Spanish Originals Stretch Boundaries Under Diego Avalos’ Netflix Leadership

More than seven years ago, Diego Avalos took the helm as Netflix’s vice president of content in Spain, Portugal, and Nordics with his sights set clearly on growing the production company’s presence in Spain and its contributions to globally accessible streaming content. With a passion for cultivating non-English content that reflects the unique cultural perspectives of the people of Spain, Avalos has overseen a number of projects, both on and off the sound stage, that have paved the way for Spanish-language content to expand in reach and resonance. Never one to accept the status quo, Diego Avalos’ Netflix tenure has also seen the brand push beyond the boundaries and transform how non-English series are crafted and received across the globe.

Netflix’s Money Heist Serves as a Launching Point for Spanish-Language Content

While Netflix launched its service offerings in Spain in 2015, soon after launching its first Spanish-language original, Club de Cuervos. Yet the streaming platform lacked content created in Spain for Spanish audiences. This was soon addressed through the development of Cable Girls, a period drama that became the first Spanish original produced by Netflix in Spain. Filmed in Madrid, the show received accolades in Spain, including receipt of the Ondas Award for Best Fiction Web Series or Online Show in 2017.

While there was clearly a market for content produced in Spain, for Spain, Diego Avalos’ Netflix team sought to expand those boundaries through the cultivation of content that would intrigue a broader audience. In late 2017, Netflix acquired the streaming rights to the Spanish-language show Money Heist, written and created by Alex Pina. The platform then funded three additional seasons of the show following its immediate success with international audiences. The series went on to become the most watched non-English program on the platform by 2018.

Spurred by the program’s success, Diego Avalos, Netflix, and Pina came to an agreement for an exclusive global deal for additional programming, produced in Spain and in the Spanish language. This involves rights to spinoffs for Money Heist including one in Korean as well as the concept for a series inspired by the panic and bunkers that appeared during the COVID-19 pandemic. What all of this content has in common is the acknowledgement and appreciation for Spanish-language programming on a global level. This appeals to Spaniards as well as viewers across Latin America, but the data shows that viewers are not just from Spanish-speaking regions. The last season of Money Heist, for example, was viewed across over 65 million global households, making the top ten list in 92 countries including France, Germany, and Australia.

Netflix Continues to Support Spanish-Language Production with Growing Content Schedule

While Diego Avalos heads up operations for Spain and Portugal, among other responsibilities, he is a strong proponent of expanding Spanish-language programming across all Spanish-speaking locales. This includes supporting the production and creation of both movies and series produced in Mexico and on location throughout Latin America. He believes in the power of cultural connections and localized content to not only relate to language-based demographics but also to reach across differences and provide unique looks at cultures that may otherwise not have access to such content. “We have to prime local elements with a local vision,” he shared.

This can be seen in the production of Someone Has to Die, a 1950s-based depiction of Spain during Francisco Franco’s rule. The limited series included three episodes and was produced and created in Spain by Manolo Caro. The Mexican director and writer is also known for is work on The House of Flowers, another popular series that rose to the top of the most-watched list in Mexico on its debut. Caro’s ability to convey cultural themes and situations across the Spanish-speaking world encouraged Diego Avalos and Netflix to continues its relationship with Caro for additional content.

“English and Hollywood no longer dominate the world and Spain is now at Hollywood’s level,” Avalos extolled in a recent interview. The content leader is working with Caro, among other creators, to cultivate a trove of talent across Spanish-speaking countries to bolster content production without restricting resources to a specific country. Using Spain as a hub for filming, stages, and even post-production facilities, Avalos is optimistic that production will continue to increase as content is recognized in non-Spanish markets for its talent and storytelling.