Born in Santa Cruz del Norte, de Armas grew up in Havana. She obtained Spanish citizenship thanks to the fact that her maternal grandparents are Spanish and later moved to Spain after turning 18.

2. She started her career in Spain

From the time she was 12 years old, de Armas knew she wanted to be an actress. She started training in Cuba but didn’t hit the big screen until she moved to Spain. Her first appearance was in the 2006 Spanish film Una Rosa de Francia (A Rose from France) but her big break came when she scored a role in the television show El Internado (The Internship) in 2007. She later starred in a number of Spanish television shows and movies before making the move to Hollywood. Since de Armas’ native language is Spanish, she had to learn English to become the Hollywood starlet she is today. In fact, when she landed her starring role in 2016’s Knock Knock featuring Keanu Reeves, she couldn’t speak a word of English.

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3. She starred in a movie that was denounced for being racist and sexist

Given the fact that de Armas is a woman of colour, it’s hard to imagine she would star in a movie that was criticised for its racist, sexist nature. However, that is exactly what happened when she took on the role of Joi in the box-office hit Blade Runner 2049. While her acting has earned her heaps of praise, critics have pointed out that the movie features very few people of colour; what’s more, most of the women who star in the movie are dominated by white men. De Armas’ own character is a holographic “wife” who says and wears whatever her owner demands at any time.

4. She really loves her dog

De Armas won’t go anywhere without her beloved dog, a Maltese named Elvis. The dog travels everywhere with her and has even attended one of her auditions.

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5. She looks up to …

There are a number of actresses de Armas admires, and she recently told journalists she wants her career to follow in the path of Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep and fellow Latina Penelope Cruz.

6. Fans will get to see a lot of her in 2020

Fans who enjoy de Armas’ great acting skills will be pleased to know she is starring in a number of noteworthy films this year. These include Sergio, The Night Clerk, the latest James Bond movie No Time to Die and Deep Water. She has also been confirmed to play the iconic role of Marylin Monroe in the upcoming movie Blonde.

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She is best known for her acting ability, however, that skill alone didn’t get de Armas where she is today. She has a tremendous amount of perseverance that led her to travel to new countries and learn new languages to take on coveted film roles. What’s more, she clearly puts her all into every part she plays, and critics have praised her acting on more than one occasion. Given all that she has to offer, it’s not surprising she has fans the world over and is a highly-successful actress who directors trust to take on leading roles in international films.

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