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Life Before Fame: "Gustavo" From 'Narcos'

Despite achieving wide recognition for his role as "Gustavo Gaviria" on Narcos, actor Juan Pablo Raba had already built up an impressive career beforehand. Learn about the life of the Colombian actor prior to his breakthrough Narcos role, a time when he was busy with studies and hard at work on other television productions.

Juan Pablo Raba is one actor whose name is immediately associated with hit series Narcos. In the first two seasons, the 43-year-old Colombian star brought to life "Gustavo Gaviria," who in real life was the cousin of drug trafficker Pablo Escobar and the chief financial officer of the Medellín Cartel. As you might expect, following this role, the career of the South American actor took a huge leap forward. But what was Juan Pablo up to before he made himself known to the world as "Gustavo"?

"Gustavo" on Narcos: Actor Juan Pablo Raba before fame

Juan Pablo was born in Bogotá, Colombia and is the son of Ricardo Raba, an Argentine businessman, and María Eugenia Vidal, a writer and art restorer. But after his parents divorced, he was raised in Spain by his father. There, Juan Pablo studied advertising and later lived in Argentina. After that, Raba moved to Colombia, where he began his acting career.

Juan Pablo Raba had many TV roles and worked as a model

After working as a model, Juan Pablo took acting classes in Bogotá and New York, and in 1998 he got his first role on the television series Amor en forma. From there, more contracts arrived for Juan Pablo, as in the projects Marido e mujer from 1999, or La reina de Queens in 2000.

However, it was in 2001, with telenovela La niña de mis ojos, when he became better known. Ever since, the projects have not stopped for the Colombian actor, who also appeared in others such as Mi gorda bella and La Reina del Sur.

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This experience allowed the actor to achieve in 2015 what remains one of his best-remembered characters — "Gustavo" in Narcos. The role opened the doors to participate in other American TV shows, such as Six and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as films Peppermint, Entebbe, and Shot Caller.

In his personal life, Juan Pablo was married to the journalist Paula Quinteros from 2003 to 2007. After that, in 2011, he began a relationship with the TV host Mónica Fonseca, with whom he later married and had two children.

You can also click here to learn more about Juan Pablo Raba's wife, Mónica, or see the best pictures of Narcos co-star Wagner Mouras with his wife Sandra.