Paz Vega


María de la Paz Campos Trigo, known professionally as Paz Vega, is a Spanish actress. She became popular for her performance in comedy television series 7 vidas. Her film credits include Sex and Lucia, Mine Alone, The Other Side of the Bed, Carmen, Spanglish, and Theresa: The Body of Christ. She played the role of Catalina Creel in the 2019 television series Cradle of Wolves. She made her directorial debut with Rita, which she also wrote.
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Early life

Vega was born in Seville, Andalusia, in 1976 to a housewife mother and a father who was a former bullfighter. Vega's younger sister has performed as a flamenco dancer. Vega has described her family as "traditional" and Catholic. She took her stage surname of 'Vega' from her grandmother. Vega decided to become an actress after attending a performance of Federico García Lorca's play, Bernarda Alba's House, when she was 16.
After completing compulsory education at 16, Vega was accepted at the Andalusian Theater Center stage school. She studied there for two years and took another two years studying journalism. She next moved to Madrid to seek her future.

Screen career

Vega made her television debut in the Spanish TV series, My Father Is So Nice, which starred rumba singer El Fary. She appeared in two other series in 1997; More Than Friends and Companions.
In 1999, she made her film debut in Zapping. The same year, she also had a minor role in the David Menkes movie I Will Survive, alongside Emma Suárez, and Juan Diego Botto.
Vega found success in 1999's TV series 7 Lives. The series was billed as a Spanish Friends and became one of the country's best-loved domestic sitcoms. Vega played Laura, a perky Andalusian girl who had come to stay with David, who had recently come out of a coma. The series was broadcast on Telecinco and finished on 12 April 2006, albeit without Vega.
In 2001, she starred in Julio Médem's film Sex and Lucia, which brought her to the attention of a larger audience. She received prominent exposure, particularly to American audiences, when she appeared in the 2004 James L. Brooks American film Spanglish opposite Adam Sandler. In 2006, she co-starred with American actor Morgan Freeman in the independent film 10 Items or Less, directed by Brad Silberling. In 2008, she co-starred with Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson in The Spirit. In 2011, Vega had a role in Michele Placido's film Vallanzasca – The Angels of Evil.
Vega also works as a model; she is signed to 1/One Management in New York City. In May 2011, Vega replaced Penélope Cruz as the face for L'Oreal Spain.
In 2018, she participated in the third season of the reality cooking show MasterChef Celebrity.
In 2019, Vega appeared in Televisa to portray the lead character Catalina Creel in the miniseries Cradle of Wolves, based on the 1986 original telenovela of the same title. The same year, she portrayed an independent Mexican reporter in Rambo: Last Blood, in which she co-starred with Sylvester Stallone.
In 2023, Vega announced in Cannes the beginning of filming of her directorial and writing debut, Rita, a feature film set in 1980s Seville billed by Vega as a "costumbrista and nostalgic" story. The film premiered at 2024 Locarno Film Festival and earned her a nomination for the Goya Award for Best New Director.
In 2025, another directorial effort by Vega, Ana no, based on by Agustín Gómez-Arcos, was reported to be in development.

Personal life

Vega and her Venezuelan husband, Orson Salazar, had their first child, a son, in May 2004. Their second child, a daughter, was born in July 2006. Their third child, another son, was born in August 2007. They married in 2002.
Paz Vega is listed amongst the major tax defaulters by the Spanish Tax Agency, owing €1.7 million in 2023 and €2.3 million in 2024.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRolesNotes
1999ZappingElviraFeature film debut
1999I Will Survive
1999Nobody Knows Anybody Ariadna
2001Sex and Lucia Lucía
2001Mine Alone Ángela
2002Talk to Her Amparo
2002The Other Side of the Bed Sonia
2002NovoIsabelle-
2003CarmenCarmen
2004Say Yes Estrella Cuevas
2004SpanglishFlor
200610 Items or LessScarlet
2006The Borgia Caterina Sforza
2006Fade to BlackLea Padovani
2007The Lark Farm Nunik
2007Theresa: The Body of Christ Santa Teresa
2008The Human ContractMichael
2008The SpiritPlaster of Paris
2009Not ForgottenAmaya-
2009The Six Wives of Henry LefayVerónica
2009TriageElena Morales
2010Burning PalmsBlanca Juárez
2010Angel of EvilAntonella D'Agostino
2011Cat RunCatalina Rona
2012Madagascar 3: Europe's Most WantedEsmeralda, Esperanza and ErnestinaVoice role
2013I'm So Excited! Alba
2013Demon InsideMarta-
2014Grace of MonacoMaria Callas
2014Paulo Coelho's Best StoryLuiza
2014Kill the MessengerCoral Baca
2014The Ignorance of Blood Consuelo
2015All Roads Lead to RomeGiulia Carni-
2016Tales of an Immoral Couple Loles
2017Acts of VengeanceAlma
2018 Daria
2019Oh, my mother! Berta
2021Wetland Claudia
202113 MinutesAna
2022There Are No SaintsNadia
2022Full Train 2 Clara-
2024RitaMariAlso director, writer, and executive producer
2024I Can't Live Without You Adela
2025Judas' GospelMary
2025Fireflies at El MozoteAlmaComplete
TBDClaudiaFilming
TBAComplete
TBDFilming

Accolades

Image:Paz Vega Nicole Kidman Cannes 2014.jpg|thumb|Vega and Nicole Kidman at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival
YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2001Best ActressSex and LuciaWon
2002Best ActressMine AloneNomitated
2002Best Spanish ActressSex and Lucia & Mine AloneWon
2002Best Film ActressSex and LuciaNomitated
2002Best New ActressSex and LuciaWon
2002Best ActressMine AloneNomitated
2002Best Film Performance in a Leading RoleNomitated
2002Best New PerformanceNomitated
2003Best ActressThe Other Side of the BedNomitated
2004Jameson People's Choice Award for Best ActressCarmenNomitated
2005Imagen AwardsBest ActressSpanglishNomitated
202029th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Actress in an International ProductionThe OANomitated
2021Best ActressWetlandNomitated
2022Best ActressThe House of SnailsNomitated
2024Best Actress in an International ProductionKaleidoscopeNomitated
20254th Carmen AwardsBest New DirectorRitaWon
20254th Carmen AwardsBest Original ScreenplayRitaNomitated
20254th Carmen AwardsBest Supporting ActressRitaNomitated
202539th Goya AwardsBest New DirectorRita