This City is Ours has returned to BBC One, introducing viewers to a new antagonist, Felipe, the brother of Ricardo Guzman, who takes over leadership of the cartel after Ricardo's death. The role is played by Spanish actor Alvaro Morte, widely recognised for his portrayal of The Professor in the Netflix hit Money Heist.
Morte's rise to fame
Morte, 51, gained global recognition through Money Heist, a role he says changed his life. Speaking to Numero Netherlands, he explained: "Since I played the character of El Profesor, many things have changed. My work is seen in many places, which increases the opportunities available to me."
He added: "Today, thanks to that role, I've been able to work with people I dreamed of working with many years ago, and it has been thanks to El Profesor. It has given me the opportunity to have a national and international career because 'Money Heist' went global."
Morte also noted the personal impact of fame: "On a personal level, it also changes you because suddenly you stop being anonymous and become someone known not only in your country, but in many parts of the world. This indeed changes many things in your habits and things you can no longer do, but I must say that I receive a lot of love from everyone, a lot of affection, and I think it has been worth it."
Fans react to new role
Beyond Money Heist, Morte has appeared in The Wheel of Time as Logain Ablar and in the historical drama The Anatomy of a Moment as Adolfo Suarez. His casting in This City is Ours surprised fans, with one commenting: "This is amazing, the professor has been in Merseyside [shocked emoji]." Another wrote: "Professor??", while a further viewer posted: "Professor! @alvaromorte the best."
His character has quickly become one audiences love to dislike, with fans on X saying: "It's going to be hard to like Felipe," and "I'm already at completely hating Felipe stage."
Morte's connection to the show
Morte said he was drawn to the series because it "felt incredibly authentic, not only because of the story and the characters, but also because of the way it was shot." He added: "There's something very simple yet incredibly powerful about the way the story is told. When I watched it, I knew it was a very special project, and I was genuinely excited to know that I was going to become part of this family."
This City is Ours season 2 is available on BBC iPlayer, with episodes airing weekly on Sundays and Mondays on BBC One.
