Carlos Manuel Vesga Sánchez (born January 30, 1976), also credited as Carlos-Manuel Vesga, is a Colombian theater, film, and television actor.
He is known for his role in the 2010 Colombian telenovela Amor sincero, playing Samuel Medina, as well as in the 2013 series La prepago, where he played the role of Alejandro Sanjuán. Since 2025, he has starred in the Apple TV series Pluribus as Manousos Oviedo.
Contents
Early life and education
Carlos Manuel Vesga Sánchez was born in Bogotá, Colombia. During his youth, he created his own rock band.
He initially studied architecture at Pontifica Universidad Javeriana. Upon completing his architecture degree, he moved to New York City to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Although trained in "The Method", Vesga has stated in interviews that he views acting more as a "serious game" rather than a search for absolute emotional truth, diverging slightly from strict Strasberg techniques.
Career
Early work and breakthrough
Vesga's career began when he returned to Colombia and was cast in the telenovela Pobre Pablo (2000). He steadily built a reputation as a character actor, avoiding the typical heartthrob ("galán") stereotype, while securing significant roles.
His major breakthrough came in 2010 with the hit series Amor sincero, a biopic of the singer Marbelle. Vesga played Samuel Medina, the protagonist's father. The role was a cultural phenomenon in Colombia; despite playing a father figure rather than a romantic lead, the character became incredibly popular with female audiences for his portrayal of an ideal husband. For this performance, he won the India Catalina Award for Best Leading Actor in a Telenovela in 2011.
Villain roles and international success
Vesga transitioned to playing antagonists, gaining critical acclaim for his "hated" villain roles. Notable antagonistic performances include Alejandro Sanjuán in La prepago (2013) and the sadistic "Picasso" in El Bronx (2019).
In 2024, he achieved widespread recognition for playing two major villains simultaneously on Colombian television: Alfredo Azcárate in Devuélveme la vida and Francisco "El Flaco" Marulanda in the Netflix survival thriller The Hijacking of Flight 601 (Secuestro del vuelo 601). The latter became one of Netflix's most-watched non-English series globally that year.
In 2025, it was announced that Vesga would be joining the cast of Pluribus, a series by Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan. He plays the role of Manousos Oviedo, one of the few people immune to an alien virus that has overtaken the world, who refuses contact with the infected.
Personal life
Vesga is married to Colombian actress Jimena Durán. The couple met while studying at the same university, though they did not begin a relationship until years later when they reconnected in the acting industry. They married in 2013.
