she dated from 2008 to 2010. However, this relationship didn't last. She then started dating the Spanish tennis player Feliciano Lopez in 2011, although they broke up after a few months. She then started dating Andres Velencoso, the Spanish model and actor, from 2013 to 2016.
Her relationship with Chino Darin has been the most widely acknowledged one, as the two have shared lots of memories on their social media. They were having a long-distance relationship in 2017 when Chino was stuck in Argentina while filming. Corberó then defended their relationship in an interview with El Mundo, saying they were happier than some couples who live together.
Being A Teen Celeb
Úrsula Corberó has been in the limelight since she was a 6-year-old, which is why being a celebrity did not come as a surprise to her. She became aware of the change in her world with the huge following she garnered while playing Ruth Gomez on Fisica o Quimica.
She started making lots of money, and being only 17, didn't know how to spend responsibly, so she ended up wasting most of it on expensive dinners and fashion. She grew out of it quickly and learned to be responsible as more roles found her leading to the responsible and sociable Úrsula Corberó everyone loves today.
Úrsula Hated Wearing The Red Jumpsuits
Over the five seasons of Money Heist, there have been many important staples. However, fans would agree that the most iconic object was the heist ' red jumpsuits and masks. Created by Carlos Diez, the red jumpsuits and Salvador Dalí masks were meant to represent the theme of rebellion and revolution. The characters of the series were hardly seen without them as they always wore them during their operations.
While the actors did love the symbolism behind them, it appears that Corberó was one of the few actors who hated them (according to Collider). "I was fed up of wearing the red jumpsuit," she said. "I needed to have a nice outfit." Since they did have several days where they had to do long shoots, they likely got more uncomfortable as the day went on.
Úrsula's Wig Caught On Fire During A Stunt On Money Heist
While Money Heist is known for having some of the best stunts, a few fans may be surprised to discover that it wasn't all smooth sailing behind the scenes. In an interview with Netflix, Corberó revealed in the early stages of the show that her wig had caught fire during one of the stunts.
"I start to smell like burnt chicken," Corberó told her co-stars, "and it was my hair that was on fire. In fact, it wasn't my hair, it was the wig, which was even worse because that meant it burns more." Corberó also revealed that she was nearly severely injured in another stunt when she misheard some instructions and was almost caught in the explosion. Luckily, she was okay but it just goes to show that the actors did go through a lot to create such epic scenes. It just makes the fans appreciate Corberó and the cast even more.
Úrsula's First Hollywood Production Was Snake Eyes
While Corberó was well-known in America due to the large Money Heist fanbase, it was only until 2021 that she got her first major role in Hollywood (according to one of the biggest villains in the G.I. Joe franchise and a character that should never be underestimated).
Although the movie didn't perform as well as expected at the box office, many fans thoroughly enjoyed Corberó's portrayal as she ended up capturing the Baroness' villainous essence perfectly and kept fans entertained with her unpredictable schemes. Hopefully, she will get a lot more opportunities in the future now that she has made her Hollywood debut.
Úrsula Was Worried She Wouldn't Get The Role In Snatch
Back in 2018, Corberó was also seen to star in another heist-like drama called Snatch. Similar to her role as Tokyo, Corberó played Inés Santiago, a great asset and crew member who impressed fans with her quick driving skills and fast thinking.
While Corberó made a great addition to the cast, some fans may not have realized that it almost didn't come into fruition because the part was in English. In an interview with HarperBazaar, the actor itted that despite working hard and doing her research, she "didn't speak English at all" and was "faking everything." She even panicked when the director asked for her to come in and audition with one of the leads. Luckily, it all worked out in her favor.
Úrsula's Role Model Is Penélope Cruz
Many actors today have been inspired and influenced by several performers. In an interview with Interview Magazine, Corberó itted that one of her biggest role models is Penélope Cruz and that she would love to have a career similar to hers.
Considering that Corberó has been acting since 2002 and has received a lot of critical success for her performances in Fisica o Quimica, Money Heist, and Snake Eyes, many fans are sure that her future looks bright.
