Gael Garcia Bernal

Having spent a great deal of his adolescence starring in various Mexican telenovelas, actor Gael Garcia Bernal became an international film star with a breakout performance in Alejandro González Iñárritu's gritty thriller, "Amores Perros" (2000). Hot on the heels of that film's critical and box office success, Bernal cemented his status as an international star with "Y Tu Mama Tambien" (2001), opposite life-long friend Diego Luna, and "The Crime of Father Amaro" (2002), which allowed him one of his first romantic leading roles. Though he could have gone Hollywood and become a big celebrity, Bernal chose instead to star in films he was passionate about. Always with his finger on the pulse of social and political issues, he delivered an exquisite performance as a young Che Guevara, who undergoes a transformation while on a road trip, in "The Motorcycle Diaries" (2004). He continued making interesting choices, taking such off-the-wall roles as a drag queen in "Bad Education" (2004) and a shy daydreamer in "The Science of Sleep" (2006). After reuniting with Iñárritu for the critically-acclaimed "Babel" (2006), Bernal remained one of the more interesting and talented performers operating just below Hollywood's radar.

Born on Oct. 30, 1978 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Bernal was raised by his father, Jose, an actor and director, and his mother, Patricia, an actress and former model. Having grown up in a show business household, it was only natural for Bernal to pursue an acting career. In fact, he started appearing onscreen when he was just a year old, playing the baby Jesus in a nativity play, and spent the majority of his teen years appearing on various telenovelas, including "El Abuelo y Yo," which also featured future "Y Tu Mama Tambien" co-star Diego Luna. When was 16, Bernal was cast as a quiet and timid teen whose friends go on a sexual adventure without him in "De tripas, corzon" (1996), which was nominated that year for Best Achievement in Live Action Short Films. Following more appearances in short films and on the stage, he left home at 17 to attend the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, becoming the school's first-ever student from Mexico. But opportunity knocked halfway through his studies, leading Bernal onto a career path from which he never veered.

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