Paz Vega

María de la Paz Campos Trigo (born 2 January 1976), known professionally as Paz Vega , is a Spanish actress. She became popular for her performance in comedy television series 7 vidas. Her film credits include Sex and Lucia, Mine Alone (2001), The Other Side of the Bed (2002), Carmen (2003), Spanglish (2004), and Theresa: The Body of Christ (2007). She played the role of Catalina Creel in the 2019 television series Cradle of Wolves (Cuna de lobos). She made her directorial debut with Rita (2024), which she also wrote.

Early life Vega was born in Seville, Andalusia, in 1976 to a housewife mother and a father who was a former bullfighter. Vega's younger sister has performed as a flamenco dancer. Vega has described her family as "traditional" and Catholic.

After completing compulsory education at 16, Vega was accepted at the Andalusian Theater Center (Centro Andaluz de Teatro) stage school. She studied there for two years and took another two years studying journalism. She next moved to Madrid to seek her future.

Screen career

Vega made her television debut in the Spanish TV series, My Father Is So Nice (Menudo es mi padre), which starred rumba singer El Fary. She appeared in two other series in 1997; More Than Friends (Más que amigos) and Companions (Compañeros).

In 1999, she made her film debut in Zapping. The same year, she also had a minor role in the David Menkes movie I Will Survive, alongside Emma Suárez, and Juan Diego Botto.

Vega found success in 1999's TV series 7 Lives (7 Vidas). The series was billed as a Spanish Friends and became one of the country's best-loved domestic sitcoms. Vega played Laura, a perky Andalusian girl who had come to stay with David, who had recently come out of a coma. The series was broadcast on Telecinco and finished on 12 April 2006, albeit without Vega.

In 2001, she starred in Julio Médem's film Sex and Lucia, which brought her to the attention of a larger audience. She received prominent exposure, particularly to American audiences, when she appeared in the 2004 James L. Brooks American film Spanglish opposite Adam Sandler. In 2006, she co-starred with American actor Morgan Freeman in the independent film 10 Items or Less, directed by Brad Silberling. In 2008, she co-starred with Gabriel Macht, Samuel L. Jackson, and Scarlett Johansson in The Spirit. In 2011, Vega had a role in Michele Placido's film Vallanzasca – The Angels of Evil.

In 2018, she participated in the third season of the reality cooking show MasterChef Celebrity.

In 2019, Vega appeared in Televisa to portray the lead character Catalina Creel in the miniseries Cradle of Wolves (Cuna de Lobos), based on the 1986 original telenovela of the same title. The same year, she portrayed an independent Mexican reporter in Rambo: Last Blood, in which she co-starred with Sylvester Stallone.

In 2023, Vega announced in Cannes the beginning of filming of her directorial and writing debut, Rita, a feature film set in 1980s Seville billed by Vega as a "costumbrista and nostalgic" story. The film premiered at 2024 Locarno Film Festival and earned her a nomination for the Goya Award for Best New Director.

In 2025, another directorial effort by Vega, Ana no, based on by Agustín Gómez-Arcos, was reported to be in development.

Personal life Vega and her Venezuelan husband, Orson Salazar, had their first child, a son, in May 2004. Their second child, a daughter, was born in July 2006. Their third child, another son, was born in August 2007. They married in 2002.

Paz Vega is listed amongst the major tax defaulters by the Spanish Tax Agency, owing €1.7 million in 2023 and €2.3 million in 2024.

