For years, viewers of ‘Los Serrano’ thought that the complicity between Marcos and Raúl, the charismatic characters played by Fran Perea and Alejo Sauras, went beyond the screen. However, Perea himself has recently surprised by revealing that, behind the cameras, their relationship was much more distant than the public thought.
In an interview granted to the podcast ‘La escalera roja’, the actor from Malaga broke his silence about his experience in the iconic Telecinco series, which marked a before and after in Spanish television. Between anecdotes and reflections on those years of fame, the interpreter confessed that the friendship with Sauras was more a myth than a reality.
“We got along well, but we weren’t friends.”
Fran Perea did not hesitate to answer when asked with whom he got along the worst during the filming: “Alejo”, he said naturally, before trying to change the subject so as not to fuel controversy.
His words were enough to overthrow a deep-rooted belief among fans, who for years had idealized the relationship between the two actors. As he explained, the treatment was correct and professional, but without complicity outside of work.
“On the set, cordiality reigned, but our connection was simply work-related,” the actor detailed, making it clear that the chemistry the audience perceived on screen was the result of acting and not of a real friendship.
The comment has generated a wave of reactions among fans of the series, who saw in Marcos and Raúl one of the most iconic friendships of television in the 2000s.
The success and pressure of being the face of the television phenomenon
Beyond this confession, Fran Perea also talked about the intensity of the phenomenon ‘Los Serrano’ and how it affected his professional and personal life.
The actor revealed, for the first time, the figures of his salary during the series, one of the most talked-about topics of the interview. As he explained, he was paid between 10,000 and 12,000 euros per episode, which meant between 60,000 and 70,000 euros per season.
An exceptional remuneration for the time, reflecting the enormous success and popularity of the program, which aired between 2003 and 2008.
Telecinco bet heavily on its main cast, and Perea, besides being one of the most beloved protagonists, also interpreted the central theme of the series, “Uno más uno son siete”, which has become a generational anthem.
However, the actor acknowledged that fame took its toll on him. “It was a period of a lot of pressure and a very intense pace of work,” he confessed. While filming the series, Perea combined filming with his musical career, giving concerts all over Spain and reaching a level of media exposure that led him to rethink his future.
“I needed to regain my balance.”
The performer admitted that, after years of television frenzy, he decided to take a step back to focus on more personal projects.
“Eventually I understood that I needed to slow down and regain my balance,” he explained, referring to a stage when success was mixed with burnout.
Over the years, Perea has managed to find stability and serenity with actress Luz Valdenebro, with whom he has been in a relationship since 2009 and whom he married in 2023.
Today, the actor from Malaga has established himself as a multifaceted artist, combining theater, television, music and production. His career shows that his talent goes far beyond the character that launched him to fame.
Los Serrano’: an epoch-making series
Broadcast for five seasons, ‘Los Serrano’ became one of the biggest hits on Spanish television. Starring Antonio Resines and Belén Rueda, the series narrated with humor and tenderness the experiences of a family and its many daily entanglements.
At its peak of popularity, the fiction reached more than seven million viewers, generating a cultural phenomenon that transcended the screen. Phrases such as “las cosas son como son” or “one plus one is seven” became part of the popular language, and its soundtrack -interpreted by Perea himself- became a symbol of that time.
The series was also a breeding ground for young talent, many of whom – such as Víctor Elías, Natalia Sánchez and Verónica Sánchez –are still involved in show business today.
However, the massive success also generated pressures and tensions within the cast, something Perea openly acknowledged. “We were very young, and the level of exposure was enormous. There were days of everything,” he commented during the interview.
