Biography
Who is Elena Anaya?
Early life and background
Elena Anaya Gutiérrez was born in Palencia, Spain, on July 17, 1975. She grew up as the youngest of three children in her family. Her mother worked as a housewife and later owned a boarding house in Palencia, while her father was an industrial engineer who lived from 1934 to 2011.
To pursue her ambition of becoming an actress, Elena Anaya moved to Cádiz to undergo formal training. This training paved the way for her early film appearances, including her debut in the movie África and her subsequent role in Familia.
Rise to fame
Elena Anaya first earned public recognition across Spain for her performance in the 2001 film Sex and Lucia. That role also earned her a nomination for the Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress. Shortly after, she appeared in Almodóvar's Talk to Her.
Her profile grew internationally when she secured a prominent Hollywood role as Aleera, one of Dracula's brides, in the 2004 action film Van Helsing. In that same year, European Film Promotion named her one of the Shooting Stars of European cinema.
Career highlights
In 2006, Elena Anaya appeared in the music video for Justin Timberlake's single SexyBack. She continued taking on diverse parts in international projects, such as Savage Grace in 2007 and Cairo Time in 2009.
She later starred in the 2010 drama Room in Rome and earned critical acclaim by winning the Goya Award for Best Actress for her leading role in Pedro Almodóvar's 2011 thriller The Skin I Live In. In 2017, she joined the cast of the superhero film Wonder Woman as Doctor Poison.
Family and relationships
Elena Anaya is openly lesbian and has shared details of her personal life with the public. She was previously in a relationship with director Beatriz Sanchís from 2008 until 2013.
In November 2016, announcements confirmed she was expecting her first child with her partner, Tina Afugu Cordero, who works as a costume designer. Elena Anaya gave birth to their son in February 2017.
Birthday and age
Elena Anaya was born on July 17, 1975, which makes Elena 51 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Elena shares the date with 30 other famous people.
Explore more
