List of Cubans


This is a list of notable Cubans, ordered alphabetically by first name within each category.

Additional lists

For Cuban-Americans please see List of Cuban Americans

Art and entertainment

Actors

  • Anabelle Acosta, actress
  • Ana de Armas, actress
  • Ana Margarita Martínez-Casado, actress and singer
  • Andy García, actor
  • César Évora, actor
  • Daisy Fuentes, actress
  • Desi Arnaz, actor
  • Emiliano Díez, actor
  • Enrique Molina, actor
  • Faizon Love, actor and comedian
  • Francisco Gattorno, actor
  • Julio Oscar Mechoso, actor
  • Luis Oquendo, actor
  • Luisa Martínez Casado, actress
  • Manela Bustamante, actress
  • María Conchita Alonso, actress
  • Mario Cimarro, actor
  • Mario Ernesto Sánchez, actor and founder of Teatro Avante
  • Renny Arozarena, actor
  • Steven Bauer, actor
  • Velia Martínez, actress and singer
  • William Levy, actor
  • Nobel Vega, actor, "Tio Nobel"

    Architects

Artists, photographers and fashion designers

  • Agustín Cárdenas, sculptor
  • Alberto Korda, photographer
  • Alexandre Arrechea, painter, sculptor
  • Amelia Peláez, painter
  • Baruj Salinas, painter
  • Carlos Enríquez, painter
  • Fidelio Ponce de León, painter
  • Herman Puig, photographer
  • Humberto Jesús Castro García, painter
  • José Bernal, painter
  • José Vilalta Saavedra, sculptor
  • Josignacio, creator of plastic paint medium, contemporary painter
  • Juan José Sicre, sculptor
  • Juan T. Vázquez Martín, painter
  • Lourdes Gomez Franca, painter
  • Luis Castaneda, photographer
  • Mario Perez, painter
  • Miguel Fleitas, painter, photographer
  • Miguel Rodez, painter, sculptor
  • Pedro Álvarez Castelló, painter
  • Rafael Consuegra, sculptor
  • Raúl Corrales, photographer
  • Raúl Martínez, pop artist, painter
  • Rene Mederos, poster artist and graphic designer
  • René Portocarrero, painter
  • Tomas Sanchez, painter
  • Victor Manuel, painter
  • Waldo Diaz-Balart, painter
  • Wifredo Lam, painter

    Authors and poets

  • Alejo Carpentier, novelist
  • Antonio Benitez-Rojo, author
  • Brígida Agüero, poet
  • Daína Chaviano, author
  • Carilda Oliver Labra, poet
  • Domitila García de Coronado, writer and journalist
  • Dulce María Loynaz, author
  • Edmundo Desnoes, author
  • Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, author, poet
  • Guillermo Cabrera Infante, author
  • Heberto Padilla, poet
  • Héctor Zumbado, writer, journalist, humorist, critic
  • José Ignacio Rivero, author and journalist
  • Antonio Rodríguez Salvador, poet, author
  • José Lezama Lima, author, poet
  • Mary Stanley Low, British-Cuban political activist, surrealist poet, artist and Latin teacher
  • José María Heredia y Campuzano, poet
  • José Martí, author, poet, journalist
  • David Masnata y de Quesada, author and historian
  • Julián del Casal, 19th-century poet
  • Leonardo Padura Fuentes, novelist, journalist
  • Mariano Brull, author
  • Nancy Morejón, author
  • José Gómez-Sicre, art critic and author
  • Nicolás Guillén, poet
  • Norberto Fuentes, author
  • Pedro Juan Gutiérrez, author, poet, painter
  • Pedro Luis Boitel, poet
  • Raúl Rivero, poet and journalist
  • Reinaldo Arenas, author
  • Severo Sarduy, poet
  • Virgilio Piñera, author, playwright, poet, short-story writer and essayist
  • Zoé Valdés, author
  • Cirilo Villaverde

    Composers

  • Alejandro García Caturla, symphonic composer
  • Mariá Álvarez Rios, composer
  • Aurelio de la Vega, composer, lecturer, essayist and poet
  • Antonio María Romeu, composer
  • Arsenio Rodríguez, developer of the rumba
  • Didier Hernández, singer, composer; former member of Menudo and MDO
  • Ernesto Lecuona, often regarded as the greatest Cuban composer
  • Esteban Salas y Castro, 18th century Cuban baroque composer
  • Gonzalo Roig, often regarded as one of the greatest composers of Cuba, "Quiere me mucho"/ Cecilia Valdez
  • Ignacio Cervantes, Chopinesque piano composer
  • José White Lafitte, violinist and composer
  • Leo Brouwer, guitarist and composer
  • Yalil Guerra, composer
  • Amadeo Roldán, composer and violinist
  • Dámaso Pérez Prado, developer of the mambo
  • Armando Rodriguez-Gonzalez, composer
  • Antonio Rodríguez Ferrer, composer
  • René Touzet, composer, bandleader and pianist
  • Flores Chaviano, guitarist and composer
  • Danilo Avilés, composer
  • Magaly Ruiz, composer
  • José Ardévol, composer
  • Harold Gramatges, composer
  • Carlos Fariñas, composer
  • Roberto Valera, composer
  • Julián Orbón, composer
  • Margarita Lecuona, singer and composer

    Chess

  • José Raúl Capablanca, chess world champion, grandmaster considered "the Mozart of Chess"
  • Juan Corzo, chess
  • Lázaro Bruzón, chess grandmaster
  • María Teresa Mora

