Leonor Varela
Encyclopedia
Leonor Varela Palma is a Chile
an actress, and model
. She played the character Cleopatra in the 1999 film Cleopatra
. She also has actively participated in various ecological causes such as "Save Whales Again".
, the daughter of Leonor, a massage therapist, and Chilean biologist and cognitive neuroscientist Francisco Varela García
. She has a sister, Alejandra, and two brothers, Javier and Gabriel. Her mother, Leonor Palma, was of French
, Hungarian and Syrian
descent. Varela's family fled to Costa Rica
in her early childhood when her homeland was overtaken by a military regime. She subsequently resided in Germany
, the U.S.
, and France
. In the early 1990s, 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.
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
. She fell in love with actor Billy Zane
(Mark Antony
) on the set, but they split up two years later.
Roles in The Tailor of Panama
and Texas Rangers
(both in 2001) followed shortly thereafter, and as the fanged vampire
princess in the action 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.
Her latest projects are Americano, Caleuche: The Call of the Sea, Casas de Cartón and Gigola where she plays feminist Laure Charpentier. She played Jordana in Goal! 2. Jordana was a journalist who had a one-night stand
with Santiago Munez
(Kuno Becker
).
Varela is a marine life activist who is concerned with the welfare of whales. Leonor is also a vegetarian.
Chilean people
Chilean people, or simply Chileans, are the native citizens and long-term immigrants of Chile. Chileans are mainly of Spanish and Amerindian descent, with small but significant traces of 19th and 20th century European immigrant origin...
an actress, and model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. She played the character Cleopatra in the 1999 film Cleopatra
Cleopatra (1999 film)
Cleopatra is a 1999 fictional film portrayal of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, produced by Hallmark Entertainment, starring Leonor Varela as the title character, Timothy Dalton as Julius Caesar, Billy Zane as Mark Antony, Rupert Graves as Octavius, Sean Pertwee as Brutus and Bruce Payne as Cassius....
. She also has actively participated in various ecological causes such as "Save Whales Again".
Early life
Varela was born in Santiago, ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, the daughter of Leonor, a massage therapist, and Chilean biologist and cognitive neuroscientist Francisco Varela García
Francisco Varela
Francisco Javier Varela García , was a Chilean biologist, philosopher and neuroscientist who, together with his teacher Humberto Maturana, is best known for introducing the concept of autopoiesis to biology.-Biography:...
. She has a sister, Alejandra, and two brothers, Javier and Gabriel. Her mother, Leonor Palma, was of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
, Hungarian and Syrian
Syrian people
The Syrian people are the inhabitants and citizens of Syria. Syrians are tied together by geography, linguistic heritage, religion, and similar Eastern Mediterranean ethnicities...
descent. Varela's family fled to Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
in her early childhood when her homeland was overtaken by a military regime. She subsequently resided in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In the early 1990s, her parents moved back to Chile, while she remained in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
where she studied acting at the Niels Arestrup
Niels Arestrup
Niels Arestrup is a French actor.Born in Paris into a family of modest means, his father was Danish and his mother was French...
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 IcelandIceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and Leonor was riding horses for three months. Then, referred to a French filmmaker by her dentist, she played in Shooting Stars
Shooting Stars
Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its axing in 2011...
(1997). Varela found her popularity on the rise at home when she was cast in the Chilean soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
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
The Man in the Iron Mask (1998 film)
The Man in the Iron Mask is a 1998 British/American historical action film directed, produced, and written by Randall Wallace. It uses characters from Alexandre Dumas' D'Artagnan Romances, and is very loosely adapted from some plot elements of The Vicomte de Bragelonne. It also bears several...
. In 1999, she played the title character in the TV movie Cleopatra
Cleopatra (1999 film)
Cleopatra is a 1999 fictional film portrayal of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, produced by Hallmark Entertainment, starring Leonor Varela as the title character, Timothy Dalton as Julius Caesar, Billy Zane as Mark Antony, Rupert Graves as Octavius, Sean Pertwee as Brutus and Bruce Payne as Cassius....
