Manuel Uriza Pulls Double Duty in Gentefied and Narcos: Mexico
Manuel Uriza is an in-demand Mexican-American character actor on the rise. He will soon be seen on Netflix for two series, simultaneously! First, he is recurring in Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico” (November 5, 2021) where he portrays the non-fictional Mexican businessman and politician as well as drug trafficker and money launderer ‘Carlos Hank Gonzalez.’ A week later, he will be seen recurring in Netflix’s
“Gentefied” (November 2021) as ‘Ernesto Morales’. This season, Ernesto returns to Boyle Heights to help his family after having left to live the American Dream in Idaho – a character Manuel holds near and dear to his heart, because just like Ernesto, Manuel has lived his life feeling a kindred spirit with both cultures.
Fun Facts:
-Manuel met Carlos Hank Gonzalez when he was 10 years old with his grandfather at Del Mar race track.
-His on-screen father “Casimiro ‘Pop’ Morales” in Gentefied also stars in Narcos: Mexico
-He filmed Gentefied in between filming the full season of Narcos: Mexico – showcasing his versatility in being able to jump from character to character
Connect with Manuel:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/manueluriza
Twitter: https://twitter.com/uriza_manuel
More about Manuel below…
Born and raised in Mexico City, moving to Miami, Florida in his twenties, Manuel got his first taste of acting when he showed up to an open call to be a background actor in USA’s “Burn Notice,” only to end up booking a guest star role, after impressing the showrunner with his natural technique for the craft. He went on to appear in Spanish speaking television before making his way to Los Angeles. Barely unpacked, he immediately booked a recurring role on FX Network’s “The Bridge” with Diane Kruger and Demián Bichir. Manuel went on to appear in ABC’s “Castle,” Fox’s “Lethal Weapon,” FX Network’s “Snowfall,” and recurring on AMC’s award-winning series “Better Call Saul,” to name a few. His film credits include Lionsgate’s “Rambo: Last Blood,” the award-winning indie film “The Infiltrators,” and film festival winner “My Demons Never Swore Solitude.”
Manuel’s early start in entertaining the masses came in the form of soccer, playing competitively in college and second division professionally. He later went on to graduate law school in Mexico. To this day, he continues to be soccer-obsessed rooting for the Pumas in Mexico and Los Angeles Football Club in the U.S. His other passion lies in horse riding. His paternal grandfather was Mexico’s first Olympic gold medalist in racing and jumping and his maternal grandfather was a horse trainer, having won the Kentucky derby twice, winning the American Triple Crown with only 13 horses in history having accomplished such a feat.
There are great Mexican character actors and there are great Mexican-American character actors, but there is no one like Manuel who lives on the cusp of feeling 100% Mexican and 100% American. His background emphasizes his acting skills and you’d never guess it’s the same actor as he shifts from role to role. Manuel continues to thrive in the entertainment industry and is motivated by the ability to watch creatives’ interpretation of the performing arts and the camaraderie that gets built throughout the process.