Leonor Magdalena Varela Palma (Spanish pronunciation: [leoˈnoɾ βaˈɾela]; born 29 December 1972) is a Chilean born actress. She played the title role in the 1999 television film Cleopatra, and vampire princess Nyssa Damaskinos in the 2002 Marvel Comics film Blade II.

Leonor Varela
Varela in 2010
Born
Leonor Magdalena Varela Palma

(1972-12-29) 29 December 1972 (age 51)
Santiago, Chile
OccupationActress
Years active1995–present
Spouse
Lucas Akoskin
(m. 2013)
Children2

Early life

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Varela was born in Santiago, Chile, the daughter of Leonor Palma-Keller, a massage therapist, and biologist and cognitive neuroscientist Francisco Varela García.[1] She has a sister, Alejandra, and two brothers, Javier and Gabriel.[2] When Varela was a child, her family fled Chile after the 1973 military coup d'état.[3]

Career

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Varela also had a short recurring role in the Fox Television series Arrested Development as the original Marta. She was nominated for the Ariel Award in 2005 in the category of Best Actress for Innocent Voices (2004). She also had a non-recurring role in Stargate: Atlantis.[4]

In 2012, she appeared as Marta Del Sol on the TNT television series Dallas.[5]

Personal life

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Varela was engaged to Billy Zane, her co-star in the 1999 television film Cleopatra, from 1999 to 2001.[6]

She began dating producer Lucas Akoskin in 2011, and they married in April 2013. In November 2012, Varela and Akoskin welcomed their first child together, a son named Matteo.[7] Their daughter, Luna Mae, was born on 25 February 2015. Matteo was diagnosed with leukodystrophy (specifically an AGS) shortly after his birth. He died at the age of 5 on 16 November 2018.[8]

Varela, a vegetarian,[9] is a marine life activist who is concerned with the welfare of whales, working with groups such as Save The Whales Again.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Director
1997 Le ciel est à nous Vanessa Graham Guit
1997 Bouge ! La danseuse Jérôme Cornuau
1998 The Man in the Iron Mask Ballroom Beauty Randall Wallace
1999 Les parasites Fidelia Philippe de Chauveron
1999 Les infortunes de la beauté Annabella John Lvoff
2001 The Tailor of Panama Marta John Boorman
2001 Texas Rangers Perdita Steve Miner
2002 Blade II Nyssa Damaskinos Guillermo del Toro
2002 Paraíso B Gloria Nicolás Acuña
2003 Pas si grave Angela Bernard Rapp
2003 Tais-toi ! Katia / Sandra Francis Veber
2004 Voces inocentes Kella Luis Mandoki
2005 Americano Adela Kevin Nolan
2007 Goal II: Living the Dream Jordana Garcia Jaume Collet-Serra
2007 Where God Left His Shoes Angela Diaz Salvatore Stabile
2008 Sleep Dealer Luz Martinez Alex Rivera
2008 Hell Ride Nada Larry Bishop
2008 Hindsight Maria Paul Holahan
2008 All Inclusive Miranda Rodrigo Ortúzar Lynch
2009 Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach Norma Sanchez Danny Leiner
2009 Wrong Turn at Tahoe Anna Franck Khalfoun
2010 Que pena tu vida Alma Subercaseaux Nicolás López
2011 Blind Alley La Madre Antonio Trashorras
2013 Odd Thomas Odd's Mother Stephen Sommers
2013 Deseo Muchacha Antonio Zavala Kugler
2014 A Fine Step Liliana Bolivar Jonathan Meyers
2014 Ride Danielle Helen Hunt
2015 Captive Sgt. Carmen Sandoval Jerry Jameson
2015 All I Wish Bianca Susan Walter
2018 Saving Flora Isabella Mark Drury Taylor
2018 Alpha Shaman Albert Hughes

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Extrême limite Marie "Sacrifice"
1995 Pony Trek Anette TV film
1996 Sous le soleil Jeanne "Comportement modèle"
1997 Le juste Pregnant Girl "En transit vers l'espoir"
1997 Tic Tac Pola Santa María Main role
1997 Inca de Oro Flor de I'nca TV film
1997 13th Rider Anette TV series
1998 Jeremiah Judith TV film
1999 Cleopatra Cleopatra TV miniseries
2003 Arrested Development Marta Estrella "Bringing Up Buster", "Key Decisions"
2004 Stargate Atlantis Chaya Sar "Sanctuary"
2005 E-Ring Lt. Col. Cat Rodriguez "Pilot"
2006 The Curse of King Tut's Tomb Dr. Azelia Barakat TV film
2007 Como Ama una Mujer Sofia Marquez TV miniseries
2010 Feroz Laura Palma Recurring role
2010 Monsterwolf Maria TV film
2010-2011 Human Target Maria Gallego "Salvage & Reclamation", "A Problem Like Maria"
2012 Dallas Marta Del Sol Recurring role
2012 Inland Empire Poopy TV film
2013 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Camilla Reyes "0-8-4"
2015 Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story Monica TV film
2018 Lethal Weapon Sofia Vasquez TV series

References

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  1. ^ "Revista Polis". Archived from the original on 18 March 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  2. ^ ""Te amo tal cual": Actriz Leonor Varela hace pública la dura enfermedad de su hijo". BioBioChile - La Red de Prensa Más Grande de Chile. 17 September 2013. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Interview: Leonor Varela". San Antonio Current. 10 December 2010. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  4. ^ "Chaya Sar - The Stargate Omnipedia". gateworld.net. Archived from the original on 27 January 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Leonor Varela tras confirmación de "Dallas": "Tuve que pelear este papel"". El Mercurio (in Spanish). El Mercurio SAP. 12 July 2011. Archived from the original on 24 March 2013. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  6. ^ "Billy Zane - Billy Zane Refers To Girlfriend As 'Wife'". Contactmusic.com. 6 April 2012. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 3 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Leonor Varela Welcomes Son Matteo". People. 20 November 2012. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  8. ^ "Leonor Varela confirma la muerte de su hijo Matteo: Buen viaje principito de mi corazón". t13.cl (in Spanish). 16 November 2018. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  9. ^ "???". lun.com. Archived from the original on 11 October 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2024. [failed verification]
  10. ^ "Leonor varela aboga por las ballenas". YouTube. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
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