Olatz Ganboa

Olatz Ganboa Pilar (born in Getxo on 2 January 1985) is a Basque film, theatre and television actress.

She has worked on several audiovisual productions, films and television series, such as Etxekoak (ETB 1), Itsasoa (ETB 1) or Ángela (Antena 3). She has also worked on multiple stage productions, with acclaimed performances, including ¡Ay Carmela! (2011), La casa de Bernarda Alba (2017), Simplicissimus (2018), Lyceum Club (2019), La lucha por la vida (2023) or Festen (2023), for which she won the Union of Basque Actors and Actresses Award in 2024.

Life and career

Olatz Ganboa was born in Algorta (Getxo, Basque Country) on 2 January 1985. She studied the licenciate degree in journalism in the University of the Basque Country (2003–2008). She then studied the bachelor's degree in Dramatic Art at the Getxo Theatre School (2007–2011). There she met the actors Lander Otaola, Alvar Gordejuela and Alex Ygartua. With the latter he represented ¡Ay, Carmela! for several years.

After that, for 7 years, she took numerous interpretation, dance, and singing courses, both in Spain and in Argentina (Buenos Aires). She began by being part of the hACERIA and Pabellón 6 in Bilbao.

In 2014 she received the Award for Best Leading Actress at the Biescas Theatre Festival (2nd Edition) for her role of Carmela in the play ¡Ay, Carmela!. In 2018 she was nominated for the Ercilla Award for best revelation performer for the plays Lyceum Club and La casa de Bernarda Alba. During the years 2018 and 2020 he represented the work Simplicissimus, directed by Patxo Tellería. In 2020 she was nominated for Best Stage Actress at the Union of Basque Actors and Actresses Awards (Besarkada Awards) for the work ¡Ay, Carmela!. Ganboa in the stage production Simplicissimus, directed by Patxo Telleria. In 2021 she was one of the presenters of the Max Awards. In 2023, she was part of the cast of the original production of the Teatro Arriaga La lucha por la vida, a play based on the works by Pío Baroja and directed by Ramón Barea. The stage production was awarded the Álex Angulo Award (2023) conferred by Pabellón Nº 6 and the Bilbao City Council and also received the Audience Award (2023).

In 2023 she performed the play Festen, a stage production of the Arriaga Theatre, directed by María Goiricelaya, about sexual abuse within the family. In 2024 she was a candidate for Best Actress at the Max Awards for her performance in the stage production Festen. That same year she won the Award for Best Stage Actress at the Union of Basque Actors and Actresses Awards (EAB) for her performance in the production Festen, which was praised and described as "shocking".

In 2025, she joined the cast of the play Who Shot Us?, a stage production of the Arriaga Theatre, directed by Ramón Barea, 2013 National Theatre Award, a play about uprooting and disappointment, based on real events, about an immigrant family from Romania.

Private life He currently lives in Bilbao. He is in a relationship with actor Mikel Losada. In 2016 he and Ganboa represented Los amantes del Casco Viejo, a theatre production of the Arriaga Theatre. They also recorded the series Etxekoak together, on ETB 1, in full confinement due to the COVID pandemic in 2020.

His father is Jon Ander Gamboa, lawyer and sports executive, former General Secretary of the Basque Football Federation between 1993 and 2014.

Filmography

Film

2021, Carnívoro (Meat), dir. Lander Castro 2017, Ziren, dir. Aitzol Saratxaga 2016, We Are Pregnant, dir. Juana Macías 2013, Tres mentiras, dir. Ana Murugarren

Television

2024, Ángela, Antena 3 (Rocío) 2023, Itsasoa, ETB 1 2020, Etxekoak, ETB 1 2023, Festen, dir. María Goiricelaya 2019, Lyceum Club, dir. María Goiricelaya Simplicissimus (2018–2020) La casa de Bernarda Alba (2017) A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016) Los amantes del Casco Viejo (2016) Caperucita Feroz (2015) Chichinabo Cabaret (2015) Cabaret Chihuahua (2015) ¡Ay Carmela! (2011–2023) La comedia sin título (2010)

Awards

Max Awards

YearCategoryFor workResultRef.2024Best ActressFesten

Union of Basque Actors and Actresses Awards

Short Theatre Awards

YearCategoryFor workResultRef.2023Álex Angulo AwardDo you let me give him the bottle? 2023Audience AwardDo you let me give him the bottle?

Other awards and recognitions

2024, Performing Arts Award, for the professional career, in the AixeGetxo! Awards (13th Edition) 2014, Award for Best Leading Actress, for ¡Ay, Carmela!, at the Biescas Theatre Festival (2nd Edition)