A Farewell to a Giant of Spanish Cinema
On July 30, 2026, the Spanish Film Academy confirmed the sad passing of actor Manolo Solo at the age of 62, due to cancer. His departure leaves a void in the audiovisual industry, but his immense talent and warmth will live forever in every character he brought to life.
Born Manuel Jesús Fernández Serrano in Algeciras (Cádiz) in 1964, Solo grew up in Los Barrios and later moved to Seville. Although he earned a degree in Educational Sciences, his true calling was always in the arts. In fact, his stage name comes from his days as a bassist and guitarist in rock bands like Los Relicarios — a way to embrace solitude after losing his father at an early age.
A Career Full of Triumphs and Accolades
Manolo Solo made his film debut in 2002, but his face quickly became essential in Spanish auteur and genre cinema. Over more than three decades, he participated in over a hundred audiovisual projects.
- Pan's Labyrinth (2006): Directed by Guillermo del Toro.
- Cell 211 (2009): Directed by Daniel Monzón.
- Marshland (2014): Directed by Alberto Rodríguez.
- The Fury of a Patient Man (2016): Raúl Arévalo's directorial debut, for which Solo won the Goya Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2017 — Spain's equivalent of the Oscar — plus a Feroz Award and a Union of Actors Award.
- The Good Boss (2021): Alongside Javier Bardem, earning him another Goya nomination.
His versatility also shone on television, in series such as Hospital Central, Aída, The Ministry of Time, The Plague and 30 Coins. In his final years, he moved audiences with his portrayal of General Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado in the series Anatomy of a Moment (2025) and received yet another Goya nomination for the film A Portuguese Villa (2025).