# Gisela Ponce de León

Gisela Ponce de León Franco, (born 12 April 1985) is a Peruvian film, television and stage actress and singer. Gisela began working professionally as a child actor on the musical Annie and in other productions. She appeared in several more musicals before being selected for the lead role in the hit TV show Esta Sociedad. In Peru, she played as Sofia in the musical Mama Mia.
In her country has starred in the musicals Cabaret, La Cage aux Folles, Next to normal and Our Town. She played Mary Warren in Las Brujas de Salem, Rachel Corrie in My Name Is Rachel Corrie and Penny Pingleton in Hairspray.

## Early life

Gisela used to live in Cercado de Lima and study at Colegio de Jesús. When she was a child, she took ballet, singing and dancing classes. As an adolescent, she participated in Nubeluz.

## Career

After being part of several TV shows, Gisela decided to apply to the ETUC (Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú's Theatre School).
She made her debut as a film actress in the short film "Besando a tu papá" (Kissing your dad) at 2007 and lent her voice to the role of Tiffany in the Peruvian animated film "Valentino y el clan del can" (Valentino and the dongs' clan) the next year.
At 2010, Ponce de Leon participated in "El Gran Show", a reality show whose hostess was Gisela Varcárcel. She took the first place. Parallel, she starred two musicals: "El Musical 2010" and "La Cage aux Folles".
She served as the opening act for the Paramore's South America Tour at 2011. She started her career as a radio hostess in the radio station Studio92 at 2012 and as a TV hostess in the Frecuencia Latina's programme "Ponte Play" the next year.

## Theatre

List of credits in theatre as an actress :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1996 | Annie | Peeper | |
| 2004 | El Principito | Rose garden | |
| 2005 | La Corporacion | Various roles | |
| 2005 | El Mercader de Venecia | Porcia | |
| 2006 | Broadway nights | Christine Daaé | |
| 2006–2007 | Escuela de payasos | Pimpola | Lead role |
| 2007 | Sueño de una noche de verano | Hermia | |
| 2007 | My Name Is Rachel Corrie | Rachel Corrie | Lead role |
| 2007 | Peru Ja Ja | Performer | Voice |
| 2007 | Canta la cloaca | Griselda | Lead role |
| 2007 | Tartufo | Mariana | |
| 2008 | El teniente de Inishmore | Mairead | |
| 2008 | Noche de tontos | Olivia | |
| 2008 | Cuatro amigos en busca de la chompa perdida | La osa florentina | |
| 2008 | Feisbuk | Stefani | Lead role |
| 2009 | Cabaret | Sally Bowles | Lead role Teatro Segura |
| 2009 | Una Pulga en la Oreja | Antuanette | |
| 2009 | Incierto Concierto | Franccesca | Lead role |
| 2009–2010 | Las Brujas de Salem | Mary Warren | Teatro La Plaza |
| 2010 | El Enfermo imaginario | Antoñita | |
| 2010 | El musical 2010 | Various roles | |
| 2010 | The Vagina Monologues | Performer | |
| 2010 | La Cage aux Folles | Anne Dindon | |
| 2010 | Escuela de Payasos | Pimpola | Revival |
| 2011 | Next to Normal | Natalie Goodman | Lead role |
| 2011 | La chica del Maxim | Coco | Lead role |
| 2011 | Escuela de Payasos | Pimpola | Revival |
| 2011–2012 | La fiesta de cumpleaños | Lulu | |
| 2012 | Hairspray | Penny Pingleton | Teatro Peruano Japonés |
| 2012 | Nuestro pueblo (Our Town) | Emily Webb | Teatro La Plaza |
| 2013 | Black Comedy | Carol Melkett |
| 2014 | Where are the Clowns? | Pimpola | |

## Filmography

List of film credits as an actress :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2007 | Besando a tu Papá | Liuva | Short film |
| 2008 | Valentino y el clan del can | Tifanny | Voice |
| 2009 | Cu4tro | Gabriela | |
| 2013 | Quizás mañana | Natalia | Lead role |
| 2013 | Asu Mare | Isabel "Chabela" Vilar | |
| 2013 | Rocanrol 68 | Bea | |
| 2015 | Just Like in the Movies | Dani | |
| 2018 | How to Get Over a Breakup | María Fé | |
| 2022 | The Truth of Xanaxtasia | | |
| 2023 | The Erection of Toribio Bardelli | Sara Bardelli | |
| 2023 | How to Deal With a Heartbreak | María Fé | |
| 2023 | The Last Laugh | Alfonsina | |
List of television credits as an actress :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2006 | Esta Sociedad | Mirkala | Lead role |
| 2008 | Esta Sociedad 2 | Mirkala | Lead role |
| 2009 | Rita y yo y mi otra yo | Anís | |
| 2011 | Ana Cristina | María Julia Benavides Aragón | |
| 2015 | Al Fondo Hay Sitio | Ariana Romero Benavides | |
List of television credits as herself :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | Karina y sus amigos | Karinchiquitina | Dance cast |
| 2010 | El gran show | Contestant | Winner |
| 2010 | El gran show: reyes del show | Contestant | 3° place |
| 2012 | Yo soy | Guest judge | Casting week |
| 2013 | Ponte Play | Host | |
| 2014 | La voz kids (Perú) | Guest mentor | |