Rodrigo de la Serna

Lionel Rodrigo de la Serna is an Argentine actor born on April 18, 1976. He has gained widespread recognition for his screen performances, notably portraying Alberto Granado in the 2004 biographical feature film The Motorcycle Diaries and playing the character Palermo in the global Netflix drama series Money Heist.

De la Serna began his acting career by appearing in modest film productions, including titles such as Same Love, Same Rain alongside Nuts for Love. In the year 2000, he took on the role of Ricardo Riganti in the Canal 7 television broadcast Okupas, a project that subsequently attained cult classic status within Argentine media history.

His major international breakthrough arrived with the 2004 biographical drama The Motorcycle Diaries. In the film, he depicted Alberto Granado, who accompanied Che Guevara on an eight-month trek across South America. His portrayal earned him a Silver Condor Award for Best Actor and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance, as well as a nomination for a BAFTA Award in the category of Best Supporting Actor.

Throughout his television career in Argentina, de la Serna participated in numerous acclaimed series. His credits include roles in Sol Negro, Contra las cuerdas, El Puntero, and Tiempos Compulsivos. For his work across these television projects, he received several nominations and won multiple Martín Fierro Awards, which honor achievements in Argentine radio and television programming.

In addition to his television roles, he expanded his film portfolio through various biographical and commercial projects. He starred in Revolución: El Cruce de los Andes, a historical picture centered on José de San Martín and the Crossing of the Andes, as well as the Italian production Chiamatemi Francesco, which depicted the life of Pope Francis. He also appeared in the international releases Camino a la paz, the 2018 Netflix comedy feature Yucatán, and the heist film To Steal from a Thief. His performance in To Steal from a Thief earned him a nomination for Best New Actor at the 31st Goya Awards.

In 2019, de la Serna achieved wider international prominence when he joined the main cast of the Spanish television series Money Heist for its third installment, taking on the role of Palermo. He subsequently returned to portray the character in the show's fourth part, which debuted on Netflix in April 2020.

Beyond his screen appearances, de la Serna has worked in Argentine theater, earning a Premio Florencio for his performance in Lluvia Constante and later starring in El Farmer at the Teatro La Comedia in Buenos Aires in 2019. Additionally, he has been a member of the musical ensemble El Yotivenco since its formation in 2005.

In his personal life, de la Serna was in a relationship with actress Érica Rivas from 1999 until 2010, and the couple had one child together. Between 2016 and 2021, he was in a relationship with journalist Ludmila Romero, with whom he shares two children.