Leonor Varela

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Varela and the second or maternal family name is Pilme.
Leonor Varela

Varela
Born Leonor Varela Pilme
(1972-12-29) December 29, 1972
Santiago, Chile
Occupation actress, spokesperson, model
Years active 1995 – present
Children Matteo (b. 2012) and Luna Mae (b. 2015)

Leonor Varela Pilme (born December 29, 1972) is a Chilean actress and model. She played the title role in the 1999 television film Cleopatra, and vampire princess Nyssa Damaskinos in the 2002 film Blade II.

Early life

Varela was born in Santiago, Chile, the daughter of Leonor Pilme-Keller, a massage therapist, and biologist and cognitive neuroscientist Francisco Varela García.[1][2] She has a sister, Alejandra, and two brothers, Javier and Gabriel. Her mother was of French, Hungarian, and Syrian descent.[3] When Varela was a child, her family fled Chile when it was overtaken by a military regime.[4] In the early 1980s, her parents moved back to Chile while she remained in Paris where she studied acting at the Niels Arestrup School, L'École du Passage, and Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris.

Career

Varela's first acting job was in 1995, playing Anette in Pony Trek, a children's film. Filming was in Iceland and Leonor was riding horses for three months. Then, referred to a French filmmaker by her dentist, she played in Shooting Stars (1997). Varela found her popularity on the rise at home when she was cast in the Chilean soap opera Tic Tac.

After appearing in a few more television productions in the late 1990s, Varela was cast in a small role in The Man in the Iron Mask. In 1999, she played the title character in the TV movie Cleopatra.

Roles in The Tailor of Panama and Texas Rangers (both in 2001) followed shortly thereafter, before playing vampire princess Nyssa in the 2002 blockbuster film Blade II. After that came Paraíso B and Pas Si Grave.

Varela also had a short recurring role in the Fox Television series Arrested Development as the original Marta. She was nominated for the Ariel Award in 2005 in the category of Best Actress for Innocent Voices (2004). She also had a non-recurring role in Stargate: Atlantis.[5]

She appeared in Americano and played journalist Jordana Garcia in the film Goal II: Living the Dream.

In 2012, she appeared as Marta Del Sol on the TNT television series Dallas.[6]

Personal life

Varela was engaged to Billy Zane, her co-star in the 1999 television film Cleopatra.[7]

In November 2012, Varela and producer Lucas Akoskin welcomed their first child together, a son named Matteo.[8] They also have a younger daughter, Luna Mae, born on February 25, 2015.

Varela, a vegetarian,[9] is a marine life activist who is concerned with the welfare of whales, working with groups such as Save The Whales Again.[10]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1997 Shooting Stars Vanessa
1997 Bouge! La danseuse
1998 Man in the Iron Mask, TheThe Man in the Iron Mask Ballroom Beauty
1999 Les parasites Fidelia
1999 Les infortunes de la beauté Annabella
2001 Tailor of Panama, TheThe Tailor of Panama Marta
2001 Texas Rangers Perdita
2002 Blade II Nyssa Damaskinos
2002 Paraíso B Gloria
2003 No Big Deal Angela
2003 Ruby & Quentin Katia / Sandra
2004 Voces inocentes Kella English title, Innocent Voices
2005 Americano Adela
2006 The Curse of King Tut's Tomb (2006 film) Azelia Barakat
2007 Goal II: Living the Dream Jordana Garcia
2007 Where God Left His Shoes Angela Diaz
2008 Sleep Dealer Luz Martinez
2008 Hell Ride Nada
2008 Hindsight Maria
2008 All Inclusive Miranda
2009 Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach Norma Sanchez
2009 Wrong Turn at Tahoe Anna
2010 Que pena tu vida Alma Subercaseaux
2011 Blind Alley La Madre
2013 Odd Thomas Odd's Mother
2013 Deseo Muchacha
2014 Fine Step, AA Fine Step Liliana Bolivar
2014 Ride Danielle
2015 Captive Sgt. Carmen Sandoval

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Extrême limite Marie "Sacrifice"
1995 Pony Trek Anette TV film
1996 Sous le soleil Jeanne "Comportement modèle"
1997 Le juste Pregnant Girl "En transit vers l'espoir"
1997 Tic Tac Pola Santa María Main role
1997 Inca de Oro Flor de I'nca TV film
1997 13th Rider Anette TV series
1998 Jeremiah Judith TV film
1999 Cleopatra Cleopatra TV miniseries
2003 Arrested Development Marta Estrella "Bringing Up Buster", "Key Decisions"
2004 Stargate Atlantis Chaya Sar "Sanctuary"
2005 E-Ring Lt. Col. Cat Rodriguez "Pilot"
2006 Curse of King Tut's Tomb, TheThe Curse of King Tut's Tomb Dr. Azelia Barakat TV film
2007 Como Ama una Mujer Sofia Marquez TV miniseries
2010 Feroz Laura Palma Recurring role
2010 Monsterwolf Maria TV film
2010-2011 Human Target Maria Gallego "Salvage & Reclamation", "A Problem Like Maria"
2012 Dallas Marta Del Sol Recurring role
2012 Inland Empire Poopy TV film
2013 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Camilla Reyes "0-8-4"
2015 Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story Monica TV film

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Leonor Varela.
  1. ↑ "FilmReference". Film-Reference. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  2. ↑ http://www.revistapolis.cl/8/yen.htm
  3. ↑ Leonor Varela
  4. ↑ "Interview: Leonor Varela". San Antonio Current. December 10, 2010. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  5. ↑ http://www.gateworld.net/wiki/Chaya_Sar
  6. ↑ "Leonor Varela tras confirmación de "Dallas": "Tuve que pelear este papel"". El Mercurio (in Spanish). El Mercurio SAP. July 12, 2011. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Billy Zane - Billy Zane Refers To Girlfriend As 'Wife'". Contactmusic.com. April 6, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Leonor Varela Welcomes Son Matteo". People. November 20, 2012. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
  9. ↑ Archived October 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑ "Leonor varela aboga por las ballenas". YouTube. Retrieved January 30, 2011.

External links

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