Everyone’s favorite Spanish teen drama finally returns when Elite season 2 premieres on Netflix September 6. Just like the first season of the Netflix hit, the follow-up promises to deliver even more secrets, crime, lies, betrayal, romance, and let's be real, probably murder. In addition to all the thrills, Elite season 2 is also debuting a new character: Valerio, played by Chilean actor Jorge López.
Lopez’s character Valerio only makes a quick appearance in the teaser trailer for Elite season 2, but it wouldn’t be unrealistic (based on everything that has happened so far on this wild, wild show) for fans to assume he's bringing trouble with him. Valerio is the half-brother of Lu (Danna Paola) and a troubled, drug-addicted partier, according to Variety. In a press conference that included details for the second season (the show has also already been renewed for a third season), Lopez described Valerio as having “a super-rich interior world.” He added, “It’s been doubly surprising to get to a new country but feel so comfortable.”
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Thanks to its global success (Netflix claims Elite has been watched by more than 20 million households), the show has introduced this group of young Spanish actors to an American audience. But some of the them, including Lopez, don't exactly require an introduction to their millions of existing fans.
Thanks to his previous work, Valerio's portrayer already has 2.7 million followers on Instagram. His page is filled with classic vacation pictures, selfies, modeling shots, and, most recently, a snap of him arriving at the premiere for the second season of Elite. He also includes images of well-known actors like Jack Nicholson, Cameron Diaz, and Johnny Depp throughout his feed. Lopez has a few pictures with co-stars and friends, but he doesn’t post anything suggesting he is in a relationship. (You know you were wondering.) Cue legions of Elite fans swooning over him moments after the new season is released.
Lopez, who is 27 years old, has had starring or recurring roles on four series throughout his career. In 2012, he was a cast member on a musical Chilean series called Decibel 110 about a group of college students working through their personal issues while attending a musical workshop at their university. He also led a Spanish sci-fi series in 2018 called Wake Up as a character named Iris. But he is undoubtedly best known for his work on a musical family comedy series called Soy Luna.
Lopez starred in the popular Chilean musical telenovela for its entire 220-episodes run as Ramiro. His character was arrogant and dreamed of becoming a star and the show aired on the Disney Channel Latin America for three years and boosted Lopez’s career as an actor. His role on Elite will be his first project since Soy Luna ended in 2018.
Most of Lopez’s parts, so far, have involved music. So, it won’t be surprising if his character Valerio ends up having some musical talents... or becomes a bad boy which Lopez is used to playing (Ramiro was the resident bad boy of Soy Luna.)
Lopez is already somewhat of a social media sensation, so it's only a matter of time (days, really) before he amasses even more fans from the millions hanging on every twist and turn on Elite.