Famous Mexican Actors

Diego Luna is a Mexican actor, singer, producer, and director. The son of a popular set designer, he was exposed to show business as a young boy. He started acting when he was just seven and appeared in many telenovelas. He then moved to films and has appeared in many hit films, including Open Range and The Terminal.  

Being the son of actor Patricia Bernal and director José Ángel García, Gael García Bernal was no stranger to entertainment as a kid. The Mexican actor-director is known for dealing with taboo relationships in his films and for his Golden Globe-winning role in the series Mozart in the Jungle.

Eugenio Derbez is a Mexican actor and filmmaker best known for co-creating and starring in the family sitcom La familia P. Luche. After establishing himself in the Mexican film industry, he ventured into American films and TV series as well. His feature film Instructions Not Included became the most successful Spanish-language film in US. 

Ricardo Montalbán was a Mexican actor who achieved immense popularity in Hollywood during his illustrious career that spanned 70 years! He was the recipient of several prestigious awards including an Emmy Award and Screen Actors Guild's Lifetime Achievement Award. Ricardo Montalbán is credited with establishing the Nosotros Foundation where he served as the first president.

Demián Bichir is a Mexican actor who was once nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. The son of two popular acting professionals, he developed an early interest in acting. He attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute before beginning his film career. He is also an American Civil Liberties Union Ambassador for Immigration Rights. 

Best known for his performance as Diego Hargreeves in The Umbrella Academy, David Castañeda is an American-born actor who was raised in Mexico. While initially aspiring to be a civil engineer, he later switched to studying film production. He has also been part of films such as El Chicano and The Guilty.

Cantinflas was a Mexican actor, comedian, and filmmaker. Dubbed the Charlie Chaplin of Mexico, Cantinflas is best remembered for playing Passepartout in Around the World in 80 Days, for which he won a Golden Globe Award. Regarded as one of the most popular Mexican comedians of all time, Cantinflas is celebrated as a popular icon throughout Spain and Latin America. 

Jaime Camil is a Mexican singer, actor, and TV personality best known for his portrayal of Rogelio de la Vega in the popular American romantic comedy-drama telenovela Jane the Virgin. His performance in the telenovela earned him a couple of nominations at the Critics' Choice Television Awards. He also won three successive Teen Choice Awards starting from 2017.

Manuel Garcia-Rulfo is a Mexican actor known for playing important roles in films like Bless Me, Ultima and Cake. Garcia-Rulfo, who had learnt horse riding during his growing up days in a ranch in Jalisco, had to take up gun training later in his life when he was playing an outlaw named Vasquez in the 2016 western film Magnificent Seven.

Actor Tony Dalton began his career with off-Broadway productions such as A Streetcar Named Desire. The American-born Mexican actor was more of a Mexican movie and TV star till he starred in the American crime drama Better Call Saul. He also played Robert Avila in the Emmy-winning series Sr. Avila.

Once a matinee idol in Mexico, Pedro Infante is remembered for his blockbuster hits such as Nosotros los pobres and Los tres García. He loved flying planes, using the pseudonym Captain Cruz and eventually died in a plane crash. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Bear for his performance in Tizoc.

Mexican singer and actor Diego Boneta rose to prominence starring in the 2012 American jukebox musical comedy film Rock of Ages. Boneta then furthered his acting career featuring in several films and television series, particularly playing the titular character in the Spanish-language American biographical television series Luis Miguel: The Series. Boneta has also released the studio albums Diego and Indigo.

Luis Buñuel was a Spanish-Mexican filmmaker with a brilliant career spanning almost half a century. He worked in France, Mexico, and Spain and directed films spanning various genres. His filmmaking technique was strongly influenced by mise-en-scène. He was hailed as a leader of avant-garde surrealism and is considered one of the top directors of the 20th century.  

Known as the king of Mexican rodeo, for performing in concerts on horseback, Mexican singer Joan Sebastian won the highest number of Grammy awards from his country. Over 20 of his songs made it to the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. An actor, too, he was seen in the telenovela Tú y yo.

Mexican comedian Roberto Gómez Bolaños became a cultural icon with his show Chespirito, which also starred him as the titular character and thus made him adopt Chespirito as his stage name later. He was a boxer before venturing into entertainment and had even dropped out of an engineering course.

Mexican actor-singer Alfonso Herrera first gained fame with his leading role of Miguel Arango Cervera in Rebelde, one of the most popular Latin American series. He later also appeared in El Dandy and the blockbuster film The Perfect Dictatorship. International audiences know him best as Javier from Ozark.

Scouted while he was dancing in a schoolyard at age 12, Jacob Vargas began his acting career with a bit role in the series Diff'rent Strokes. The Mexican-American actor later delivered award-winning performances in series such as My Family and movies such as Traffic. He also appeared in the Netflix series Mr. Iglesias.

Vicente Carrillo Fuentes is a Mexican drug lord and former chief of the drug trafficking organization, Juárez Cartel. One of the most-wanted drug lords until 2014 when he was captured, Vicente was responsible for transporting billions of dollars' worth of narcotic shipments from Mexico to the USA annually. He was portrayed by Fernando Bonilla in the TV series Narcos: Mexico.

Singer Alejandro Fernández, nicknamed El Potrillo, is the son of legendary singer-actor Vicente Fernández. Known for his chart-topping hits such as Si Tú Supieras and No Sé Olvidar, he has also sung duets with stars such as Rod Stewart and Christina Aguilera. He is also a 2-time Latin Grammy winner.

Jose Maria Yazpik is a Mexican actor known for playing important roles in popular films, such as Nicotina, Crónicas, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and The Obscure Spring. Yazpik discontinued his education to pursue his true passion, acting. His decision paid off as he went on to establish himself as a successful actor in the Mexican film and TV industry.

Jorge Negrete was a Mexican actor and singer. One of the most popular actors of his generation, Negrete helped create the charro film genre. He is credited with co-founding the Mexican Actors Association, where he served as one of its most important leaders. Such is his popularity that fans still pay tribute on his death anniversary by visiting his tomb.

El Santo was a Mexican professional wrestler and actor. Widely regarded as a folk hero, El Santo is an iconic luchador (masked wrestler) and is often counted among the greatest in Mexican sports history. During his illustrious wrestling career, he became a symbol of justice through his appearances in comic books and lucha films.   

Antonio Aguilar was a Mexican singer, songwriter, actor, screenwriter, film producer, and equestrian. Nicknamed Mexico's Horseman, Aguilar is credited with introducing a Mexican equestrian sport called charrería to international audiences. A prolific musician and actor, Antonio Aguilar recorded over 150 albums and appeared in over 120 films. His contribution to Mexican cinema earned him many awards including the Golden Ariel.