Patricia Velásquez
Patricia Velásquez | |
|---|---|
Velásquez at South by Southwest in 2019 | |
| Born | Patricia Carola Velásquez Semprún 31 January 1971 Maracaibo, Venezuela |
| Occupations | |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Known for | |
| Children | 1 |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 8+1⁄2 in)[1] |
| Hair color | Dark brown |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Agency | Ford Models (New York)[2] |
Patricia Carola Velásquez Semprún (born 31 January 1971) is a Venezuelan actress, model, public speaker, and philanthropist. She is best known for portraying Anck-su-namun in the 1999 film The Mummy and its 2001 sequel The Mummy Returns.[3]
In addition to her work in film and fashion, Velásquez has participated in public speaking engagements at international forums and academic institutions, including TED-related events, focusing on topics such as leadership, authenticity, personal transformation and resilience.[3][4][5]
In 2002, she founded the Wayuu Taya Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the living conditions of the Wayuu people and supporting sustainable community development while preserving cultural traditions.[6]
Early life
Velásquez was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, the fifth of six children of a mestizo father and a mother of indigenous Wayuu heritage.[7][8]
She is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and Italian.[9]
Career
Acting & modelling
From 1995 to 2000, Velásquez studied acting in Los Angeles and New York. She walked runways in ready-to-wear fashion shows for designers including Chanel, Chloé, John Galliano, Claude Montana, and Dolce & Gabbana, among others. Velásquez also appeared in print advertisements for Chanel's Allure, Monsoon, and Roberto Verino's Verino fragrance, among others.[9]
During her modeling career, she appeared on the covers of magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Marie Claire. She served as the face of CoverGirl for eight years, becoming the brand’s first Latin supermodel to transition into mainstream media.[3]
Velásquez portrayed Meela Nais / Anck-Su-Namun in the 1999 film The Mummy and its 2001 sequel The Mummy Returns.
She made special appearances in music videos, including "Breaking the Girl" by Red Hot Chili Peppers, "Leave Virginia Alone" by Rod Stewart, "Para Llorar" by Ricardo Montaner, and "Spinning the Wheel" by George Michael.[7]
In 2006, Velásquez was recognized for her debut stage performance in the lead role of School of the Americas at the Public Theater in New York City.[10]
In 2012, she competed on behalf of her charity, the Wayúu Tayá Foundation, on the twelfth season of The Apprentice.[11]
Velásquez played Begoña in several episodes of The L Word during its fifth season (2008). She had a recurring role as Marta Estrella on Arrested Development. On CSI: Miami, she guest-starred as Celia Gonzalez in the episode "From the Grave". She also had a recurring role as Nez in the first season of Rescue Me and guest appearances on Ugly Betty and Hawaii Five-0. Additionally, she voiced Marisol Díez Delgado in SSX Tricky and Unuratu in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.[3]
In 2019, she played Patricia Alvarez in the horror film The Curse of La Llorona.[12]
In 2020, Velásquez appeared as Nurse Velasquez in Malignant[13], Mariela Vicuna in Brut Force.[14]
In 2024, she starred in the lead role of Maya, a film addressing human trafficking, directed by Julia Verdin. In 2025, she appeared in No Address, a film highlighting homelessness.[15]
Philanthropy
In 2002, Velásquez founded The Wayuu Taya Foundation,[16] a non‑profit organization dedicated to assisting the Wayuu, an indigenous people located in northwestern Venezuela and northern Colombia.[17] In 2010, after the devastating Haiti earthquake, the Wayúu Tayá Foundation commissioned a special symbol of hope to raise funds for the victims of the earthquake, sold with the slogan *Keep the "H" Close to Your Heart—Help Haiti Hope*.[18]
Velásquez was appointed a UNESCO Artist for Peace (Goodwill Ambassador) in June 2003, during the International Decade for the World's Indigenous People, in recognition of her work to protect the Wayúu indigenous people and safeguard their cultural heritage.[19]
On August 30, 2018, the Organization of American States (OAS) appointed Velásquez as Goodwill Ambassador for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas during a ceremony at its headquarters in Washington, D.C.[20]
In 2024, Velásquez was featured in Time magazine.[21]
Speaking
Velásquez has spoken at TED Conference,[15] The Clinton Global Initiative,[22] The Human Rights Campaign, and other venues.[23]
Awards
Velásquez was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 2022 Imagen Awards, for her role as Meg in List of a Lifetime.[24]
In 2009, Velásquez received the Women Together Award at the United Nations, an event recognising individuals and institutions dedicated to creating a more equal society.[25][26]
In 2015, the LA Femme Film Festival presented Velásquez with its Humanitarian Award for her philanthropic efforts.[27]
In 2018, Velásquez was honored by the Human Rights Campaign with the Visibility Award in New England.[28]
Personal life
In February 2015, Velásquez released her memoir Straight Walk, recalling her journey from poverty to international acclaim, saying that she wanted to set an example of honesty for her daughter.[29]
Velásquez is in a relationship with social venture philanthropist Alison Lawton.[30][31]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Unzipped | Herself | Documentary |
