Known for playing Patrick Blanco Commerford on the hit Netflix series “Elite”, Manu Rios is a Spanish actor, model, and social media influencer.
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This 23-year-old rising star, whose real name is Manuel Ros Fernández, first got public recognition when he joined the Spanish reality TV show “Castilla-La Mancha” when he was 9 years old. At 13, he started posting song covers on YouTube and started gaining a huge following. He would cover songs by famous artists like One Direction, Rihanna, and Adele, and was branded as the “Spanish Justin Bieber”. When he was 14, he joined the musical band, Parchís. He released albums and went on tour with them. The Spanish actor now has 1.75 million subscribers on YouTube and 11.1 million followers on Instagram.
Aside from his love for music, Manu Rios is also a professional model. He is signed to Next Models and often appears in magazines and campaigns. As he became famous, Manu Rios also faced rumors, particularly regarding his sexuality. Fans wondered if he might be queer, but is there any evidence to support these speculations? Is Manu Rios gay? Let’s find out.
VOTE: What is Manu Rios’ Sexuality?
On Getting Manu Rios’ Sexuality Questioned
Patrick, Manu Rios’ character on “Elite”, is gay. In the fourth season of the Spanish drama TV series, Patrick dated Ander Muñoz, who is played by Spanish actor Arón Piper. Some viewers got the actor and the character he plays in the series mixed up. That’s how they start to assume that Manu Rios is also gay in real life.
The actor didn’t say anything about the rumors that questioned his sexuality. However, he was not pleased with how some people use the word “gay” to insult him. He shared his frustration on his Twitter account.
people who use “gay” as an insult are so sad lol
— manu rios (@manuriosfdez) January 20, 2017
Manu Rios is also set to star in a Western gay cowboy movie titled “Strange Way of Life”. The director, Pedro Almodóvar, said it’s his answer to the controversial “Brokeback Mountain”. The character he would be playing isn’t revealed yet but he will be acting alongside Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal. The movie was set to premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.
Manu Rios’ Relationships
Manu Rios is reported to be currently in a relationship. Ironically, he is said to be dating the actress who plays the role of his younger sister in the series. Martina Cariddi, Manu’s rumored girlfriend, plays Mencía Blanco, one of Patrick’s sisters on “Elite”. If the rumor was true, then the onscreen siblings are actually lovers off-screen. How cute.
The Spanish actor has been involved in several dating rumors in the past, as well. Among the people who were linked to him is Spanish actress Denisse Pena. This is, however, denied as they were no more than close friends.
The actor was also linked to pop singer Carlos Parejo. This is not confirmed either.
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The Answer to Being Rumored Queer
Although Manu Rios played a gay character on the popular Netflix series and is being casted in a Western gay cowboy movie to be released next year, this doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s queer in real life. If there’s anything this proves, it’s the fact that he’s an effective actor. He knows his craft well and he can portray the roles given to him persuasively. This doesn’t say anything about his sexuality.
Is Manu Rios Gay?
No, Manu Rios is not gay. As far as the public knows, the actor has only dated girls, thus, it’s safe to assume that he is, in fact, straight. Plus, the rumors about his sexuality only started because of the roles he plays which, obviously, do not apply in real life.