The renowned Spanish actor Manolo Solo has died at the age of 62 from cancer, according to the Film Academy. With more than 30 years of career, he participated in theater plays, national films, and series. With Tarde para la ira, in 2017, he won the Goya for Best Supporting Actor for the role of Santi Triana. Among his latest projects, he stood out for his portrayal of the military man and former minister Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado in the miniseries Anatomía de un instante, and the character Fernando in the film Una quinta portuguesa, his last Goya nomination, in 2026.
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Santi Triana. Tarde para la ira (2016)
The actor played Santi Triana in the film Tarde para la ira directed by Raúl Arévalo. The supporting character was the owner of the bar where a large part of the story takes place, which was frequented by Curro (the main character, played by Luis Callejo) and his family. Thanks to this role, with a brief appearance, he won the Goya for Best Supporting Actor at the 31st edition, held in 2017.
Fernando. Una quinta portuguesa (2025)
Fernando, his character in Una quinta portuguesa, by Avelina Prat, was a calm geography teacher, devastated by his past, who adopted that name — the real one was Manuel — to work as a gardener in a rural house in Portugal, where he befriends the owner, played by María de Medeiros. With this role, he was nominated for the Goya as lead actor.
Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado. Anatomía de un instante (2025)
Manuel Solo played one of the three men who did not hide on February 23, 1981, during Antonio Tejero’s attempted coup d’état. His character in the miniseries Anatomía de un instante was Manuel Gutiérrez Mellado, Army general and vice president of Adolfo Suárez’s government, who confronted the coup plotters. Regarding this, he told EL PAÍS, when the series premiered, that it was moving to highlight the loyalty his character had to Suárez: “On one hand paternal, he took great care of him and at the same time, as a military man, he obeyed all his orders.”
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Miguel Garay. Cerrar los ojos (2023)
In Cerrar los ojos, Víctor Erice’s film, he brought to life Miguel Garay, a film director who lived in a house near the sea after being unable to finish a film because his lead actor (played by José Coronado) had disappeared. The story is set three decades after the event, when a TV program revives the case and involves Solo’s character. With this film, he received his second Goya nomination as best lead actor.
Miralles. El buen patrón (2021)
He was the right hand of Julio Blanco, played by Javier Bardem in the film El buen patrón. His character was named Miralles, and he worked in an industrial scale factory for his childhood friend. This role, which functions as Bardem’s conscience, earned him his third Goya nomination as best supporting actor, in addition to winning the Carmen Award from the Andalusian Film Academy in 2021.
Judge Pablo Ruz. B, la película (2015)
Judge Pablo Ruz was the judge of Spain’s National Court who investigated the Gürtel case and the Bárcenas case. Manolo Solo portrayed him in B, la película, directed by David Ilundain and based on the play Ruz-Bárcenas, written by Jordi Casanovas and directed by Alberto San Juan, in which he played the same character. The play is a transcription of the testimony given by Luis Bárcenas (Pedro Casablanc), former treasurer of the PP, before Judge Ruz in July 2013. For this role, he won the Actors’ Union award for best supporting actor and earned his first Goya nomination in the same category.
