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Matias Varela

Matias Varela

Actor · Born June 23, 1980 (46) · Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Matias Varela, born 23 June 1980 in Katarina parish in Stockholm, is a Swedish-Spanish actor of Galician descent. Varela played Miguel "Mischa" Zantos in TV4's Nya tider in 2000–2001. He made a big comeback after 10 years away from acting in the role of Jorge Salinas Barrio in Snabba Cash and returned in the acclaimed role in the sequels Snabba Cash II and Snabba Cash – Livet deluxe . He was nominated for the Guldbaggen for his contributions in the last two films in the Snabba Cash trilogy. In the Arne Dahl films he plays Jorge Chavez. In 2013 he was in the third season of the TV series The Borgias, where he played the role of Ferdinand II of Naples. After this, his international career took off with roles in Point Break and Assassin's Creed. Matias Varela plays one of the main characters, Jorge Salcedo, in season three of the Netflix series Narcos.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 23, 1980 (46)
From
Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden
Works as
Actor
Titles
13 on MovieCove · 28 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 38 days to Oct 27Down 3% in 30 days

What are Matias Varela's films like?

Across their 8 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Morality and Bonds.

Genres

Drama3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 30th percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Morality
29%
Bonds
27%
Self
18%
Power
18%
Survival
7%
Justice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 7 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 4

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 5 · Stylized 2 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 1 · Charged 1 · Intense 5

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 1 · Shifting 4 · Whiplash 2

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 5 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 2 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 4

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 5 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

6 analyzed roles

Usually the Shapeshifter: 3 of 6 analyzed roles.

Shapeshifter
3 of 6
Shadow
1 of 6
Hero
1 of 6
Ally
1 of 6

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
5
Dread
4
Contemplative
2
Thrilling
2
Melancholic
2
Other
5

How their films linger

Unsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy1
  • Bittersweet2
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous3

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Matias Varela's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 10 of their 13 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Matias Varela's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

28 credits, 13 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Mirror (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Kalle

  • The Dance Club (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    as Markus

  • Stockholm Bloodbath(2023)

    as Cardinal

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Raised by Wolves (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 12 episodes · as Lucius

  • 438 Days(2019)

    as Johan Persson

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • Fartblinda(2019)

    Show 16 episodes · as Peder Rooth

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Heavy(2019)

    as Rodrigo

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all films

  • Hierro (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 6 episodes · as Gaspar Cabrera

  • Assassin's Creed(2016)

    as Emir

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Point Break(2015)

    as Grommet

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Narcos(2015)

    Show 10 episodes · as Jorge Salcedo

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • The Fat and the Angry (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Nicola

  • Easy Money III: Life Deluxe(2013)

    as Jorge

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • The Fjällbacka Murders: In the Eye of the Beholder (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Player (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Guy with cigarette

  • Easy Money II: Hard to Kill(2012)

    as Jorge

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Arne Dahl: The Europe Blues (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Jorge Chavez

  • Arne Dahl: Many Waters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Jorge Chavez

  • Once Upon a Time in Phuket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Jean Luc

  • Arne Dahl: To the Top of the Mountain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Jorge Chavez

  • Arne Dahl: Bad Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Jorge Chavez

  • The Borgias(2011)

    Show 3 episodes · as King Ferdinand II of Naples

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Easy Money(2010)

    as Jorge

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Paltalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Erik

  • Stockholm Boogie(2005)

    as Sofo

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Storm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Knugen

  • Fröken Sverige(2004)

    as Hector

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Nya tider (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 340 episodes · as Mischa Santos

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 28 titles from 1999 to 2026; peak year 2012.

Biggest box office

Easy Money (2010)

$8.4M worldwide

Highest rated

438 Days (2019)

Midcredits 76th

Most popular right now

Fartblinda (2019)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19992026

Peak 2012 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 4 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting28 of 28: 28 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score49th

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s4 · acting2010s19 · acting2020s4 · acting

Billing

usually 8th · top billed in 10% of 10 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Matias Varela's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 40th percentile, the median of all 10; across their 7 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

56thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Approval · how many liked their films

48thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Reach · how many have seen their films

77thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 7

Midcredits score across 13 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th3
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

5 of their 13 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Divisive1
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed4

Most divisive · actor

Heavy (2019)

92nd percentile spread · 60% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Narcos (2015)

Midcredits 99th · 96% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 7 reviewed titles; fans 85, detractors 46. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Matias Varela work with?

People who share at least 2 of Matias Varela's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Jon Ekstrand shares the most, 4.

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles