Darko Peric

Darko Peric is a Serbian-Spanish actor who gained international recognition for his performance as Helsinki in the Spanish television crime drama series Money Heist. Born on March 25, 1977, in Kladovo, he developed an interest in the performing arts during his early childhood after being invited onto a stage by a Cuban vocalist to perform the song Guantanamera. This experience motivated him to participate in various school theatrical productions.

Peric originally intended to attend an animation school in Zagreb, but his plans were interrupted in 1991 due to the outbreak of the Yugoslav Wars. His parents redirected him toward a medical career, leading him to enroll at a veterinary school in Bucharest, Romania. While attending school, he reconnected with his creative interests through friendships with students from the Romanian Film Academy and began appearing in short film projects.

In 1994, he relocated to Timisoara to continue his education and act in live theatrical productions. During his six years in the city, he participated in the regional punk and hardcore music scenes by singing in musical groups and organizing events at a local cultural facility. He ultimately completed his academic studies and earned an honors degree in veterinary medicine.

After graduating, Peric moved to Berlin, Germany, where he engaged with international artists and continued working on short films. In 2004, he relocated to Barcelona, Spain. He secured his first major Spanish television role in 2010 when he appeared in the Canal + series Crematorio. He later performed in the 2015 feature film A Perfect Day and was cast in the 2016 Atresmedia series Sea of Plastic, portraying a Ukrainian antagonist named Oso.

Peric achieved his greatest professional success playing Helsinki in Money Heist from 2017 to 2021. The program was picked up by Netflix and achieved worldwide popularity, securing an Emmy Award for Best Drama in 2018. Outside of acting, Peric speaks six languages, enjoys basketball, and conducts global masterclasses in Qigong tailored for actor training.