Spanish Women Film & Theater Personalities

Penelope Cruz is a Spanish model and actress who has had major success in the American entertainment industry. Also known for her work as a philanthropist, Cruz has been touching the lives of many for the past several years. Apart from donating money to charity, Cruz has also volunteered in India and Uganda. She has also advocated for PETA's anti-fur campaign.

A Spanish-Cuban actress, Ana de Armas worked in Spanish films and television shows before moving to Hollywood. Overcoming the obstacle of not knowing English, she established herself as a solid actress by working in films like Knives Out and Blade Runner 2049. She will play a Bond girl in No Time to Die movie and will portray Marilyn Monroe in the Netflix biopic Blonde.

Oona Chaplin, granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, is best known as Talisa Maegyr from the iconic series Game of Thrones. She had started as a Shakespearean theater actor. She has also been seen in series such as The Hour and Taboo, and has been cast in the upcoming Avatar sequels.

Úrsula Corberó is a Spanish actress who achieved international fame after playing Tokyo in the popular heist crime drama TV series, Money Heist. Renowned for her good looks, Corberó has been the face of many brands, such as Maybelline, Tampax, and Calzedonia. Also a philanthropist, Corberó has been part of many awareness campaigns pertaining to breast cancer and climate change.

Spanish actress and ballerina, Maria Pedraza first came to limelight with her role in the Netflix series Money Heist, debuting on screen earlier in the same year with Amar: With You Until the End of the World. Since then she has been appearing in number of productions, including the thriller teen drama series, Elite, concurrently focusing on her ballet.

Spanish-American actress, singer, comedian, and flamenco-guitarist Charo, whose birth year remains a subject of dispute for several years, is known for her seductive deep voice with Spanish accent, unrestrained and exuberant manner, and the catch-phrase cuchi-cuchi. She has released albums like Guitar Passion, featured in films like The Concorde...Airport '79 and guest starred in TV series like The Love Boat.

Alba Flores, the only daughter of Spanish musician Antonio Flores, achieved international fame as Nairobi in the Spanish series La Casa De Papel, or Money Heist. Apart from drama, she is trained in the piano, too. She is also an avid animal lover and has campaigned for PETA.

Elsa Pataky is one of the most famous Spanish models and actresses to make it big in the American film industry. She is best known for playing Officer Elena Neves alongside Dwayne Johnson in The Fast and the Furious film franchise. A polyglot, Elsa Pataky can speak Spanish, English, Romanian, Portuguese, French, and Italian fluently.

Best known for her role in the Netflix series Elite, Madrid Theater Award-winning Spanish actor Ester Expósito is a true-blue feminist who has attended rallies for the cause. She had started attending acting classes as soon as she finished school. She is also a passionate dancer.

Born to a French-American mother and a Spanish father, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey had initially worked as a waitress and had even decided to pursue a career in osteopathy. The actor-model later made waves with her roles in The Sea Wall and the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Ariadna Gil is a Spanish actress best known for playing Violeta in the 1992 Spanish comedy-drama film, Belle Époque, for which she received the Best Lead Actress award at the prestigious Goya Awards. Although she predominantly acts in Spanish films, Ariadna Gil has also played important roles in films of various other languages, such as English, Catalan, and French.

Spanish actor Blanca Suárez of Cable Girls fame also earned a Goya Award nomination for the psychological thriller The Skin I Live In. Her debut performance as Julia Medina in the Spanish drama-thriller series The Boarding School earned her initial fame. She was also GQ’s Woman of the Year in 2012.

Najwa Nimri is a Spanish actress and singer best known for playing a  policewoman inspector in the TV drama series La casa de papel. As a singer, she formed the band Najwajean with Carlos Jean and has also released a few solo albums. In 2020, she hosted a podcast called Vis a vis: Cara B. 

Known as the younger sister of Spanish actor Penélope Cruz, Mónica Cruz is not just an actor but also a trained dancer, specializing in flamenco and ballet. Known for her roles in projects such as The Inquiry and Last Hour, she is now also a mother of a daughter, through artificial insemination.

María Valverde is a Spanish actress who has played important roles in Spanish as well as British films. Valverde didn’t take long to hog the limelight as she won the Goya Award for her debut performance in The Weakness of the Bolshevik , at the age of 16! She is best known for playing Zipporah in the epic film Exodus: Gods and Kings. 

Best known to international audiences for her performance as the transgender character Manila in the iconic hit series La Casa de Papel, or Money Heist, Belén Cuesta is a popular Spanish actor. A fine theater actor, too, she has been part of production such as Sonias and Metamorfosis.

Christina Ochoa is a Spanish actress best known for her portrayal of Grace D'Argento in the American science fiction series, Blood Drive. Ochoa is credited with founding QE Productions, which produced the critically acclaimed short film, Stay with Me. Also a science communicator, Christina Ochoa has been the host of many scientific shows and conferences.

Laia Costa is a Spanish actress known for her performance in the German film Victoria, for which she won the German Film Award for Best Actress. Her performance also earned her nominations at the European Film Awards and BAFTA Rising Star Awards. Costa, who can speak English, French, Spanish, and Catalan, has worked in the US, UK, Russia, and Germany.

Lola Flores was a Spanish singer, dancer, and actress turned businesswoman. She received training in dance as a child and made her debut as a teenager. She had a successful career touring throughout Latin America. She also appeared in many films and is considered an icon of traditional Andalusian folklore. All of her children also entered the entertainment industry. 

Victoria Abril is a Spanish singer and actress. International audiences mainly recognize her for her role in the film ¡Átame! She began her career in the mid-1970s and found fame almost immediately. In the ensuing years, she appeared in films in Italy, France, and Iceland as well. She made her debut as a singer with a Bossanova-jazz album in 2005.