Micaela Nevárez
Encyclopedia
Micaela Nevárez is a Puerto Rican
actress who has appeared in independent and Europe
an films. She made her film debut in the Spanish
film Princesas
which was directed by Fernando León de Aranoa
, in which she played Zulema, an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic
trying to make a living as a prostitute on the streets of Madrid
, Spain
. Her performance in this film earned her a Goya Award for Best New Actress in 2006, making her the first Puerto Rican actress to win this notable award.
of Carolina
, Nevárez was educated in local military schools in order to improve her English. At the age of 10, her parents decided to relocate to New York City
, where she focused her education to prepare her for a medical career. However, on the side she continued to dabble in the arts as a hobby. It was her stepfather who changed her mind and help encouraged her to follow her dreams and desire to become an actress.
Fate stepped in when she was discovered by director Fernando León de Aranoa who was in New York promoting his latest film Lunes al Sol starring acclaimed Spanish actor Javier Bardem
. Nevárez, who frequented a popular bar/restaurant called "Oliva"http://www.olivanyc.com in lower Manhattan
on their popular salsa music
nights, captured the director's attention so much that he asked her to audition for a role in his upcoming film. Due to the recent death of her stepfather, she at first declined his offer and recommended a friend for the role, however, after the director personally had Bardem (an actor whom she greatly admires) deliver the script to her in person, did she accept his offer. After some initial conversations, she was flown to Spain for some screen tests and the rest is history.
On the evening of January 29, 2006 in the presence of thousands of Spain's top artists and directors, Nevárez beat four other actresses in being named Best New Actress at the annual Goya Awards which were held in Madrid's Palacio Municipal de Congreso. By winning this award, Nevárez became the first Puerto Rican performer to win this prestigious film honor and one of the few Latin American actresses to do so as well.
The news of her win reached her native Puerto Rico immediately where she was honored with an audience with Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
in the La Fortaleza
, who congratulated her on her win.
As of 2008, she resided with her French
husband in London
and was preparing to launch her film career in the United States
with a supporting role in the independent film The War Boys starring Victor Rasuk
and Peter Gallagher
.
Institute of Puerto Rican Culture article - February 3, 2006 Institute of Puerto Rican Culture article - September 15, 2006 Interview with 20minutos.es El Mundo's Goya 2006 Awards nomination profile El Nuevo Dia article on Nevárez
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
actress who has appeared in independent and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an films. She made her film debut in the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
film Princesas
Princesas
Princesas is a 2005 film by Spanish director Fernando León de Aranoa.The princesas in the film are two prostitutes: Caye, who is saving for breast implants, and Zulema, who is saving money to send to her family in the Dominican Republic...
which was directed by Fernando León de Aranoa
Fernando León de Aranoa
Fernando León de Aranoa is an award-winning Spanish screenwriter and film director.He was noted for always saying his greatest work wouldn't come from his hands or mind but from his name. A new Fernando Leon of the 21st century would detail this masterpiece...
, in which she played Zulema, an illegal immigrant from the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
trying to make a living as a prostitute on the streets of Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Her performance in this film earned her a Goya Award for Best New Actress in 2006, making her the first Puerto Rican actress to win this notable award.
Biography
Born in the San Juan suburbSuburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Carolina
Carolina, Puerto Rico
Carolina is a city located in the northern part of Puerto Rico, bordering the Atlantic Ocean; it lies north of Gurabo and Juncos; east of Trujillo Alto and San Juan; and west of Canóvanas and Loíza. Carolina is spread over 12 wards plus Carolina Pueblo...
, Nevárez was educated in local military schools in order to improve her English. At the age of 10, her parents decided to relocate to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where she focused her education to prepare her for a medical career. However, on the side she continued to dabble in the arts as a hobby. It was her stepfather who changed her mind and help encouraged her to follow her dreams and desire to become an actress.
Fate stepped in when she was discovered by director Fernando León de Aranoa who was in New York promoting his latest film Lunes al Sol starring acclaimed Spanish actor Javier Bardem
Javier Bardem
Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem is a Spanish actor. In 2007 he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as sociopathic assassin Anton Chigurh in No Country for Old Men, and has also garnered critical acclaim for roles in films such as Jamón, jamón, Carne trémula, Boca a boca, Los...
. Nevárez, who frequented a popular bar/restaurant called "Oliva"http://www.olivanyc.com in lower Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
on their popular salsa music
Salsa music
Salsa music is a genre of music, generally defined as a modern style of playing Cuban Son, Son Montuno, and Guaracha with touches from other genres of music...
nights, captured the director's attention so much that he asked her to audition for a role in his upcoming film. Due to the recent death of her stepfather, she at first declined his offer and recommended a friend for the role, however, after the director personally had Bardem (an actor whom she greatly admires) deliver the script to her in person, did she accept his offer. After some initial conversations, she was flown to Spain for some screen tests and the rest is history.
On the evening of January 29, 2006 in the presence of thousands of Spain's top artists and directors, Nevárez beat four other actresses in being named Best New Actress at the annual Goya Awards which were held in Madrid's Palacio Municipal de Congreso. By winning this award, Nevárez became the first Puerto Rican performer to win this prestigious film honor and one of the few Latin American actresses to do so as well.
The news of her win reached her native Puerto Rico immediately where she was honored with an audience with Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Aníbal Salvador Acevedo Vilá is a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer. He served as the eighth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a Commonwealth of the United States, from 2005 to 2009. He is a Harvard University alumnus and a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law,...
in the La Fortaleza
La Fortaleza
La Fortaleza is the current official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. It was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the harbor of San Juan. The structure is also known as Palacio de Santa Catalina . It is the oldest executive mansion in the New World...
, who congratulated her on her win.
As of 2008, she resided with her 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...
husband in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and was preparing to launch her film career in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with a supporting role in the independent film The War Boys starring Victor Rasuk
Victor Rasuk
Victor Rasuk is an American actor.Rasuk was born in Harlem, New York to Dominican parents. He has one brother, Silvestre, with whom he starred in Raising Victor Vargas....
and Peter Gallagher
Peter Gallagher
Peter Killian Gallagher is an American actor, musician and writer. Since 1980, Gallagher has played many roles in numerous Hollywood films. He starred as Sandy Cohen in the television drama series The O.C. from 2003 to 2007...
.
External links
Micaela Nevárez on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database
Internet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
Institute of Puerto Rican Culture article - February 3, 2006 Institute of Puerto Rican Culture article - September 15, 2006 Interview with 20minutos.es El Mundo's Goya 2006 Awards nomination profile El Nuevo Dia article on Nevárez