María del Pilar Cuesta Acosta (born 27 May 1951), known professionally as Ana Belén, is a Spanish actress and singer. She and her husband are considered symbols of the Spanish Transition, and her songs and albums often feature boldly-titled works with social and political content.

Life/career

Born on 27 May 1951 in Madrid, María del Pilar Cuesta Acosta is the eldest of three siblings. Her father was a cook in Hotel Palace, and her mother worked as doorwoman at an estate. Cuesta made her feature film debut in Zampo y yo (1966) starring as a girl named Ana Belén alongside Fernando Rey; Cuesta took the character's name of Ana Belén as her stage name from then on. After working in the film Morbo by Gonzalo Suárez with Víctor Manuel, Ana Belén married the latter on 13 June 1972 in Gibraltar. At this time she also started her career as a singer, releasing several successful albums. She appeared in various films: La petición by Pilar Miró; Emilia parada y fonda by Angelino Fons; El buscón by Luciano Berriatúa; La oscura historia de la prima Montse by Jordi Cadena; La criatura by Eloy de la Iglesia, and Sonámbulos by Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón. In 1986, Ana Belén, alongside songwriter Víctor Manuel, performed the song "La Puerta de Alcalá". The single remained at the top position in Spain for seven weeks in summer 1986. In 1991, she recorded Como una novia, her first album that did not include any songs composed or adapted by Víctor Manuel. In 1997, she released a new album, Mírame, of her own songs and duets and which went on to become the best-selling album of her solo career. In autumn of 1996, she – along with Joan Manuel Serrat, Miguel Ríos, and Víctor Manuel – set ticket sales records throughout Spain with their "El gusto es nuestro" tour. In 1998, Belen commemorated Federico García Lorca's centenary by releasing two albums under the title of Lorquiana, a collection of poems and popular songs by Lorca. The following year another album was released Ana Belén y Miguel Ríos cantan a Kurt Weill, and she had a role in the Tele 5 series, Petra Delicado.

Discography

Filmography

Film

Television

Stage

Awards