Nelson Villagra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nelson Villagra
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| Born | 9 August 1937 |
| Occupation | Actor, director, author |
| Years active | 1967-present |
Nelson Villagra was born on August 9, 1937. He is a famous Chilean actor, writer, and director for plays and movies. Many people think he is one of the best actors in Chilean movies. He is well-known for his strong performance in the film El Chacal de Nahueltoro (1969).
In 1973, Nelson Villagra had to leave Chile. This happened because of a big change in the government. He lived in Europe for a while, then moved to Cuba. There, he worked with important directors from Latin American movies. He even won an award for Best Actor in 1978 for his role in The Last Supper. In 1979, he won another Best Actor award for his role in the film Prisioneros desaparecidos.
Early Life and Acting Career
Nelson Garrido Villagra was born in Chillán, southern Chile, on August 9, 1937. He started acting when he was just 13 years old in 1950. He joined the School of Artistic Culture in Chillán. He also worked with a cultural group that later started the Experimental Theater of Chillán.
In 1955, he was accepted into the School of Theatre at the University of Chile. He was already very good at acting. One time, he had to quickly replace a professional actor in a play. Even though it was a small part, critics said he was "a hope for the Chilean theatre."
After finishing school in 1958, he joined the Theater of the Universidad de Concepción (TUC). This group helped actors grow their skills together. Nelson Villagra stayed with TUC for seven years. During this time, his special talent for acting was noticed. This led him to start working in movies.
In 1965, Villagra moved to Santiago with his family. He joined the Theatre ICTUS. One of his most memorable roles there was in a play called Slow Dance. He also worked with other theater groups, on television, and in seven Chilean films. Two of his most famous films from this time were Three Sad Tigers (1968) and El Chacal de Nahueltoro (1969).
On September 11, 1973, his acting career was put on hold. He was forced to leave Chile and went to Paris. He also spent time in Rome and then in Havana, Cuba, from 1975 to 1986. In Cuba, he was very active in Cuban cinema.
He acted in seven films in Cuba, including The Last Supper and Black River. He also worked on movies made with other countries like Mexico, France, and Venezuela. In 1986, he moved to Montreal, Canada. There, he married Begoña Zabala, an actress from the Basque region. He acted in four films for Quebec cinema.
Later Acting Work
In 1987, Nelson Villagra won a writing contest for a play called "Rara Avis." In 1988, he was allowed to return to Chile after being away for many years. He visited Chile in 1989 for a film project that didn't happen. But he was warmly welcomed by other actors and artists.
Back in Montreal in 1989, Villagra acted in his first French-language film, Corbeau. That same year, he was in another film called Cargo. In 1990, he acted in Artikos, a film made for the BBC in London. In 1992, Villagra wrote his own play called The Lord of Light. He took this play on a three-month tour in Chile.
He visited Chile again in 1992 for the Viña del Mar Film Festival. There, he received a special honor for his work. He also translated his play The Lord of Light into French. It won another award in Montreal. In 1992, he also acted in a film called The Sarrasine. He spoke both Italian and French in the movie.
Recent Projects
In 1997, Villagra and his wife Begoña moved back to Chile for six years. They lived in Santiago and were praised by audiences and critics. Villagra also worked in Chilean television and movies until 2003. In 1998, he acted in a play called Playing with Fire. This play was very successful in Chile and later went to a festival in Stockholm.
Also in 1998, Villagra wrote a play called The Farce of the Knight and Death. This play toured his home region. He also acted in three TV movies and three films. One notable film was Tendida mirando las estrellas. In theater, he and his wife had great success with a play called The English Lover.
In late 2003, Villagra returned to Montreal. But he came back to Chile a few months later in early 2004 to be in a new TV series. After returning to Montreal in late 2004, he said he would only work on projects that were "artistically worthwhile." Since then, he has only accepted one film project, El regalo, which was filmed in Chillán in 2008.
Nelson Villagra lives in Montreal today. He has acted in over 60 plays, 40 films, and many TV series. He and his wife have started an art group that has already made one short film called Transfer. They are now working on new film projects.
Selected Films
- Three Sad Tigers (1968)
- Jackal of Nahueltoro (1969)
- The Penal Colony (1970)
- Nadie dijo nada (1971)
- The Promised Land (1973)
- The Last Supper (1976)
- Cantata de Chile (1976)
- Río Negro (1977)
- The Recourse to the Method (1978)
- La rosa de los vientos (1978)
- The Widow of Montiel (1979)
- Cecilia (1982)
- Amnesia (1994)
- Tierra del Fuego (2000)
- El regalo (2008)
See also
In Spanish: Nelson Villagra para niños
