Rafael Amaya

José Rafael Amaya Núñez (born 28 February 1977) is a Mexican actor, born in Hermosillo, Mexico. He is best known for his character Aurelio Casillas in the Telemundo series El Señor de los Cielos.

Biography Rafael Amaya was born in Hermosillo, Mexico, but when he was five years old, his family moved to Tecate, Baja California where he grew up. the Palapa Band, which did not prosper. Amaya decided to enroll in the Centro de Educación Artística of Televisa, In 2001, he was cast in the role of Cástulo in Sin pecado concebido. In 2002, he was given his first lead role in the telenovela Salomé, In that same year, he returns to the cinema co-starring with Ana de la Reguera and Gabriela Platas in the controversial film Así del precipicio. In February 2008, he began filming 24 cuadros de terror, where for the first time in his career, he played a serial killer. In that same year he filmed the romantic comedy film Amor letra por letra with Plutarco Haza and Silvia Navarro, which premiered in August of that year. In 2011 he had a brief role in the very successful telenovela La Reina del Sur, playing the role of “El Guero,” who was the love interest of Kate del Castillo’s character and was the foundation on which the role of Aurelio Casillas in “Senor de Los Cielos” was based (both characters were pilots who had their own fleets of planes which were used to transport drugs for Mexico's most notorious cartels). In that same year, he traveled to Spain to participate in two series Hospital Central and Doctor Mateo and in the film La piel azul.

Mainstream and critical success (2013–present)

After his trip to Spain, he was absent from the acting world for a year and a half. which had begun filming 2012, Thanks to his performance he won as Favorite Lead Actor at the 2014 Premios Tu Mundo. Since first taking on this career-making role, he has won the prize three times consecutively in all the awards galas of Premios Tu Mundo. In 2014, he appeared in the short film Kiss of Vengeance, and in the film based on the life of the actor Cantinflas. He also participated in two episodes in the series Señora Acero as Aurelio Casillas. In 2015 he got his first lead role in a film, entitled Oro y polvo.

In 2016 he also had a guest role (and cameo appearance) in the American series Queen of the South, which was an adaptation of the telenovela La Reina del Sur,

Personal life

Amaya was in a relationship with actress Ana Layevska, whom he met in 2006 while working on the telenovela Las dos caras de Ana. In 2007, they made their relationship official and both actors committed to getting married, but in 2010 Amaya ended his relationship with Layevska.

Filmography

Film Year Title Roles Notes 2004 Desnudos Pablo 2006 Así del precipicio Gerardo 2008 Amor letra por letra Julián 2008 Fotonovela Ángel 2008 24 cuadros de terror Lady Killer 2009 El descubrimiento Barman Short film 2009 Se jodió la Navidad Man at the party Short film 2009 The Fighter Leone 2009 Pepe y Santo vs América Julio 2009 Me importas tú, y tú Unknown role 2009 Días extraños Unknown role Short film 2010 Rock Marí Pablo 2010 Sin memoria Raúl 2010 Adiós mundo cruel Luis Armando 2010 Atrocious Psiquiatra Voice role; Spanish dubbing 2014 Kiss of Vengeance Aldo Short film 2014 Cantinflas Frank Sinatra 2015 Oro y polvo Daniel

Television roles Year Title Roles Notes 2000 La casa en la playa Romualdo Reyes 2001 Sin pecado concebido Cástulo Campos Ortiz 2001 Mujer, casos de la vida real Unknown role 2 episodes 2001 Salomé José Julián 2002 Las vías del amor Paco / Pablo Rivera 2004 Amar otra vez Fernando Castañeda Eslava 2006 Las dos caras de Ana Rafael Bustamante / Gustavo Galván 2007–2009 Ugly Betty Lorenzo Guest role (seasons 2–3); 4 episodes 2008 Los simuladores Rubalcaba Episode: "El pacto copernico" 2008 Mujeres asesinas Óscar Episode: "Claudia, cuchillera" 2008 Sexo y otros secretos Martín Main role (season 1); 12 episodes 2009 La ruleta de los sueños Dan Television film 2010 La piel azul Fernando Television film 2010–2011 Alguien te mira Julián García Correa Main role; 116 episodes 2011 Hospital Central Enrique Guerrero Recurring role (season 19); 9 episodes 2011 La Reina del Sur Raimundo Dávila Parra "El Güero" Guest role (season 1); 22 episodes 2011 Doctor Mateo Roberto Recurring role (season 5); 12 episodes 2013 Meddling Mom Pablo Television film 2013–2026 El Señor de los CielosAurelio Casillas Main role (seasons 1–6, 8–10); guest (season 7); 700 episodes 2014–2015 Señora Acero Guest role (seasons 1–2); 2 episodes 2016–2017 Queen of the South Guest role (seasons 1–2); 3 episodes 2016 El Chema Guest role; 2 episodes 2021 Malverde: El Santo Patrón Teodoro Valenzuela Guest role; 6 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Works Result 2002 TVyNovelas Award Best Male Revelation Salomé 2007 Best Actor Las dos caras de Ana 2011 People en Español Awards Best Supporting Actor La Reina del Sur Best Villain Alguien te mira 2013 Premios Tu Mundo Favorite Lead Actor El Señor de los Cielos The Perfect Couples (with Ximena Herrera) People en Español Awards Best Actor The Perfect Couples (with Ximena Herrera) 2014 Miami Life Awards Best Male Lead in a Telenovela People en Español Awards Best Male Lead in a Telenovela Favorite Lead Actor The Best Actor with Bad Luck Best Male Lead in a Telenovela Premios Tu Mundo Favorite Lead Actor: Series Lead Actor - Serie, Superserie or Telenovela of the Year Actor - Best Transmedia Use of the Year