From global success with ‘Money Heist’ to new roles in ‘Two Graves’ and ‘Anatomy of an Instant’, Álvaro Morte embraces each project with honesty, versatility, and thought-provoking depth.
Becoming one of the most recognisable faces in Spanish audiovisual culture was never part of his plan, yet Álvaro Morte embraced it with gratitude, never losing sight of the importance of teamwork. “My career took a complete turn. Not only for me, but also for my colleagues,” he recalls of ‘Money Heist’, the series that, once it landed on Netflix, unleashed a global red tide. “Thanks to the fact that people could see what we were doing, we haven’t stopped working since. I’m very happy to have been part of that story.”
The international leap was as unexpected as it was overwhelming. “We had a WhatsApp group with the team. The series had already aired on national television and we thought it was all over. Suddenly, it started being watched in many countries and we were receiving videos of stadiums full of people wearing Dalí masks and the red jumpsuits. Then Netflix told us they were making a third season. We were all euphoric.”
Since then, his career has branched into very different territories. In ‘The Wheel of Time’, he shared scenes with Rosamund Pike in an international fantasy production. “It was a wonderful experience. The character was very theatrical, because the series required it, and it was great fun to work on that tone.” Soon afterwards came his West End debut in London alongside Lily Collins, in a play directed by Lynette Linton at the Duke of York’s Theatre with ‘Barcelona’. “We were alone on stage for an hour and a half. The London audience is fantastic because it’s so diverse: people from Canada, Japan, Ecuador came to see us. And working with Lily was a luxury. We rehearsed intensively for a month and everything was synergy. There was never a conflict.”
This 2025 finds him leading ‘Two Graves’, a gritty series created by Carmen Mola. “I didn’t audition. They called me directly. At first, the character was Swedish and I thought: ‘How am I going to play a Swede?’ In the end, we turned him into Rafael Salazar, an Andalusian mobster. I used a southern accent, and I was interested in working from that place.”
“There’s something magical that doesn’t depend on us. If people like it, great…”
Álvaro Morte
Inspiration came from his childhood. “I grew up in a village in Córdoba, and I saw many people who managed their world with a wad of cash in their pocket. This character is like that: self-made, distrustful, someone who built his empire without depending on anyone.” The turning point comes with a loss. “When his teenage daughter disappears, he embarks on a journey marked by pain, grief, anger, revenge… I found it very interesting to explore it from that angle.”
He avoids working with expectations. “I prefer to think that I do my work honestly and then let the audience decide. There’s something magical that doesn’t depend on us. If people like it, great. But I don’t think about that while I’m filming.” For him, the key lies in prompting reflection. “The series doesn’t give answers; it poses questions. What would you do if you were in that situation? Revenge is a bad road, that’s clear. But… would you be capable of doing something similar?”
That same level of depth was demanded by his next project, ‘Anatomy of a Moment’, where he plays former Spanish president Adolfo Suárez. “I feel a huge responsibility. He was a figure who consolidated democracy in a very turbulent moment. I didn’t try to imitate him, but to capture his essence, his energy.” Under the direction of Alberto Rodríguez, and alongside actors such as Eduard Fernández and Manolo Solo, the challenge was as emotional as it was artistic. “Adolfo Suárez has been out of the public eye for many years. Everyone has a different image of him. It’s impossible to please everyone. I do the best I can,” he says naturally.
He will also briefly return to one of his most iconic roles: The Professor in the second season of ‘Berlin’. “It was a cameo in the final episode. I met again with colleagues I had worked with years ago. They asked if I had reviewed the series to get back into character, and I said no. I have it so internalised that I don’t need to.” As the series is set before ‘Money Heist’, the character reveals another side. “At that point he’s more nerdy, less self-assured. Later he evolves, and that’s fun to explore.”
And his relationship with fashion? He laughs. “Me, a fashion icon? Not at all.” Still, he admits he’s enjoying styling more and more. “I like taking a few more risks, especially in photoshoots. I’ve taken part in some shows, but nothing professional. I don’t see myself exploring that world as intensely as acting,” he concludes, light-heartedly and without pretension.
