Leonor Varela

Leonor Varela Palma

Leonor Varela Palma (born December 9, 1972) is a Chilean actress, spokesperson, and model. Leonor Varela plays the character Cleopatra in the successful 1999 film Cleopatra. Leonor Varela also has actively participated in various ecological causes such as "Save Whales Again".
Leonor Varela's first job was in 1995, playing Anette in Pony Trek, a children's film. Filming was in Iceland and Leonor Varela was riding horses for three months. Then, referred to a French filmmaker by her dentist, Leonor Varela played in Shooting Stars (1997). Leonor Varela found her popularity on the rise at home when she was cast in the Chilean soap opera Tic Tac.

After appearing in a few more television productions in the late 1990s, Leonor Varela was cast in a small role in The Man in the Iron Mask. In 1999, Leonor Varela played the title character in the TV movie Cleopatra. Leonor Varela fell in love with actor Billy Zane (Mark Antony) on the set, but they split up two years later. Leonor Varela has been married to philanthropist and musician Kevin Duane Taylor of Garland, Texas since April 13, 2008.

Roles in The Tailor of Panama and Texas Rangers (both in 2001) followed shortly thereafter, and as the fanged vampire princess in the action film Blade II. After that came Paraíso B and Pas Si Grave.

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



Leonor Varela's latest projects are Americano, Caleuche: The Call of the Sea, Casas de Cartón and Gigola where she plays feminist Laure Charpentier. Leonor Varela played Jordana in Goal! 2. Jordana was a journalist who had a one-night stand with Santiago Munez (Kuno Becker). Leonor Varela is fluent in Spanish, English and French. She is also a marine life activist who is concerned with the welfare of whales. Leonor Varela is also a vegetarian.