Manolo Solo, a celebrated Spanish actor known for his roles in internationally acclaimed films such as Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Biutiful, has died.
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The Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain confirmed on Thursday (July 30) that Solo passed away following a battle with cancer.
Born Manuel Fernández Serrano, Solo adopted his surname as a tribute to his father, who died when he was 14. Raised in Seville after growing up in Algeciras, he went on to appear in nearly 150 film and television projects throughout his career, spanning genres from comedy and thriller to drama.
He won a Goya Award in 2016 for The Fury of a Patient Man (Tarde para la ira) and received four additional nominations, including one this year for The Portuguese House (Una quinta portuguesa).
Solo earned critical acclaim for many of his roles, with several receiving international recognition. Notable works include B, la película (2015), The Good Boss (El buen patrón, 2021), and Close Your Eyes (Cerrar los ojos, 2023), directed by Víctor Erice. He also starred in the TV series The Anatomy of a Moment (2025), based on the failed 1981 coup d’état.
Manolo Solo Has Two Projects Yet to Be Released
He also collaborated with acclaimed directors Guillermo del Toro in Pan’s Labyrinth (2006), Alejandro González Iñárritu in Biutiful (2010), and José Luis Cuerda in Tiempo después (2018).
Solo also worked as a voice actor, providing Spanish-language dubs for popular cartoons such as Dragon Ball.
Se nos ha ido Manolo Solo, grandísimo actor que también participó en el doblaje de Dragon Ball en castellano, poniendo voz a Mr Popo, C-17 o más recientemente a Bills, el Dios de la destrucción @doblajeandaluz
— Hyoga de Cisne (@HyogadeCisne15) July 30, 2026
También dobló a Eddie adulto en la miniserie de It (Eso) de 1990 pic.twitter.com/fRbT6ZE5I9
Solo recently appeared in this year’s thriller The Marked Woman (La desconocida), and will next star in the mini-series Las vecinas.
One final film awaits its premiere: the Portuguese production Aquí, directed by Tiago Guedes.
Manolo Solo was 62.