Majida Issa
Acting
Majida Margarita Issa Bellotto (born June 27, 1981) is a Colombian actress and singer of Italian and Lebanese descent. She is widely recognized as one of the most complete and versatile performers of her generation, noted for her powerful presence in both drama and musical theater. She has received multiple awards, including the TVyNovelas Award for Best Female Villain and the India Catalina Award. Additionally, she was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2017 for Best Ranchera/Mariachi Album for her work "Pero No Llorando". Born in San Andrés Island, she comes from a distinguished artistic lineage, being the niece of the legendary actress Teresa Gutiérrez. She moved to Mexico to pursue professional acting studies at the Escuela Nacional de Arte Teatral (ENAT), where she graduated before returning to Colombia to launch her television career in the mid-2000s. Her early notable roles included appearances in productions such as Pocholo (2007) and La quiero a morir (2008). Her definitive breakthrough came through her portrayal of complex and powerful women. In 2012, she earned critical acclaim for her role as Diana Turbay in the series Escobar, el patrón del mal, and later for playing the young Helenita Vargas in the biological series La ronca de oro (2014), where she also showcased her vocal talent. However, she achieved massive international fame by portraying the iconic antagonist Yésica Beltrán "La Diabla" in the hit saga Sin senos sí hay paraíso (2016–2018). Most recently, she has starred in global productions such as Operación Pacífico (2020) and the Netflix thriller series Fake Profile (2023).
