Ana Belén


María del Pilar Cuesta Acosta known professionally as Ana Belén is a Spanish actress and singer.

Life/career

Born in 1951, Ana Belén is the oldest of three children. Her father was a cook in Hotel Palace, and her mother worked on a farm. Ana Belén studied acting in Spain during her youth and began acting in theatrical and cinematic productions in the mid-1960.
While working on the film Morbo by Gonzalo Suárez, she met Víctor Manuel, marrying him in 1972 in Gibraltar. At this time she also started her career as a singer, releasing several successful albums. She appeared in various films: La petición by Pilar Miró; Emilia parada y fonda by Angelino Fons; El buscón by Luciano Berriatúa; La oscura historia de la prima Montse by Jordi Cadena; La criatura by Eloy de la Iglesia, and Sonámbulos by Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón.
In 1986, Ana Belén, alongside songwriter Víctor Manuel, performed the song "La Puerta de Alcalá". The single remained at the top position in Spain for seven weeks in summer 1986. In 1991, she recorded Como una novia, her first album that did not include any songs composed or adapted by Víctor Manuel. In 1997, she released a new album, Mírame, of her own songs and duets and which went on to become the best-selling album of her solo career. In autumn of 1996, she – along with Joan Manuel Serrat, Miguel Ríos, and Víctor Manuel – set ticket sales records throughout Spain with their "El gusto es nuestro" tour. In 1998, Belen commemorated Federico García Lorca's centenary by releasing two albums under the title of Lorquiana, a collection of poems and popular songs by Lorca. The following year another album was released Ana Belén y Miguel Ríos cantan a Kurt Weill, and she had a role in the Tele 5 series, Petra Delicado.

Discography

Film

Television

YearSeries/ProgramEpisodeNotes
1970Teatro de siempreLa comedia nueva
1970Teatro de siempreHamlet en los suburbios
1970Teatro de siempreLos caprichos de Mariana
1970Pequeño estudioLa trampa
1970Hora onceEl extraño secreto de Shalken, el pintor
1971Hora onceEleonora
1971Juegos para mayoresLa finca
1971Estudio 1Retablo de las mocedades del Cid
1972Estudio 1Romeo y Julieta
1980Fortunata y Jacinta
1999Petra delicado
2017Traición

Stage