Begonya Plaza is a Spanish/American stage and screen actress, writer and director.
TERESA'S ECSTASY is being produced for an Off-Broadway run in early 2012. "The Persistence of Memory" is a screenplay that tells the story of a young man taken for the ride of his life, with Salvador and Gala Dalí, becoming their muze, and boy toy. It is being developed at ACA Films with a letter of interest from actress, Glenn Close, to play, Gala. The short film, "American Hero" is a contemplation on the ravages of war. Begonya wrote, directed and acts opposte, James A. Lee.
At age nine Begonya starred in a Hollywood independent film, "BIG SISTER". During her formative years she grew up between Colombia, Spain and Hollywood. Still in College at Los Angeles City College Theater Academy, director Walter Hill cast Begonya in 48HRS playing the "indian hooker", a role that was meant to be nude, but a few weeks after Begonya turned down the role, Walter Hill came back acquiesing. In New York Begonya trained with The National Shakespeare Company, Geraldine Page, Michael Howard as well as Bill Hickey, and Herbert Berghoff. Studied dance at Alvin Ailey, and voice with Graham Bernard.
Ms. Plaza has been directed by Michael Mann, Amy Jones, Oliver Stone, Tim Hunter, on stage by Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Labyrinth Theater Company's production of "In Arabia We'd All be Kings" (playing Ana Ortiz' mother), Austrian director, Kurt Palm, Yevnegy Lanskoy from Russia in the Ensemble Studio West's "Yerma", and Dan Lauria's production of "Old Friends" at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, amongst others. Begonya’s acted alongside Robert De Niro, Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe, Klaus Kinski, Roddy McDowall, and Carrol O'Connor. Begonya was the female lead for the first 12 episodes of CBS' Dark Justice, shot on location in Barcelona, where a few years later her daughter was born.
"SOUVENIR VIEWS" is a 24-minute documentary shot in New York and Barcelona with English/Spanish subtitles, about a young man's self-imposed rite of passage journey influenced by the Situationist Movement. Premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, Festival International del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano, and aired nationally on the Independent Film Channel. (Writer, director, camera, editor)
THE PERSISTENCE OF MEMORY, is a screenplay about one year in the life of Salvador Dalí and his muse, Gala, seen from the eyes of a young lover who’s ambition to triumph as a dancer, leads him to the seducing, preying hands of the Dalis. Glenn Close is interested to play the role of Gala, and Director of Photography, Juan Ruiz-Anchia would like to direct.
AMERICAN HERO, is a 15-minute short film about an Iraqi Veteran who returns from the war and temporarily crashes at his sister, Jane's, New York apartment. Through their difficult relasionship it becomes apparent just how irreparably damaged her brother is. Through their struggle to comprehend they discover that in order to maintain dignity and heal, only love and forgiveness will sustain them. Begonya wrote, directed and acts opposite James A. Lee.
TERESA'S ECSTASY is a two-act, three-character humorous and poignant stage play, set in Barcelona. It is a contemporary mystical journey of change and defiance as opposing sexually charged forces look at love, politics and religion. INTAR in NYC has produced two workshop readings with the purpose of producing the play end of 2011 as a world premiere.
TALK SHOW is a historical stage play about four Spanish/Hispanic characters who meet with God in a "talk show" setting to discuss their lives on earth, and face the creator's ultimate justice.
In 1986 Begonya produced, directed and edited the documentary, GERNIKA LIVES, that explores the filmmaker’s Basque heritage and the tragic events her father, as a young boy experienced during the bombing of Gernika and the Spanish Civil War. 45min. Narrated by John Randolph.
You can E-mail Begonya at: begonya@begonyaplaza.com
Still photo on the set of AMERICAN HERO, 2010
You can E-mail Begonya at: begonya@begonyaplaza.com
Feeling blessed every day.