| Catwalk | |||
| 1996 | Le Jaguar | Maya | |
| 1997 | Eruption | Luisa Soares | |
| 1999 | Beowulf | Pendra | |
| The Mummy | Anck-Su-Namun | ||
| No Vacancy | Ramona | ||
| Facade | Juanita | ||
| 2000 | Committed | Carmen | |
| Saint Bernard | Claudia | ||
| Turn It Up | |||
| 2001 | The Mummy Returns | Meela Nais / Anck-Su-Namun | |
| 2004 | Mindhunters | Nicole Willis | |
| Zapata: El sueño del héroe | Josefa | ||
| 12 Days of Christmas Eve | Isobel Frias | ||
| 2011 | Cenizas eternas | Ana | |
| 2014 | Liz in September | Liz | |
| 2016 | Guys Reading Poems | Mother | |
| 2017 | Little Heroes | Pilar | |
| 2019 | The Curse of La Llorona | Patricia Alvarez | |
| 2021 | Malignant | Nurse | |
| Brut Force | Mariela Vicuña | ||
| List of a Lifetime | Meg | ||
| 2022 | Free Dead or Alive | Soledad | |
| Satanic Hispanics[32] | Maribel | ||
| 2025 | No Address | Gabrielle |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Ed | Sonja Amata | Episode: "Closure" |
| 2002 | Fidel | Mirta Díaz-Balart | Television film |
| E! Historias verdaderas: El peso de una corona | Herself | Television documentary | |
| 2002–2004 | American Family | Adela / Elena | 15 episodes |
| 2003–2004 | Arrested Development | Marta Estrella | 5 episodes |
| 2004 | Rescue Me | Nez | 2 episodes |
| 12 Days of Christmas Eve | Isobel Frias | Television film | |
| 2005 | CSI: Miami | Celia Gonzalez | Episode: "From the Grave" |
| 2008 | The L Word | Begoña / Karina | 5 episodes |
| 2010 | Ugly Betty | Victoria Velez | Episode: "Chica and the Man" |
| 2011 | Almighty Thor | Járnsaxa | Television film |
| 2012 | The Apprentice | Contestant | 14 episodes |
| 2019 | Hawaii Five-0 | Teresa Estrada | Episode: "Pupuhi Ka He'e O Kai Uli" |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | SSX Tricky | Marisol Diez Delgado | Voice |
| 2018 | Shadow of the Tomb Raider | Unuratu |
References
- ^ "Patricia Velasquez". Retrieved 15 January 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Greenfield, Beth (5 February 2015). "Despite Success as a Supermodel, This Mom Struggled With One "Torturous" Secret". Yahoo Lifestyle. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Patricia Velásquez on 'The Mummy,' Embracing Her Wayuu Heritage and Why Art Must Lead to Action – Yitzi Weiner". 6 May 2025. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- ^ "Patricia Velasquez | Keynote Speaker | AAE Speakers Bureau". www.aaespeakers.com. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- ^ "TEDxTepuy | TED". www.ted.com. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- ^ "To Curb Mass Migration, Help People Thrive Where They Are". Time. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ a b Featspress (April 2001). "Mummy Returns, The: Interview with Patricia Velasquez". Cinema.com.
- ^ "Iman and Petra support a model cause in New York". Hello!. 11 May 2007. Archived from the original on 15 May 2007.
- ^ a b "Patricia Velasquez - Details". Cinema.com. Retrieved 19 May 2007.
- ^ "New York Times".
- ^ "'The Celebrity Apprentice': Patricia Velasquez Takes The Heat For Loss". HuffPost. 26 March 2012. Archived from the original on 4 March 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- ^ "The Curse Of La Llorona". Empire. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
- ^ Malignant (2021) - IMDb, retrieved 6 October 2022
- ^ Symington, Eve (21 April 2022), Brut Force (Thriller), Akaasha Media, One Duck Egg Productions, retrieved 6 October 2022
- ^ a b Patricia Velásquez, Y el cambio comienza en nuestros niños, TEDxTepuy
- ^ "Home Page". Wayuu Taya Foundation. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ "About the Wayúu Tayá Foundation". Archived from the original on 3 January 2007. Retrieved 2 January 2007.
- ^ "Help Haiti Hope". Keep the "H" Close to Your Heart – Help Haiti Hope. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010.
- ^ "Patricia Velásquez | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization". www.unesco.org. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ OAS (1 August 2009). "OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development". www.oas.org. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ Time (2024)- To Curb Mass Migration, Help People Thrive Where They Are
- ^ CGI 2023: Story Studio with Patricia Velasquez, Clinton Global Initiative
- ^ Patricia Velásquez Honored with HRC Visibility Award, HRC
- ^ Tinoco, Armando (15 August 2022). "Imagen Awards Nominations: 'Encanto', Eugenio Derbez & 'West Side Story' Among Top Contenders". Deadline. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
- ^ "Women Together Awards". Women Together. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ "UN Webcast Archives". www.un.org. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ "LA Femme 2015 Humanitarian Award- Patricia Velasquez". www.lafemme.org. Retrieved 15 March 2019.
- ^ Human Rights Campaign (26 November 2018), Patricia Velásquez Honored with HRC Visibility Award in New England, retrieved 15 March 2019
- ^ "First Latina Supermodel Patricia Velasquez Comes Out as a Lesbian". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
- ^ Riese (27 June 2024). "16 Lesbian Couples Time Forgot". Autostraddle. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
- ^ "See the cast of 1999's 'The Mummy', then and now". EW.com. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
- ^ Brugués, Alejandro; Mendez, Mike; Rugna, Demián (25 September 2022), Satanic Hispanics (Horror), Epic Pictures, retrieved 6 October 2022