Why should actors learn Spanish?

If you haven't been living under a rock lately, you'll know that Narcos is one of the best shows on television.  Produced by Neflix, this show chronicles the rise and fall of Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar.

One of the biggest draws of this show, is it's authenticity.  When you watch it, you really feel like you are in the streets of Colombia. But what is the secret ingredient that makes it really stand out from the countless other shows?

The Spanish dialogue.

The show is about 50% in Spanish, and 50% in English.  Narcos not only has a primarily Spanish-language script but also one written in tune with the subtleties of Colombian (and particularly paisa) Spanish.

Examples include the use of the second-person familiar vos, common there and in other areas of Latin America.  The peculiar use of the formal second person usted at exactly the right moment; the rich deployment of obscenities that pepper Medellín street Spanish. There has never been an American TV series like this one, mostly in Spanish, and the most authentic Spanish at that.

The Spanish scenes mirror exactly what the locals would say, which is amazing since the show's leading star, didn't even speak Spanish before the show started filming.

Brazilian actor Wagner Moura got his big break when he landed the leading role in this high profile show.  But he the problem was, he didn't speak Spanish at all.  We all have our motivations for learning a language.  But perhaps none of them are as compelling as Moura's  reasons to learn Spanish.

And learn he did, through an intensive schedule of lessons and self-study, he was able to pick up a Spanish access that sounded indistinguishable from your average native speaker.  It goes to show the power of commitment and dedication to his craft.

According to the latest census, there are nearly 60 million Spanish speakers living in the United States.  That means there is an ever growing market for Spanish media, including TV shows and movies.

So any actor or actress who is thinking about making it big, should really think about adding this very important language to his/her repertoire.  It might seem like a huge upfront investment, but the rewards are well worth it.  Even Will Ferrell starred in his own Spanish language movie!  Cmon, if Will Ferrell can do it, then ANYONE can.