Leonor Watling

Leonor Elizabeth Ceballos Watling (born 28 July 1975) is a Spanish film actress and singer.

Leonor Watling
Watling at the 33rd Goya Awards in 2019
Born
Leonor Elizabeth Ceballos Watling

(1975-07-28) 28 July 1975 (age 48)
Madrid, Spain
Occupations
  • Actress
  • musician
  • lyricist
Years active1993–present
Musical career
GenresJazz, blues, rock
Instrument(s)Vocals
Member ofMarlango

Early life

Leonor Ceballos Watling was born on 28 July 1975 in Madrid,[1] to a Spanish father from Cádiz and an English mother,[2] the youngest of four siblings (two brothers and two sisters).[3] Her first vocation was that of dancer, but a knee injury made this impossible.[4]

Career

Watling performing with Marlango in 2008

Watling began her acting career in theatre. She earned her feature film debut with a performance in Pablo Llorca's Jardines colgantes (1993).[5] After that she participated in several TV series, such as Hermanos de leche, Farmacia de guardia or Querido maestro, but her most successful role was in the series Raquel busca su sitio with Cayetana Guillén Cuervo. In 1998, she was nominated for a Goya award for her role in La hora de los valientes, and was named as one of European films 'Shooting Stars' by European Film Promotion in 1999. In 2002, she was nominated again for a Goya for her role in My Mother Likes Women.

Watling dubbed Anne Hathaway as the voice of "Red Pucket" (Little Red Riding Hood) in Hoodwinked (2005).[6] She also took part in The Oxford Murders, alongside Elijah Wood and John Hurt.

In 2006, Watling starred in Paris, Je T'aime segment "Bastille" as Marie Christine. The film was directed by many famous directors who each had to produce a five-minute film set in Paris, the city of love. Spanish writer-director Isabel Coixet wrote and directed the segment "Bastille" and Watling starred alongside Sergio Castellitto and Miranda Richardson as Sergio's younger lover with whom he plans to run away after ending his relationship with his wife Miranda.

She combines film performances with her work with the band Marlango, in which she is vocalist and sings mostly in English.

She appeared in TV series Pulsaciones.

Personal life

Watling and Jorge Drexler at the 32nd Goya Awards in 2018

Watling is in a relationship with Oscar-winning Uruguayan musician Jorge Drexler, with whom she has a son, Luca, born in January 2009, and a daughter, Lea, born in July 2011.[7][8][9]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1993Jardines colgantes (Hanging Gardens)
1997Todas hierenBeatriz[10]
1998Grandes ocasiones (Great Occasions)Bárbara[11]
1998La primera noche de mi vida (The First Night of My Life)Paloma[12]
1998La hora de los valientes (A Time for Defiance)Carmen[13]
1999No respires (el amor está en el aire) (Do Not Breathe, Love is in the Air)Muriel[14]
2000La espalda de Dios (God's Back)
2002Son de mar (Sound of the Sea)Martina[15]
2002A mi madre le gustan las mujeres (My Mother Likes Women)Elvira[16]
2002Hable con ella (Talk to Her)Alicia Roncero[17]
2002Deseo (Desire)Elvira[18]
2002My Life Without MeThe other Ann[19]
2003En la ciudad (In the City)Cristina[20]
2003El elefante del rey (The Elephant King)
2003Mauvais esprit [fr]Carmen[21]
2004La mala educación (Bad Education)Mónica[22]
2004Crónicas (Chronicles)
2004Inconscientes (Unconscious)Alma[23]
2005The Secret Life of Words
2005Malas temporadas (Hard Times)Laura[24]
2005Tirante el Blanco (White Tie)
2006Paris, je t'aime
2006Salvador (Puig Antich) (Salvador)Cuca[25]
2006El carnaval de Sodoma (Carnival of Sodom)
2007Teresa, el cuerpo de Cristo (Theresa: The Body of Christ)Doña Guiomar de Ulloa[26]
2008The Oxford MurdersLorna[27]
2009Unmade Beds
2010Viaje mágico a África [es] (Magic Journey to Africa)Hada ('fairy')[28]
2010Lope (Lope: The Outlaw)Isabel[29]
2011Lo mejor de Eva (Dark Impulse)Eva[30]
2012If I Were YouLucy[31]
2013The Food Guide To Love
2016Risen
2017Muse
2022No mires a los ojos (Staring at Strangers)Lucía[32]
2023Chinas (Chinas, a Second Generation Story)[33]
TBA
Anatema Sor Juana

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1997–98Querido maestro [es]Silvia[35]
2000Raquel busca su sitioRaquelLeading role[36]
2006La habitación del niño [es] (The Child's Room)SoniaTV movie[37]
2017PulsacionesBlanca Jiménez[38]
2018Asesinato en la UniversidadLara CabanesTV movie[39]
2018–20Vivir sin permiso (Unauthorized Living)Berta Moliner[40]
2020–NasdroviaEdurneLeading role[41]
2021La templanza (The Vineyard)Soledad MontalvoLeading role. Younger version of the character performed by Carla Campra[42][43]
2021Besos al aire (Blowing Kisses)Doctora CabanasLeading role. Two-part television miniseries[44]
2022No me gusta conducir (I Don't Like Driving)Iria[45]
Other

Discography

With Marlango

  • Marlango (2004)
  • Automatic Imperfection (2005)
  • The Electrical Morning (2007)
  • Life in the Treehouse (2010)
  • Un Día Extraordinario (2012)
  • El Porvenir (2014)
  • Technicolor (2018)

Collaborations

  • Miguel Bosé – Duet in "Este mundo va" from the album Papito
  • Jorge Drexler – Backing vocals in "El otro engranaje" from the album 12 segundos de oscuridad
  • Diego Vasallo – Backing vocals in "La vida mata" from the album Los abismos cotidianos
  • Fito Páez – Duet in "Pétalo de sal" and "Creo" from the album No sé si es Baires o Madrid
  • Jorge Drexler – Duet in "Toque de queda" from the album Amar la trama

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef.
199913th Goya AwardsBest Leading ActressA Time for DefianceNominated[47][48]
200317th Goya AwardsBest Leading ActressMy Mother Likes WomenNominated[49][50]
53rd Fotogramas de PlataBest Actress (film)Won[51]
12th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Film Actress in a Leading RoleNominated[52][53]
200459th CEC MedalsBest Supporting ActressMy Life Without MeWon[54]
13th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Actress in a Minor Role (film)Won[55]
202024th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Television Actress in a Minor RoleUnauthorized LivingNominated[56]
202310th Feroz AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a TV SeriesI Don't Like DrivingNominated[57]

References