“Acting is not instant magic. There’s hard work behind each scene that allows the magic to appear,” admits model turned actress Stephanie Sigman.
Born in Ciudad de Obregón, Sonora, Mexico, Sigman began her career at the age of 16 as a model only then to transition to secondary roles in film and television series such as Cambio de Vida and Los Minodo. Her breakout moment arrived when she was chosen as the lead in the drama Miss Bala. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011 to positive reviews. It followed the story of an aspiring Mexican beauty queen who upon witnessing drug and gang-related murders was held hostage by the cartel to transport drug money across the U.S. border.
She later took on supporting acting roles in Pioneer (2013) and The Arrangement (2013). Last year she worked alongside Demian Bichir in the FX produced TV series The Bridge and was cast in Netflix’s new original series Narcos. Sigman plays Virgina Velez, role inspired by Virgina Vallejo, a journalist who maintained a romantic relationship with Pablo Escobar. The show was recently renewed for a second season.
Her career continues to bud momentum. This year she’ll portray the first Mexican Bond girl in the upcoming new James Bond movie Spectre. The actress will play a mysterious woman named Estrella and will get to rub shoulders with Mr. 007 himself, Daniel Craig. Stephanie is the third Latina to hold this coveted title. Spectre hits theaters on November 6.
Sigman is currently working on War on Everyone with Theo James and will be joining the cast of the second season of ABC’s drama American Crime. Without a doubt this is just the beginning of a long and successful career for Sigman.
Variety Latino’s 10 Latinos to Watch, honors 10 actors for their contributions to film and television. The honorees: Diego Boneta, Karla Souza, Stephanie Sigman, Luis Gerardo Méndez, Diane Guerrero, Natalie Martinez, Raúl Castillo, Maite Perroni, Miguel Gómez and Lorenza Izzo.
