Paula Andrea Alí Rivera

She was born in the pine-region town of Candelaria, which she visits often, as her mother and siblings live there. For several decades, she has dedicated herself to acting, first at Teatro Martí, then at Compañía Teatro Estudio, where she performed in important productions directed by National Theater Prize winners: Berta Martínez (La casa de Bernarda Alba, 1970), Héctor Quintero (El Premio Flaco, 1972, La última carta de la baraja, 1973, Una mujer sola, 1989 and Te sigo esperando, 1990), Vicente Revuelta (Milanés, by Abelardo Estorino, 1977, and La señora Ana muestra sus medallas, 1979), Abelardo Estorino as author and director (Aire frío, 1980, Ni un sí, ni un no, 1982, Que el diablo te acompañe, 1983, and Morir del cuento, 1984), and Roberto Blanco (Yerma, by García Lorca, 1999).

Similarly, she has been directed by the experienced Armando Suárez del Villar (Santa Camila de la Habana Vieja, by José R. Brene, 1985, and Plácido, by Gerardo Fulleda León, 1987).

Only a few years ago she joined the group El Público, led by Carlos Díaz, who has directed her on several occasions (Así es si les parece, 2000; La gaviota, 2001, and La Celestina, 2002) and she also participated in a show with several colleagues, under the direction of Jorge Ferrera (Monólogo de la vagina, 2003).

On TV she has excelled in telenovelas, such as Enamorada del mar, directed by Juan Vilar, 1989), Retablo personal (Rolando Chiong, 1992), Sin perder la ternura (Consuelo Elba, 1992), El año que viene (written and directed by Héctor Quintero, 1993), Las huérfanas de la Obraría (Rafael González, 1999), Salir de noche (Mirta González Perera, 2002).

Similarly, we have admired her in the teleplays El almendrón, Dos Romeos para una Julieta, Operación Pareja, Sofía y el Ángel and Pompas de Jabón, as well as in several comedies: Gracias, doctor (written by Enrique Núñez Rodríguez), Sherlock Holmes, Cerquitica del Vedado, Jura decir la verdad and, especially, alongside her nephew Jorge Félix Alí and Heidy González, in the acclaimed Punto G.

Cuban cinema attracted her and she has also excelled in the films: Cartas del parque, Papeles secundarios, El elefante y la bicicleta, Guantanamera, Amor vertical, Lista de espera, Nada, Miel para Ochún and Perfecto amor equivocado.

Such a successful career has brought her important accolades: for her delightful performance in the monologue Una mujer sola, she deservedly received in 1990 the Segismundo Awards and the UNEAC award at the First National Festival of Monologues (1990), as on TV for El año que viene and for the film Nada, by Juan Carlos Cremata, she was awarded Best Actress at the Colombian Cartagena de Indias Festival.

She became involved in the entertainment world in 1959, when she began working as a model on television. In 1965, she joined Teatro Martí, an emblematic venue in Cuban culture for the vernacular theater made there with famous actors of the bufo genre. In 1970, she joined the group Teatro Estudio, one of the most prestigious in the country, where she has remained to this day. During the last two years she has also collaborated with the group El Público: her starring role in the play La Celestina, directed by Carlos Díaz, has been a great success. In her long theatrical career she has played important characters in classic works of Cuban and universal theater. In parallel, she has acted in 6 telenovelas, in addition to having participated in multiple teleplays, TV theater and other series, such as the popular comedy program Punto G. She has toured Portugal, Yugoslavia, Spain, Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia.

1988
Cartas del Parque. Dir. Tomás Gutiérrez Alea.

1989
Papeles secundarios. Dir. Orlando Rojas.

1990
Oscuros rinocerontes enjaulados (CM. Ficc.). Dir. Juan Carlos Cremata.

1994
El elefante y la bicicleta. Dir. Juan Carlos Tabío.

1995
Guantanamera. Dir. Tomás Gutiérrez Alea.

1997
Amor Vertical. Dir. Arturo Sotto.

1999
La casa de Bernarda Alba. Dir. Belkis Vega.

2000
Lista de Espera. Dir. Juan Carlos Tabío.

2001
Nada. Dir. Juan Carlos Cremata.
Miel para Oshún. Dir. Humberto Solás.

2002
Santa Camila de la Habana Vieja. Dir. Belkis Vega.

2008
El cuerno de la abundancia. Dir. Juan Carlos Tabío.

2009
Molina·s, el hombre que hablaba con Marte (Short fiction). Dir. Jorge Molina.
El premio flaco (Feature film). Dir. Juan Carlos Cremata Malberti.
Lisanka (Feature film). Dir. Daniel Díaz Torres.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Distinction for National Culture, granted by the State Council of the Republic of Cuba.
El año que viene
Award from the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba for female performance on television.
Nada
Award for Best Actress. Cartagena de Indias Festival. Colombia, 2003.
Una mujer sola
Segismundo Award and UNEAC theater award.

Telenovelas
1989: Enamorada del mar. Juan Vilar
1992: Retablo personal. Chino Chong
1992: Sin perder la ternura. Consuelo Elba
1993: El año que viene. Héctor Quintero
1999: Las huérfanas de la Obrapía. Rafael Gonzáles
2002: Salir de noche. Mirta Glez Pereda Telenovelas
1989: Enamorada del mar. Juan Vilar
1992: Retablo personal. Chino Chong
1992: Sin perder la ternura. Consuelo Elba
1993: El año que viene. Héctor Quintero
1999: Las huérfanas de la Obrapía. Rafael Gonzáles
2002: Salir de noche. Mirta Glez Pereda