    Musicians

  • Aida Diestro, pianist, arranger
  • Albita, singer
  • Alfredo de la Fé, musician
  • Adalberto Álvarez, pianist, director, composer
  • Ángel Reyes, violinist
  • AJ McLean, singer, member of American boyband The Backstreet Boys
  • Armando Peraza, percussionist
  • Arturo Sandoval, trumpeter
  • Arsenio Rodríguez, composer
  • Benny Moré, singer, songwriter, conductor, arranger
  • Bola de Nieve, singer, pianist
  • Camila Cabello, musician, songwriter, actress
  • Cándido Fabré, musician, singer-songwriter
  • Carlos Manuel Pruneda, singer
  • Carlos Varela, singer-songwriter
  • Celia Cruz, singer
  • Celina González, singer-songwriter
  • Cesar "Pupy" Pedroso, pianist, musician
  • Chanel Terrero, singer
  • Christina Milian, singer
  • Chucho Valdés, pianist, bandleader, composer, arranger
  • Compay Segundo, musician, songwriter
  • Conchita Espinosa, pianist, teacher
  • Cuban Link, rapper
  • Cubanito 20.02, hip-hop band
  • Dave Lombardo, drummer
  • David Calzado, musician
  • Didier Hernández, singer-songwriter
  • Donna Maria Martinez, guitarist and singer
  • Eddy Zervigon, flautist and bandleader
  • Elena Burke, singer
  • El Medico, timba musician
  • El Taiger, reggaeton musician
  • Eliades Ochoa, guitarist and singer
  • Emilio Estefan, producer, composer
  • Ernesto Lecuona, pianist, composer
  • Esther Borja, singer
  • Eusebio Delfín, singer
  • Francisco Aguabella, percussionist
  • German Nogueira Gomez, songwriter, composer, producer
  • Gloria Estefan, singer, composer
  • Gonzalo Rubalcaba, pianist
  • Guillermo Portabales, singer, songwriter
  • Guillermo Rubalcaba, musician
  • Harold Lopez Nussa, jazz pianist
  • Horacio Gutiérrez, concert pianist
  • Hubert de Blanck, pianist, composer
  • Ignacio Piñeiro, composer
  • Ibrahim Ferrer, musician
  • Isabel LaRosa, singer
  • Issac Delgado, singer
  • Jacobo Rubalcaba, musician
  • Jorge Bolet, concert pianist
  • Juan Croucier, bassist
  • Juan Formell, composer
  • Juan de Marcos González, musician
  • La Lupe, singer
  • Lena, singer
  • Lissette, singer
  • Malena Burke, singer
  • Manuel Barrueco, classical guitarist
  • María Teresa Vera, composer, guitarist, singer
  • Mayra Verónica, singer
  • Miguel Matamoros, singer, composer
  • Moisés Valle, musician
  • Moisés Simons, composer
  • Mongo Santamaría, jazz musician
  • Moraima Secada, singer
  • Nelson Martinez, baritone
  • Ñico Saquito, composer, singer
  • Olga Guillot, singer
  • Omara Portuondo, singer
  • Orlando "Cachaito" López, bassist
  • Pablo Milanés, singer-songwriter
  • Pío Leyva, singer
  • Pitbull, rapper
  • Raul Paz, singer
  • Rey Ruiz, singer
  • Rita Montaner, singer
  • Roberto Faz, singer, conductor
  • Rubén González, pianist
  • Rudy Sarzo, rock bassist
  • Sabrina Claudio, singer
  • Sen Dog, rapper
  • Silvio Rodríguez, singer-songwriter
  • Tico Torres, drummer, percussionist
  • Willy Chirino, singer-songwriter
  • Voltaire, musician
  • Xavier Cugat, musician
  • Yamila Guerra, singer, actress, and dancer
  • Yalil Guerra, producer, musician, composer
  • Yotuel Romero, rapper

    Film directors

  • Ernesto Daranas
  • Fernando Pérez
  • Humberto Padrón
  • Jorge Luis Sánchez
  • Juan Carlos Cremata
  • Juan Padrón
  • Miguel Coyula
  • Rodrigo García
  • Santiago Álvarez
  • Tomás Gutiérrez Alea

    Journalists

  • Calixto Martínez
  • German Pinelli
  • Héctor Zumbado, writer, journalist, humorist, and critic
  • Idania Martínez Grandales, broadcaster, journalist and academic, and professor
  • Nicolás Guillén
  • Oscar Espinosa Chepe
  • Pablo de la Torriente Brau
  • Raúl Rivero
  • Rick Sanchez

    Dancers

  • Alicia Alonso, Prima Ballerina Assoluta, director of the Cuban National Ballet
  • Carlos Acosta, dancer
  • Sadaise Arencibia, star dancer with the Cuban National Ballet
  • Fernando Bujones, dancer
  • Jose Manuel Carreño, American Ballet Theatre principal dancer
  • Lydia Diaz Cruz, prima ballerina
  • Miguel Campaneria, ballet dancer, currently artistic director of the National Ballet Theater of Puerto Rico
  • Vida Guerra, video dancer
  • Yat-Sen Chang, principal dancer, English National Ballet

    Other entertainment

  • Alvarez Guedes, comedian and author
  • Ana María Polo, television personality and lawyer
  • Alina María Hernández, "Cachita", television personality
  • Cristina Saralegui, magazine editor, talk show host and actress
  • Vida Guerra, model/actress
  • Lili Estefan, television personality and former model
  • Mauricio Zeilic, television personality
  • Mayra Verónica, model
  • Nelson Ascencio, comedian
  • Pedro Zamora, AIDS activist, featured on The Real World: San Francisco
  • Raúl De Molina, television personality
  • Raúl Musibay, Food Network chef and author
  • Rosaura Andreu, children's television entertainer

    Sport

Baseball