Carlos Manuel Vesga
Carlos Manuel Vesga | |
|---|---|
Vesga in 2025 | |
| Born | Carlos Manuel Vesga Sánchez Bogotá, Colombia |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Notas Radioactiva (1994) |
Carlos Manuel Vesga Sánchez, also credited as Carlos-Manuel Vesga, is a Colombian theater, film, and television actor.
He is recognized for his role in the 2010 Colombian telenovela Amor sincero, playing Samuel Medina, as well as in the 2013 series La prepago, where he played the role of Alejandro Sanjuán.[1][2] Since 2025, he stars in the Apple TV series Pluribus as Manousos Oviedo.
Early life and education
Carlos Manuel Vesga Sánchez was born in Bogotá, Colombia. He initially studied architecture at the University of the Andes, motivated by a pragmatic desire for stability, though he maintained a strong interest in the arts. During his youth, he was the lead vocalist for a rock band called El Jardín de Daniela, named after his pet dog.[3]
Upon completing his architecture degree, he moved to New York City to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Although trained in "The Method", Vesga has stated in interviews that he views acting more as a "serious game" rather than a search for absolute emotional truth, diverging slightly from strict Strasberg techniques.[4]
Career
Early work and breakthrough
Vesga's career began when he returned to Colombia and was cast in the telenovela Pobre Pablo (2000). He steadily built a reputation as a character actor, avoiding the typical heartthrob ("galán") stereotype, while securing significant roles.
His major breakthrough came in 2010 with the hit series Amor sincero, a biopic of the singer Marbelle. Vesga played Samuel Medina, the protagonist's father. The role was a cultural phenomenon in Colombia; despite playing a father figure rather than a romantic lead, the character became incredibly popular with female audiences for his portrayal of an ideal husband.[5] For this performance, he won the India Catalina Award for Best Leading Actor in a Telenovela in 2011.[6]
Villain roles and international success
Vesga transitioned to playing antagonists, gaining critical acclaim for his "hated" villain roles. Notable antagonistic performances include Alejandro Sanjuán in La prepago (2013) and the sadistic "Picasso" in El Bronx (2019).
In 2024, he achieved widespread recognition for playing two major villains simultaneously on Colombian television: Alfredo Azcárate in Devuélveme la vida and Francisco "El Flaco" Marulanda in the Netflix survival thriller The Hijacking of Flight 601 (Secuestro del vuelo 601). The latter became one of Netflix's most-watched non-English series globally that year.[7]
In 2025, it was announced that Vesga would be joining the cast of Pluribus, a series by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan.[8] He plays the role of Manousos Oviedo, one of the few people immune to an alien virus that has overtaken the world, who refuses contact with the infected.[9]
Personal life
Vesga is married to Colombian actress Jimena Durán. The couple met while studying at the same university, though they did not begin a relationship until years later when they reconnected in the acting industry. They married in 2013 and have two daughters.[10]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2002 | Pobre Pablo | Wilson Casilima |
| 2006–2007 | Floricienta | "Pipo" |
| 2007 | Mujeres asesinas | Diego (Episode: "Lucia, la memoriosa") |
| 2007–2008 | Pura sangre | Isidro Chaparro |
| 2009 | Las trampas del amor | Marlon Romano |
| 2010 | Amor sincero | Samuel Medina Uribe |
| 2010–2011 | La Pola | Colonel José Ignacio Rodríguez 'Mosca' |
| 2011 | El man es Germán | Felipe "Pipe" (Episode 29, Season 2) |
| 2012 | Escobar: el patrón del mal | Carlos Mauro Hoyos |
| 2012–2013 | Corazones blindados | Sub-lieutenant Vicente Yáñez |
| 2013 | Tres Caínes | Hernan Dario Henao 'HH' |
| La prepago | Alejandro Sanjuan | |
| Allá te espero | Álvaro Jaramillo | |
| 2013–2014 | Los graduados | Guillermo 'Guille' Aldana |
| 2015 | Laura, la santa colombiana | |
| 2015–2016 | Celia | Billy |
| 2016 | Contra el tiempo | Roberto Cuervo |
| 2016–2017 | La ley del corazón | Óscar Jaramillo |
| Las Vega's | German Ordóñez | |
| 2017 | La nocturna | José Osorio |
| 2018 | Nadie me quita lo bailao | Daniel |
| 2018–2019 | María Magdalena | Umit |
| 2019 | Tormenta de amor | El Naño Ovalle |
| Córdova 'un general llamado arrojo' | Simón Bolívar | |
| De levante | Nicolas | |
| El Bronx | Marlon Galeano 'Picasso' | |
| 2019–2020 | El general Naranjo | Sergeant Andrade |