Filmography Film

Year Title Roles Notes 1999 Zapping Elvira Feature film debut I Will Survive (Sobreviviré) Nobody Knows Anybody (Nadie conoce a nadie) Ariadna 2001 Sex and Lucia (Lucía y el sexo) Lucía Mine Alone (Sólo mía) Ángela 2002 Talk to Her (Hable con ella) Amparo The Other Side of the Bed (El otro lado de la cama) Sonia Novo Isabelle 2003 Carmen Carmen 2004 Say Yes (Di que sí) Estrella Cuevas Spanglish Flor 2006 10 Items or Less Scarlet The Borgia (Los Borgia) Caterina Sforza Fade to Black Lea Padovani 2007 The Lark Farm (La masseria delle allodole) Nunik Theresa: The Body of Christ (Teresa, el cuerpo de Cristo) Santa Teresa 2008 The Human Contract Michael The Spirit Plaster of Paris 2009 Not Forgotten Amaya The Six Wives of Henry Lefay Verónica Triage Elena Morales 2010 Burning Palms Blanca Juárez Angel of Evil Antonella D'Agostino 2011 Cat Run Catalina Rona 2012 Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted Esmeralda, Esperanza and Ernestina Voice role2013 I'm So Excited! (Los amantes pasajeros) Alba Demon Inside Marta 2014 Grace of Monaco Maria Callas Paulo Coelho's Best Story Luiza Kill the Messenger Coral Baca The Ignorance of Blood (La ignorancia de la sangre) Consuelo 2015 All Roads Lead to Rome Giulia Carni 2016 Tales of an Immoral Couple (La vida inmoral de la pareja ideal) Loles 2017 Acts of Vengeance Alma 2018 (Vom Lokführer, der die Liebe suchte…, lit. About the Train Driver Who Was Looking for Love...) Daria 2019 Oh, my mother! (¡Ay, mi madre! Pili Rambo: Last Blood Carmen Delgado 2020 Chasing Wonders Adrianna 2021 American Night Sarah The House of Snails (La casa del caracol) Berta Wetland (El lodo) Claudia 13 Minutes Ana 2022 There Are No Saints Nadia Full Train 2 (A todo tren 2) Clara 2024 Rita Mari Also director, writer, and executive producer I Can't Live Without You (No puedo vivir sin ti) Adela 2025 Judas' Gospel Mary Fireflies at El MozoteAlmaCompleteTBD Claudia Filming TBAComplete TBDFilming

Television Year Title Roles Notes 1997 My Father Is So Nice (Menudo es mi padre Olga 6 episodes 1997–1998 more Than Friends (Más que amigos Olga 28 episodes 1998 Companions (Compañeros) Luz 17 episodes 1999 Shelly Fisher Seidy Bender Television film 1999–2006 7 Lives (7 vidas) Laura Arteagabeitia 60 episodes 2008 Lex Rocío Janer 4 episodes 2012 Mary of Nazareth Mary Magdalene Television film One Thousand and One Nights: Aladdin and Sherazade (Le mille e una notte: Aladino e Sherazade) Namuna Miniseries, three parts 2015 Beautiful & Twisted Narcy Television film Big Time in Hollywood, FL Isabella Delgado 4 episodes 2016–2017 The Brotherhood (La Hermandad) Luisa Salinas Main role (seasons 1–2); 25 episodes 2016–2019 The OA Renata Main role (seasons 1–2); 7 episodes 2017 Forgive me, sir (Perdóname, señor) Lucía Medina 8 episodes 2018 Fugitive (Fugitiva) Magda 9 episodes Paquita Salas Herself Episode: "Starting Point" ("Punto de partida") MasterChef Celebrity Runner-Up (season 3); 11 episodes The Continental (El Continental) Belice 5 episodes 2019 Cradle Of Wolves (Cuna de lobos) Catalina Creel de Larios Lead role 2020 The House of Flowers (La Casa de las Flores) Carmelita's mother Episode: "LAUREL, (Symb. glory)" 2020–2021 Mask Singer: Guess Who Sings (Mask Singer: Adivina quién canta) Catrina Winner (season 1); 8 episodes Herself Investigator (season 2); 9 episodes 2023 Kaleidoscope Ava Mercer Main role

Accolades

Year Award Category Work Result 2001 Best Actress Sex and Lucia 2002 Best Actress Mine Alone Best Spanish Actress Sex and Lucia & Mine Alone Best Film Actress Sex and Lucia Best New Actress Sex and Lucia Best Actress Mine Alone Best Film Performance in a Leading Role Best New Performance 2003 Best Actress The Other Side of the Bed 2004 Jameson People's Choice Award for Best Actress Carmen 2005 Imagen Awards Best Actress Spanglish 2020 29th Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Actress in an International Production The OA 2021 Best Actress Wetland 2022 Best Actress The House of Snails Best Actress in an International Production Kaleidoscope 4th Carmen Awards Best New Director Rita Best Original Screenplay Best Supporting Actress 39th Goya Awards Best New Director