Spain is one of the world's largest producers of Spanish-language audiovisual content. Series such as La Casa de Papel, Elite, Vis a Vis or El Internado have established Spain as a top-tier market for Netflix, HBO, Amazon and Disney+. That means more production, more castings and more opportunities for actors. This guide explains how that world works from the inside.
The TV series production ecosystem in Spain
To understand how to access series castings, you first need to understand who makes the decisions:
- International platforms: Netflix, HBO Max, Amazon Prime and Disney+ have their own offices in Madrid and fund or co-produce original Spanish series.
- Independent production companies: Alea Media, Bambú Producciones, Mediapro, Globomedia, Boomerang TV... These are the ones that actually produce and hire.
- Casting directors: They are usually freelance or run their own company. They are the filter between actors and production.
- National broadcasters: RTVE, Antena 3, Telecinco, Cuatro and La Sexta still produce their own scripted content, although less than before.
How the casting process for series works
- The production company commissions the casting. When a series enters pre-production, the production company hires a casting director to find the actors.
- The casting director does a first screening. They review profiles in databases, platforms like Arga Studios, agencies and their network of contacts.
- First round: self-tape. In most current series castings, the first test is a self-tape that the actor records at home with a fragment of the script.
- Second round: in-room audition. Those selected move on to record with the casting team.
- Third round: with the series director. If the director wants to see you, there is a final session where the showrunner or executive producer may also be present.
Important note: For supporting and episodic roles, there is often only one or two rounds. How fast the process moves depends on the budget and the production schedule.
Most in-demand profiles in 2026
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Create my profile for free →The series market in Spain in 2026 has especially high demand for:
- Actors aged 18 to 35 with youthful appeal: the platforms' main target audience.
- Actors with an authentic regional accent: series with a local setting (Galicia, the Basque Country, Andalusia) look for authenticity.
- Spanish-English bilingual actors: for international co-productions.
- Actors from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds: platforms have representation mandates and are actively looking for diverse profiles.
- Actors with special skills: athletes, musicians, dancers.
How to get called for a series casting
1. Have a flawless digital profile
90% of casting directors in Spain search for actors online before reaching out. An up-to-date profile on specialized platforms, with good photos, a showreel and a clear bio, is the starting point.
2. Be with talent agencies
For big-platform series (Netflix, HBO), many roles are filled through representation agencies. Landing an agency is an important step if you aim to work in series regularly.
3. An active network of contacts
The series sector in Spain is relatively small. The same casting directors work for multiple production companies. Staying in touch with people already working in the sector greatly speeds up your chances.
4. Specific on-camera training
Working in series requires a very different technique from theater. If your background is in stage acting, complement it with specific on-camera training: micro-technique, naturalness in front of the lens, working with text in real time.
The reality of the first role
Most actors working in platform series in Spain today started with small roles: an episodic character in a single scene, an extra with a line, a 3-minute appearance. Those first roles are gold: they give you a credit on your CV, material for your showreel and direct contacts in production.
Don't wait for the leading role to get started. The first role —however small— is the one that opens the door to the second.
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