There are career pivots, and then there’s whatever Manu Ríos is doing right now. If you still associate him with polished blazers, perfectly styled hair, and emotionally chaotic hookups from Elite, it might be time to update the mental image. The man has traded in prep school drama for smudged eyeliner and full goth energy—and somehow, it works a little too well.
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Manu Ríos Enters His Goth Era (and Commits Fully)
Call it a reinvention, call it a commitment, call it a very deliberate pivot into darker territory—either way, My Dearest Señorita is giving Ríos room to do something new. He leans all the way in: pitch black wig, black nail polish, eyeliner sharp enough to cut through your last situationship, and an outfit that looks like it walked straight out of a Hot Topic time capsule. He plays Gato, a character who, based on early glimpses, is more than just aesthetic—he’s emotional infrastructure.
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Ríos himself seems to feel it. Posting from set, he wrote, “Starting out in cinema with a character like this has been a gift. Gato is someone who offers support—and also represents chosen family. I’m taking a piece of him with me.” No irony, no distance—just a surprisingly grounded take for someone currently dressed like he fronts a band that only plays at midnight.
A Story That Actually Has Something to Say
At the center of My Dearest Señorita is Adela, played by Elisabeth Martinez, an intersex woman navigating identity, family, and the long road toward living truthfully. The premise doesn’t dance around it either. According to the official description: “An unexpected and beautiful friendship with a newly arrived priest, the return of a close childhood friend, and the arrival of a woman, Isabel, trigger a chain reaction that takes Adela on a journey of self-discovery, from Pamplona to Madrid, where her identity will need the love and support of others in order to be revealed.”
The film pulls from the legacy of the original My Dearest Señorita, which earned an Academy Award nomination back in 1972, but this version is clearly interested in correcting what the original could only hint at.
Casting That Actually Means Something
Director Fernando González Molina didn’t leave much room for ambiguity when explaining the approach: “For me, it was essential to build this new version of My Dearest Señorita from the need to portray a reality—the intersex reality—barely hinted at in the original film and almost in cinema in general.” He added, “Doing this with an intersex actress as the lead was key for the project from the very first conversation with the producers. Finding Elisabeth has been one of the greatest challenges of the film, and we are fascinated by her and her work.”
That decision alone shifts the film from “interesting remake” to something with actual stakes.
Los Javis Stay Busy (and Focused)
Behind the scenes, you’ve got Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo—collectively known as Los Javis—continuing their streak of projects that mix pop sensibility with real-world weight. Their statement cuts straight to the point: “bringing visibility to realities like those of intersex people, with whom we still have a pending debt as a society.”
No fluff, no over-explaining. Just a reminder that representation still has gaps—and this film is trying to close one.
So… Is Gato the Emotional Support Goth?
Details about Gato are still under wraps, but what’s clear is that he becomes a close confidant to Adela, possibly even a love interest. Whether he’s here to heal, complicate things, or just stand in the corner looking devastatingly good while offering life advice remains to be seen—but the “chosen family” angle suggests he’s not just decorative.
And honestly, that’s the quiet appeal here. This isn’t just a makeover for the sake of aesthetics (even if the aesthetics are doing a lot). It’s Ríos stepping into something more layered—less about being looked at, more about being felt.
When and Where to Watch
After premiering at the Malaga Film Festival and rolling out in Spanish theaters, My Dearest Señorita is heading to Netflix on May 1. Which means yes, the goth era will soon be available for pausing, rewinding, and overanalyzing in your own living room.
And now the real question: are you fully on board with this darker, goth-leaning version of Manu Ríos, or are you still loyal to his Elite era?
