Manolo Cardona

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Bárbara Mori and Manolo Cardona in a scene of the film, La mujer de mi hermano

Manolo Cardona (born Manuel Julian Cardona Molano on April 25, 1977 in Popayan, Cauca Colombia). He is a Colombian actor who first appeared on a Colombian TV series called "Padres e Hijos." He then became nationally and internationally known for the successful soap opera, "Porque Diablos?" in which he portrayed a young man that is involved with the wife of a drug ring he is a part of. In 2002 he signed a contract with Telemundo and Argos Commnications, and a year later in 2003 he starred in his first Mexican soap opera "Ladron de Corazones" which became a huge success. In "Ladron de Corazones" he worked opposite Lorena Rojas and Humberto Zurita. In it he portrayed "Gustavo Velasco", a man who returns to his home town in Mexico after ten years to avenge his father's death and clear his father's name. There, he falls in love with a woman (played by Rojas) whose father (Humberto Zurita)is responsible for Gustavo's fathers death. He is also known for his role as "Sebastián" on the Mexican telenovela Gitanas. In Gitanas, Cardona starred as a man in love with a Gypsy woman (played by Ana de la Reguera), who has to fight against predjudice and tradition for his love.

In 2005, the film Rosario Tijeras, Cardona's big-screen debut, was released in Colombia. The film was based on Jorge Franco's book of the same name. Cardona worked opposite Flora Martinez (playing Rosario Tijeras) and Unax Ugalde and was directed by Emilio Maille. The film was nominated for a Goya award for best foreign film. Recently, he starred in the film La mujer de mi hermano opposite Bárbara Mori and Christian Meier which was released in the United States in April of 2006.

Cardona will soon be seen in the Dark Castle Production The Reaping with two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank, which is scheduled to be released on in early 2007. In 2006 he finished filming "Madrid-Mexico" with director Enrique Renteria. Cardona is working, with his brothers, on his new production company "11-11", and is currently living in Los Angeles, California.

After a year and a half of absence Manolo Cardona returned to work for Telemundo and Argos working along side Humberto Zurita,( his co-star in Ladron de Corazones) Aylin Mujica, and Sandra Echeverria on the Telemundo soap opera production "Marina", which is filmed in Acapulco, Mexico.

For two years he dated actress and model Barbara Mori, his costar in La mujer de mi hermano. After their break up in 2005, he has been romantically linked to Brazilian model Katarina Sacht.

[edit] Awards

“Best Actor of Colombia” from TV y Novelas
“The Best Colombian Leading Actor of the Year” in Houston; a tribute paid by the Hispanic community in the United States.^{[citation needed]}