Paola Turbay
Encyclopedia
Paola Turbay Gómez is a Colombia
n-American
actress of Lebanese
descent
, model
, and television presenter.
Turbay represented Bogotá
in the Miss Colombia
beauty pageant, which she won in 1991. She was the first runner-up in the 1992
Miss Universe
competition.
After finishing her studies in psychology
at the Universidad de los Andes, Turbay focused on her career as a model and presenter in entertainment news segments on Noticias QAP and Noticiero C newscasts, as well as an actress, with shows like Hola Paola ("Hello Paola") during the 1990s. In 2005 she was the official presenter, with Miguel Varoni, of the National Beauty Pageant. She has also made cameo appearance
s in several Colombian series like O todos en la cama, Ecomoda (sequel to Betty la fea
) and Leche ("Milk").
After studying acting in Hollywood, Florida
, Turbay became the main character of the RCN TV
comedy
Noticias calientes ("Hot News") in 2002. Two years later she would star the telenovela
Las noches de Luciana ("The Nights of Luciana") and in 2006 would present the Colombian version of Dancing with the Stars
, Bailando por un Sueño
. Paola has also made brief appearances in film
s such as Lenny the Wonder Dog
and Love in the Time of Cholera
.
In 2007, Turbay played Isabel Vega on the CBS
series Cane
, which was canceled in May 2008 after only one season. In 2008 she has been participating as a recurring guest star on the ABC
series The Secret Life of the American Teenager
. She also guested on the Showtime series Californication
(Season 2, ep. 8, "Going Down and Out in Beverly Hills") and had a recurring role as an LAPD detective during the fifth season of TNT's The Closer
.
On Jan. 6, 2010, she played the role of Beatriz on the CBS
series The Mentalist
(Season 3, ep. 11, "Bloodsport").
Paola has been cast on the role of Antonia Gavilán for the fourth season of the HBO series True Blood
airing in 2011.
Starting in 2010, she had a recurring role on Royal Pains
as Marissa Cassaras, Boris's love interest, and mother of his son.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress of Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
descent
Arab diaspora in Colombia
The Arab diaspora in Colombia refers to the Arab immigrants and their offspring in the Republic of Colombia. Most of the Middle Easterners came from Syria, Lebanon and Palestine escaping from the repression of the Ottoman Empire and financial hardships...
, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, and television presenter.
Turbay represented Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
in the Miss Colombia
Miss Colombia
Señorita Colombia is an annual national beauty contest in Colombia that selects representatives to Miss Universe and Miss International...
beauty pageant, which she won in 1991. She was the first runner-up in the 1992
Miss Universe 1992
Miss Universe 1992, the 41st Miss Universe pageant, was held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand on May 8, 1992. 78 international beauties competed for the Miss Universe crown....
Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
competition.
After finishing her studies in psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
at the Universidad de los Andes, Turbay focused on her career as a model and presenter in entertainment news segments on Noticias QAP and Noticiero C newscasts, as well as an actress, with shows like Hola Paola ("Hello Paola") during the 1990s. In 2005 she was the official presenter, with Miguel Varoni, of the National Beauty Pageant. She has also made cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s in several Colombian series like O todos en la cama, Ecomoda (sequel to Betty la fea
Betty la fea
Yo soy Betty, la fea is a popular soap opera filmed in Colombia, written by Fernando Gaitán and produced between 1999 through 2001 by the Colombian network RCN . More than a dozen versions of the telenovela have been made in other countries...
) and Leche ("Milk").
After studying acting in Hollywood, Florida
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
, Turbay became the main character of the RCN TV
RCN TV
RCN Televisión , is a Colombian private television network. It started as a production company in 1967...
comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
Noticias calientes ("Hot News") in 2002. Two years later she would star the telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
Las noches de Luciana ("The Nights of Luciana") and in 2006 would present the Colombian version of Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
, Bailando por un Sueño
Bailando por un sueño
Bailando por un Sueño or " Dansez pentru tine", is a reality series on the Mexican television network Canal de las Estrellas, in which celebrities are partnered with common, everyday people with dreams they want to fulfill , who each week compete...
. Paola has also made brief appearances in film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s such as Lenny the Wonder Dog
Lenny the Wonder Dog
Lenny the Wonder Dog is a 2005 American film directed by Oren Goldman from a screenplay by Michael Winslow, and filmed on location in Florida.- Story :Doctor Island has invented a computer microchip he plans to use to train dogs instantly...
and Love in the Time of Cholera
Love in the Time of Cholera (film)
Love in the Time of Cholera is a 2007 film directed by Mike Newell. Based on the novel of the same name by Gabriel García Márquez, it tells the story of a love triangle between Fermina Daza and her two suitors, Florentino Ariza and Doctor Juvenal Urbino which spans 50 years, from 1880 to...
.
In 2007, Turbay played Isabel Vega on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
series Cane
Cane (TV series)
Cane is an American television drama created by Cynthia Cidre, who also served as executive producer alongside Jonathan Prince, Jimmy Iovine and Polly Anthony. The pilot was directed by Christian Duguay...
, which was canceled in May 2008 after only one season. In 2008 she has been participating as a recurring guest star on the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
series The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager is an American teen drama television series created by Brenda Hampton. It first aired on ABC Family on July 1, 2008. The show was renewed for a second season consisting of 24 episodes on February 9, 2009, which began airing on June 22, 2009...
. She also guested on the Showtime series Californication
Californication (TV series)
Californication is an American comedy-drama that premiered on Showtime on August 13, 2007. The show was created by Tom Kapinos. The protagonist, Hank Moody , is a troubled novelist whose move to California, coupled with his writer's block, complicates his relationships with his longtime girlfriend...
(Season 2, ep. 8, "Going Down and Out in Beverly Hills") and had a recurring role as an LAPD detective during the fifth season of TNT's The Closer
The Closer
The Closer is an American crime drama, starring Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson, a Georgia police detective who often closes her cases using sometimes-questionable methods...
.
On Jan. 6, 2010, she played the role of Beatriz on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
series The Mentalist
The Mentalist
The Mentalist is an American police procedural television series which debuted on September 23, 2008, on CBS. The show was created by Bruno Heller, who is also the show's executive producer...
(Season 3, ep. 11, "Bloodsport").
Paola has been cast on the role of Antonia Gavilán for the fourth season of the HBO series True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
airing in 2011.
Starting in 2010, she had a recurring role on Royal Pains
Royal Pains
Royal Pains is a USA Network television series that premiered on June 4, 2009, starring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty. The series is based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies...
as Marissa Cassaras, Boris's love interest, and mother of his son.