Sergio Peris-Mencheta

Luis Sergio Peris-Mencheta Barrio was born on 7 April 1975 in Madrid, son to a Spanish father and a Moscow-born mother, daughter of Spanish exiles. A rugby player for the team of the Lycée Français, he also was part of international teams that won several championships, and was captain of his youth team. After finishing secondary school, he enrolled at the Charles III University of Madrid, but while participating in the university theater group directed by Inés París he discovered a desire to become an actor. In 1998, Peris-Mencheta landed a role in teen drama television series Al salir de clase, which earned him popularity. He played Dani Daroca, one of the students of the Siete Robles school. He made his feature film debut in Jara (1999), in which he starred alongside the also debuting Olivia Molina and seasoned actress Ángela Molina. He portrayed Tato, a man who finds a mysterious and beautiful woman (Jara) living alone in the forest since she was a child, starting a murky relationship.