# Gabriela Spanic

Gabriela Elena Španić Utrera (born December 10, 1973), known simply as Gabriela Spanic, is a Venezuelan actress, model, singer and beauty pageant titleholder. She is known for her roles in several Latin telenovelas, most notably her portrayal of twins in La usurpadora (1998), one of the most popular telenovelas in the Spanish-speaking world.
Spanic has been signed to Televisa, Telemundo,TV Azteca, and Venevision.

## Early life

Spanic was born in Caracas and raised in Ortiz, to Croatian father Casimiro Spanic and Venezuelan mother Norma Utrera. She has a twin sister, Daniela Spanic, one younger sister, Patricia, and a younger brother, Antonio. She studied Psychology in Caracas at Andrés Bello Catholic University for a year but left university to pursue an acting career.

## Career

Spanic's career started in 1992 when she joined the Miss Venezuela 1992 contest, representing her home state, Guárico, The contest served as a platform to launch her acting career even though it was won by Milka Chulina it led to appearances in Venezuelan telenovelas such as Morena Clara, where she portrayed the villain Linda Prado.
In 1994, Spanic had her first leading role in the telenovela Como Tu Ninguna, which aired for two years and became one of the largest novelas of the country and had an enormous success, including internationally.
After playing Amaranta in Todo por tu Amor (1997), Spanic moved to Mexico, where she acted in La usurpadora (1998), portraying twins Paola and Paulina, which came to worldwide success when the novela was transmitted to more than 125 countries around the world and became one of the most popular telenovelas in the Spanish-speaking world. La Usurpadora was the first novela to win more than 20 points in the grid of the TV American audience.
In 2000 Gabriela Spanic co-hosted the OTI Festival in its last edition, which was held in Acapulco.
Spanic acted in other Televisa productions such as Por Tu Amor (1999), and La intrusa (2001), before signing with Telemundo, starring in La venganza (2002), Prisionera (2004) and Tierra de pasiones (2006).
Spanic won the Orquidea Award in 2005 for her trajectory as an actress, as well as the prestigious FAMAS Award for Best Actress for her role in Tierra de Pasiones.
In 2010, Spanic worked with Televisa again when she played the antagonist of Soy tu Dueña. As of 2011, Spanic is signed to TV Azteca, and has worked in Emperatriz (2011), La otra cara del alma (2012) and Siempre tuya Acapulco (2014).

## Personal life

Spanic was married to actor Miguel de León from 1996 to 2003. She and her ex-boyfriend have a son, Gabriel de Jesús (born 2008).

## Filmography

Television, television films and series :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | La fuerza de los humildes | Unknown | |
| 1990 | Adorable Mónica | Rute | |
| 1991 | Mundo de fieras | Unknown | |
| 1991-1992 | Bellísima | Unknown | |
| 1992 | La loba herida | Meche | |
| 1992 | Divina obsesión | Aurora | |
| 1993 | Rosangélica | Carla | |
| 1993 | Morena Clara | Linda Prado | Series regular |
| 1994 | Maria Celeste | Celina Hidalgo | Guest star |
| 1994-1995 | Como tú, ninguna | Gilda Barreto/Raquel Sandoval | Main role |
| 1996 | Quirpa de tres mujeres | Emiliana Echeverría Salazar Castañon | Main role |
| 1997 | Todo por tu amor | Petra Josefina Marcano / Amaranta Rey | Series regular |
| 1997 | Bienvenidos | Esterbina | Guest star |
| 1998 | La usurpadora | Paola Bracho Montaner / Paulina Bracho Martinez | Main role |
| 1998 | Más allá de la usurpadora | Paulina Bracho Martinez | Television film |
| 1999 | Por tu amor | Aurora de Montalvo / María del Cielo Montalvo de Durán | Main role |
| 2001 | La hora pico | Herself | Guest star |
| 2001 | La intrusa | Virginia Martínez Roldán de Junquera Brito/Vanessa Martínez Roldàn de Islas | Main role |
| 2002-2003 | La venganza | Valentina Díaz / Helena Valerugo Fontana | Main role |
| 2004 | Prisionera | Guadalupe Santos Luján | Main role |
| 2004 | Numai Iubirea | | Guest star |
| 2005–07 | Decisiones | Daniela / Mariela | 2 episodes |
| 2006 | Tierra de pasiones | Valeria San Román | Main role |
| 2010 | Soy tu dueña | Ivana Dorantes Rangel | Series regular |
| 2011 | Emperatriz | Emperatriz Jurado | Main role |
| 2011 | Confesiones de novelas | Herself | |
| 2012 | Soy tu doble | Herself | Judge |
| 2012-2013 | La otra cara del alma | Alma Hernández Quijano | Main role |
| 2013 | Te quiero mexico, te quiero limpio | Driver | |
| 2014 | Siempre tuya Acapulco | Fiscal Fernanda Montenegro | Guest star |
| 2015 | Baila si puedes | Herself | Participant/guest |
| 2018 | Heredadas | Alma | |
| 2019 | Más noche | Herself | |
| 2019 | Teletón Dynamic What is the mask? | Herself | Participant |
| 2020 | Dancing with the Stars Hungary | Herself | Participant |
| 2021 | Si nos dejan | Fedora Montelongo | Series regular |
| 2021 | La casa de los famosos | Herself | Participant |
| 2021 | Esta historia me suena | Rosario | Episode: "Te aprovechas de mí" |
| 2022 | Corazón guerrero | Elisa | Series regular |
| 2022 | La mejor navidad | | Main role |
| 2022–present | Secretos de villanas | Herself | Main cast |
| 2023 | Top Chef VIP | Herself | Participant |
| 2023 | Amores que engañan | Elisa | Episode: "Talento robado" |
| 2023 | La Usurpadora: The Musical | | Film |
| 2024 | Vivir de amor | Mónica Rivero Cuéllar | Series regular |

## Discography

* Gabriela Total (2004)
* Mejorando Tu Vida Con Gabriela Spanic, Vol. 1 e 2 (2005)
* En Carne Viva (2014)
* Gabriela Spanic Greatest Hits (2016)