Gina Heslop
Francisco San Martin, a Spanish actor known for his roles in popular daytime soap operas, died at the age of 39.
He was found dead in his home in Los Angeles on Thursday. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office confirmed that his cause of death was suicide by hanging.
San Martin was born in Mallorca, Spain, in 1985 and spent part of his childhood in Montana, USA. His early acting career began with children’s theater performances in the United States.
When he was a teenager, his family moved back to Spain, where he transitioned into modeling and started taking acting lessons. Over time, he secured roles in Spanish theater, television, and film productions.
He was best known for his work on American daytime television. In 2010, San Martin made his first appearance on NBC’s Days of Our Lives in a minor role.
The following year, he was cast as Dario Hernandez, a character he portrayed for over 50 episodes in a six-month span in 2011. His character was later brought back to the show in 2016, but this time the role was played by Jordi Vilasuso, a former Guiding Light actor.
After his stint on Days of Our Lives, San Martin appeared in the 2013 television movie Behind the Candelabra. He then returned to daytime TV in 2017 for a role on CBS’s The Bold and the Beautiful.
In this show, he played Mateo, a charming groundskeeper at Forrester Manor who becomes part of a plot orchestrated by the character Sheila. His acting career also included a role on Jane the Virgin, where he played Fabian Regalo del Cielo, an actor on a telenovela within the show during Seasons 3 and 4.
San Martin’s talent extended beyond television. He also appeared in short films such as A Love Story (2016), Hotter Up Close (2022), and Dot (2022).
Following the announcement of his passing, several colleagues and friends expressed their grief and paid tribute to him. Camila Banus, who played his sister Gabi Hernandez on Days of Our Lives, shared a heartfelt message on social media.
She affectionately called him “Pepe” and reminisced about a memorable moment they shared at a concert in Hollywood. She wrote, “Love you mucho mucho mucho; I wish I had told you more.”
Television journalist Michael Fairman also expressed his sadness, revealing that he often saw San Martin at the gym. He posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “Very, very sad. I am a bit in shock, as I saw Francisco at my gym most every day.”
