Natalia Marisa Oreiro Iglesias, artistically known as Natalia Oreiro, is a Uruguayan actress, dancer, singer, host, fashion designer, model and businesswoman. She is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the Río de la Plata and Buenos Aires. She was born on May 19, 1977 in Montevideo, Uruguay, and began studying theater at the age of eight. At twelve she appeared in a casting that asked for child actors and she began a career in the world of commercials.
Until she was 16, she recorded more than 30 commercials. When she turned 14, she was chosen among 10,000 competitors from each country in America to accompany Xuxa on her tours and represent her in programs and tributes. But a large part of her earnings went to tickets to Buenos Aires to participate in castings. At 17, she left her parents’ house and settled in Argentina. She had a small participation in the telenovela “Inconquitable corazón”. She resigned from being the ambassador of Xuxa and from being a video presenter on a television channel. In 1995 she was summoned to play the role of Patricia Palmer’s niece in the soap opera “Dulce Ana”, where she starred in the young love story. In 1996, she starred in “90-60-90 modelos” alongside Silvia Kutika, Raúl Taibo and Osvaldo Laport, and established herself with the character of “Valeria” in “Ricos y famosos”, a novel that led the ratings that year and was sold abroad. She starred in the film “Un Argentino en Nueva York” with Guillermo Francella, where she represented a young woman who dreams of succeeding in the world of music. The film, which broke audience records with 1,600,000 viewers, was the kickoff of her career as a singer.
In 1998 she released her self-titled debut album worldwide, which includes the hit “Me muero de amor”, and she performed the opening song of the soap opera “Muñeca brava”. In January 2000 she received the “Celebrity of the Year” award from the cable network E! Entertainment Television in the Television category for her outstanding career and for her projection as a Revelation Character in 1999. She was also nominated for the Martín Fierro two years in a row for best dramatic actress for her character as “Cholito”, a sensual soccer orphan who seduced Facundo Arana and the viewers in “Muñeca brava”, a soap opera sold in 60 countries around the world including the United States, Russia, Greece, Slovenia, Cyprus, Lithuania, Romania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Hungary, the Czech Republic and all of Latin America . On the musical level, she sang a duet with Rafaella Carrá in Italy, she participated in La Gala de la Hispanidad, a classic Spanish show, and in a song show in Punta del Este. In addition, she participated in the 8th street festival in Miami. After making public her decision to dedicate the year 2000 to her singing career, she traveled to Los Angeles to provide vocals for her second album, titled “Tu veneno”. This one has a pop-rock style with an Andalusian touch. Among the 14 songs, “Basta de ti” stands out, a song composed by Natalia herself together with Fernando López Rossi, “Río de la plata” that tells her story and “Qué pena me das”, written for her by Andrés Calamaro. . Musicians of the level of Abraham Laboriel Jr., Seal’s drummer, and Jimmy Johnson, James Taylor’s bassist, participated in the album. Alex Acuña, a talented man who has played with legends from Elvis Presley to Weather Report, provided percussion. Greg Mathison accompanied on keyboards and Michael Thompson, Michael Landau -both played for Céline Dion and Madonna- collaborated on guitars, Rusty Anderson on electric guitar and José Antonio Rodríguez and Ramón Stagnaro on Spanish guitars. The musicians Ed Calle (sax), Dana Teboe (trombone) and Tony Concepción (trumpet), who worked together with Gloria Estefan, make up the horn section.
In 2001 she formed a couple with Ricardo Mollo, leader of Divididos. During the years 2000, 2001 and 2002 she made an extensive tour of recitals throughout Argentina and abroad, including countries such as Israel, Slovakia, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia and Russia. During this year she is invited by the Uruguayan Soccer Team to participate in the opening of the Uruguay-Korea friendly match, where she performs a show and has Uruguayan singer-songwriter Jaime Roos as guest of honor. She participates as a guest singing at the Viña del Mar Festival for the second consecutive year and is chosen to co-host one of the nights of the festival. In March she continues her tour of Russia and begins recording a new album, “Turmalina”, for sale in August. The production is by Kike Santander and has the participation of Jaime Roos in the composition and production of two songs. It includes the hit “Que digan lo que quieran”. She records soap opera “Kachorra”. In 2003 she filmed the movie “Cleopatra”, with Leonardo Sbaraglia and Norma Aleandro. In 2004 she stars in the series “El Deseo”, without success.
Between 2006 and 2007 he starred in “Sos mi vida”, along with Facundo Arana. In 2007 she launched the clothing line Las Oreiro, together with her sister Adriana. In 2008 she participates in “Amanda O”. In 2010 she returns to the cinema with the musical comedy “Miss Tacuarembó”. In 2012 her son Merlin Atahualpa Mollo was born. In 2013 and 2014 she stars in “Solamente vos”, with Adrián Suar, a totally successful film. In 2015 she stars in “Entre caníbales”, directed by Juan José Campanella. In 2016 she stars in the film “Gilda, no se arrepiento de este amor”, with a premiere on September 15, and records the soundtrack of the same name, coinciding with the 20th Anniversary of Gilda’s death. Her first single is “No me No me arrepiento de este amor”. Among the 13 songs that make up the album, there are two collaborations: Ángela Torres in “Sólo dios sabe” and Rubén Rada in a version of “Corazón valiente”. During the first part of December she toured some Russian cities and upon her return, on the 18th she presented her show “Cumbia And Hits” at the Teatro de Verano in Uruguay and later at festivals in Argentina. In March 2021, she collaborated with Bajofondo for the song “Listo pa bailar”, in which she sings in Russian and Spanish. In July 2022 the miniseries “Santa Evita” premieres in which she is the protagonist. On September 11, she publishes the song and video clip “Quiero todo” with Lali and Soledad. That month she participates as host of the television program “Quien es la mascara?”.
Last update: 29.7.2023