. She fell in love with actor Billy Zane
Billy Zane
William George "Billy" Zane, Jr. is an American actor, producer and director. He is probably best known for his roles as Caledon Hockley in Titanic, The Phantom from The Phantom, John Wheeler in Twin Peaks and Mr...
(Mark Antony
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
) on the set, but they split up two years later.
Roles in The Tailor of Panama
The Tailor of Panama
The Tailor of Panama is a 2001 American film based on the 1996 spy novel of the same name by John le Carré, which was inspired by Graham Greene's Our Man in Havana...
and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (film)
Texas Rangers is a 2001 drama/western film directed by Steve Miner. It is about a group of Texas Rangers set in the post-American Civil War era, rated PG-13.- Plot :...
(both in 2001) followed shortly thereafter, and as the fanged vampire
Vampire
Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person...
princess in the action film Blade II
Blade II
Blade II is a 2002 superhero vampire film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Blade. It is the sequel of the Blade film series. It was written by David S. Goyer, who also wrote the previous film...
. 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
Ariel Award in 2005
The XLVII Award of the Premio Ariel of the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas took place on March 29 of 2005 at the Palacio de Bellas Artes...
in the category of Best Actress for Innocent Voices (2004). She also had a non-recurring role in Stargate: Atlantis.
Her latest projects are Americano, Caleuche: The Call of the Sea, Casas de Cartón and Gigola where she plays feminist Laure Charpentier. She played Jordana in Goal! 2. Jordana was a journalist who had a one-night stand
One-night stand
Originally, a one-night stand was a single theatre performance, usually by a guest performer on tour, as opposed to an ongoing engagement. Today, however, the term is more commonly defined as a single sexual encounter, in which neither participant has any intention or expectation of a relationship...
with Santiago Munez
Santiago Muñez
Santiago Muñez is a fictional character in the Goal! series of films and has recently retired. He is the main character in Goal! and Goal II: Living the Dream, and he is a supporting character in Goal III: Taking on the World. Muñez is portrayed by actor Kuno Becker...
(Kuno Becker
Kuno Becker
Eduardo Kuno Becker Paz is a Mexican actor who has worked in telenovelas, Mexican cinema and U.S. cinema, but is best known for his portrayal of Ruben Berrizabal in Soñadoras and Santiago Muñez in the football movie Goal! and following sequels.-Early years:Becker was born in Mexico City to Manuel...
).
Varela is a marine life activist who is concerned with the welfare of whales. Leonor is also a vegetarian.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Pony Treck | Anette | Soap Opera |
| 1996 | Sous le soleil Sous le soleil Sous le soleil is a French soap opera broadcast on French major channel TF1 since 1996. It has been a huge success in many countries, particularly in... |
Jeanne | Soap Opera |
| 1997 | Tic Tac | Pola Santa María | Soap Opera |
| 1997 | Anette | Soap Opera | |
| 1997 | Shooting Stars Shooting Stars Shooting Stars is a British television comedy panel game broadcast on BBC Two as a pilot in 1993, then as 3 full series from 1995 to 1997, then on BBC Choice from January to December 2002 with 2 series before returning to BBC Two for another 3 series from 2008 until its axing in 2011... |
Vanessa | Panel Game |
| 1997 | Bouge! | La Danseuse | Film |
| 1997 | Inca de Oro | Flor Del Inca | TV Series |
| 1998 | Ballroom Beauty | Film | |
| 1998 | Jeremiah Jeremiah Jeremiah Hebrew：יִרְמְיָה , Modern Hebrew:Yirməyāhū, IPA: jirməˈjaːhu, Tiberian:Yirmĭyahu, Greek:Ἰερεμίας), meaning "Yahweh exalts", or called the "Weeping prophet" was one of the main prophets of the Hebrew Bible... |
Judith | Film |
| 1999 | Fidelia | Film | |