| 2020 | La de troya 2 | Lorenzo - Producer |
| Operación Pacífico | Michael | |
| 2021 | El Cartel de los Sapos: el origen | Emanuel Villegas Ulloa |
| Café con aroma de mujer | Danilo | |
| 2022 | A grito herido | Bernardo[11] |
| Noticia de un secuestro | César Gaviria[12] | |
| 2024 | Secuestro del vuelo 601 | Francisco "El Flaco" Marulanda[13] |
| Devuélveme la vida | Alfredo Azcárate Valencia (young)[14] | |
| 2025 | Pluribus | Manousos Oviedo |
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | El trato | |
| 2006 | Soñar no cuesta nada | Justo Perlaza |
| 2013 | Roa | Vicente |
| 2015 | Uno al año no hace daño 2 | Germán |
| 2016 | Rebel Pope | Young Jesuit |
| 2017 | Loving Pablo | La Plaga |
| 2018 | La pena máxima | Poncho |
| Tuya, mía… te la apuesto[15] | ||
| 2023 | Perder es ganar un poco[16] | Armando |
| El yuppie y el Guiso | Camilo Mallarino / Edgar López[17] | |
| 2025 | Donde tu quieras[18] | Agustin |
Theater
| Year | Title | Role | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | La verdad es un juego de mentiras | Pablo | National Theater |
Music
| Year | Band | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | El Jardín de Daniela | "San Pedro" |
| 1996 | "Azul" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | TVyNovelas Awards | Best Supporting Actor (Series) | Amor sincero | Nominated |
| India Catalina Awards | Best Lead Actor (Telenovela) | Won | ||
| 2013 | Best Supporting Actor (Telenovela) | Corazones blindados | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Best Supporting Actor (Telenovela or Series) | Córdova, un general llamado arrojo | Nominated |
References
- ^ "Carlos Manuel Vesga". Telemundo (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 15 February 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2025.
- ^ "Entrevista con el actor Carlos Manuel Vesga" [Interview with actor Carlos Manuel Vesga]. El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ "Carlos Manuel Vesga, el actor que se perdió un tiempo de la TV para volver más grande". Las2Orillas (in Spanish). 21 April 2024.
- ^ "¿Qué es actuar? Con Carlos Manuel Vesga". Tercera Vuelta Podcast (in Spanish). 9 September 2025.
- ^ Entrevista Carlos Manuel Vesga (in Spanish). Bravíssimo. 19 October 2016.
- ^ "'Amor sincero' arrasó con seis premios India Catalina 2011". Vanguardia (in Spanish). 27 February 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "El secuestro del vuelo 601 es la quinta serie de habla no inglesa más vista en Netflix". El Colombiano (in Spanish). 23 April 2024.
- ^ "¿Qué es actuar? Con Carlos Manuel Vesga – Parte 2" (in Spanish). Tercera Vuelta. 14 September 2025.
- ^ Gallucci, Nicole (21 November 2025). "Who Is Manousos on 'Pluribus'? Meet Carlos-Manuel Vesga". The Decider. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ "Carlos Manuel Vesga y Jimena Durán organizaron su boda en ocho días". Caracol Televisión (in Spanish). 19 November 2022.
- ^ "A grito herido: conozca los actores de la nueva serie de Prime Video". KienyKe (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 November 2022.
- ^ "Amazon Prime Video anuncia nueva serie basada en el libro de Gabriel García Márquez". Spoiler Time (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ^ Mag, Redacción (14 May 2024). "Lista de actores y personajes de "Secuestro del vuelo 601": quién es quién en la serie de Netflix". Mag. (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 May 2024.
- ^ Pulzo. "Actores que saldrán en 'Devuélveme la vida', de Caracol Televisión; uno estuvo en 'El Joe'". pulzo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ ""La Pena Máxima" llegará este 22 de marzo a las carteleras colombianas". colombia.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ Tiempo, Casa Editorial El (21 December 2023). "'Perder es ganar un poco', la historia de la famosa frase que ahora es película". El Tiempo (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 December 2023.
- ^ Espinosa, Daniel Esteban Reyes (30 September 2023). "'El yuppie y el Guiso', la nueva película de Dago García". infobae (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 October 2023.
- ^ Baptista, Juan Alfonso; Castañeda, Andrés; Galvis, Juliana (15 May 2025). "Donde Tú Quieras". Ztark Group. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
External links
- Carlos Manuel Vesga at Colarte (Archived)
- Profile at Actores colombianos
- Carlos Manuel Vesga, from architect to actor Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine
- Carlos Manuel Vesga at IMDb