Details
Alternate Names: María León Barrios
Physical Characteristics: N/A
Career
First Appearances: - Brain Drain (2009) as Chica Disco
Most Important Roles: - The Sleeping Voice (2011) as Pepita
- Carmina or Blow Up (2012) as María
- Carmina and Amen (2014) as María
- Close Your Eyes (2023) as Belén
- Piety (2023) as Carolina
- Marsella (2014) as Sara
- Not the End (2014) as Nina
- Rey gitano (2015) as Dolores
- Wednesdays Don't Exist (2015) as Patricia
- Stories Not to be Told (2022) as Ana (segment "Sandra")
Career Highlights: - The Sleeping Voice (2011)
- Carmina or Blow Up (2012)
- Carmina and Amen (2014)
- Close Your Eyes (2023)
- Piety (2023)
- Marsella (2014)
- Not the End (2014)
- Rey gitano (2015)
- Wednesdays Don't Exist (2015)
- Stories Not to be Told (2022)
Awards
Awards: - Nominated for 1 CEC Award - Best Actress (Mejor Actriz) (2015)
- Nominated for 1 CEC Award - Best Supporting Actress (Mejor Actriz Secundaria) (2015)
- Nominated for 1 CEC Award - Best Supporting Actress (Mejor Actriz Secundaria) (2013)
- Won CEC Award - Best New Actor or Actress (Mejor Actor o Actriz Revelación) (2012)
- Nominated for 1 Fotogramas de Plata - Best TV Actress (Mejor Actriz de TV) (2016)
- Nominated for 1 Fotogramas de Plata - Best Movie Actress (Mejor Actriz de Cine) (2012)
- Nominated for 1 Goya - Best Lead Actress (Mejor Actriz Principal) (2015)
- Nominated for 1 Goya - Best Supporting Actress (Mejor Actriz de Reparto) (2013)
- Won Goya - Best New Actress (Mejor Actriz Revelación) (2012)
- Nominated for 1 Silver Goddess - Best Music, Original Song (Mejor Canción Original para Cine) (2015)
- Won Silver Seashell - Best Actress (Mejor Actriz) (2011)
- Won Luz Award (2024)
- Nominated for 1 Award of the Spanish Actors Union - Best Actress in an International Production (Mejor Actriz en Producción Internacional) (2020)
- Won Award of the Spanish Actors Union - Film: Lead Performance, Female (Protagonista Cine - Categoría Femenina) (2012)
- Nominated for 1 Iris Award - Best Actress (Mejor Actriz) (2017)
- Nominated for 1 National TV Series Contest - Best Actress in a Miniseries (2023)
- Nominated for 1 National TV Series Contest - Best Actress in a Drama Series (2022)
- Nominated for 1 Zapping Award - Best Actress/Actor (Millor actriu/actor) (2024)
- Nominated for 1 Zapping Award - Best Actress (Millor actriu) (2016)
- Nominated for 1 Feroz Award - Best Supporting Actress in a Series (2025)
Full Biography
María León Barrios was born on July 30, 1984, in the vibrant city of Seville, Andalusia, Spain. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in the arts—as the daughter of actress Carmina Barrios and the younger sister of the renowned actor and director Paco León—she was destined for a creative path. After completing her initial studies in her hometown, she moved to Madrid to refine her craft at the La Platea drama school, quickly catching the eye of casting directors with her natural charisma and emotional depth.
She first gained public attention through television roles in series like SMS: Sin Miedo a Soñar, but her career reached a historic turning point in 2011 with the film La voz dormida (The Sleeping Voice). Her portrayal of Pepita, a woman caught in the political turmoil of post-Civil War Spain, was so powerful that it earned her both the Goya Award for Best New Actress and the Silver Shell at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. This success solidified her status as one of the leading talents of her generation.
In the years that followed, María demonstrated remarkable range by moving effortlessly between intense drama and sharp comedy. She became a household name in Spain starring in the hit TV series Allí abajo and earned further critical acclaim for her work in her brother’s experimental films, Carmina o revienta and Carmina y amén, where she played a fictionalized version of herself alongside her real-life mother. Most recently, she has expanded her international presence with roles in high-profile streaming projects like the Netflix thriller The Asunta Case (2024), continuing to prove that she is a versatile force in the Spanish-speaking entertainment world.
