Netflix’s Breathless (Respira) returns with a new season on October 31, 2025. The acclaimed Spanish medical drama is created by Carlos Montero. It is set in the newly privatized Joaquín Sorolla Hospital, and season 2 explores how shifting power dynamics and ethical dilemmas test the lives of its doctors and patients.
The ensemble cast features both returning and new faces. New additions such as Rachel Lascar, Pablo Alborán, and Gustavo Salmerón add fresh intrigue to the drama. With eight episodes of high-stakes medicine and complex relationships, Breathless season 2 deepens the emotional core that made its debut a global hit, earning over 22 million views and a spot in Netflix’s international Top 10.
In a press release by Netflix dated October 24, 2023, Montero said the following about the cast,
"When you see Manu, Blanca, Aitana, Ana, Xoan, Borja, Abril... working as doctors at the Joaquín Sorolla, I think you will want to come to this hospital if only to be treated for a cold. Or to walk through the immense corridors and get to know the rooms, the operating theatres and all the spaces that we have recreated in an ambitious and realistic way so that the Sorolla becomes one of the reference hospitals in today's fiction. We are looking forward to sharing it with you."
All cast members of Brethless season 2
Najwa Nimri as Patricia Segura
Patricia, portrayed by Najwa Nimri, is the president of the Valencian government. She becomes a patient at the Joaquín Sorolla Hospital after being diagnosed with cancer. Her presence makes the series political as staff question what she will do, whether she will use her influence to support or sabotage the hospital’s strike.
Nimri is best known internationally for her role as Inspector Alicia Sierra in Netflix’s Money Heist and its prequel, Berlin. A celebrated Spanish actress and singer, she has also starred in Locked Up (Vis a Vis), Sex and Lucia, Open Your Eyes, and The Red Virgin.
Aitana Sánchez-Gijón as Pilar Amaro
Pilar, played by Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, is a seasoned surgeon at the Joaquín Sorolla Hospital. She faces new personal and professional challenges as the institution transitions to private control. In Breathless Season 2, she continues to deal with her son’s addiction while navigating shifting loyalties within the hospital.
Sánchez-Gijón is a veteran of Spanish cinema and television, known for her performances in Parallel Mothers, A Walk in the Clouds, and the hit series Velvet Colección.
Blanca Suárez as Jéssica Donoso
Jésica, portrayed by Blanca Suárez, is a dedicated doctor at the Joaquín Sorolla Hospital. She gets caught up in a complicated and risky romance with Biel, one of her colleagues. While everyone is handling the hospital’s internal conflicts, her personal and professional boundaries mix and affect her practice.
Suárez is a well-known Spanish actress who gained international recognition for her role in Pedro Almodóvar’s The Skin I Live In alongside Antonio Banderas. She has also starred in popular series such as Cable Girls and El Barco and in films Me he hecho viral and Disco, Ibiza, Locomía, the latter featuring Money Heist’s Jaime Lorente.
Manu Ríos as Biel de Felipe
Biel, played by Manu Ríos, is a newly qualified doctor at the Joaquín Sorolla Hospital. His main storyline is that he finds himself torn between his moral duty to patients and supporting his fellow doctors who want to strike for better working conditions.
His internal struggle highlights the ethical tension at the heart of Breathless Season 2. Ríos rose to international fame as Patrick Blanco Commerford in Netflix’s hit teen drama Élite. He also appeared in Pedro Almodóvar’s short film Strange Way of Life alongside Pedro Pascal and Ethan Hawke.
Borja Luna as Néstor Moa
Néstor Moa, portrayed by Borja Luna, is an oncologist at the Joaquín Sorolla Hospital. He is one of the leading voices advocating for a strike to demand fairer working conditions. He is passionate and principled and finds himself at odds with the hospital’s new private management. While all this is happening, his bond with Patricia deepens.
Borja Luna is a familiar face to Spanish audiences, known for starring alongside Blanca Suárez in Netflix’s Cable Girls. His previous credits also include roles in Los nuestros and La Templanza, highlighting his versatility across genres.
Alfonso Bassave as Lluís Bonet
Lluís Bonet, played by Alfonso Bassave, serves as the hospital administrator at Joaquín Sorolla. He is tasked with managing limited resources amid growing unrest among the staff. As the hospital becomes privately owned, Lluís faces intense pressure to manage limited funds. He must protect both patients and staff.
Bassave is a seasoned Spanish actor known for his role in the supernatural drama Estoy Vivo, where he portrayed a police officer navigating life, death, and reincarnation in pursuit of a killer. His other credits include Antidisturbios, Hispania, La Leyenda, and Gran Hotel.
New cast members of Breathless season 2
Rachel Lascar as Sophie
Rachel Lascar joins as Sophie, a renowned oncologist whose arrival disrupts the existing balance among the staff.
Pablo Alborán as Jon
Spanish singer-songwriter Pablo Alborán makes his acting debut as Jon, a doctor whose story is expected to intertwine with key hospital dynamics and relationships.
Alex Medina as Hugo
Álex Medina appears as Hugo, a new addition whose role remains under wraps but is set to expand the show’s ensemble.
Gustavo Salmerón
Veteran actor and filmmaker Gustavo Salmerón also joins the cast. He channels his experience from acclaimed projects like Lots of Kids, a Monkey and a Castle and Asfalto, though his character details are yet to be revealed.
Recurring cast members of Brethless season 2
- Ana Rayo as Leonor "Leo" Santapau
- Macarena de Rueda as Rocío Fuster
- Blanca Martínez as Blanca
- Abril Zamora as Neus
- Xoán Fórneas as Enrique "Quique" Román
- Marwa Bakhat as May
- Víctor Sáinz as Rodrigo Donoso
Catch Breathless season 2 on Netflix.