One of December’s most talked-about moments is the Christmas Lottery draw, a staple that television audiences in Spain eagerly anticipate each year. The campaign this season centers on a simple, powerful message: time spent with loved ones matters more than money. The story follows a man who realizes, too late, that the chance to share a hug with his father vanishes the moment his wish to erase the world is granted. The emotional arc hinges on the idea that joy comes from togetherness, not material gain.
Christmas Lottery announcement emphasizes the reality of “being together”: “There is no greater chance than having each other”
In the spotlight is Andrea Thurman, with a background in theater who plays a daughter figure, while Carlos Olalla portrays a father figure whose life in the story intertwines with themes of unemployment and resilience. The narrative echoes a broader tradition of Spanish television where family bonds and personal sacrifice are explored through intimate, character-driven moments.
45 years old unemployed
Olalla, an actor whose career spans more than 150 screen productions, reflects on a life shaped by timing and chance. He recalls a period when unemployment struck hard after roles with a British bank in London and later a regional leadership position in Catalonia dissolved following corporate restructuring. The shift forced him to face a harsh reality: the stability he once expected was gone, and the phone stopped ringing. The experience became a lifelong lesson about perseverance and craft.
Speaking candidly, he discusses how the line “you are too old” haunted his job applications. In those moments, his mother’s acting gigs as a stand-in helped him stay connected to the industry, reminding him that opportunity sometimes comes disguised in chance and need. He recalls how, with little money, he leaned into every advertising project he could secure, driven by a stubborn belief in his own talent.
Grandfather of the class
Thanks to his command of English, Olalla was invited to respond with expressive gestures on set. When a producer in Barcelona cast him for a project opposite a visiting actor, the moment confirmed his calling. He enrolled in the drama schools of Nancy Tuñón and Jordi Oliver, where he learned alongside younger performers and, in a sense, served as a mentor to them by example. The experience reinforced his conviction that acting is a lifelong pursuit, not just a job.
When an emotional improvisation demanded deep personal resonance, Olalla drew on his own life memories to ground the performance. He soon found opportunities across television series likeEmbassy, The Other View, and films that broadened his range, including notable titles such as 10 Feet Above the Sky and Rec 2, alongside a steady stream of theatre work.
In 2015, he publicly discussed stepping away from the stage during a period when the government considered reducing cultural VAT from 21%. He explained that refusing to mask the profession’s hardships was necessary to avoid giving the impression that theatre thrived while practitioners starved. This stance underscored his commitment to integrity over convenience.
Read poetry in the subway
During a downturn in his career, he found a surprising outlet: reading poetry in the subway, a gesture born of necessity but transformed into a cultural act. He describes the moment as a response to a time when groceries were scarce and the refrigerator sometimes stood empty. He recalled telling his mother that the subway offered a place to share beauty with strangers who otherwise had little access to culture.
Olalla explains that performing in public spaces required sensitivity and respect for others, even when the act could feel intrusive. Yet audiences understood the message: access to culture should not be a privilege; it is a right that sustains dignity for those who devote their lives to the arts. He continued to work, balancing precariousness with perseverance, and his career found a new rhythm. In recent seasons, he has appeared in projects such as SkyShowtime’s Sent and the TVE-1 series Operation Englishtown, while also publishing his seventh book about history and memory in February. He remains active behind the scenes as a festival director and a contributor to cinema-related initiatives that honor democratic memory and cultural continuity.
Overall, the narrative paints a portrait of an artist who navigates both personal and professional upheaval with resilience, using creativity as a bridge between struggle and sustenance. The Christmas Lottery campaign becomes a timely reminder that human connections outlast any material windfall, and that art’s true value often lies in its power to illuminate shared experience across generations.