Movistar Plus+ unveils Celeste, a sharp, noir-tinged drama about a tax investigator chasing a global icon
Shakira’s high-profile encounter with Hacienda inspired a bold new original series from Movistar Plus+. The platform announced Celeste on a Wednesday, describing it as a fiction crafted by Diego San José. The show centers on a tax office inspector who faces a pivotal case on the brink of retirement, forcing him to confront a world where numbers, secrets, and reputations collide.
Celeste positions a different kind of star at the center. The title character, Celeste, is not a music icon but a larger-than-life presence whose life becomes a case file for the tax system. The series follows Sara Santano, a veteran tax inspector who has spent decades dedicated to auditing, collecting, and reconciling accounts. Her life has revolved around the precise rhythms of tax codes and the quiet rhythms of a routine that many would call unglamorous, yet essential.
On the eve of retirement, Sara receives a mission with enormous stakes: determine whether the Latin superstar Celeste really resides in Spain and owes taxes there. The assignment comes with a hefty sum at stake—20 million euros for the national treasury. To complete the task, Sara must go beyond the paperwork and step into Celeste’s world, aiming to prove that the artist spent 184 days in Spain—a half year plus one. The case forces Sara to weigh the costs of her professional life against the disruption of her personal one.
Celeste emerges not as a glossy spectacle but as a tense exploration of accountability, boundaries, and the gray areas where public personas and private lives intersect. The creators describe the show as a chase through a bureaucratic landscape that is both mundane and menacing. It is a drama about a system that processes lives through numbers, with the emotional weight carried by a woman who has spent a lifetime inside audit rooms. The tone is deliberate and grounded, reminiscent of noir sensibilities while focusing on the real-world mechanics of taxation and compliance.
Diego San José, the voice behind Celeste, frames the project as a counterbalance to star-driven fantasy. He emphasizes the collaboration with Movistar Plus+, a partner that has supported the project from its earliest concept and remains committed to bringing the story to life. The partnership is portrayed as a practical, creative alliance that allows the series to navigate the tension between spectacle and scrutiny, turning a personal quest into a broader reflection on fiscal responsibility and public trust.
San José has built a reputation for sharp, character-driven humor and social observation through works such as the acclaimed trilogy Vota Juan, Vamos Juan, and Venga Juan. His success in television was complemented by acclaimed screenwriting for major Spanish films, including Pagafantas, No Control, 8 Basque Surnames, Fe de etarras, and Superlópez. The body of work has earned him recognition in the national awards circuit, with nominations highlighting his versatility across comedy and drama. Celeste marks a new terrain for him, blending investigative tension with human nuance and a critique of the tax system from a grounded, relatable perspective.