Manuel Rubio Puentes was born in 1975 in El Paso, Texas. His mother's name is Carmen Rubio, who is a retired school teacher. Rubio's acting career began in theater in 1997 and he went on to perform in every theater venue in El Paso, Texas. In 2003, Rubio crossed into the realm of Film and Television via commercials, industrial videos, voice-overs, and radio. Rubio's big break came when he was cast for the role of Nieves on Fox's Prison Break in 2007. In 2009, Rubio landed his first leading role in the film Hands of God as Dr. Michael Vidal.