Who is actor Ana de Armas?
Ana Celia de Armas Caso, known professionally as Ana de Armas, is a Cuban and Spanish actor born on April 30, 1988, in Havana, Cuba. She began her screen career in Spanish-language productions before moving into Hollywood films. De Armas is known for roles in Blade Runner 2049, Knives Out, No Time to Die, and Blonde, the latter of which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Background/biography
De Armas was raised in Cuba. Her father, Ramón de Armas, worked in several professions, while her mother, Ana Caso, worked in human resources. She has an older brother, Javier de Armas.
Interested in acting from an early age, she enrolled at Cuba’s National Theatre School in Havana as a teenager. While still studying, she was cast in the 2006 film Una rosa de Francia, which helped begin her professional acting career. She later moved to Spain, where she became widely recognized through television work, before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue English-language roles.
Acting career
- Una rosa de Francia (2006) — one of her earliest feature-film appearances.
- El Internado (2007–2010) — Spanish television thriller series in which she played Carolina Leal.
- Knock Knock (2015) — played Bel.
- War Dogs (2016) — played Iz.
- Blade Runner 2049 (2017) — played Joi.
- Knives Out (2019) — played Marta Cabrera, a role that brought major international acclaim.
- No Time to Die (2021) — played CIA agent Paloma in the James Bond film.
- Blonde (2022) — portrayed Marilyn Monroe.
- Ghosted (2023) — played Sadie Rhodes.
After building a profile in Spain through El Internado, de Armas established herself in American films with supporting roles in thrillers, dramas, and action productions. Her performance in Knives Out brought her nominations from major awards organizations, including a Golden Globe nomination.
In Blonde, based on Joyce Carol Oates’s novel of the same name, de Armas portrayed Marilyn Monroe. Her performance made her the first Cuban actor to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Breaking ground at the Oscars
De Armas’s Best Actress nomination for Blonde at the 95th Academy Awards was a landmark moment for Cuban representation in the category. The role required her to portray one of the most closely scrutinized figures in Hollywood history and drew attention to her transition from Spanish television to leading international film roles.
Did you know?
- Her full name is Ana Celia de Armas Caso.
- She attended the National Theatre School in Havana before completing her formal training.
- She moved to Spain as a teenager to expand her acting opportunities.
- She obtained Spanish citizenship after establishing her career in Spain.
- Her role as Marta Cabrera in Knives Out earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
- She became the first Cuban actor nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress through her performance in Blonde.
