Born in the city of Madrid , capital of Spain. He is the son of two
entrepreneurs, the second of four children. His father started working
at the age of thirteen and from there, he built a remarkably successful
textile company in the center of the capital with his mother.
After finishing school, he decided to enroll in a degree in Sociology
at the University Complutense of Madrid, to please a part of his family
that frowned upon his dream of being part of such an unstable world. It
didn't take too long for him to get into the university theatre group,
where he met his soon to be mentor, Antonio Malonda. After two years
and several theatrical productions, Malonda urges Gil to audition for
the RESAD (Royal Consevatory of Dramatic Art of Madrid). One of 50
chosen from over 1700 applicants, Gil began his first year at the RESAD
combining it with his third and final year of Sociology.
In 1997 Gil made his debut in the film "Resultado Final", directed by
Juan Antonio Bardem (Honorary Goya winner).
In his second to last year at the RESAD, Gil was chosen by David
Ottone, director of Yllana, a theatre company specializing in physical
slapstick humor. Interested by the impressive academic results of the
actor in the conservatory, Yllana, along with Gil, began a close
collaboration that started with a two year tour in more than 20
countries around the world.
Gil then decided to leave the road to try his luck in television and
landed a role in the TV show "Hospital Central" (2002/04). At the same
time he was hired by the National Theater Company (Centro Dramático
Nacional) for plays such as: "The Visit" by Dürrenmatt, "Story of a
Stairway" by Antonio Buero Vallejo and many classic works including
"Justice Without Revenge" by Lope de Vega.
His career really started to take off when he encarnated the legendary
character of "Don Juan Tenorio" by Zorrilla at the Festival of Alcala
de Henares before crowds of 40,000 spectators per show.
Success followed in 2005 when he played the lead in the hilarious
comedy "Monty Python's Flying Circus", touring all of Spain. He was
cast simultaneously in the TV show "Noche H" in which he played an
eccentric journalist. There he had the opportunity to act alongside
celebrities such as Tim Robbins, Penélope Cruz, Bruce Willis, Hilary
Swank, Pedro Almodóvar, Steve Martin and Ralph Fiennes.
In the following years he played all kinds of characters in TV shows
and in films including: Cuéntame Cómo Pasó (2006), Muchachada Nui
(2007/08), La Tira (2008/09), Spanish Movie (2009), La que se Avecina
(2010), Los Quién (2011) and Felipe y Letizia (2011), to name a few. In
the latter film he starred as Felipe de Borbón and became the first
actor ever to portray the Prince of Spain.
During these years he combined his work in film and television with
theater and was involved in over a dozen productions, including Monty
Python's musical, Spamalot, where he played several characters and was
awarded the 2009 "Grand Vía" for Best Actor in a Musical Comedy.
In 2012 Fernando was selected by the Fundación Siglo de Oro Company to
encarnate Henry VIII in The Shakespeare Globe to Globe Festival in
London. This made Gil the first spanish actor ever to play a main
character in The Globe Theatre. He received great reviews in leading
newspapers such as The Guardian, where they praised his truthfulness on
stage.
He has also portrayed another king, this time starring as the actual
King of Spain, Juan Carlos I de Borbón, in the upcoming TV Movie "El
Rey" (Tele 5).
He was awarded with the "Biznaga de Plata" for Best Supporting Actor at
the 2013 Malaga Film Festival for his most recent film "Casting" by
Jorge Naranjo.
Gil is presently shooting for the TV show "El Principe", where he plays
a secret agent who is investigating a terrorist cell in Marocco. It is
due to be released in 2014.
He recently returned from Los Angeles (California) where he performed
Henry VIII at The Broad Stage in Santa Monica, garnering great reviews
in newspapers such as the LA Times. There he met a renowned Hollywood
agent who now manages Fernando Gil's career in the United States.
He has produced, directed and written many short films, for which he
also composed and recorded the music, being an avid guitar player.
These shorts have brought him to over 16 film festivals and have been
nominated for many awards. He won Best Short Film for his eccentric
comedy "Vuelta y Vuelta" in the 2004 Iberoamerican Film Festival of
Madrid.
