Santiago Alarcón is a 46-year-old Colombian actor best known for playing Germán Quintero in El man es Germán and the journalist Jaime Garzón in Garzón vive. A familiar face on Colombian television for more than 25 years, Alarcón now joins the cast of Netflix’s Under Siege, premiering November 6, 2026, as Alfonso Reyes Echandía, the president of the Supreme Court during the 1985 Palace of Justice siege.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Santiago Alejandro Alarcón Uribe |
| Known For | Germán in El man es Germán; Jaime Garzón in Garzón vive; Alfonso Reyes Echandía in Under Siege |
| Age | 46 years old (born November 23, 1979) |
| Hometown | Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Partner | Cecilia Navia (wife, married 2005) |
| Status | Active — Under Siege (Netflix, 2026) |
Who Is Santiago Alarcón?
Santiago Alarcón is a Colombian actor born on November 23, 1979, in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia. He is 46 years old and has been acting since 1998. Standing 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) tall, he now lives in Bogotá, where much of Colombia’s television industry is based.
Alarcón is married to the actress Cecilia Navia, whom he wed on May 8, 2005. The couple have two children, Matías and María. His best-known role is Germán Quintero, the swaggering “macho alfa” of the RCN comedy El man es Germán, a part he played on and off from 2010 to 2019. He earned some of the strongest reviews of his career playing the murdered journalist and humorist Jaime Garzón in the 2018 biographical series Garzón vive, winning the India Catalina award for Best Actor.
Early Life & Background
Alarcón was born in Medellín, the capital of Antioquia, on November 23, 1979. He came to acting in the late 1990s, starting out as an extra in the series Amores como el Nuestro in 1998 and 1999. Small parts followed in Pandillas, guerra y paz, Expedientes and Traga maluca, where he played Julián Sandoval, as he worked his way through Colombia’s television studios.
Through the 2000s he built a steady résumé of supporting roles, including Hasta que la plata nos separe (2006–2007), Pura sangre (2007–2008) and Aquí no hay quién viva (2008–2009). The turning point came in 2009, when he first played Germán Quintero in Las detectives y el Víctor. The character proved so popular that RCN gave him his own series, El man es Germán, which ran from 2010 to 2019 and made Alarcón a household name in Colombia.
Santiago Alarcón’s Career and El man es Germán
El man es Germán defined the first half of Alarcón’s career. As Germán, a former footballer turned neighbourhood tough guy with a heart of gold, he anchored one of RCN’s most successful comedies for nearly a decade, winning the India Catalina award for Best Actor in 2012. He balanced the comedy with dramatic work in series such as Anónima (2015–2016), La niña (2016) and Las Vega’s (2016–2017).
In 2018, Alarcón took on his most demanding role, portraying the journalist Jaime Garzón, who was assassinated in 1999, in the biographical drama Garzón vive. The performance won him a second India Catalina award for Best Actor in 2019 and showed a very different side of the actor audiences knew as Germán. He has since moved between streaming and broadcast work, playing José Del Carmen Granados Cepeda in Netflix’s La primera vez (2023–2026), appearing in the Teleantioquia comedy Cosiaca (2025) and playing Manuel Gaona Cruz in the 2025 film Noviembre.
Alarcón has also worked as a television presenter, hosting Frente al espejo (2020–2021) and Si este sofá hablara (2022). In November 2026, he returns to historical drama in Netflix’s Under Siege, playing Alfonso Reyes Echandía, the president of Colombia’s Supreme Court who was among those killed during the 1985 Palace of Justice siege in Bogotá.
Facts About Santiago Alarcón
- Santiago Alarcón turns 47 on November 23, 2026, just over two weeks after Under Siege premieres on Netflix.
- His signature character, Germán Quintero, first appeared in Las detectives y el Víctor before getting his own series, El man es Germán.
- He has won the India Catalina award for Best Actor twice: in 2012 for El man es Germán and in 2019 for Garzón vive.
- He has been married to actress Cecilia Navia since May 8, 2005, and they have two children, Matías and María.
- As well as acting, he has presented television, hosting Frente al espejo and Si este sofá hablara.
How old is Santiago Alarcón?
Santiago Alarcón is 46 years old. He was born on November 23, 1979, in Medellín, Colombia, and turns 47 on November 23, 2026.
Who is Santiago Alarcón’s wife?
Santiago Alarcón is married to actress Cecilia Navia. They married on May 8, 2005, and have two children, Matías and María.
What is Santiago Alarcón best known for?
Santiago Alarcón is best known for playing Germán Quintero in the RCN comedy El man es Germán (2010–2019) and for playing journalist Jaime Garzón in Garzón vive (2018), for which he won an India Catalina award for Best Actor.
Who does Santiago Alarcón play in Under Siege?
In Netflix’s Under Siege (2026), Santiago Alarcón plays Alfonso Reyes Echandía, the president of Colombia’s Supreme Court during the 1985 Palace of Justice siege. The eight-episode series premieres on November 6, 2026.
How tall is Santiago Alarcón?
Santiago Alarcón is 1.80 m tall (5 ft 11 in).
Santiago Alarcón plays Alfonso Reyes Echandía in Under Siege. Meet the rest of the cast in our Under Siege 2026 Cast hub.
See also: Robinson Díaz Age & Biography.