Nacho Sánchez

Nacho Sánchez (born 1992) is a Spanish stage and screen actor. After earning early recognition in plays such as La piedra oscura and Ivan and the Dogs, he made his feature film debut in the 2019 film Seventeen, clinching a nomination to the Goya Award for Best New Actor. He has since featured in films such The Art of Return, and Manticore (2022), for which he earned a nomination to the Goya Award for Best Actor.

Biography Nacho Sánchez was born in Ávila in 1992. He made his baby steps on stage in the IES Isabel de Castilla's theatre group 'Criatura'. He was discovered by Pablo Messiez, who gave Sánchez a role in the play , Sánchez' performance in the play earned him the Actors and Actresses Union Award for Best New Actor. He has since starred in different plays in the Teatro Español, including the monologue Ivan and the Dogs portraying Ivan Mishukov. His performance in the former play earned him the Max Award for Best Leading Actor, thereby reportedly becoming the youngest recipient ever in the history of the award category. Also in the Teatro Español, he starred alongside Emma Vilarasau in the staging of El sueño de la vida, an unfinished work by Federico García Lorca. For his television debut in 2016, Sánchez appeared in a minor role as Rafael Ríos in two episodes of season two of El ministerio del tiempo ("Tiempo de valientes").

Sánchez made his feature film debut in Daniel Sánchez Arévalo's film Seventeen. He starred alongside Biel Montoro and portrayed Ismael, the elder brother of Montoro's Héctor, whom with the character embarks on road trip across the Cantabrian coast. His performance clinched him a nomination to the Goya Award for Best New Actor. He then featured alongside Macarena García and Ingrid García-Jonsson in the 2020 film The Art of Return, directed by Pedro Collantes. He also featured in The Sea Beyond. Also in 2021, he landed a starring role in Carlos Vermut's Manticore, portraying Julián, a video game designer tortured by a grim secret.

He featured in supporting roles in Fernando Franco's films Subsuelo (2025) as the partner of the protagonist, and The Light (2026), as the victim of a child molester. Resuming collaboration with Fernando Franco, he was also cast as García Lorca in Lorca, a drama set in the last days of the poet before his murder in Granada.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes 2019 Diecisiete (Seventeen) Ismael 2020 El arte de volver (The Art of Return) Carlos 2021 Doctor Portuondo Carlo Padial La luz (The Light) Alberto (Head on the Wall) Rafael Jesús Federico García Lorca

Accolades Year Award Category Work Result 2016 Best New Actor La piedra oscura 2018 Best Leading Actor Ivan and the Dogs Best New Actor Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role 2022 Best Film Actor Manticore 2023 Best Actor in a Film Best Actor Best Actor