José Manuel Poga Bio: Everything to Know About Money Heist Gandia

José Manuel Poga is a Spanish actor who became popular during and after his appearance as Cesar Gandia on the hit Spanish crime series, Money Heist, also known as ‘La Casa de Papel.’ As one of the chief wreckers of havoc for the Money Heist crew, his role made him one of the viewers’ favorite underdog characters.

This popularity has certainly transferred to other aspects of his life. In other words, his appearance on Money Heist sparked plenty of curiosity about the actor and his background. Before we go into the details of José Manuel’s life and career, here is a summary bio profile.

José Manuel Poga Grew Up As a Native of Spain

The Spanish-born actor, José Manuel Poga, was named José Manuel Riviera at birth. He was born on January 1, 1980, in Jerez de la Frontera in the city of Cadiz to parents we assume are Mr. and Mrs. Riviera. The 44-year-old actor belongs to the Caucasian race, and his Zodiac sign is Capricorn.

Nobody knows the exact type of family José was born into, and this is because the actor has chosen not to reveal the identities of any member of his family as yet. Because of this, there are no available reports on his parents or siblings – if he has any.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by José Manuel Poga (@josemanuelpoga)

We, however, know that José is a well-educated man. He first attended the IES Fernando Savater High School before proceeding further and obtaining a degree in Public Administration and Management from the Universidad de Sevilla.

He has said that even though he had acting talents, he decided to study public administration because he wasn’t yet convinced about becoming an actor. However, when he saw that his chosen field of study wasn’t his true passion, he went back and attended a private school called Viento Sur Private in Seville to hone his talents.

The Rise of José Manuel Poga’s Movie Career was Steady and Sure

After he decided to retrace his footsteps and enter acting, José Manuel Poga discovered that the journey wasn’t easy. He started by acting in local stage plays, moving cross country while performing with his crew. He also started as an extra in countless short movies, all in a bid to gather up some experience in his chosen profession.

During this period, people began calling him “Poga” due to his knack for interpersonal comedic roles, and that stage name has stuck till today. Poga wasn’t only a funny actor; he was also a comedian at some point; he earned a modest fee by doing stand-ups for a while before finally deciding on heading to the big screen.

His first role on television was in 2007 on the show La que se Avecina where he played the minor role of a policeman. Next, he was featured in the 2010 Spanish movie, Arrayan. The following year, José Manuel made his first big-screen appearance as a doctor in the 2011 war movie, A Square World. By this time, he had already become a household name for Spanish film lovers.

Other movies he featured in within this time frame include Group 7 and Miel de Naranjas. Currently, José Manuel Poga has made his mark in the Spanish entertainment industry as one of the greats. His indigenous movies have been released in various languages, including English, Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil.

His Biggest Role Remains His Role as Gandia in Money Heist

José Manuel Poga might have been a very busy actor in the early 2010s, but despite his obvious talent, he mostly played the underdog role in his movies. His big break didn’t come until he appeared in the biggest Spanish television series of the past decade, Money Heist. He appeared as a regular cast member from season three until the end of the series.

In the series, he played the character of César Gandía, a trained security militant of the Bank of Spain who worked assiduously to foil the criminal gang’s plans. He also famously executed a popular character in the series, Nairobi (played by Alba Flores).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by José Manuel Poga (@josemanuelpoga)

José’s portrayal of this fearless and intelligent gangster was fiercely loved by viewers of the show, catapulting him from underdog to one of the series’ best-supporting actors. José Manuel Poga was also featured in the crime television series, Sky Rojo, where he portrayed a character named Fermin.

The series marked his latest television appearance to date and was aired on March 19 last year. The Netflix-produced series is predicted to be only two seasons long, with eight episodes at 25 minutes in length.

In the 2015 movie, The Light With Time Inside, he played the role of Rafael Alberti as the movie’s lead protagonist. This was his first movie role and turned out to be a significant pivotal point in his career. Since 2007, Jose has appeared in eleven TV series, with numerous movie appearances.

José Manuel Poga’s Filmography

Movies

• El Nino (2014) as Mario
• Orange-honey (2012) as Leopoldo
• La Luz Con el Tiempo Dentro (2015) as Rafael Alberti
• Tú También lo Harías (2022)
• The Endless Trench (2019) as Rodrigo
• Taxi to Treasure Rock (2019)
• Gun City (2018) as Majorcan
• Gold (2017) as Romero
• Venux (2017) as Leo
• Smoke & Mirrors (2016) as a Journalist
• Toro (2016) as Gines
• Palm Trees in the Snow (2015) as Marcial
• Numeros (2015) as Charles
• Flashes (2014) as Charles
• Rots (2014) as Alex
• 321 Days in Michigan (2014) as The Blond
• Dragon High School (2013)
• Unit 7 (2012) as Michael
• A Square World (2011) as a Doctor
• Arrayán (2010)
• Just Next Scretcher (2008) as a Policeman
• Cinco Contra Uno (2007) as Humberto
• The One that is Coming (2007) as Second Policeman
• Traveling (2006) as Clint

Television Series

• Money Heist (2017 – 2021) as Cesar Gandia
• Giants (2018) as Alfonso
• Fugitiva (2018) as Tobias
• La Peste (2018) as Plague
• Aquí Paz y Después Gloria (2015) as Rock
• Victor Ros (2016) as El Estepeno
• Bajo Sospecha (2016) as Mark Lara
• The Ministry of Time (2017) as William Martin
• Just Before Christ (2020) as Dulio
• Grasa (2021) as Fati
• Sky Rojo (2021) as Fermin