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 1980s and 1990s.
Her first appearances before an audience were as a teenager. At the age of 16 or 17, she was already performing in the theater group at her pre-university institution, 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 ISA: A Bride for 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 coaching team for Ana María Polo's show Caso Cerrado on the Telemundo network.
Since 1996, she has lived in Spain, where, despite the ups and downs, the difficult phases typical of immigration, and periods of 'absence,' she has continued her acting career on the big screen with titles like Volver (2006). This film marked her as the first Cuban Almodóvar girl for her performance alongside Penélope Cruz. On television, she starred in successful series such as Aída (2008) and Vis a Vis, a Spanish TV series that ran for four seasons and achieved great audience success. The series aired from 2015 to 2019, where Isabel played the role of Sole. Thanks to this work, her name has firmly entered the ranks of recognized actors in Spain. She won an Ondas Award for Vis a Vis and in both 2016 and 2017, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Union of Actors and Actresses Awards.
He 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 called her for her portrayal of Ofelia, a character that brought her fame in Una novia para David, had lost 42 kilos, leaving behind the appearance that we had recognized her for all those years.
In October 2020, he received an honorary award at the Social World Film Festival, a competitive event that has been held for 10 years on the Sorrentine Coast in Italy.
In September 2020, it was revealed 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), Fortune, What You Desired (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), Return (2006), The Argentine (2007), The Bad One (2007), Masala (2007), Shame (2007), Radio Love (2007), Nauralgia (2011), Crossing Moments (2012), An Autumn Without Berlin (2015), The Extraordinary Journey of Celeste García (2018)
Television Performances (lead, supporting, or guest roles):
Red Damascus (1987, TVC Cuba), For Love (1988, TVC Cuba), The Hidden Seed (1988, TVE, Icaic), The Hour of Witches (1991-94, Children's, TVC Cuba), Conflicts-Sin-Conflicts (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, TVC Cuba), Behind 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 No Longer Lives Alone (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 Theater:
The following productions have been staged: An Inspector Calls (1983, G.T. Bertold Brecht), Where Love Grows (1983-85, Teatro Nacional de Cuba), Galileo, Galilei (1984, G.T. Estudio), The Story of a Horse (1985, G.T. Estudio), Yerma (1985, G.T. Estudio), A Doll's House (1986, G.T. Estudio), Tales from the Decameron (1987, G.T. Estudio), Enramada's Beloved (1987, G.T. Rita Montaner), Bourgeois (1988, G.T. Rita Montaner), What’s Done is Done (1989-93, G.T. Rita Montaner), Sibila, My Love (1992, G.T. Rita Montaner), The Cave (1994, G.T. Rita Montaner), The Stags (1995, Grupo Teatro El Público), The Wedding (1996, Grupo Teatro El Público), Pancha Manteca (1998, Cía. Macorina), Real Women Have Curves (2003, Ados Teatroa)