| 1999 | Cleopatra Cleopatra (1999 film) Cleopatra is a 1999 fictional film portrayal of the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, produced by Hallmark Entertainment, starring Leonor Varela as the title character, Timothy Dalton as Julius Caesar, Billy Zane as Mark Antony, Rupert Graves as Octavius, Sean Pertwee as Brutus and Bruce Payne as Cassius.... |
Cleopatra | Film |
| 1999 | Annabella | Film | |
| 2001 | Marta | Film | |
| 2001 | Texas Rangers Texas Rangers (film) Texas Rangers is a 2001 drama/western film directed by Steve Miner. It is about a group of Texas Rangers set in the post-American Civil War era, rated PG-13.- Plot :... |
Perdita | Film |
| 2002 | Blade II Blade II Blade II is a 2002 superhero vampire film based on the fictional Marvel Comics character Blade. It is the sequel of the Blade film series. It was written by David S. Goyer, who also wrote the previous film... |
Nyssa Damaskinos | Film |
| 2002 | Paraíso B | Gloria | Television series |
| 2003 | No Big Deal | Angela | Television film |
| 2003 | Tais-toi | Sandra/Katia | Film |
| 2003 | Arrested Development | Marta Estrella | Television series |
| 2004 | Innocent Voices | Kella | Film |
| 2005 | Americano | Adela | Film |
| 2005 | Stargate Atlantis Stargate Atlantis Stargate Atlantis is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of MGM's Stargate franchise. The show was created by Brad Wright and Robert C. Cooper as a spin-off series of Stargate SG-1, which was created by Wright and Jonathan Glassner and was itself... |
Chaya Sar | Television series |
| 2006 | Dr. Azelia Barakat | Film | |
| 2006 | Luz | Television film | |
| 2006 | Seed of Contention | Mila | Television film |
| 2007 | Como ama una Mujer Como Ama Una Mujer (Miniseries) The Jennifer Lopez produced dramatic mini-series "Como Ama Una Mujer" is Jennifer Lopez's first Spanish-Language TV Project. The five-part dramatic mini-series debuted on the Univision Television Network in 2007.... |
Sofia | Television series |
| 2007 | Goal! 2: Living the Dream... Goal! 2: Living the Dream... Goal II: Living the Dream is the second part of the football film trilogy Goal! and it was released on 9 February 2007 in the United Kingdom and 29 August 2008 in the United States.- Plot :... |
Jordana Garcia | Film |
| 2007 | Where God Left His Shoes Where God Left His Shoes Where God Left His Shoes is a 2007 drama film written and directed by Salvatore Stabile and starring John Leguizamo, Leonor Varela, Samantha Rose, Jerry Ferrara, and Adriane Lenox. It was first distributed through a limited release by IFC Films on 12 December 2008... |
Angela Diaz | Film |
| 2008 | Hell Ride Hell Ride Hell Ride is a 2008 American feature film from Larry Bishop released under the "Quentin Tarantino Presents" banner.-Plot:Larry Bishop stars as biker Pistolero, the leader, or "Pres" of the Victors, a Southern California motorcycle gang... |
Nada | Film |
| 2008 | Sleep Dealer Sleep Dealer Sleep Dealer is a 2008 futuristic science fiction film directed by Alex Rivera.-Plot:'Sleep Dealer' is set in a future, militarized world marked by closed borders, virtual labor and a global digital network that joins minds and experiences, where three strangers risk their lives to connect with... |
Luz Martínez | Film |
| 2008 | Balls Out: The Gary Houseman Story | Norma Sanchez | Film |
| 2008 | Hindsight Hindsight (film) Hindsight is a 2007 American film thriller produced by Ambush Entertainment. It stars Leonor Varela, Jeffrey Donovan, Waylon Payne, Miranda Bailey, Richard Riehle, Deborah Offner and Arnell Powell and is directed by Paul Holahan.-Synopsis:... |
Maria | Film |
| 2008 | Love and Virtue | Morgana | Film |
| 2009 | Deseo | Gilr | Television series |
| 2009 | Wrong Turn At Tahoe | Anna | Film |
| 2009 | Caleuche: Call of the Sea | Isabel Millalobos | Film |
| 2010 | Feroz | Laura Palma | Soap Opera |
| 2010 | MonsterWolf | Maria | Television film |
| 2010 | Human Target | Maria | Television series (2 Episodes) |
| 2010 | Que pena tu vida | Marina | Film |