Alexander Otaola Casals

Cuban-American actor and host is one of the most influential figures on social media and one of the most prominent voices of political activism in Cuba.

Otaola began in his native Camagüey in secondary education at the Superior School of Athletic Excellence (ESPA) where he trained in water polo, equestrian sports, chess, gymnastics and musical aerobics, although he always felt a preference for the world of performing arts.

His first foray into theater took place at age 10. On several occasions, Otaola has pointed out that his childhood was marked by harassment and homophobia.

"I was always an effeminate child, with a tendency to be gay and my family was always afraid, they wanted me to study, they didn't see this as a job," the actor revealed.

He also was part of the Camagüey Dramatic Ensemble where he played classical characters from the international theatrical repertoire, until in 1998 he decided to move to Havana. In the capital he worked in film, radio, theater and ventured into dubbing.

In 1998 without many plans to migrate to the United States he filled out the Visa Lottery form and was selected. Although he was unable to arrive immediately in the United States due to a fraud situation at the embassy in Cuba, in 2003 he settled in Miami and never looked back.

The first five years of his stay in the United States he was disconnected from acting. During this period he worked as a waiter, cashier at Walmart, baker and manager in a cleaning business.

He did not think he would return to the artistic world, until in 2008 he returns to the small screen in various telenovelas and comedy programs for Spanish-language networks. One of his most popular characters was Carlos Recto in the Mega TV program "Esta Noche Tu Night", hosted by Alexis Valdés.

He also worked as a voice actor at BVI Communications Inc., where he performed numerous additional voices and episodic characters in the adult animated series "South Park".

Furthermore, he was a commentator on the Latin American show "¿Quién tiene la razón?" a program that began in 2003 hosted by Dr. Nancy Álvarez.

Due to his talent and growing popularity, his own interview space emerged under the title of "Paparazzi TV". The show became the center of widespread controversy when Otaola uttered a curse word during one of the broadcasts.

Tired of television, in 2017 Otaola ventures out and begins broadcasting on YouTube his program "Hola Ota-Ola!". The controversial show captured the attention of Cubans on the Island and in the United States. Since then, he has accumulated a long list of followers and detractors, especially for always saying what he thinks and not following conventional protocols when conducting an interview.

Alexander has confessed "I'm not interested in commitments with actors, if I have gossip about a person I say it completely and tell the things that bother, what they don't want known because that's the essence of gossip. No artist who goes on the program knows what I'm going to ask him, that's why they look uncomfortable. The interview with Chocolate was the first big scandal of the program".

During that interview, the self-proclaimed King of the reparteros abruptly left the program. This scene was followed by several reconciliations and separations, until in 2020 the reggaeton artist attended the caravan called by the host for the liberation of political prisoners in Cuba and in support of the reelection of Republican president, Donald Trump.

His disputes with Yomil (Roberto F. Hidalgo Puentes), Descember Bueno, Haila Mompié, Jacob Forever, El Micha and Gente de Zona have been made public.

In October 2020, Alexander met at the National Doral hotel in Miami with the president of the United States, Donald Trump. During the interview, which had the presence of Cuban-American congressman Mario Díaz-Balart as translator, the host asked the president to withdraw a visa—or permanent residence, "green card"—from a group of artists and figures from Cuban culture linked to the Government of Miguel Díaz-Canel and Raúl Castro.