Raúl Arévalo

Raúl Arévalo Zorzo (born 22 November 1979) is a Spanish actor and director. He has featured in films such as Dark Blue Almost Black, Seven Billiard Tables (2007), The Blind Sunflowers (2008), Fat People (2009), Cousinhood (2011), I'm So Excited (2013), Marshland (2014), and The Europeans (2020) and television series such as La embajada (2016) and Riot Police (2020).

He made his full-length directorial debut with The Fury of a Patient Man (2016).

Arévalo is the recipient of multiple accolades, including three Goya Awards, three Actors and Actresses Union Awards, and two Feroz Awards.

Life and career Raúl Arévalo Zorzo was born on 22 November 1979 in Móstoles, province of Madrid. For his television debut, Arévalo joined the television series Compañeros while he was still a student under Cristina Rota. He was part of the cast of the series for two seasons (2001–2002). The following year, he appeared in Things That Make Living Worthwhile by Manuel Gómez Pereira.

Between 2003 and 2005, he made appearances in the TV series Hospital Central, Cuéntame cómo pasó, Aída and Motivos personales.

In 2006, he made his breakthrough performance as Israel, the lead character's best friend, in Dark Blue Almost Black, directed by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo. His work in this film earned him several awards. Later that year, he appeared on Antonio Banderas' second directorial effort Summer Rain, and in 2007 in the musical/comedy Scandalous and Seven Billiard Tables, with Maribel Verdú. He also worked with Verdú in The Blind Sunflowers in 2008, and in 2009, he appeared in Sánchez Arévalo's Fat People. For his performance in this film, he won a Goya Award for Best Supporting Actor.

He met actress Melina Matthews during the filming of Negotiator, and has been in a relationship with her since 2015.

In 2016, he made his directorial debut with The Fury of a Patient Man, for which he won a Goya Award for Best New Director and a Goya Award for Best Original Screenplay.

He has also appeared in several short films, including Traumalogy (Traumalogía, 2007), as well as many stage productions.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2003 Los abajo firmantes (With George Bush on My Mind) Hotel waiter Feature film debut 2004 Cosas que hacen que la vida valga la pena (Things That Make Living Worthwhile) Vendedor ('salesman') 2006 Azuloscurocasinegro (Dark Blue Almost Black) Israel (aka "Sean") El camino de los ingleses (Summer Rain) Babirusa Scandalous Utrera 2007 Tocar el cielo (Touch the Sky) Fidel Siete mesas de billar francés (Seven Billiard Tables) Fele 2008 8 citas (8 Dates) Jesús Che Captured soldier #1 Los girasoles ciegos (The Blind Sunflowers) Salvador El patio de mi cárcel (My Prison Yard) Poet 2009 Gordos (Fat People) Álex 2010 Balada triste de trompeta (The Last Circus) Carlos También la lluvia (Even the Rain) Juan / Montesinos 2011 Primos (Cousinhood) Julián 2012 Promoción fantasma (Ghost Graduation) Modesto 2013 Los amantes pasajeros (I'm So Excited!) Ulloa La gran familia española (Family United) Waiter 2014 La vida inesperada (The Unexpected Life) El Primo ('the cousin') La isla mínima (Marshland) Pedro Suárez Negociador (Negotiator) Rafa Murieron por encima de sus posibilidades (Dying Beyond Their Means) Miguel El club de los incomprendidos (The Misfits Club) Martín 2015 Las ovejas no pierden el tren (Sidetracked) Alberto Hablar El Cordero 2016 Cien años de perdón (To Steal from a Thief) Ferrán Tarde para la ira (The Fury of a Patient Man) Director and co-writer 2017 Oro (Gold) Martín Dávila 2018 El aviso (The Warning) Jon Memorias de un hombre en pijama (Memoirs of a Man in Pajamas) Paco Voice Mi obra maestra (My Masterpiece) Alex Ola de crímenes (Crime Wave) Taxista ('Taxi driver') 2019 Dolor y gloria (Pain and Glory) Venancio El plan (The Plan) Andrade 2020 Black Beach Carlos Los europeos (The Europeans) Miguel Alonso 2021 Donde caben dos (More the Merrier) Jaime El lodo (Wetland) Ricardo 2022 Voy a pasármelo bien 2024 The Room Next Door Spanish Priest (Bernardo) 2025 El cielo de los animales (The Heaven of Animals) Diego Voy a pasármelo mejor Un fantasma en la batalla (She Walks in Darkness) Arrieta 2026 (The Beloved)

Television Year Title Role Notes 2001–02 Compañeros Carlos Medina Main role (seasons 8–9) 2003–04 Cuéntame cómo pasó Basilio 3 episodes 2003 Hospital Central Manolo Téllez Episode: "Vertido" 2004 Jimmy 6 episodes 2005 Motivos personales Marisa Pons' brother Episode: "Las víctimas se multiplican" 2006 Génesis: en la mente del asesino Guillermo García Episode: "Suicidas" 2008 Soy el solitario Carlos Miniseries; 2 episodes 2010 Aída Charly Episode: "En un momento candado" 2012–14 Con el culo al aire Jorge Ruiz Main role 2013–14 Ignacio 5 episodes 2015 Velvet Víctor 8 episodes 2016 Eduardo Marañón Main role 2018 Andrés 2 episodes 2020 Riot Police Diego López Rodero Main role 2021 Stories to Stay Awake Javier Episode: "La broma" 2022 Santo Miguel Millán 2025 Anatomía de un instante (The Anatomy of a Moment) Narrator Voice only Rober 2026 Por cien millones Alfonso

Accolades Year Award Category Work Result Best New Actor Dark Blue Almost Black Best Supporting Actor Seven Billiard Tables Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role Best Actor The Blind Sunflowers Best Film Actor in a Leading Role Best Supporting Actor Fat People Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role Best Supporting Actor Cousinhood Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role Best Supporting Actor in a Film I'm So Excited Best Actor Marshland Best Main Actor in a Film Best Actor Best Actor Best Film Actor in a Leading Role Best Director The Fury of a Patient Man Best Screenplay Best New Director Best Original Screenplay Best Television Actor in a Secondary Role La embajada Best Actor in a Series Riot Police Best Main Actor in a Film The Europeans Best Main Actor in a Series Riot Police Best Actor The Europeans Best Television Actor in a Leading Role Riot Police