María Isabel Díaz Lago is a Cuban actress born on July 4, 1964, in Havana, Cuba. She graduated from the Higher Institute of Art in Cuba, specializing in acting, and is one of the most recognized Cuban actresses for her roles in iconic films from the 80s and 90s.
Her first appearances in front of an audience were made during her teenage years. At 16 or 17, she was already performing with the theater group at her pre-university, Antonio Guiteras, alongside singers Tanya, Mayra de la Vega, and Carlos Varela, as well as actors Daysi Quintana, René de la Cruz Jr., and theater director Víctor Varela. Her first significant role came while she was still a student at the ISA: Una novia para David (1985), which marked her debut on the big screen.
During a five-year period from 2010 to 2015, he lived in Miami and was part of the Couch team for Ana María Polo's show Caso Cerrado on the Telemundo network.
Since 1996, she has been living in Spain, where, despite the ups and downs, the challenges typical of emigration, and periods of "absence," she has continued her career as an actress on the big screen with titles such as Volver (2006), which made her the first Cuban Almodóvar Girl thanks to her performance alongside Penélope Cruz. She also gained recognition on television with series like Aída (2008) and Vis a Vis, a Spanish television series that ran for four seasons and achieved great audience success. The series aired from 2015 to 2019, and in it, Isabel played the role of Sole. Through this work, her name has firmly established itself among the recognized actors in Spain. She won an Ondas Award for Vis a Vis, and in 2016 and 2017, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Actors' Union Awards.
She has appeared in music videos for songs by Jarabe de Palo and Miguel Bosé.
In 2018, María Isabel surprised everyone with her stunning physical transformation. "The chubby one," as the Cubans affectionately referred to her due to her portrayal of Ofelia, a role that catapulted her to fame in Una novia para David, had lost 42 kilos, leaving behind the appearance that had defined her for so many years.
In October 2020, she received an honorary award at the Social World Film Festival, a competitive event that has been held for 10 years on the Sorrento Coast in Italy.
In September 2020, it was announced that María Isabel was part of the cast of the series Patria, HBO Europe's first production, which premiered on September 27, 2020, and has received very positive reviews.
Filmography:
A Bride for David (1985), Supporting Roles (1989), Life in Pink (1989), Hello Hemingway (1990), Good Fortune What You Wanted (1991), The Plan (1993), Melodrama (1995), Heat... and Jealousy (1996), Things I Left in Havana (1997), Until Victory Always (1998), The Nights of Constantinople (2001), Stones (2002), Fruits in the Café (2003), A King in Havana (2005), Three Years in Paradise (2005), Crazy for Sex (2006), Coming Back (2006), The Argentinean (2007), The Bad Girl (2007), Masala (2007), Modesty (2007), Radio Love (2007), Nauralgia (2011), Crossing Moments (2012), An Autumn Without Berlin (2015), The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste García (2018)
Television Performances (protagonist, supporting, or guest roles):
Red Damascus (1987, TVC Cuba), For Love (1988, TVC Cuba), The Hidden Seed (1988, Tve, Icaic), The Hour of the Witches (1991-94, children's show, TVC Cuba), Conflicts-Sinflicts (1990, TVC Cuba), Thank You, Doctor (1990, TVC Cuba), Enma, the Marked Woman (1990, TVC Cuba), Konrad, the Boy Who... (1990, TVC Cuba), Pocholo and His Gang (1993-94, children's show, TVC Cuba), Between Partitions (1996, TVC Cuba), Gabriel in Havana (1995-96, Swiss, French, and Cuban TV), Carvalho (1998, TV3), Lawyers (2001, A3), Central Hospital (2001, Tele5), Companions (2001, A3), Journalists (2001, Tele5), Javier Doesn't Live Alone Anymore (2001-02, Tele5), Police Officers (2002-03, A3), The Commissioner (2003-05, Tele5), Plant 25 (2007, Forta), Aida (2008, Tele5), Vis a Vis (2015, Antena 3)
Papers in Theatre:
The following works have been produced: Ha llegado un inspector (1983, G.T. Bertold Brecht), Donde crezca el amor (1983-85, National Theater of Cuba), Galileo, Galilei (1984, G.T. Estudio), La historia de un caballo (1985, G.T. Estudio), Yerma (1985, G.T. Estudio), Casa de muñecas (1986, G.T. Estudio), Cuentos del Decamerón (1987, G.T. Estudio), La querida de Enramada (1987, G.T. Rita Montaner), Burgueses (1988, G.T. Rita Montaner), Al que le tocó le tocó (1989-93, G.T. Rita Montaner), Sibila, mi amor (1992, G.T. Rita Montaner), La cueva (1994, G.T. Rita Montaner), Los ciervos (1995, Grupo Teatro El Público), La boda (1996, Grupo Teatro El Público), Pancha Manteca (1998, Cía. Macorina), Las mujeres de verdad tienen curvas (2003, Ados Teatroa)
