Alba González Villa (born October 27, 1986), known professionally as Alba Flores, is a Spanish actress. She is best known for her roles as Saray Vargas in the prison crime drama series Vis a Vis (2015–2019) and Nairobi in the heist series Money Heist (2017–2021).
Early life Flores is the daughter of musician and composer Antonio Flores and Ana Villa, a theatrical producer. Her family consists of Romani performers, musicians, and actors: She is the granddaughter of Lola Flores, known as "La Faraona" ("The Pharaoh"), niece of singers Lolita Flores and Rosario Flores, and cousin of actress Elena Furiase. Her paternal grandfather, referred to as "El Pescaílla" was also a Spanish singer and guitarist, and is considered to be one of the fathers of Catalan Rumba. She is Romani. Her father composed a song dedicated for her entitled "Alba". She was nine years old when her father died.
Flores studied dramatic interpretation from the age of 13, with secondary training in piano performance. Her early roles on stage included Luna de miel en Hiroshima (Honeymoon in Hiroshima) (2005) and the Romani version of A Midsummer Night's Dream (2007).
Career 2005–2014: Career beginnings In 2005, Alba made her film debut in Chus Gutiérrez's, El calentito, alongside Verónica Sánchez, Ruth Díaz, Macarena Gómez, Estíbaliz Gabilondo, and Lluvia Rojo. Her television debut was in an episode of the series the El comisario in 2006. In 2008, she landed a role in the Antenna 3 television series . That year, she performed in the musical theater production of Enamorados anónimos (Love Anonymous: The Copla Musical in Broadway) helmed by dance choreographer Blanca Li and music composer Javier Limón.
In 2009, she recorded her father's song, "No Puedo Enamorarme de Ti (I cannot fall in love with you)", for the soundtrack of a movie by , Al final del camino, starring Malena Alterio and Fernando Tejero.
She trained at the Corazza Acting Studio by the renowned acting coach Juan Carlos Corazza. She participated in the studio's 2011 theater play, Comedia Y Sueno (Comedia and Dream, the most beautiful lie).
Beginning in 2013, she was cast as the protagonist's Moroccan servant, Jamila, in the Antena 3 series El tiempo entre costuras (The Time in Between), set in Spain and the Northern Protectorates in Morocco, following the Spanish Civil War. She then played an Indian woman in Vincente Ferrer, a television film based on the life of Spanish Missionary Vicente Ferrer. Filming took place in Anantapur, India. This was followed by an appearance in the TVE series Cuéntame as an important witness in a plot involving corrupt police.
2015–2019: Breakthrough with Vis a Vis
From 2015 to 2019, she played Saray Vargas de Jesús, a Romani woman who initially faced a 5-year prison sentence for Assault in the prison crime drama series Vis a Vis (Locked Up). Considered a clever and thrilling breakout out hit by critics, the show gave Flores her first breakout role in television. For this, she received her first TV Award, a shared Onda Award for Best Female Performer in Fiction with the female cast of the series, a Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series Award from the Spanish Actors Union Awards, and several other nominations. In 2017, Netflix bought Global streaming rights for the show. With a strong following, the show ran for a total of four seasons plus the spinoff fifth season Vis a vis: El Oasis (2020). Flores, who played an essential character on Vis a Vis, had a special guest appearance in the finale of El Oasis.
In 2016, she performed in the Spanish theatrical production of La Rosa Tatuada by Tennessee Williams. In 2017, she played Políxena, the daughter of the King of Troy, in production of Troyanas, based on the tragedy written by Greek playwright Euripides about the Women of Troy after the end of Trojan War. It premiered on Mérida International Classical Theatre Festival. Flores was nominated for Best Supporting Actress Award in Spanish Actors Union Awards for her performance.
