Early life

Varela was born in Santiago, Chile, the daughter of Leonor Pilme-Keller, a massage therapist, and biologist and cognitive neuroscientist Francisco Varela García. She has a sister, Alejandra, and two brothers, Javier and Gabriel. Her mother was of French, Hungarian, and Syrian descent. When Varela was a child, her family fled Chile when it was overtaken by a military regime. In the early 1980s, her parents moved back to Chile while she remained in Paris where she studied acting at the Niels Arestrup School, L'École du Passage, and Conservatoire Supérieur de Paris.

Career

Varela's first acting job was in 1995, playing Anette in Pony Trek, a children's film. Filming was in Iceland and Leonor was riding horses for three months. Then, referred to a French filmmaker by her dentist, she played in Shooting Stars (1997). Varela found her popularity on the rise at home when she was cast in the Chilean soap opera Tic Tac.

After appearing in a few more television productions in the late 1990s, Varela was cast in a small role in The Man in the Iron Mask. In 1999, she played the title character in the TV movie Cleopatra.

Roles in The Tailor of Panama and Texas Rangers (both in 2001) followed shortly thereafter, before playing vampire princess Nyssa in the 2002 blockbuster film Blade II. After that came Paraíso B and Pas Si Grave.

Varela also had a short recurring role in the Fox Television series Arrested Development as the original Marta. She was nominated for the Ariel Award in 2005 in the category of Best Actress for Innocent Voices (2004). She also had a non-recurring role in Stargate: Atlantis.

She appeared in Americano and played journalist Jordana Garcia in the film Goal II: Living the Dream.

In 2012, she appeared as Marta Del Sol on the TNT television series Dallas.

Personal life

Varela was engaged to Billy Zane, her co-star in the 1999 television film Cleopatra.

In November 2012, Varela and producer Lucas Akoskin welcomed their first child together, a son named Matteo. They also have a younger daughter, Luna Mae, born on February 25, 2015.

Varela, a vegetarian, is a marine life activist who is concerned with the welfare of whales, working with groups such as Save The Whales Again.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	Shooting Stars	Vanessa
1997	Bouge!	La danseuse
1998	Man in the Iron Mask, TheThe Man in the Iron Mask	Ballroom Beauty
1999	Les parasites	Fidelia
1999	Les infortunes de la beauté	Annabella
2001	Tailor of Panama, TheThe Tailor of Panama	Marta
2001	Texas Rangers	Perdita
2002	Blade II	Nyssa Damaskinos
2002	Paraíso B	Gloria
2003	No Big Deal	Angela
2003	Ruby & Quentin	Katia / Sandra
2004	Voces inocentes	Kella	English title, Innocent Voices
2005	Americano	Adela
2006	The Curse of King Tut's Tomb (2006 film)	Azelia Barakat
2007	Goal II: Living the Dream	Jordana Garcia
2007	Where God Left His Shoes	Angela Diaz
2008	Sleep Dealer	Luz Martinez
2008	Hell Ride	Nada
2008	Hindsight	Maria
2008	All Inclusive	Miranda
2009	Balls Out: Gary the Tennis Coach	Norma Sanchez
2009	Wrong Turn at Tahoe	Anna
2010	Que pena tu vida	Alma Subercaseaux
2011	Blind Alley	La Madre
2013	Odd Thomas	Odd's Mother
2013	Deseo	Muchacha
2014	Fine Step, AA Fine Step	Liliana Bolivar
2014	Ride	Danielle
2015	Captive	Sgt. Carmen Sandoval
2017	The Solutrean

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1995	Extrême limite	Marie	"Sacrifice"
1995	Pony Trek	Anette	TV film
1996	Sous le soleil	Jeanne	"Comportement modèle"
1997	Le juste	Pregnant Girl	"En transit vers l'espoir"
1997	Tic Tac	Pola Santa María	Main role
1997	Inca de Oro	Flor de I'nca	TV film
1997	13th Rider	Anette	TV series
1998	Jeremiah	Judith	TV film
1999	Cleopatra	Cleopatra	TV miniseries
2003	Arrested Development	Marta Estrella	"Bringing Up Buster", "Key Decisions"
2004	Stargate Atlantis	Chaya Sar	"Sanctuary"
2005	E-Ring	Lt. Col. Cat Rodriguez	"Pilot"
2006	Curse of King Tut's Tomb, TheThe Curse of King Tut's Tomb	Dr. Azelia Barakat	TV film
2007	Como Ama una Mujer	Sofia Marquez	TV miniseries
2010	Feroz	Laura Palma	Recurring role
2010	Monsterwolf	Maria	TV film
2010-2011	Human Target	Maria Gallego	"Salvage & Reclamation", "A Problem Like Maria"
2012	Dallas	Marta Del Sol	Recurring role
2012	Inland Empire	Poopy	TV film
2013	Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.	Camilla Reyes	"0-8-4"
2015	Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman Story	Monica	TV film

[ Source: Wikipedia ]