When hearing the name Ana de Armas, one might think of her glamour, her stellar Hollywood performances, and her numerous award nominations.
However, the actress had a fair share of obstacles to overcome. From her humble beginnings in Cuba, Ana always knew she would chase her dream no matter what.
Years later, she moved to Los Angeles and didn’t let anything stop her, not even performing in English-speaking movies without knowing any English.
Ana de Armas was born in Cuba in 1988. De Armas has described her childhood as “normal,” saying she loved to play in nature and felt very free.
Ana’s parents didn’t make much and couldn’t afford any luxuries.
In fact, at one point she began reusing her brother’s clothes, cropping his pants so she could use them as shorts.
The actress didn’t have many toys and often watched DVDs to amuse herself.
Thanks to watching old telenovelas, the young girl discovered her passion for acting. When she was 14, she began studying it at the National Theatre School of Havana.
During her teenage years, De Armas starred in a number of films.
However, she soon realized that if she wanted her performing dreams to come true, she needed to leave Cuba.
Ana had Spanish grandparents, so she got Spanish citizenship and decided to move to the European country.
Luckily, going back was never necessary. Only two weeks after she moved, the actress got a lead role in “El Internado,” a TV show that would become popular all over Spain.
It seemed like the performer had found stability; she had a solid career in Spain and began a serious relationship with actor Marc Clotet.
In 2011, the pair even got married during a beach vacation. The couple was very private about their relationship.
Although there was never any drama between the actors, their marriage ended up running its course. Ana and Mark broke up mutually and amicably in 2013.
Ana had realized she wanted more. Although she had secured a career in Spain, the actress moved to Los Angeles, hoping for bigger opportunities.
The star has explained the determination that has driven her professional decisions, saying,
As sure as Ana was of wanting to find a career in Hollywood, there was a big obstacle standing in her way: the actress didn’t speak any English.
She struggled to communicate with her agents and manager and also had a few rough auditions.
The star remembered a particular experience where the casting director told her they could talk again in a couple of years when she could speak English.
De Armas responded, “No, we’ll talk in two months.”
The casting director laughed, telling the performer she was crazy. But in two months, Ana was already auditioning for huge projects.
All de Armas wanted was the chance to get into the audition room.
She has explained that the important thing for her wasn’t just getting the part, but also getting to talk to directors she wanted to work with.
The actress’s determination was so strong that she could book a few roles without speaking English.
As hardworking as De Armas was, the fact that she “couldn’t sustain a conversation” could sometimes lead to some friction on set.
For example, when a director tried to change one of her lines, the situation soon became “a disaster”. In the end, Ana was told to say the original line.
The performer quickly enrolled in English classes and spent about four months taking full-day courses.
Once she mastered the language, Ana told her team something that would become crucial in her career: she didn’t want to go out for Latin-specific roles.
For this reason, when Ana was offered an audition for “Knives Out,” she was put off by playing a “pretty Latina caretaker.”
She only agreed to audition once she was sent the whole script and realized how important her character was.
De Armas ended up getting the role, which secured her a Golden Globe nomination.
Ana is now a Hollywood star, with roles in sagas as iconic as James Bond.
But her most remarkable performance to date has been playing Marilyn Monroe in the biopic “Blonde.”
De Armas was very committed to playing Marilyn. She spent nine months training with a vocal coach and practicing the star’s American accent.
She used to work three hours a day with her coach even while performing on other projects!
The actress has explained why it was so important that she got the role of Marilyn right.
However, her efforts paid off. Ana has been nominated for several awards thanks to her performance, including an Academy Award and a BAFTA.
De Armas has reflected on her career. In an interview, the star confessed that she never thought she would be able to play a Bond girl or to play Marilyn.
We love the actress’ confidence!
However, becoming a Hollywood star also has its downsides.
De Armas has opened up about how she dislikes the impact fame has on her personal life, particularly regarding her relationships.
While working on the movie Deep Water, Ana met Ben Affleck.
Although the two had chemistry from the start, they kept things on set strictly professional and only began dating after filming was paused due to COVID.
The two started a romantic relationship in early 2020. The lovebirds isolated together and formed a strong bond.
Affleck is also a well-known actor, which meant the press was very interested in the stars’ relationship.
Ana disliked being chased by the paparazzi because of the person she was dating.
The couple went vacationing together to Costa Rica and Cuba, Ana’s home country, so it’s safe to say the actor probably met her loved ones.
During an interview, Ben gushed about the actress saying, “her talent is infinite.” Aww!
The lovebirds continued spending time together. Ana met Affleck’s children and even his mother!
Filming for “Deep Water” was resumed, and the two enjoyed working on the project together as well.
However, in January 2021, sources told multiple outlets that the pair was no longer together.
Although the two were still friendly, they realized they were “at different points in their lives.”
A different source told the outlet that Ben was very “heartbroken” over the split and had wanted the relationship to work.
Ana was also upset, but she knew she was young and had her whole life ahead of her.
After her relationship with Affleck ended, De Armas realized she no longer wanted to live in Los Angeles.
Another reason was that she disliked being photographed and receiving so much attention.
A few months after the split, the actress found love again. Ironically, with a dating app executive!
Ana’s beau is Paul Boukadakis, Vice President of special initiatives at Tinder. The two met through a mutual friend.
From the beginning, they were on the same page about keeping their romance as private as possible.
The star now lives with her boyfriend in New York.
Although the couple generally keeps their relationship out of the public eye, Ana has occasionally shared their moments together on her Instagram.
For example, the couple spent Christmas in Vermont with Boukadakis’ siblings.
The actress shared some pictures of her getaway, although her beau was not featured.
Although we don’t know what the future holds for Ana, she seems like she is more successful and happier than ever.
After overcoming obstacles and letting her determination guide her, she sure deserves it!
Here at Rumour Juice, we hope to hear more good news about the actress, regarding both her career and personal life.