Paola Bontempi is an exceptionally versatile actress and TV presenter, with the ability to fluently communicate in both English and Spanish. Her impressive acting skills have been honed at some of the most renowned acting schools in London, Los Angeles, and Madrid, reflecting her diverse cultural background of Italian, German, Chilean, and Spanish heritage. Growing up on the Spanish island of Tenerife, Paola was drawn to the performing arts from an early age and pursued studies at the University of La Laguna in Tenerife and later at Harvard University.
Her passion for the performing arts led her to London, where she earned honors degrees in Theatre Arts from the prestigious London Academy of Performing Arts and The Guildford School of Acting. She then expanded her expertise in film and television at UCLA in Los Angeles. Paola began her professional career in Los Angeles, playing lead roles in theatre productions in both English and Spanish, as well as working extensively in voiceover, TV commercials, and film.
After her time in Los Angeles, Paola embarked on a new chapter in her career, moving to Madrid, where she continues to work in film, television, and theatre. One of her most notable film roles is in the feature The Glass Coffin, a unique thriller that has garnered critical acclaim at festivals worldwide. Her performance as the film's sole character-set entirely inside a limousine-earned her multiple awards, including Best Actress at the Athens Horrorant Film Festival, Utah's FilmQuest, and South Africa's Horrorfest.
Paola's filmography includes In the Trap, directed by Alessio Liguori, and short films such as Mask of Sanity and The End of All Things, for which she won Best Actress awards at the Queens World Film Festival and Bilbao's FANT festival, respectively. Her earlier work includes Oscar, The Color of Destiny, where she starred alongside acclaimed actors Joaquim de Almeida, Victoria Abril, Emma Suárez, and Jorge Perugorría. Her outstanding performance in this film earned her national recognition and glowing reviews.
On television, Paola has appeared in popular series like the hit comedy La Que Se Avecina, Nacho, Mercado Central and Guante Blanco. In the UK, she has portrayed Catherine of Aragon in the BBC drama Six Wives with Lucy Worsley.