2017–present: International recognition with La Casa de Papel
While working with Álex Pina in Vis a Vis, the producer asked her if she wanted to join his new show La Casa de Papel (Money Heist). She did not audition as Pina wrote a role for her as one of the bank robbers, nicknamed Nairobi, an expert in counterfeiting and forgery in charge of printing the money in Parts One and Two and overseeing the melting of gold in Parts Three and Four. After the series was cancelled after its one-season run, Netflix acquired the global streaming rights in 2017 and ordered additional seasons. Since then, it gained worldwide recognition, becoming Netflix's most viewed non-English series. It received critical praise and won several awards including best drama series at the International Emmy Awards. Her role as Nairobi brought her international recognition as well as several acting accolades, including winning an Iris Award for Best Actress.
In 2017, Flores performed in the musical play "Drac Pack" co-written by her Vis a Vis co-star and friend Najwa Nimri. In 2020, she served as the Spanish narrator for the Netflix nature documentary Night on Earth. In 2021, she performed in the Spanish theatrical production of La excepción y la regla by German Playwright Bertolt Brecht, for which she was nominated for Best Theatre Actress by Fotogramas de Plata.
Personal life Flores is vegetarian and has campaigned on behalf of the Latin division of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, saying that, "You have to leave the animals off the plate".
In March 2022, she was among 151 international feminists who signed the Feminist Resistance Against War: A Manifesto in solidarity with the Russian Feminist Anti-War Resistance.
Acting credits
Film YearTitleRoleDirector 2005 El calentitoAmayaChus Gutiérrez2006Los managers Chica CastingFernando Guillén Cuervo2013Vicente FerrerShamiraAgustín Crespi 2015The Memory of WaterCarmenMatías Bize 2023 Te estoy amando locamente (Love & Revolution) Lole
Television YearTitleRoleNotes 2006 El comisario SoharaEpisode: "Y dime tonta" 2008 Arabia SalazarEpisode: "Volver" 2013 Vicente Ferrer Shamira TV movieThe Time in Between Jamila 5 episodes 2014 Cuéntame cómo pasó La CheloEpisode: "En la boca del lobo" 2015–2019 Vis a vis Saray Vargas de Jesús Main role; 40 episodes2017–2021 Money Heist Ágata Jiménez / Nairobi Main role; 34 episodes 2020 Vis a vis: El Oasis Saray Vargas de Jesús Episode: "¿Quién era Zulema Zahir?" 2021 Maricón perdido Lola 2022 Sagrada familia (Holy Family) Caterina Ulterior Ada Romancero Tábata
Theater Year Title Author Director 2005 Honeymoon in Hiroshima Esteve Ferrer 2007 Midsummer Night's Dream William Shakespeare Tamzin Townsend 2008 Enamorados “Anonimos" Olga Iglesias Durán Blanca Li y Javier Limón 2011 Comedia Y Sueno William Shakespeare, Federico García Lorca Juan Carlos Corazza 2016 La Rosa Tatua Tennessee Williams Carme Portaceli 2016 Drac Pack Najwa Nimri, Emilio Tomé y Carlos Dorrego Fernando Soto 2017 Troyanas Euripides, versión de Alberto Conejero Carme Portaceli2019 La excepción y la reglaBertolt BrechtCatalina Lladó
Accolades Year Award Category Work Result 2015 Ondas Awards Best Female Performer in Fiction (ex aequo female cast) Vis a vis 2016 25th Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series Vis a vis 20174th Feroz AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a Television SeriesVis a vis 26th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a Television Series2018 21st Iris Awards Best Actress Vis a vis 27th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Supporting Actress in Theatre Troyanas6th Feroz AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a Television SeriesMoney Heist27th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a Television Series 201921st Iris Awards Best Actress Money Heist 28th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Television Series7th Best Drama Actress Zapping AwardsBest Actress Fotogramas de PlataBest Theatre Actress La Excepcion Y La Regla 2020 29th Actors and Actresses Union AwardsBest Lead Actress in a Television Series Money Heist7th Feroz AwardsBest Supporting Actress in a Television Series7th Platino Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV series 2021 9th Best Comedy Actress Maricón Perdido 2022 30th Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Stage Actress in a Secondary Role Shock 2 (La tormenta y la guerra) 2024 32nd Actors and Actresses Union Awards Best Television Actress in a Minor Role Romancero
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