Spanish Celebrities Born In September

Grammy-winning Spanish flamenco singer Rosalia is quite a sensation in Latin music and has often experimented with R&B, hip-hop, and electronic music, too. She gained global fame with the single Malamente and also scripted history as the first-ever Spanish-language artist to gain a Best New Artist nomination at the Grammys.

Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish writer best known for his work Don Quixote, which is considered one of the high points of world literature. He is regarded as one of the greatest novelists of all time and the greatest writer to ever write in the Spanish language. His works have influenced other works of art like music and paintings.

Queen Letizia of Spain was initially a journalist for EFE and ABC and then worked as an anchor for Televisión Española and CNN+. She had covered events such as the 9/11 attacks. She is married to King Felipe VI of Spain and was previously married to a high-school teacher.

Pedro Almodovar is a Spanish screenwriter, filmmaker, and former actor. Regarded as one of the most successful Spanish filmmakers of all time, Almodovar has two Academy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and five British Academy Film Awards under his belt. His films are characterized by complex narratives, irreverent humor, and great music.

Miguel de Unamuno was a Spanish essayist, poet, playwright, novelist, and philosopher. His most famous novel was Abel Sánchez: The History of a Passion, a modern retelling of the Biblical Cain and Abel story. He was a significant figure in the Spanish literary and intellectual circles and served as rector of the University of Salamanca. 

Initially aspiring to be an architect, Fernando Rey later soared to fame as a legendary actor in Spanish films. Starting his career as a movie extra, he later became a regular in the films of director Luis Buñuel. The Cannes Award-winning Spanish actor is best known for films such as The French Connection.

Camilo Sesto was a Spanish singer wgo began his musical career playing in bands before deciding to go solo. He became popular for his hits like Fresa Salvaje, Algo de Mi, and El Amor de Mi Vid. He was also a successful songwriter and music producer and gained praise for his role in the Spanish version of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Nobel Prize-winning Spanish biochemist Severo Ochoa is remembered for his discovery of the enzyme polynucleotide phosphorylase and his subsequent success in synthesizing RNA. His research took him to top institutes such as the universities of Oxford and Heidelberg. He had also taught at the New York University.

Spanish singer Leroy Sanchez is a self-taught musician who made a name for himself through YouTube covers such as Adele’s Hello on his channel superleroyvv. He had also been a background vocalist on American Idol. Discovered by producer Jim Jonsin, he was later  nominated for a Teen Choice Award, too.

Spanish nobleman, politician and writer Francisco Gómez de Quevedo y Santibáñez Villegas, KOS of the Baroque era is counted among the most prominent writers of Spain's Golden Age. Quevedo adhered to the conceptismo style compared to his lifelong rival, Luis de Góngora’s culteranismo style. His notable works include the picaresque novel El Buscón and the satirical prose Los Sueños.

Best known for co-authoring the sword-and-sorcery comic book Groo The Wanderer, Spanish-Mexican cartoonist Sergio Aragonés had initially soared to fame with his margin cartoon insertions in MAD Magazine. He also became the first Mexican to win the Eisner Award and inspired the Comic Art Professional Society’s award The Sergio.

Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba had become part of the Castilian court at age 13. He earned the nickname El Gran Capitán for his successful military exploits, especially the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars. He also negotiated the final surrender of Granada and served as the viceroy of Naples.

Born to banned educator Julián Marías, Javier Marías had begun writing at age 14 and penned his first novel, The Dominions of the Wolf, at 17. His depiction of John Gawsworth, the king of the Caribbean island Redonda, led him to inherit the kingship. He also writes columns for El Pais.

Feliciano López made history by becoming the first male tennis player from Spain to reach the Wimbledon quarterfinals since 1972. With a career-high ranking of 12 in singles, he also became the 10th active player to cross the 500-win mark in singles. He is also known for his trademark serve-volley tennis.

Spanish countess and novelist Emilia Pardo Bazán had initially gained fame with the essay The Critical Issue. She was an advocate of naturalism and free will. Known for novels such as The House of Ulloa, she also taught Romance literature and was divorced by her husband because of her literary success.

Ibn Jubayr was an Arab geographer, traveler, and poet from al-Andalus. In the years preceding the Third Crusade, he made a famous pilgrimage to Mecca from 1183 to 1185, which he wrote about in great detail in his chronicles. He was a member of an Arab family of the Kinanah tribe and also traveled to  Damascus, Mosul, Acre, and Baghdad. 

Spanish author Carlos Ruiz Zafón gained international fame with his first adult novel, The Shadow of the Wind. Previously, he had dabbled in the young-adult genre, with novels such as The Prince of Mist. He had initially been associated with the advertising industry and later also wrote scripts.

Gala Dali was the muse and wife of the Spanish surrealist artist, Salvador Dali. Even though she was not a poet or artist herself, she played a major role in influencing many artists and writers. She was a frequent model in Dalí's work. Before marrying Dali, she was married to French poet Paul Éluard, a prominent figure in surrealism.  

Premio Nadal-winning Spanish author Carmen Laforet is remembered for developing Spanish Existentialist literature. Best known for her first and most popular novel, Nada, she used the tremendismo narrative in her works. Suffering from Alzheimer's disease in later years, she eventually lost the ability to speak.

Michael Servetus was a Spanish physician, Renaissance humanist, cartographer, and theologian. In 1553, he published a book titled Christianismi Restitutio in which he described the function of pulmonary circulation, becoming the first European to describe it accurately. A polymath, Michael Servetus was well-versed in many fields, such as mathematics, geography, meteorology, astronomy, human anatomy, pharmacology, medicine, poetry, jurisprudence, and translation.