Alberto Ammann Movies and TV Shows: Why He’s More Than Just Pacho Herrera

Most people recognize Alberto Ammann the second he smirks on screen. It’s that chilling, calculated confidence he brought to Pacho Herrera in the Netflix juggernaut Narcos. You know the one—the high-ranking Cali Cartel boss who managed to be both terrifying and incredibly suave in a silk shirt.

But if you think his career starts and ends with drug kingpin roles, you’re missing the best parts of his filmography. Honestly, Ammann is one of those rare actors who can jump between a gritty Spanish prison and a futuristic colony on Mars without losing an ounce of believability.

The guy has a Goya Award. He’s worked with everyone from Keira Knightley (in those Chanel ads, remember?) to Sofia Vergara. Let’s actually look at the Alberto Ammann movies and tv shows that define his career, because it’s a much weirder and more impressive list than just "that guy from the cartel show."

The Big Breakthrough: Cell 211 (Celda 211)

In 2009, Ammann wasn't a household name. He was just a guy who had done some theater and a bit of TV. Then came Cell 211.

If you haven't seen it, stop what you're doing. He plays Juan Oliver, a young prison guard who shows up a day early for work only to get trapped in the middle of a massive, bloody riot. To stay alive, he has to pretend to be a new inmate.

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It’s a masterclass in tension. You watch his face transform from terrified "deer in headlights" to someone who actually starts to lose himself in the violence of the prison system. He won the Goya Award for Best New Actor for this, and frankly, he deserved it. It’s one of the best Spanish thrillers ever made. Period.

The Pacho Herrera Era: Narcos and Narcos: Mexico

We have to talk about it. You’re likely here because of Narcos.

Ammann didn't just play a criminal; he played Pacho Herrera with a specific kind of magnetism. While Wagner Moura’s Pablo Escobar was all brooding power and Pedro Pascal’s Javier Peña was weary justice, Ammann’s Pacho was about precision.

He played the role across both the original Narcos and its spinoff, Narcos: Mexico. What most people forget is how groundbreaking the character was for the genre—an openly gay, ruthless high-ranking boss in a hyper-masculine world. Ammann played that nuance perfectly, never making it a caricature.

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Other Major TV Roles You Might Have Missed

• Mars (2016-2018): This was a weird, cool hybrid of documentary and scripted drama from National Geographic. Ammann played Javier Delgado, a hydrologist on the first manned mission to Mars. It’s a total 180 from his crime roles.
• The Longest Night (2022): A high-octane Spanish series where he plays Hugo Roca, a prison director facing a siege. If you liked Cell 211, this is basically its spiritual, adrenaline-fueled cousin.
• Griselda (2024): He showed up here as Alberto Bravo, Griselda’s second husband. It was a short-lived but pivotal role that reminded everyone he's still the king of the "Netflix Crime Universe."
• Apaches (2017): A gritty drama set in Madrid where he plays a journalist who turns to a life of crime to save his father’s business.

Beyond the Cartels: Upon Entry and Sci-Fi Thrillers

Recently, Ammann has been leaning back into prestige cinema. If you want to see him really act—like, "sweating-under-fluorescent-lights" act—check out Upon Entry (2022).

The movie is basically just four people in a room at Newark Airport. He plays Diego, a Venezuelan man trying to enter the U.S. with his girlfriend. It is a psychological pressure cooker. There are no guns, no car chases, just a terrifyingly bureaucratic interrogation. He was nominated for several major Spanish awards for this, and it’s arguably his best work since his debut.

He also ventured into the "what if" world with Artificial Justice (2024), a sci-fi thriller about AI replacing judges. It’s a very "now" movie, and he plays Alex, a character caught in the middle of a conspiracy that feels way too close to 2026 reality for comfort.

A Quick Look at the Filmography

Why He Still Matters

Ammann is a chameleon. He’s Argentine by birth but has spent so much of his career in Spain that he’s basically a titan of Spanish cinema. He doesn't just "show up." He puts in the work. For Cell 211, he actually spent time talking to real prisoners and guards to get the vibe right.

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What’s interesting about his recent choices, like Disco, Ibiza, Locomía, is that he’s moving away from the "tough guy" archetype. In that film, he plays a music producer in the 80s. It's flamboyant, it's messy, and it’s a far cry from the calculated drug lords he’s famous for.

If you’re looking to binge his work, don’t just stick to the Netflix homepage. Look for the smaller Spanish indies. Look for Thesis on a Homicide, where he goes head-to-head with the legendary Ricardo Darín. That’s where you see the real range.

Your Alberto Ammann Watchlist

1. If you want a masterpiece: Watch Cell 211. It’s a top-tier prison thriller.
2. If you want to feel uncomfortable: Watch Upon Entry. It will make you never want to go through customs again.
3. If you want the iconic performance: Obviously, Narcos Season 3 is "The Pacho Season."
4. If you want something different: Check out Mars. It’s half-science, half-drama, and totally unique.

Start with Cell 211 if you haven't seen it yet. It’s the foundation of everything he’s done since. Once you see him as a terrified rookie guard, his transition into the cold-blooded Pacho Herrera becomes even more impressive. You can find most of his recent work on Netflix or Amazon Prime, but some of the older gems might require a bit of digging on specialized platforms like Mubi or Filmin.