Natalia Oreiro

Natalia Marisa Oreiro Iglesias (Spanish pronunciation: [naˈtalja oˈɾejɾo]; born May 19, 1977) is a Latin Grammy-nominated Uruguayan-Argentine singer, actress, and fashion designer. Oreiro began her career in telenovelas. Since 2008 she has switched to work primarily in films. Oreiro has worked on social awareness shows and events for organizations like Greenpeace and UNICEF, the latter of which designated her as ambassador for Argentina and Uruguay in September 2011. She has been included in Esquire magazine's "The Sexiest Woman Alive Atlas" list.

1977–2000: Early life and career beginnings

Natalia Oreiro, daughter of Carlos Florencio Oreiro Poggio and Mabel Cristina Iglesias Bourié, was born on May 19, 1977. Natalia studied drama at the age of eight and at twelve started auditioning for advertisements. During her teens she appeared in more than 30 television commercials for such trade marks as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Johnson & Johnson. At the age of 16 she moved to Argentina to work there and unleash her ambition to be a star. She worked as an MTV VJ and in 1995, she landed a role in the soap opera Dulce Ana. She was then cast in the TV series 90-60-90 modelos (1996) and next in Ricos y famosos (1997, playing Valeria). Next, she starred in the Argentinian film Un Argentino en New York (1998). After the movie, Natalia launched her first album, Natalia Oreiro and the single "Cambio Dolor" became the opening theme for her next acting project, the prime time show Muñeca Brava (1998–1999). For her performance in Muñeca Brava, Natalia was nominated twice (1998 and 1999) for a Martín Fierro Award as best actress in a leading role. In January 2000, Natalia was named "Celebrity of the Year" by E! Entertainment Television. She became popular in Russia and Israel due to the success of Muñeca Brava in that country and was even invited to star in a Russian telenovela. In Israel she performed many times on big stages and on many TV shows and won the best telenovela actress award and best theme song "Cambio Dolor" on "VIVA 2000" awards, And in 2002 the Israeli Cable TV had a live competition for finding the Israeli Natalia Oreiro, and she was the honor guest of the evening.

2000–2002: Tu Veneno and Turmalina

She pursued her musical career with the next album Tu Veneno and presentations in Gala de la Hispanidad, Gala de Murcia (both in Spain) and Festival de la Calle 8 in Miami. Her most important appearance was in the prestigious Latin television show Sábado Gigante Internacional, hosted by Don Francisco. Natalia's major achievement at this time was her music performance in Chile at Viña del Mar Festival 2000 for which she was crowned Queen of that event. The album scored a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Album, but lost to Christina Aguilera's Mi Reflejo.

On June 1, 2002, her third studio album Turmalina was released by BMG Ariola Argentina. Turmalina was produced by Latin record producer Kike Santander and is a combination of rhythms such as rock, pop and some sort of reminiscent of the 70's and 80's sounds. On this album, Oreiro write and composed the songs: "Alas De Libertad" which is inspired by kids she met some time ago in the city of Jujuy, Argentina; "Mar" tells the love story between a sailor and his girlfriend. Natalia also contributed to the lyrics of "Cayendo". "Que Digan Lo Que Quieran" is Turmalina's first single. Official Uruguayan 2002 World Cup song "Pasión Celeste" is recorded with Fredy Bessio. "Cuesta arriba, cuesta abajo" was opening song of soap opera Kachorra (Runaway Lady). Kachorra ended with a rating lower than 20 points in Argentina.

2002–present: Cleopatra, Sos mi vida and other works

Natalia Oreiro in September 2010

In March 2003 she started filming her second film Cleopatra together with Norma Aleandro, Leonardo Sbaraglia and Héctor Alterio, under the direction of Eduardo Mignogna, a co-production with Spain. In the middle of 2003, she started a tour for Eastern Europe and Latin America. On March 1, 2004 she started filming El Deseo. In 2006 she joined as the female boxer, Esperanza Munoz, in the cast of the telenovela Sos mi vida along with her Muñeca brava co-star Facundo Arana. It was directed by Rodolfo Antúnez and Jorge Bechara and broadcast by Canal 13. It began broadcasting on January 16, 2006 and ending January 9, 2007, and during its broadcast averaged 26.9 points overall rating. It was written by Ernesto Korovsky and Sebastian Parrotta, and won four Martín Fierro Awards and three Clarín Awards.

On April 30, 2008, Oreiro starred in Amanda O which is a series of internet television in Argentina and produced by Dori Media Group. It was the first soap opera ever made for the internet, and was seen by 550,000 users over Novebox.com, from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay during its first season and beginning of the second.

• Natalia Oreiro (1998)
• Tu Veneno (2000)
• Turmalina (2002)

Television

Filmography

Natalia Oreiro at Cannes in 2007.

• 2015 Martín Fierro award: Best actress of daily fiction (for Entre caníbales)
• 2014 Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards as best actress for "Wakolda"
• 2013 Argentine Academy of Cinematography Arts and Sciences Awards as best actress for "Wakolda"
• 2013 Martín Fierro Awards: Best lead actress of daily comedy (for Solamente Vos)
• 2013 Tato award as best lead actress in comedy, for Solamente vos
• 2013 Argentinean Film Critics Association Awards as best actress for "Infancia clandestina"
• 2012 Argentine Academy of Cinematography Arts and Sciences Awards as best actress for "Infancia clandestina"
• 2006 Martín Fierro Award as best lead actress in Comedy/Humoristic Program for "Sos mi vida"
• 2000 VIVA's (The Israeli telenovellas channel) "VIVA 2000" Award for best actress and best theme song in Muñeca Brava