Manu Rios Played a Gay Role in 'Elite,' Still His Real Life Sexuality Is under Wraps

Manu Rios is a rising star who has garnered a significant fanbase after appearing in one of Netflix's hit shows, "Elite," as a gay teenager. Details about his love life and sexuality remain unknown.

Rios is a former child star who started acting at age nine. He was called to do a television show titled "Singing Family of Castilla la Mancha TV."

One year later, the Latino native was chosen to participate in "Telecino," where he was a dancer. Rios also appeared in the music program "Sing" as Charlie.

The multi-talented star also portrayed the role of Gavroche in the musical "Les Miserables" at the Theater Lope de Vega in 2010.

Rios was born on December 17, 1998, in Calzada de Calatrava, Spain. The young TV star, who has 11 million followers on Instagram, wrote that he is "moving in different spaces" on his page.

Manu Rios Departs from Netflix Series after Playing a Gay Role

That statement attributes to his recent move as he left the Netflix drama series, "Elite." The show has been running since 2018, and in 2020, the production page displayed snapshots of the cast on Instagram, and the caption reads, "Welcome to the 'Elite' family at @manurios, @carladiazact, @_martinacariddi_ & @polygranch."

"Elite" is a Spanish hit teen drama series wherein Manu Rios stars as Patrick Blanco, a gay teenager. He is part of the Blanco family (who are wealthy) led by tech CEO and new school director Benjamin (Diego Martin).

The show is in its sixth season, and Rios has exited the series (just like his fellow co-star Itzan Escamilla). During a March 2022 interview, the model revealed that he would be saying goodbye to his character, adding:

"As an actor, you want to do different things, and although 'Elite' has been an incredible experience and I am very grateful for everything it has brought, there are also times when it is necessary to move the stage, change the page and do other things."

Manu Rios Keeps His Private Life Out of the Spotlight

Despite being an international star, Manu Rios keeps his personal life low-key. He is a 24-year-old Spanish native with a massive fanbase on his Instagram page.

However, Rios hardly posts anything relating to his love life. Regarding his Twitter account, he expresses his hopeless romantic side in addition to being a music lover.

The "Muted" star is also a singer and has posted a few original tunes on his YouTube channel. It remains unclear whether he is romantically involved or not.

Meanwhile, apart from appearing on "Elite," his first major gig, Rios has also starred in the 2014 comedy series, "Pepe's Beach Bar."

Manu Rios on His "Elite" Role & Lessons Learned from His Character

Within ten months of Manu Rios' first appearance on "Elite," his Instagram following skyrocketed from five million to ten million. However, he said he avoided thinking about the magnitude of his fame too much and opted to focus on its importance:

"It's so very important, but I think with this type of show, which a lot of teenagers and young people see, you have to keep in mind it’s not 100 percent reality."

When he first started filming the show, it was difficult for him. Rios was reserved, and before they started shooting, they had to do rehearsals, including extreme exercises, to get out of their shells.

From what he learned from his character Patrick, Rios said, "It's to act a different way in certain situations because he's impulsive and not a good role model."

Aside from "Elite," Rios previously starred in the mini-series "Le edad de la ira" as Marcos, a teenager figuring his life out. In March 2022, he recommended the show while explaining it focuses on societal issues such as bullying, homophobia, and sexism, and therefore, suggested families watch it because it is relatable.

As for his future acting ambitions, Rios expressed he wishes to portray roles entirely different from his real-life persona and would like to be even in a different physical shape altogether.