Which actor plays Pablo Escobar in Netflix's Narcos?

Wagner Moura plays Pablo Escobar in Netflix’s Narcos. The Brazilian actor portrays the Colombian drug lord at the center of the series’ first two seasons.

Narcos premiered in 2015 and dramatizes the rise and fall of the Medellín Cartel, along with the efforts of Colombian authorities and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents to stop Escobar’s cocaine empire. Moura’s performance covers Escobar’s transformation from trafficker to one of the world’s most notorious criminals.

The role required substantial preparation. Moura learned Spanish for the part and gained more than 18 kilograms, or about 40 pounds, to resemble Escobar. Although he was born in Brazil, he performs the role as a Colombian character. This nationality difference is a frequent point of trivia confusion.

Boyd Holbrook plays DEA agent Steve Murphy, while Pedro Pascal plays DEA agent Javier Peña. They are major figures in the story, but neither portrays Escobar. The show uses real events as a basis while taking dramatic liberties with people, chronology, and dialogue.