Cuban Actress Paula Alí Receives 2026 National Television Award for Six-Decade Career

July 21, 2026

Cuban actress Paula Alí received the 2026 National Television Award on July 10, an honor recognizing more than six decades of work on Cuban television, theater and film. The jury, led by José Ramón Artigas, cited "the trajectory, public impact and integrality" of her artistic career.

Born January 26, 1938, in the town of Candelaria, in Pinar del Río province, Alí began her career in 1959 as a television model before moving into acting. Her name became linked to telenovelas such as Las huérfanas de la Obrapía, Salir de noche and El año que viene, alongside an extensive body of theater work with Teatro Estudio and the group El Público, where she worked under directors including Carlos Díaz and Abelardo Estorino.

The actress has said in interviews that she attributes her professional longevity to discipline and constant learning rather than talent alone, crediting the influence of the directors and actors she shared the stage with throughout her career.