Narcos arrived on Netflix last year with very little fanfare but it soon became one of the biggest hits that the streaming service has had to date with fans becoming enthralled with the series that focuses on Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar and the DEA agents who worked to bring him down. 

The highly anticipated second season of the show arrived on the streaming service last week and fans once again are raving about the show. If you're one of the many that have become slightly obsessed with the show then why not read up on some of these fun facts that you might not have known. 

1. Wagner Moura gained 40 pounds for the role of Pablo Escobar and STILL had to wear a fake belly

Moura had to undergo a massive transformation in order to convincly portray Escobar. As well as moving to Columbia six months prior to shooting so that he could learn Spanish, he gained 40 pounds in weight in order to try and reflect Escobar's physicality. However even at that he had to wear a fake belly because he just couldn't put on enough weight to mirror the drug lord. 

As showrunner, Jose Padilha said “[Escobar] was always hungry because he was smoking grass the whole day long, and then, at night, he would go to the fridge and eat everything. And then, he would smoke some more grass.”

His physical appearance needed to reflect his life of absurd luxury. 

 

2. One of Pedro Pascal's earliest roles was a cameo on Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Pascal's role on Game of Thrones made him a star but he'd been a working TV actor for years prior to portraying fan favourite Oberyn Martell on the HBO series. One of his earliest roles was a cameo on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He played slightly nerdy Eddie, a college classmate of Buffy's who sadly gets turned into a vampire which is a real shame considering how adorable he is in the episode. It highlights Pascal's range as an actor because Eddie is far cry from both Prince Oberyn and Javier Pena.

 

3. Wagner Moura adopted a vegan diet to get Pablo Escobar out of his system

After filming season 2 of Narcos, Moura began the process of losing the 40 pounds he'd put on for the role by adopting a vegan diet. However it was more than just the weight he needed to lose. He also had to shed himself of Escobar's essence.

As he described to the New York Times: "It was time to let that character go and get rid of that body, get back to my former weight," he said. "That wasn’t my body. I was living in his body for two years, and I’m not only talking about the physical body, but also the energy I was dealing with. It wasn’t nice at all."

 

4. The authentic production design is thanks to the real Pablo Escobar

Pablo Escobar documented himself so thoroughly that he left behind a treasure trove of photos and archived video footage of himself. This was duly raided and studied by the Narcos costume department to consult with for costume recreation and inspiration throughout production to ensure the authenticity.



5. Narcos was originally meant to be a feature film

According to producer Eric Newman, Narcos was originally supposed to be a full length feature film. However once they started discussing how in depth they wanted to go with the characters backstories, focusing on both the Narcos and the DEA, they realised there was just far too much story to cover in just one movie. They needed a series and in came Netflix. 

Considering the show has been renewed for seasons 3 and 4, it was probably a wise move. 

 

Narcos season 2 is currently screening on Netflix. For the way we watch today. Vodafone TV & Broadband for €40 a month with six months Netflix included. Vodafone. Power to you.

Narcos season 2 is currently screening on Netflix. Vodafone now offer both TV with six months Netflix included and superfast Broadband, where you can watch all these shows and much more. For more information please visit Vodafone.ie