Alvaro Morte bio, age, height, wife, children, career path 2025

Biography of Alvaro Morte

Alvaro Morte is a Spanish actor and director, who shot to international fame playing Professor Sergio Marquina in the hit series "La casa de papel."

Childhood

Alvaro Morte (real name – Alvaro Antonio Garcia Perez) was born on February 23, 1975 in the small Spanish town of Algeciras in the province of Cadiz. The family later moved with young Alvaro to Bujalance in the province of Cordoba.

His parents weren't public figures – his father was an entrepreneur and his mother had creative talents. "My mother is very artistic. She draws, sings, and so on. She never did it professionally, but I'm just like my mother," Alvaro Morte said in an interview with En el Patio de Butacas.

During his school years, he constantly participated in school plays. Before deciding to become an actor, though, Alvaro Morte tried his hand at engineering – specifically telecommunications. He even enrolled in college but realized he wanted to dedicate his life to the dramatic arts rather than work in an office. When he told his father about this decision over the phone, his father's response was: "What are you going to eat?" Despite this, he decided not to give up on his dream.

Morte studied at the School of Dramatic Art Miguel Salcedo Hierro, from which he graduated in 1999. He later honed his skills in the United Kingdom, the School of Cinematography and Audiovisual of the Community of Madrid (ECAM), and pursued his doctoral studies at the Tampere University in southern Finland.

Career beginnings and "300 Pistolas"

Morte spent twenty years grinding through countless supporting roles before finally landing his breakthrough leading role. Early in his career, he took on small roles in productions like "Hospital Central" (2002), "Cuéntame" (2009-2010), and "Policías, en el corazón de la calle" (2002).

Alvaro Morte in the beginning of his career

Morte's first real break in feature films came when he landed the role of Rafael Torres in Miguel Hermoso's 2007 film "Lola, la película." He followed this up with a starring role in the series "Planta 25" during 2007-2008.

In 2011, Alvaro Morte was diagnosed with a malignant tumor in his left leg. Doctors thought his leg would need to be amputated, and even then, they couldn't guarantee he'd survive more than a few months.

Álvaro Morte in the series Arrayán (2011)

The actor refused to let fear take control, and he believes this mindset helped him beat the illness and saved his life. In an interview with the Mexican news agency "Notimex", Alvaro Morte said: "Maybe what healed me was that I wasn't afraid. I think death is part of life, something we have to accept because it's going to happen eventually."

Doctors successfully operated and removed the tumor, saving the actor's leg. Alvaro knew life had given him a second chance. In 2012, he returned to his profession and appeared in the Spanish daily series "Bandolera" starring Marta Hazas.

Alvaro Morte was not only interested in his film career. In 2012, he founded his own theater company, "300 Pistolas." The company grew out of a dream he shared with his wife Blanca Clemente: making classical theater that wasn't boring. "Literally! Blanca and I watched a classical play and fell asleep! Why should classical theater be boring?" This became the company's motto and perfectly captures what they're trying to achieve.

El Perro del Hortelano. 300 Pistolas

According to Morte, the company's main goal is bringing classics back to life in fresh but honest, authentic ways—no gimmicks or unnecessary flourishes. The aim is creating that magical connection between audience and performance in a way that's clear, simple, and totally engaging.

"La casa de papel"

Alvaro Morte has over 20 acting credits in film and television, but his breakout role was undoubtedly Professor Sergio Marquina in the hit series "La casa de papel."

The best of Álvaro Morte

"La casa de papel" is a crime drama created by Alex Pina that follows a criminal gang's elaborate heist of the Royal Mint of Spain. Alvaro Morte's character serves as the mastermind behind the heist, orchestrating the group of criminals while meticulously planning every detail of the operation.

The filming began in 2017. Originally, the main character was written as a man in his 50s. Alvaro was 40 at the time of his audition, but he convinced the director he was perfect for Sergio Marquina through his compelling performance and deep understanding of the character. The parallel between Marquina and Morte's lives—both having battled and overcome a deadly disease—played a crucial role in landing him the part.

El Profesor, Nairobi, Helsinki y Bogotá cantando Bella Ciao

Surprisingly, the series' premiere on Spain's "Antena 3" channel wasn't a hit. With episodes running 70 minutes each (later trimmed to 45), viewership dropped with each installment, leaving creators considering cancellation.

Fortunately, "La casa de papel" caught Netflix's attention, and the streaming giant acquired the rights to the series. Thanks to Netflix, the show gained worldwide recognition, catapulting Alvaro Morte to international stardom.

Beyond "La casa de papel," Morte landed the lead role in 2018's detective drama "Mirage" and appeared in the 2019 dramatic series "El embarcadero."

Alvaro Morte's personal life

Alvaro Morte keeps his personal life largely private, preferring to shield his loved ones from the spotlight that comes with fame. This includes both his parents and his spouse and children. "I want to maintain my normal life. I'm a simple person and I want my life and my family's life to stay that way," he explained in an interview.

It is known that Alvaro Morte is married to Blanca Clemente. She's not only a supportive wife who stands by her husband's career, but also an accomplished stylist, actress, and producer in Spain.

Together, the couple has welcomed twins named Leon and Juliette. Morte dedicates his free time to family, as shown in the photos he shares on Instagram.

Awards

Alvaro Morte's successful career has earned him numerous accolades. In 2019, he took home the 28th Actors and Actresses Union Award for Best Male Performance, and in 2020 earned recognition at the 7th Platino Awards as Best Actor in a TV series.

In 2021, Morte received the prestigious Ondas Award, Spain's recognition for excellence in radio, television, cinema, and music.

Alvaro Morte now

Netflix ranked "La casa de papel" as the 5th most popular TV series of 2021. The fifth and final season launched in September 2021.

Alvaro Morte on Vanity Fair cover (August 2021)

Beyond "La casa de papel," Alvaro Morte appeared in Uta Briesewitz's American epic fantasy series "The Wheel of Time" (2021) and starred as Spanish navigator Juan Elcano in Simon West's "Sin límites" (2022).