Caracol Televisión, in association with DLO Producciones, announces the start of production in Spain for AQUEL, the highly anticipated official biographical series about the life and career of Raphael, one of the most influential and iconic Spanish-speaking artists in the world.
After emerging stronger from an episode that tested both his life and his art, the “Divo de Linares” returns bigger and more unstoppable than ever to tell his own story.
Raphael opens up: intimate, transparent, and captivating, retracing the journey through his beginnings, the dreams that changed everything, and the great battles he fought to become a global icon of music and entertainment.
“I’m deeply excited about this project, the result of more than three years of hard work. These have been intense months of scriptwriting, casting, production design, and close collaboration with the directors, alongside three exceptional partners: Caracol, DLO, and Netflix.”
Filming finally began in June, and I couldn’t be happier with the first results. This biopic doesn’t just tell my story; it also reflects a shared journey — more than six decades of a career filled with unforgettable moments — some well-known, others more intimate; some bright, others more difficult — but all profoundly meaningful.
I have told my life without filters, and the writers have interpreted it with complete freedom. This is not a biopic that idealizes my path, but rather an honest, unvarnished portrait that doesn’t shy away from any part of it, no matter how complicated. Because of this, I believe AQUEL holds a special meaning. I can’t wait to see the final result and, above all, to share it with all of you,” says Raphael, with the sincerity that has always defined him.
As part of its international expansion strategy, Caracol Televisión arrives in Spain to bring this powerful story to life — a celebration of the country’s cultural identity and the legacy of one of its greatest icons. The series is helmed by José Manuel Lorenzo as showrunner — one of Spain’s most renowned producers and the creative force behind major TV hits like Dime Quién Soy, El Inmortal, El Jardinero, and Ni Una Más. Through DLO Producciones — the Spanish production house known for bold stories with global reach — Lorenzo brings his signature touch and vast experience to make AQUEL a series that will move audiences across generations.
AQUEL stars Javier Morgade as the young Raphael, Carlos Santos as Raphael in his mature years, and Álvaro González as the teenage Raphael. They are joined by an outstanding cast, including Francesco Carril as Paco Gordillo (the artist’s longtime manager), Natalia Varela as Natalia Figueroa (Raphael’s wife), and Pepa Aniorte as Rafaela, the singer’s mother — among other talented actors who will bring to life the key figures from his personal and professional journey.
The executive producers are Nacho Bolonio, Lisette Osorio, Dago García, and José Manuel Lorenzo, with Jacobo Martos as associate producer. Direction is in the hands of Tito López Amado, Javier Pulido, and Beatriz Sanchís, with a script written by Ignacio del Moral, Paloma Rando, and Adrià P. Xancó.
Filmed in iconic locations that span from Madrid to Las Vegas — including Moscow, Paris, and Acapulco — and backed by a top-tier creative team, the project brings an innovative narrative approach to portray Raphael, also known as “El Monstruo de la Canción” (“The Monster of Song”) for his commanding stage presence.
Raphael’s greatest musical hits will accompany this story, including Mi Gran Noche, Qué sabe nadie, En carne viva, Escándalo, and Estar enamorado, along with an original score by Lucas Vidal
José Manuel Lorenzo, President of DLO Producciones:
“For me, it has been an incredible surprise to get to know, discover, and immerse myself in Raphael’s life in order to bring it to the screen… I approach it with the same passion I bring to all my major projects. I’m fascinated by who he is and the gift of his voice — a talent that carried him from absolute poverty to becoming one of the greatest artists in Spanish history. Telling his story with the utmost fidelity, without falling into clichés or embellishments, is a very special challenge for me and for DLO. Beyond thanking Raphael, I am deeply grateful to Lisette Osorio and Caracol Televisión for trusting me to lead this project, which makes me so happy and so proud.”
Gonzalo Córdoba, President of Caracol Televisión:
“At Caracol Televisión, we firmly believe that great stories know no borders. Our mission is to build bridges between cultures through stories that inspire, move, and stand the test of time. With AQUEL, we take another step forward in our vision of delivering universal content born from a strong local identity — in this case, that of an irreplaceable icon like Raphael — stories that touch the hearts of audiences around the world.”
