Catalina Saavedra

Catalina Saavedra Pérez (born 8 January 1968) is a Chilean film, stage and television actress. She is known to international audiences for playing the title character in the 2009 film The Maid, for which she received several awards and nominations.

Career Saavedra's father is the writer Omar Saavedra Santis. She started acting lessons at the age of ten, prompted by her mother's hiring of a private theater arts teacher in Valparaíso. Years later, her love for acting led her to deepen her studies at the "Escuela de Teatro Imagen" in Santiago and later in Barcelona, when she began to study experimental theatre.

Saavedra's first professional theatre performances were in roles in plays such as El Despertar (1991–1997), Pervertimientos y Otros Gestos Para Nada (1993) and La noche de la Iguana (The Night of the Iguana) (1994), and in a café-chantant called TV cable 90 (1992). On film, Saavedra's first appearances were in short films, such as El Bidón and Volando Voy (directed by Miguel Littín). Saavedra has performed various roles in several soap operas, sitcoms and TV shows on Chilean and German television.

International recognition for Saavedra came in 2009, for her leading role as Raquel in the 2009 Chilean film The Maid (2009 film). It was released on 13 August 2009 in Chile and 16 October 2009 in the United States, grossing over $400,000 in the first few weeks in theaters with only 18 copies circulating, turning into one of the most successful Chilean films in the United States. The film ended its theatrical run in the United States with a gross of $576,608. Her role was praised by specialized press and critics around the world, bestowing her many acting awards, including Best Actress at the Sundance Film Festival, Torino Film Festival, Huelva Film Festival, Biarritz Film Festival, Cartagena Film Festival and Miami Film Festival, a breakthrough award at the Gotham Independent Film Awards and a Satellite Awards nomination. In late 2009, she appeared as a possible nominee for the most important film awards, Academy Awards and Golden Globes Awards along with the film The Maid for International Movie.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1997 El Bidón Short film Volando Voy Luchita Short film directed by Miguel Littín, director nominated twice for an Academy Award. 1999 Salmón a lo Pobre Short film 2002 La Perra 2007 Normal con Alas Life Kills Me 2008 31 minutos, la película Cachirula (voice) Havana Film Festival Award-winning for Best Animated Film Ausente Chile puede Magda Supported by the National Council For Arts & Culture, Chile Mami Te Amo Secretos 2009 The Dancer and the Thief Madre Ángel Short appearance. Directed by Fernando Trueba, Academy Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film with Belle Époque. The Maid Raquel Sundance Film Festival Award-winning.

Awards and nominations

Theatre Year Award Category Work Result 2008 Altazor Awards Best Actress in a Play Las Brutas

Film Year Award Category Work Result 2007 SANFIC Special Mention for Acting Life Kills Me 2009 Guadalajara International Film Festival Best Actress in a leading role The Maid Iberoamerican Huelva Film Festival Turin Film Festival Biarritz Film Festival Cartagena International Film Festival Miami International Film Festival Havana Film Festival Sundance Film Festival Awards World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Acting Gotham Film Awards Breakthrough Actor Satellite Awards 2009 Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama 2010 Dorian Awards Film Performance of the Year Altazor Awards Best Actress Pedro Sienna Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role People en Español Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role 2024Independent Spirit AwardsBest Supporting PerformanceRotting in the Sun

Work in TV and stage

Television credits (sitcoms and series)

Jaguar Yu (1992) Amor a domicilio, la comedia (1996) as Brígida Geografía del deseo (2004), as Marisa Los Galindo (2005), season 1, episode 1 Loco por ti (2005), season 4, episode 2 Los simuladores (2005), season 1, episodes 1, 3, 4 and 8 La Nany (2005), season 1, episodes 8 and 76 La otra cara del espejo (2006), season 1, episode 1 Urgencias (2006), season 2, episode 9 Huaiquimán y Tolosa (2006), season 1, episode 8 Los Venegas (2006–2011) as Josefina

Television credits (soap operas)

Hasta en las mejores familias (1994) as Jessica Amor a Domicilio (1995) as Brígida Adrenalina (1996) as Raquel Trujillo Playa Salvaje (1997) as Susana Fuera de Control (1999) as Pamela Duarte Sabor a Ti (2000) as Virginia Solano Piel Canela (2001) as Talula Vargas Buen Partido (2002) as Rita Fortunato (2007), as Dulcinea

Stage credits

El Despertar (1991–1997) Pervertimientos y Otros Gestos Para Nada (1993) La noche de la Iguana (1994) Muerte de un Funcionario Público (1995) Telarañas (1996, 1998) Sht (2000) Ojos Rotos (2001–2002) (performed in Chile and at the International Hispanic Theatre Festival of Miami) Firmas para el Amor (2001–2002), Assistant director Circulando (2003) Ni Ahí (2004) Inocencia (2004) En La Sangre (2004) Putas Errantes (2005–2006) El lugar de la misericordia (2006), Assistant director Las Gallinas (2007) Las Brutas (2007) (performed in Chile and in a Tour to Europe) Los Mountainbikers (2008) Diatriba de la victoria (2009) Equívoca Fuga de Señorita Apretando un Pañuelo de encaje sobre su Pecho (2009)