Paz Vega

Early life

Vega was born in Seville to a housewife mother and a retired bullfighter father. Vega's younger sister has performed as a flamenco dancer. Vega has described her family as "traditional" and Catholic. She took her stage name from her grandmother. She decided to become an actress after attending a performance of Federico García Lorca's La casa de Bernarda Alba when she was 16. After completing compulsory education at 16, she was accepted at the Centro Andaluz de Teatro stage school. After two years at the stage school and two more years studying journalism, Vega moved to Madrid.

Screen career

Vega made her television debut in the Spanish TV series, Menudo es mi padre, which starred rumba singer El Fary. After appearing in two other series in 1997—Más que amigos and teen drama Compañeros—she went on to the silver screen in 1999 in Zapping. The same year she also had a minor role in the David Menkes movie I Will Survive (Sobreviviré) alongside Emma Suárez, Juan Diego Botto and a cameo from Boy George.

Vega found success in 1999's 7 Vidas. The series was billed as a Spanish Friends and went on to become 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 appeared in a supporting role in the 2004 James L. Brooks film Spanglish opposite Adam Sandler. In 2006, she co-starred with Morgan Freeman in the independent film 10 Items or Less. 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.

Vega also works as a model; she is signed to 1/One Management in New York City. On May 2011, Vega replaced Penélope Cruz as the face for L'Oreal Spain.

Personal life

Vega and her Venezuelan husband, Orson Salazar, had their first child, son Orson, on 2 May 2007. Her second child, daughter Ava, was born on 17 July 2009. Their third child, son Lenon, was born on 13 August 2010.

Awards and nominations