Lisette Osorio, Vice President of International Business at Caracol Televisión:
“At Caracol Televisión, we believe in the power of storytelling that transcends and inspires society. Raphael is a living example of constant reinvention — of how an artist can keep their legacy alive, generation after generation, connecting with audiences of all ages. This exciting project reaffirms our commitment to sharing stories with the world that cross borders and celebrate the great icons of our culture.”
AQUEL will premiere exclusively on Netflix in Spain and Latin America, revealing for the first time the most intimate stories of the artist. This marks a milestone in Caracol Televisión’s strategy to expand into new territories, joining forces with DLO to deliver stories that bring audiences together in a shared global conversation.
About DLO Producciones
José Manuel Lorenzo — founder, president, and executive producer of DLO Producciones — launched this fiction, film, and television production company in 2011. Since 2013, the company has been part of the Banijay Group. Even then, DLO was already one of Spain’s fastest-growing independent audiovisual production companies, with a strong focus on fiction.
DLO Producciones is made up of a multidisciplinary team of seasoned professionals from the audiovisual industry, behind a range of acclaimed and successful projects: La caza. Monteperdido (RTVE) — the breakout series of the 2019 season, which premiered to great success in Spain and Italy and whose adaptation was a ratings hit in France. The series was renewed for a second (La caza. Tramuntana), third (La caza. Guadiana), and upcoming fourth season (La caza. Irati), which will premiere on Movistar Plus+ later this year.
Other standout projects include the comedy Señor, dame paciencia (Atresmedia, Warner Pictures) — Spain’s box office leader in summer 2017, which now has a sequel in series format for Atresmedia; Los Japón, screened at the Málaga Film Festival and starring Dani Rovira and María León; Dime Quién Soy (Movistar Plus+) — Movistar Plus+’s first international series, adapted from Julia Navarro’s bestselling novel; El Inmortal, a TV series inspired by the Los Miami gang (Telefónica, Telemundo), nominated at the 2022 Canneseries Festival and renewed for a second season; Ni una más and El Jardinero for Netflix; Las largas sombras, directed by Clara Roquet for Disney; Segunda Muerte, a thriller filmed in Cantabria; and ANATOMÍA DE UN INSTANTE, the adaptation of Javier Cercas’s acclaimed book for Movistar Plus+.
About Caracol Televisión
Caracol Televisión is a leading producer of Spanish-language content, recognized for transforming global entertainment through bold and innovative storytelling. With more than five decades of experience and over 1,800 hours of original content produced annually, Caracol has established itself as a key player in the international audiovisual industry.
Its stories travel the world and connect with audiences in more than 180 countries across five continents, thanks to a robust global distribution strategy and a creative vision that transcends formats and borders. From its offices in Bogotá, Miami, and Madrid, Caracol Internacional distributes a broad and diverse catalog that includes dramas, series, documentaries, films, digital content, podcasts, and entertainment formats created by Caracol Televisión —
productions that have broken cultural and language barriers to become globally recognized hits.
In addition to operating the national free-to-air television channel in Colombia, the company provides production services for third parties and develops multi-platform content distributed through international partners, its own channels, and third-party networks.
Caracol Televisión es un líder en la producción de contenidos en español, reconocido por transformar el entretenimiento global con historias audaces e innovadoras. Con más de cinco décadas de experiencia y más de 1.800 horas de contenido original al año, Caracol se ha consolidado como una fuerza clave en la industria audiovisual internacional. Sus historias viajan y conectan con audiencias en más de 180 países y cinco continentes, gracias a una sólida estrategia de distribución global y a una propuesta creativa que trasciende formatos y fronteras. Desde sus sedes en Bogotá, Miami y Madrid, Caracol Internacional distribuye un catálogo amplio y diverso que incluye dramas, series, documentales, películas, contenidos digitales, pódcasts y formatos de entretenimiento creados por Caracol Televisión, que han superado barreras culturales y lingüísticas, convirtiéndose en productos reconocidos a nivel mundial. Además de operar el canal nacional de televisión abierta en Colombia, la compañía presta servicios de producción a terceros y desarrolla contenidos multiplataforma que se distribuyen a través de aliados internacionales, canales propios y terceros.
