In recent years, Ana de Armas emerged as one of the most popular actresses of the moment, appearing in blockbusters and highly acclaimed films. But in order to get where she is now, the actress had to work very hard on building a career in several countries, thus assembling a very diverse portfolio. De Armas kicked off her career in Cuba, her native country, at the age of 16, starring in the film Una Rosa de Francia. When she reached her legal age, she moved to Spain, where she got her second major role in the TV series El Internado, which ran from 2007 to 2010.

In 2014, and after working on several Spanish-language projects, de Armas decided to move to Los Angeles, a place in which she was forced to start her career from scratch while taking classes to improve her English. All that effort paid off: shortly after, the actress was offered a role in the thriller film Knock Knock, and from then on, her career kept on rising.

Her breakthrough role, however, was as Marta Cabrera in the mystery movie Knives Out, which earned her several major award nominations, worldwide recognition, and an offer that would be too hard to refuse: the leading role in Blonde, the Marilyn Monroe biopic. De Armas worked extremely hard for this role, and even though the film met with harsh reviews (via Rotten Tomatoes), her performance was highly acclaimed (IndieWire, in fact, predicts good chances for her in the Best Actress race). Check out Ana de Armas’ best Spanish-language films below.

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6 Anabel

     Norberfilms

Following Anabel’s departure in unclear circumstances, her two roommates are forced to look for someone else to move in to split the rent costs. After searching diligently, they settle on an elderly man who, though he is not exactly the type of person they were looking for, manages to earn their trust. But as soon as he moves in, things become unsettling in the household, as his presence makes these women revisit painful experiences from their past. De Armas stars in this 2015 film alongside Rocío León and Enrique Villén, under the direction of Antonio Trashorras, who also wrote the screenplay.

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5 El Callejón (Blind Alley)

     Deaplaneta International

El Callejón (Blind Alley) marked the feature directorial debut of Trashorras, who also served as screenwriter. This 2011 Spanish-language horror movie stars de Armas, Diego Cadavid, and Leonor Varela. It follows Rosa, a young aspiring actress who, late at night, goes to a self-service laundromat to wash the clothes she is supposed to wear for an audition the following day. This facility is conveniently located in a secluded alley, something that makes her very nervous. Once she realizes that she is not alone in the laundromat, she regains her composure, but not for long, as Rosa is about to experience her worst nightmare.

4 Mentiras y Gordas (Sex, Party and Lies)

     Alquimia Cinema

Mentiras y Gordas (Sex, Party and Lies) is a production that performed wonderfully at the box office, but not as well with critics. It was directed by Alfonso Albacete and David Menkes, featuring not only de ARmas, but Mario Casas, Yon Gonzalez, Ana Maria Polvorosa, and Hugo Silva as well. It follows a group of young people as they prepare for the best summer of their lives, while partying and overindulging in alcohol, drugs, and sex. Mentiras y Gordas was the ninth highest-grossing film in Spain in 2009.

3 Una Rosa de Francia (Virgin Rose)

     Tornasol Films

Una Rosa de Francia (Virgin Rose) marked the acting debut of de Armas in 2006 under the direction of Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón. Set in Havana in the mid-20th Century, it features Andrés, a young man who is seeking a brighter future and works for an ill-mannered smuggler who illegally transports immigrants. Eventually, Andres meets Marie, his boss’ protégée that quickly steals his heart. They both attempt to run away together in order to unleash their romance, but things won’t be as easy as they think.

2 Madrigal

     ICAIC

Madrigal is a 2007 Cuban film directed by Fernando Pérez that follows Javier, a young and very imaginative actor who loves writing, and begins a love affair with Luisita, a lonely young woman with many secrets. Eventually, their relationship grows stronger, and he starts drifting into a fictional world that leaves him trapped and with no way of distinguishing between reality and fiction. This production unfolds in two different timelines: Havana in 2005, the setting for the love story, and the world in 2020, where Javier revisits the romance through his books.

1 Por Un Puñado de Besos (For a Handful of Kisses)

     Garra Producciones

De Armas and Martiño Rivas star in Por Un Puñado de Besos (For a Handful of Kisses), a 2014 Spanish production directed by David Menkes. This film, inspired by the novel Un Poco de Abril, Algo de Mayo, Todo Septiembre by Jordi Sierra i Fabra, follows Sol, a young woman who, after a terrible medical diagnosis, places an ad in the newspaper looking for her soul mate. This is how she meets Dani, with whom she quickly sparks a beautiful relationship. But this seemingly perfect story may not be so: Dani is hiding something that could absolutely destroy this woman’s hopes and dreams.